APRIL 4/5 HOME - SPORTS NEWS - SPECIAL EDITION PART 1
NFL - (associated press): The Tennessee Titans ended their stalemate with quarterback Steve McNair on Wednesday and traded the former MVP to the Baltimore Ravens pending a physical.We have granted permission to Baltimore to give Steve McNair a physical, which we expect to take place in the next 24 hours, the team said in a statement. Upon passing a physical, final trade terms will be agreed upon. McNair, who turned 33 in February, was the winningest quarterback in franchise history. In 11 seasons, he went 81-59 and led them to their only Super Bowl in 2000. He and Peyton Manning shared the league`s MVP award in 2003. McNair won a grievance last week that allowed him to return to the team`s headquarters and work out after being told he couldn`t on April 3. The Titans had been trying to renegotiate a cheaper salary for McNair to lower a $23.46 million salary cap hit. Charliessports.com have the Ravens at +3076 to win Super Bowl XLI. The Titans are listed at +10545.
NCAA FOOTBALL: (associated press):
Alabama strong safety Chris Keys has been dismissed from the team for violating team rules, coach Mike Shula said Tuesday. Shula also said cornerback Travis Robinson has decided to leave the university. Both players are sophomores. The Crimson Tide are +5000 on newbodog.com to win the 2007 BCS National Championship. Keys was suspended from the Cotton Bowl for violating team rules, but Shula did not say whether that was related to his dismissal. Keys was once regarded as one of the nation`s top prospects. He was a four-sports standout at Porte Barre High School in Louisiana when he was suspended the spring before his senior season after getting caught with marijuana in school. He moved to Alabama after he was ruled ineligible to play in Louisiana for his senior season. Keys was unable to play as a senior at North Jackson High school because of Alabama transfer rules requiring him to sit out a year. Robinson, who played for Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, saw action in five of the first six games last season but missed the rest of the games with an injury.
NCAA FOOTBALL (associated press): Former Arizona starting quarterback Richard Kovalcheck is transferring to Vanderbilt and will be eligible to play immediately under new NCAA rules, the Commodores announced Friday. Under new NCAA bylaws, Kovalcheck will be able to play because he has two years of eligibility left and has completed his undergraduate degree. He`ll likely compete to replace Jay Cutler as the Vanderbilt starter in 2006. Kovalcheck will become the most experienced quarterback on the team after starting a total of eleven games for Arizona during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. During spring drills, redshirt sophomore Chris Nickson and redshirt freshman Mackenzi Adams were competing for the starting job. Cutler, the Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year, became the first Vandy quarterback drafted in the first round since Bill Wade in 1952, going to the Denver Broncos with the 11th pick overall. This gives our football team more quality depth at a critical position and should create enormous competition at the position, coach Bobby Johnson said in a statement. Kovalcheck started the first seven games for the Wildcats last season, completing 125 of 220 passes for 1,350 yards and 10 touchdowns. He eventually lost his starting spot to freshman Willie Tuitama.
NFL - (associate press) :
Houston Texans No. 1 draft pick Mario Williams will be sidelined for the rest of the week after having the toenails on both of his big toes removed. Williams, a 6-foot-7, 292-pound defensive end, had the procedure done on Monday after struggling with infections because of problems with his toenails. Houston has been going through organized team workouts for the past month and had their first day of mini-camp on Wednesday. They were bothering him throughout the camp, said Texans coach Gary Kubiak. So instead of trying to fight it, they removed them. We`re giving him a few days off to make sure it heals properly.`` Kubiak said Williams would probably return to practice on Friday. We just didn`t want it to be a problem when we got to the summer so took care of it now, Kubiak said. Williams signed a six-year $54 million contract the night before the draft. The Titans are set at +15000 by Charliessports.com to win Super Bowl XLI.
