http://www.yardbarker.com/users/ck0712 Recent Yardbarker Articles: ck0712 en-us The great Brian Urlacher wants to renegotiate his contract. Unhappy with the nine-year, $57 million contract he signed in 2003, Urlacher has said he won't go to any of the Chicago Bears' offseason minicamps unless he gets a new deal. Whether he shows up at training camp is anyone's guess. Nobody put a gun to Urlacher's head when he signed the deal and he and his financial people should have been able to figure that the salary cap would go up dramatically in the five years that have followed (from $75 million to $115 million). But that's just what happened and now Urlacher wants his. Or he wants more of his. OUCH .............click it 4 the full read!!! Fri, 16 May 2008 05:43:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267542 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267542 Wide receiver Marvin Harrison is expected to report for the Indianapolis Colts' mandatory three-day minicamp Friday, the Indianapolis Star reported. When asked if Harrison would be in camp, Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy told the Star, "I'm assuming he will." Harrison, 35, has been questioned by Philadelphia police about an April 29 shooting outside of a bar he owns in North Philadelphia. According to reports, a 32-year-old man was shot in the hand and a 2-year-old boy sustained a cut when a car windshield was shattered by a stray bullet. The investigation is ongoing. Police said Harrison has cooperated and is not a suspect at this time. Fri, 16 May 2008 04:39:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267539 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267539 From the time he arrived in Philadelphia, Eagles coach Andy Reid has been a champion of change. Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid was featured as keynote speaker for Thursday's Volunteers of America Celebrity Dinner at Genetti's Convention and Hotel Center in Wilkes-Barre. At first, he promised to turn around the losing culture surrounding the Eagles. When they became winners, he vowed to take them to the Super Bowl. And when they walked away from the NFL's biggest stage three points shy of winning a Super Bowl three years ago, he swore he wouldn't rest until his Eagles attained the title. It's no surprise then that Reid arrived at Genetti's Convention and Hotel Center to make a rare promotional appearance Thursday at the Volunteers of America Celebrity Dinner. After all, the organization is just as dedicated to making changes as the Eagles head coach is. "I don't do much (public speaking engagements) at all," Reid said. "And I have opportunities to do a bunch of them. I kind of like what the Volunteers of America stand for. They're committed in so many areas, helping people become better people and helping people in need become independent. "It's a tribute to the hard work they put in." CLICK it 4 the full read.........gotta hand it to him, he really doesn't do many public speaking gigs like this.....nice one andy !!!! Fri, 16 May 2008 04:30:05 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267534 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267534 Eighth-grader Erik Forbes was "super nervous" and almost sick-to-his-stomach just before he walked into the San Diego Chargers training facility Friday. Todd Forbes gave his son a quick pep talk and reminded Erik of how much fun he was going to have once he was inside the doors. Dillon Joyce, on the same day, was walking into the Philadelphia Eagles office, 2,700 miles across the country. He, too, was in awe of what he was about to do. The 14-year-old Noblesville Middle School students were among 32 Central Indiana ambassadors who delivered Indianapolis' bid to host Super Bowl 2012 to NFL teams. The city is competing with Houston and Phoenix. The boys, who've been friends since kindergarten at Hazel Dell Elementary and who play football, baseball and basketball together, said they had the time of their lives. It was an experience they won't soon forget. "My trip to Philadelphia was incredible," Dillon Joyce wrote in an e-mail after his return from the Philadelphia Eagles office, where he met with the Eagles owner's assistant Bridget Michener. "I told her why they should vote for Indianapolis," said Joyce, whose father Brian Joyce chaperoned the trip. They toured the training facility, met players, and then Dillon received game-worn jerseys of guard Shawn Andrews and quarterback Donavan McNabb, and an autographed jersey from McNabb. They had lunch in the facility's cafeteria, were chauffeured by team owner Jeffrey Lurie's personal driver, and toured Lincoln Financial Stadium, where the Eagles play. It's easy to say that that was one of the greatest experiences of my life," Dillon said. Erik Forbes, whose father Todd Forbes chaperoned his trip to deliver the bid to the San Diego Chargers, met A.J. Spanos, the son of owner Alex Spanos, and