NFL- (associated press): Brett Favre was an unexpected no-show for the Green Bay Packers` voluntary workout Monday morning. But it wasn`t immediately clear whether Favre`s absence was a big deal -- or simply a case of coaches not wanting to overwork their star quarterback so early in the offseason. Favre was present for last week`s voluntary workouts, and Packers coach Mike McCarthy said last week that he expected Favre to attend this week`s sessions as well. McCarthy said through a team spokesman that he would address Favre`s absence during his regularly scheduled interview session on Tuesday. He has said several times that he wants to limit Favre`s "pitch count" during workouts so the quarterback doesn`t get worn out. Favre is scheduled to speak to the media on Thursday and will host his annual charity softball tournament on Sunday. Wide receiver Donald Driver recently said that getting the chance to work with Favre on chemistry and timing was a primary reason he was adamant about attending the voluntary workouts. But Driver said Monday that he wasn`t disappointed Favre wasn`t on the field. Not at all," Driver said. We came in, we knew we had a job to do regardless of the situation. We hope that everyone`s here, but guys have time to take off. Guys had other plans and you have to respect that. Guys have their own thing going on right now. Driver said working with the team`s other quarterbacks on Monday was worthwhile.
We still have great quarterbacks out there throwing the ball, so we can`t just say we`re not practicing because Brett`s not practicing," Driver said. "There`s going to be days where he doesn`t practice and a lot of other guys don`t practice. We still have to practice to win our games, regardless of the situation." Favre wasn`t the only notable absence on Monday. The Packers were again without both of their projected starting cornerbacks, Al Harris and Charles Woodson. Other notable absences included cornerback Ahmad Carroll, fullback William Henderson and defensive tackle Ryan Pickett. CARLIESSPORTS.com has the Packers listed as +3500 favorites to win the 2007 NFC Championship game.
NFL (associated press): The St. Louis Rams signed veteran defensive tackle Jason Fisk to a one-year contract on Wednesday. Fisk started 14 games for the Cleveland Browns last season and made 50 tackles, but was released in March. He`s also played for the Chargers, Titans and Vikings in an 11-year NFL career. The Rams are rebuilding their interior line after Ryan Pickett and Damione Lewis left as free agents. The Rams also signed cornerback Kevin Timothee and kicker Remy Hamilton to one-year contracts, and released kicker Josh Cummings. Timothee spent the 2005 preseason with the Titans as an undrafted rookie out of Florida International. He played this spring for the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe. Hamilton played in one game for the Lions last year after spending the 2005 preseason with the Rams. Charliessports.com lists the Rams as +6600 to win Super Bowl XLI.
NFL- (espn.com):
With the continuing anticipation over the potential acquisition of Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair, and the competition with incumbent starter Kyle Boller which would then ensue, the arrival of tailback Jamal Lewis for the Baltimore Ravens' mandatory minicamp this week elicited only a ripple.
And given Lewis' travails over the past 18 months -- a stretch that included a guilty plea to federal drug charges, stints in a federal corrections facility in Florida and a halfway house in Atlanta, ankle surgery and a disappointing 2005 season -- that's not an altogether bad thing. A brute power runner, and one of only four men in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, Lewis is never going sneak up on anyone. But being able to report for minicamp and not be the center of attention, with the media instead focusing principally on when or if McNair will be added to the roster, is a bit of a relief for the former first-round draft choice. Right now, I'm free and clear, said Lewis, who spent the offseason in Atlanta, fulfilling the 500-hour community service commitment that was part of his plea bargain agreement last year. I'm free and clear of everything that's behind me. It's just a much better situation. I'm back on the right track. That the six-year veteran is back in Baltimore at all for another season is mildly surprising. Lewis, 26, tested the unrestricted free agent market earlier in the spring, and there were rumors that he was being pursued by the Denver Broncos. But he re-signed with the Ravens, ironically, only a day after Baltimore signed his presumptive replacement, former Broncos starter Mike Anderson. The three-year, $26 million contract Lewis signed doesn't provide the long-term security that those big numbers might suggest. The deal is essentially for one year, at $6 million, with the Ravens on the hook for $5 million roster bonuses each in 2007 and 2008. If Lewis doesn't produce this year, in what has to be a rebound season for him, Baltimore isn't likely to invest $10 million in him (the $5 million roster bonus and a $5 million base salary) for 2007. A solid veteran whose resume includes a pair of 1,000-yard seasons, Anderson not only provides some stiff competition but also gives the Ravens a nice insurance policy. Club officials and coach Brian Billick have said there are enough carries to go around between Lewis and Anderson, and possibly star-crossed three-year veteran Musa Smith, a talented back whose career has been derailed by injuries. But it would mean a lot to the Baltimore offense, no matter who is playing quarterback, if Lewis can return to his past form and become a punishing workhorse-style runner again. That was hardly the case in 2005, as Lewis' offseason training was interrupted by his legal entanglements and ankle surgery, and he never really got into a rhythm. Despite starting 15 games, Lewis ran for only 906 yards and three touchdowns on 269 carries. Not counting the 2001 season, when he missed the entire campaign with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, it was Lewis' poorest single-season performance. His anemic 3.4-yard average per attempt was significantly less than the 4.7-yard career average with which he entered the season and Lewis posted just two 100-yard outings. There is some rust, Lewis acknowledged at the outset of the minicamp on Tuesday, from having not been with the Ravens for the earlier organized team activity drills this spring. But Lewis and the Ravens coaches are optimistic he will round back into shape and, hopefully, return to being the feared back he once was. NFL (associated press):
The New Orleans Saints traded linebacker Courtney Watson to the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday in exchange for tight end Tim Euhus. It`s the second time this year that Watson has been traded. He was sent to Miami earlier this offseason but the deal was voided when Eddie Moore, the player the Saints had obtained, failed a physical. Euhus, entering his third season, has started nine of 23 games in his career. He has 14 receptions for 115 yards and a pair of touchdowns over the last two seasons with the Bills. The trade is pending league approval. Watson, who was drafted in the second round in 2004, played in nine games for the Saints last season and had 37 tackles and one sack. He was arrested in late October on a drunken driving charge in San Antonio and a knee sprain kept him out for the last seven games of the season. Charliessports.com lists the Saints at +8000 to win Super Bowl XLI. The Bills are priced at +10000. NFL - (associated press):
The Houston Texans hired Rick Smith as general manager on Monday, reuniting the former Denver assistant GM with new coach Gary Kubiak. Smith becomes the second general manager in Texans history, following Charley Casserly, who resigned following the draft. Casserly is considered the front-runner to become the NFL`s vice president for football operations, succeeding Art Shell, who left to become coach of the Oakland Raiders for the second time. Smith, who at 36 will be the NFL`s youngest GM, spent 10 years with Kubiak while the coach was offensive coordinator of the Broncos. He also becomes the second black general manager, joining Ozzie Newsome of Baltimore. He is unlikely to have the overriding power with the Texans that Casserly has had. Smith joined the Broncos in 1996, but had only been in his current position since March. Before that he spent six seasons as head of Denver`s pro personnel operations. He moved to the front office after serving as a defensive assistant for four seasons. The Texans also interviewed Green Bay director of pro personnel Reggie McKenzie and Rick Mueller, the New Orleans Saints director of player personnel.. Smith began his coaching career at Purdue in 1992 after playing strong safety for the Boilermakers. He spent two seasons as a strength and conditioning coach before taking over as defensive backs coach. He worked as an assistant at TCU for a month before taking a job with the Broncos. Charliessports.com lists the Texans at +15000 to win Super Bowl XLI
NFL- (associated press):
New England and New Orleans have agreed to a trade that would send wide receiver Bethel Johnson from the Patriots to the Saints for defensive lineman Johnathan Sullivan. The deal is contingent on approval by the NFL office, which is expected Tuesday, Patriots spokesman Stacey James said Monday. Both players have been disappointments after being chosen early in the 2003 draft. Johnson, a speedster who was taken in the second round with the 45th overall pick, had just 30 catches in three seasons and only four last year. Sullivan was the sixth pick in that draft, but had one sack in 14 games last season
FREE NFL PICKS - (associated press):
Keyshawn Johnson arrived in minicamp Friday, drawing a swarm of attention as he left the practice field. Few even noticed Keary Colbert as he quietly walked on by. Since Johnson was brought in to be the No. 2 receiver the Carolina Panthers so desperately needed last season, Colbert`s role has become unclear. He`s now third on the depth chart, fighting with Drew Carter for playing time. Since the bulk of the catches in Carolina go to All-Pro receiver Steve Smith, it leaves very few balls to go around. Colbert, who like Johnson played at Southern California, isn`t concerned. I`m honored to play with Keyshawn, I grew up watching him and feel like I can learn a lot from him, Colbert said. I think you`ve got to take the positives in this situation. There are no negatives in this situation. I`m going to learn from a veteran guy. He brings another dimension to our team. He`s going to make our football team better, which will increase our chances of going and winning the Super Bowl, which is always the goal. The Panthers advanced to the NFC championship last season, but lost to Seattle in large part because Smith was their only offensive threat. Running back DeShaun Foster was injured, so the Seahawks only had to key on Smith because they knew Colbert couldn`t pick up the slack. It was Colbert`s second season, first as a starter, and it was by all accounts horrific. He went from 47 catches for 754 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie, to 25 catches, 282 yards and two TDs. The Panthers have since revealed that Colbert had an ankle injury all season, and was suffering from bone spurs, bone chips and a calcium buildup that required offseason surgery. Colbert won`t use that an excuse for his sophomore slump. It didn`t bother me enough to not play, he said. If you can walk and you can run, you can play. My thing wasn`t any different from things that other guys play with every year that`s why I don`t like to talk about it. That Colbert kept his injury a secret doesn`t surprise his teammates. Nobody knew how hurt he was because that`s just the kind of guy he is, quarterback Jake Delhomme said. He doesn`t complain. He just comes out and plays. But in talking with him after the season, he had some issues and he was in a lot of pain. Now that he`s healed, Colbert wants to prove he can be an effective option in Carolina`s offense. He did it in 2004, when he broke all of the Panthers` rookie receiving records. But as he struggled through the early part of last year, the Panthers began to use Carter more and more. By the time the playoffs rolled around, Carter was the deep-ball threat, Ricky Proehl was the third-down receiver and Colbert was the odd man out. It was obvious to even the casual fan that the Panthers needed to bring in a receiver to complement Smith, preferably a big, physical player who could help open up lanes in the running game. Colbert knew the Panthers would likely bring someone in, but didn`t concern himself with it even after they chose Johnson, who became an instant starter. How am I going to better myself worrying about who they bring in? They`re going to bring in guys every year, he said. That`s what this game and all sports are about - competing and playing and winning. Charliessports.com has the Panthers listed at +1200 to win Superbowl XLI.
NFL- (associated press):
Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said Wednesday that he let two players know they've disgraced the team with their off-field legal problems.
I told the people that yes, you embarrass us as an organization, myself and the coaches when these things occur, Lewis said of rookie linebacker A.J. Nicholson and second-year receiver Chris Henry. Right, wrong or indifferent, there are certain things that you're asked not to be a part of or around. Lewis insisted, however, that the recent arrests of Nicholson and Henry -- Henry's third arrest within seven months -- aren't distractions to the team as it prepares for summer mini-camp next week. We'll move forward and move on, and they'll be dealt with as they are allowed to be dealt with," Lewis said after players gathered for a voluntary practice. Nicholson, 21, is charged with grand theft and burglary, both felonies, in a break-in at a former Florida State teammate's apartment in Tallahassee, Fla. He was the Bengals' fifth-round draft choice this year. Henry, 23, drafted in the third round last year from West Virginia, is recovering from a January knee injury. He was charged Sunday in nearby Clermont County with speeding and drunken driving. He also faces trial Aug. 21 in Orlando, Fla., on a concealed weapon charge following a January incident in which police say he pulled a pistol on a group of revelers. Henry pleaded guilty in March to marijuana charges from a December arrest in Kentucky, avoiding jail time after completing a drug rehabilitation program. That bothers me when someone doesn't quite understand social laws, said Lewis. That bothers me, no question.
NFL- (associated press):
Tired of hearing about how they lost the Super Bowl, the Seattle Seahawks took a moment Wednesday to celebrate winning the NFC championship. Following the conclusion of their third mini-camp practice, the Seahawks retired to a tent set up in the players' parking lot and were presented with their NFC championship rings. The rings were made by Jostens and include 58 diamonds surrounding a striking blue, crystalized, volcanic stone with the Seahawks logo in the middle. One side of the ring features an image of Qwest Field with Mount Rainier in the background and the player's name on the other side. That's what we emphasized in there, this was about what you accomplished, Seahawks president Tim Ruskell said. No other Seahawks team has gone to the Super Bowl, no other team has ever won 13 games, no other team has ever won 11 in a row, led the league in scoring, led the league is sacks. This was about accomplishment and is the way it needs to be viewed. Much of the offseason has focused on Seattle's 21-10 loss to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl, with little mention of the Seahawks' 34-14 rout of Carolina in the NFC title game. Wednesday's ceremony brought smiles and a tangible sign of that accomplishment. Now that it's come and gone and we've been there, it's something we feel good about, but not quite what we wanted it to be, fullback Mack Strong said. Strong is the longest-tenured Seahawk, having played all 13 seasons in Seattle. Most of the players immediately started wearing the rings. A number lined up in a conference room to meet with Jostens representatives about ordering auxiliary pieces for friends and family members. The Seahawks added one special feature to the rings -- a tiny image of a carabiner, an oval metal ring used in mountain climbing. Before the season, accomplished climber Ed Viesturs gave a motivation speech to the team. Viesturs gave each player a carabiner, and the players received another -- either blue or green and inscribed with motivational phrases -- after each victory. We thought the look of it just came out perfect, Ruskell said. Ruskell earned a Super Bowl ring while working in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' front office and said the Seahawks' ring is fairly comparable, but the Bucs' ring held "a few more diamonds here and there." Relatively quiet and simple in his approach, Strong joked he wouldn't mind getting the next level of ring -- one with a little more "bling." I'd like it if people had to help me hold my hand up while it's on,"Strong said. It feels good.
NCAA FOOTBALL- (covers.com):
Tennessee quarterback Jim Bob Cooter was suspended indefinitely Monday after campus police arrested him on a drunken-driving charge. Coach Philip Fulmer cited a violation of team rules. He said Cooter will miss the season opener Sept. 2 against California and undergo an alcohol evaluation before he can return. Jim Bob has let the team down and embarrassed himself and his family by his actions,`` Fulmer said. He has benefited greatly by being part of the Tennessee family, and with that comes great responsibility for his actions. Cooter was arrested Saturday after campus officers noticed a sports utility vehicle crossing the center line and driving on the road side of the street, according to a campus police report. Cooter failed three field sobriety tests. The quarterback was charged with first offense driving under the influence, the report said. A female passenger was charged with underage consumption of alcohol. He did not behave in a responsible manner, and he understands very clearly that even though this is his first offense, there will be consequences, Fulmer said. Cooter earned his bachelor`s degree in May but is to play a graduate student this fall. He did not attempt a pass in 2005 and made late appearances in one game each in 2003 and 2004 after redshirting in 2002.
NCAA FOOTBALL- (associated press):
Iowa raised the salary of coach Kirk Ferentz on Friday in a deal that makes him one of the nation`s highest paid college football coaches. Ferentz, who has led the Hawkeyes to two Big Ten titles and four straight January bowl games, was given a restructured contract that boosts his annual salary to $2.84 million from $1.44 million, with a one-time payment of $1.4 million. The deal does not extend his contract, which expires after 2012. Coach Ferentz is among the very best coaches in the nation and this compensation package is reflective of that, said Iowa athletic director Bob Bowlsby, who is leaving next month to become athletic director at Stanford. The agreement ``recognizes our confidence that coach Ferentz will continue to lead the University of Iowa football program to high achievement on and off the field in the years ahead.`` Most of the nation`s top college coaches have eclipsed the $2 million mark in recent years. Ferentz`s deal makes him one of the best paid coaches in the Big Ten and vaults him past Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who last month signed a seven-year extension reportedly worth $2.4 million in the first year. Tennessee`s Phillip Fulmer, Florida`s Urban Meyer, South Carolina`s Steve Spurrier, Oklahoma`s Bob Stoops and Texas` Mack Brown are all among the growing group of college football coaches making at least $2 million per year. Ferentz, a former offensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns under Bill Belichick then briefly at Baltimore, has been courted by NFL owners in recent years. He is entering his eighth year at Iowa and has compiled a 49-36 record. After a difficult start, Iowa has blossomed under his leadership. In the last four years, the Hawkeyes won Big Ten titles in 2002 and 2004, tied a school record with 38 victories and finished in the Top 10 three times. Ferentz was voted The Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2002 and has twice been named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL- (associated press):
The NCAA will no longer accept transcripts from 15 nontraditional high schools, including one in Florida with a Web site that promises students an opportunity to earn a diploma in weeks. Others include an institution in Maine that offers home schooling and one in Pennsylvania whose charter was revoked by the state three years ago. Other schools are still being investigated and could face similar sanctions by the NCAA in an attempt to deal with so-called "diploma mills" whose graduates seek athletic scholarships to college. An NCAA spokesman last week said some cases involved abuse and even fraud in academic standards. Goliath Academy of Miami Lakes, which offers correspondence and online courses, was among four Florida schools identified with questionable academic credentials Wednesday by the NCAA initial-eligibility clearinghouse. A telephone message seeking comment from Goliath was not immediately returned. The NCAA board of directors in April gave the association authority to look into the schools' standards, including the examination of individual transcripts. The investigation was accelerated after a New York Times story on University High School, a Miami correspondence school that had no classes or instructors and operated almost without supervision. A telephone number for University has been disconnected, as has one for American Academy of Miami, which is also on the NCAA list. The North Atlantic Regional High School in Lewiston, Maine, is also on the list and has been notified of the NCAA's action, school founder Steve Moitozo said. They want students who have put in seat time at the school, and our students are home-schooled, said Moitozo, a Baptist minister who founded the school in the 1980s as an offshoot of a support group for families of home-schooled children. We have state-certified teachers who review their work, but they don't have seat time. Moitozo, whose school claims about 2,400 students, said he would not fight the NCAA's action. We fought for home-schooling for years and we got that, but this is between them and the family," he said. "It's just not that big a deal to us. Among others on the initial NCAA list is Einstein Charter School of Morrisville, Pa., whose charter was revoked in 2003 and subsequently lost an appeal to the state. Another school is Celestial Prep of Philadelphia, whose former students include Keith Butler, who later played basketball at Temple, and Omar Williams, who played at George Washington. The NCAA listing is not retroactive, meaning it won't affect any players already enrolled in college. More than two dozen other high schools are under review. Failure to provide a response to the questions will result in a school being invalidated for use in the initial-eligibility process, the NCAA said. In addition, onsite visits have been conducted at some high schools to supplement the information considered in the review. Most of the schools on the initial list of 15 were included because they had not responded to the NCAA request for information. If the information is provided, the NCAA may review its findings. But a lawyer representing some of the schools said last week the NCAA does not have legal authority to dictate standards for schools that already operate under state sanction. Don't get me wrong. There are some schools like that that need to be closed, attorney Don Jackson of Montgomery, Ala., said. But the problem is, what they are doing now is going in and trying to kill a flea with an atomic bomb. They're going to impact a lot of schools that shouldn't be affected.
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL- (associated press):
The architecture firm that designed Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Camden Yards in Baltimore and college stadiums from Pennsylvania to Oklahoma will be the designer of the new TCF Stadium at the University of Minnesota. HOK Sports of Kansas City was selected over two other firms by the Board of Regents at the University of Minnesota. The decision was announced at a special board meeting Thursday morning. University President Robert Bruininks said, This is a very exciting moment. The dream can now become a reality. During the past legislative session, lawmakers approved a financing plan that commits the state to 55 percent of the $248 million cost of the on-campus stadium. The university is raising the rest of the money through a $35 million naming-rights deal with TCF Bank, other private donations and a student fee of $25 a year. Construction is expected to begin this summer and school officials hope the stadium will be ready for the 2009 football season. It would end a quarter-century hiatus of college football from the university campus. Memorial Stadium was torn down after the university moved its games to the Metrodome in 1982.
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL- (associated press):
Alabama strong safety Chris Keys has been dismissed from the team for violating team rules, coach Mike Shula said Tuesday. Shula also said cornerback Travis Robinson has decided to leave the university. Both players are sophomores. Keys was suspended from the Cotton Bowl for violating team rules, but Shula did not say whether that was related to his dismissal. Keys was once regarded as one of the nation's top prospects. He was a four-sports standout at Porte Barre High School in Louisiana when he was suspended the spring before his senior season after getting caught with marijuana in school. He moved to Alabama after he was ruled ineligible to play in Louisiana for his senior season. Keys was unable to play as a senior at North Jackson High school because of Alabama transfer rules requiring him to sit out a year. Robinson, who played for Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, saw action in five of the first six games last season but missed the rest of the games with an injury. NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL- (associated press):
The golf course giveth -- and the NCAA taketh away. Iowa quarterback Drew Tate hit a hole-in-one at a charity golf tournament on Friday, a feat entitling him to $25,000 toward the purchase of a new car. James White, 31, of Cedar Falls, told the Iowa City Press-Citizen that Tate was prepared to cash in the prize and spend the winnings on a new Harley-Davidson. But Tate's visions of a thundering down Iowa highways on two wheels were short-lived. Iowa Athletic Director Bob Bowlsby, who was present for the tournament, let Tate know that he couldn't accept the prize. That would be against NCAA regulations, since Tate, the 2004 all-Big Ten quarterback, has a year of eligibility left. Using a 6-iron, Tate aced the 178-yard 6th hole at Finkbine Golf Course, the University of Iowa's golf course in Iowa City. Two of his playing partners told the Press-Citizen that Tate's shot flew a few feet beyond the hole, then spun back in. Was Tate angry about the motorcycle that got away? No, White told the newspaper. He said, 'No, not really because if it weren't for football and the university, I wouldn't be playing in this outing anyway, White said. NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL- (associated press):
Former Brigham Young football captain Brad Martin was found dead of unknown causes at his home. He was 30. Martin played at BYU from 1995-1998. His body was found by his landlord Tuesday, likely five to six days after he died, police told his family. An autopsy was inconclusive and toxicology results would take about three weeks, said Robert Martin, Brad's father. We don't really know what happened, Martin said. It just came so unexpectedly to us. Brad Martin's funeral was held Friday and a graveside service was scheduled for Saturday at American Fork Cemetery. As a football family, we are all deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said in a release. We express our deepest, heart-felt sympathy to the Martin family and want them to know our thoughts and prayers are with them. Brad Martin was injured in a car accident during his senior season. He took prescription painkillers for a neck injury and struggled with addiction after his playing career, Robert Martin said. He did it because it was the only way he could play, Robert Martin said. He never messed with that stuff until he needed it to stay on the field. It just got control of his life there for a while. Brad Martin filed a lawsuit against BYU, claiming the school "continually allowed me to play football despite my injuries" and "provided me with an abundance of painkillers ... to allow me to play though the pain in my last football season." BYU and Martin settled the lawsuit out of court. While BYU does not discuss the details of legal matters, this case was settled out of a sense of compassion to help Brad," BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said. Martin went through drug rehabilitation and had been clean for about a year, his father said. He told me how excited he was to feel good again and feel like life is worthwhile, Robert Martin said. He felt like his life was back on track and [the addiction] under control, and then this happens. Brad Martin was a two-time co-captain for the Cougars. Martin is survived by his parents, Robert and Ellen Martin, and siblings Bryant, Kurt and Casandra.
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL- (associated press):
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker A.J. Nicholson was charged Saturday with burglarizing the apartment of a former Florida State teammate. The 21-year-old Nicholson also was charged with grand theft and vandalism. He was being held at the Leon County jail on $16,000 bond, with a first appearance before a judge scheduled Monday, a spokesman with the Sheriff's office said. Nicholson and Fred Rouse, another former Florida State teammate, are accused of breaking into the apartment of Seminoles running back Lorenzo Booker and stealing $1,700 worth of electronic equipment late last month. The 20-year-old Rouse, a former wide receiver kicked off the team in January after his freshman season, was arrested May 27 in Tallahassee and charged with burglary and grand theft. Nicholson was in Cincinnati when the charges were filed. Nicholson has a history of off-field problems, including a suspension for the Orange Bowl in January after he took a woman to the team's Miami hotel in a violation of team policy. She accused him of sexual assault, but Nicholson has not been charged. Nicholson, a fifth-round draft pick, has been participating in the Bengals' voluntary workouts. Team officials declined to comment. A message left for Nicholson's agent was not immediately returned.
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL- (associated press): Texas running back Ramonce Taylor, who scored a touchdown in the Longhorns` Rose Bowl win over Southern California, was arrested Sunday by Bell County sheriff`s deputies who said they found marijuana in a backpack in his car. Taylor was arrested for possession of marijuana over five pounds, a second-degree felony. A second-degree felony could be punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Formal charges had not yet been filed. Taylor remained in custody in the Bell County Jail. Deputies said they also found a live round of ammunition in the vehicle. According to the arrest report, deputies responded to a report of a large fight involving as many as 100 people at a pecan farm in Little River, a community about 40 miles north of Austin. Deputies also said they received a call from someone who had been at the fight and complained that a window on his vehicle had been broken. That caller turned out to be Taylor. While interviewing Taylor at a convenience store, deputies were told by other officers at the fight scene that Taylor had been involved and had threatened to return with a gun. Taylor was placed in handcuffs. Taylor told deputies he didn`t have a gun and gave them permission to search his vehicle. Deputies reported finding the bullet and the backpack with the marijuana. One of Texas` most versatile players, Taylor scored 15 touchdowns last season, including a 30-yard scoring run in the Rose Bowl, which Texas won 41-38. The win gave Texas its first outright national championship since 1969.
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