toured the offices and practice facility. Erik told Spanos about Indianapolis' new stadium, to Spanos' reply: "I wish we were getting one." Erik handed Spanos the bid, stuttered a moment, his dad said, then told how honored he was to deliver the bid for the city of Indianapolis. The teen also met Hall of Famer wide receiver Charlie Joiner, pro-bowl defensive lineman Luis Castillo and all-pro offensive lineman Marcus McNeill. He saw Chargers cornerback Darren Sproles, and received a Chargers hat, photos, calendar and video. The students, who will be seniors in 2012, will continue as ambassadors until the Super Bowl that year if Indianapolis is awarded the bid. Thu, 15 May 2008 11:44:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267261 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267261 Would things have played out differently if Ricky Williams had been on Cedric Benson's boat earlier this month? The Dolphins running back thinks so, and according to Williams, he was invited to go on board. Williams told the Austin American-Statesman for Thursday's editions that he declined an invitation from Benson to spend a Saturday on Benson's boat in Lake Travis, Texas. On May 3, Benson was charged with boating while intoxicated after failing a sobriety test and resisting arrest in an alleged struggle that required officers to use pepper spray before dragging him ashore. Williams told the American-Statesman that things would have played out differently if he had been on Benson's boat. "I think if I had come down, things might have worked out a little bit differently," Williams told the newspaper. "I find I have a calming influence on people I'm around. "As a high-level athlete, it's just something that's ingrained in me. I always think that if I'm there, things would be different. I can't say how." Thu, 15 May 2008 10:10:58 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267228 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267228 Philadelphia Eagles fans are obsessed with obtaining a No. 1 wideout, feeling that Donovan McNabb has underachieved since the T.O. debacle. During that 2004 season, McNabb had a passer rating of 104.7 while throwing for 3,875 yards, 31 TDs, only 8 interceptions, and running for another 220 yards and 3 TDs. It is true that since then he has failed to even approach those numbers, yet it might not have as much to do with his receivers as everyone thinks. Since the Super Bowl, McNabb has faced injuries and controversies circulating around his future in Philadelphia. However, with the quarterback of the future already on the roster, McNabb no longer has to wonder if he will remain and rather how long. He is now motivated to secure his future contract, no matter which team gives it to him. McNabb knows he must prove that he still has the durability, flair, talent and speed that was so prevalent early on in his career. It seems that McNabb is taking a very lighthearted approach to it all though, and that could translate into a huge year on the field. McNabb has consistently played at high level when he is happy, and it would once again appear that he is content. More than 18 months removed from his ACL tear, McNabb is poised to have a huge breakout year and hopefully keep the Eagles playing deep into January. Maybe they will even earn a trip to Tampa. MCNABB ROCKS!!! you have to admit after day in & day out, of reading about the #1 WR coming to philly, usually the same names over & over again..........MAYBE it is, what it is & Donovan is happy, healthy & ready to kick some a$$. u can thumb it down, u can slash it to pieces but no matter which way u do it.........mcnabb is the man!!! respect that ya dig? ;0 !!! Thu, 15 May 2008 09:56:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267223 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267223 Ray Lewis isn't the only NFL star in his 30s whose career is at a crossroads -- and whose performance greatly affects his team. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have now reached their 30s, and as they go, so go the fates of their teams. Roughly 167 players age 30 and older -- an average of more than five per team -- are starters. These players either provide veteran leadership or are the focal points of their teams. Here are the top 10 players in their 30s to watch this season: CLICK it 4 the list ;0 !!!!!!! Thu, 15 May 2008 06:32:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267170 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267170 and you can even see some clips of his TV debut...... The real question, though, is … who cares? It's T.O. and Flav, baby! Besides, when a clock-minding network publicist is monitoring your chat with the NFL's most colorful employee in what you're surprised to learn is a three-way call, three rules must be strictly followed: Keep on your toes, keep it to 10 minutes and skip the small stuff to focus on really important matters -- like potential gifts for the rumored Jessica Simpson-Tony Romo wedding. LOL i'm tossin this in the backyard, enjoy-click it to read the 10 minutes of fun & see some clips!! Wed, 14 May 2008 19:31:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267078 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267078 He plays the most critical position in the most pressurized team sport on the planet, trying to entertain the frenzied fans in one of the nation's least forgiving media markets. So, really, who better than Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb to talk about high blood pressure? He certainly knows all about it on the periphery as his play on the field and candor off of it have been fodder from radio talk shows to auto repair shops in Philadelphia. Been that way ever since the Eagles selected him out of Syracuse in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft. Tuesday morning brought McNabb to Harrisburg for a couple of private appearances, where he and his parents spoke of the dangers associated with high blood pressure. Of course, the morning started with McNabb being McNabb. Sometimes, serious. Sometimes, not. "Hey," McNabb said, starting an interview from a downtown hotel, "I've just been traded to the Steelers. Me for Ben [Roethlisberger]." McNabb let his words hang there for a couple of seconds and then laughed. Good line. Funny. But you just knew if that comment was made 100 miles away in Philadelphia, somebody's blood pressure in one of the city's famed cheesesteak houses would have jumped to, oh, 210/120. CLICK it to rock it!!! If this is a double post, sorry~just got back from vaca!!! Wed, 14 May 2008 13:58:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266891 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266891 Former NFL center Curtis Whitley, who played for three teams in the 1990s and had a history of substance use, was found dead in his trailer home in West Texas. The Pecos County sheriff said Wednesday that the 39-year-old Whitley was found Sunday night in Fort Stockton, about 220 miles east of El Paso. Sheriff Cliff Harris said Whitley was found face down in the bathroom by friends who went to check on him after they had not heard from him. Harris said there was no signs of foul play, but the death remains under investigation. Whitley played for San Diego, Carolina and Oakland from 1992-97 and had two suspensions for violating the league's drug policy. Whitley's body has been sent to El Paso for an autopsy. CLICK it, how sad !!! Wed, 14 May 2008 13:48:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266887 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266887 Enjoy Ray Lewis while you can. Because in a few years, the future Hall of Fame linebacker plans to separate himself from the NFL completely -- with no second-guessing and no regrets. "When it's time for me to hang up those cleats, there is no coming back,'' Lewis said. "There is no 'Yeah, I feel good again and I'm in better shape.' Because I know what I give every day of my life, and that is complete focus on my task at hand.'' That current task is bringing Baltimore back to prominence. Just two years ago the Ravens were Super Bowl contenders after a 13-3 season, but injuries and inconsistent play resulted in last season's 5-11 finish. Despite nine Pro Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl MVP on his résumé, Lewis says he is training harder than ever. Increasing his workout regimen with age is a trick he learned from former teammates Rod Woodson and Shannon Sharpe, who played 17 and 14 years, respectively. Lewis, who turns 33 Thursday, is in his 13th season and believes his intense training will help him play "another three or four years, easily.'' He arrived at minicamp in midseason form last weekend, weighing 255 pounds with 6 percent body fat and biceps large enough to make running backs cringe. RAY ROCKS!!! CLICK it......i'm backkkkkkkk Wed, 14 May 2008 13:45:06 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266886 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266886 As the Atlanta Falcons begin a three-day mandatory minicamp Saturday, they'll have a new face (rookie quarterback Matt Ryan) and a new mind (courtesy of new coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff). But the one thing the Falcons did keep was their heart. They kept Keith Brooking. Some day, the middle linebacker will get his due. Maybe a few years down the road, Ryan, Smith and Dimitroff will stand around at Super Bowl media day and talk about the franchise's remarkable turnaround. They probably will talk about some rough times early on, and if there's any justice in the world, they'll talk about Brooking. In the past year, Michael Vick and Bobby Petrino came pretty close to re-enacting Sherman's march through Georgia -- torching a fan base as Vick went to federal prison and Petrino to the University of Arkansas. In the past few months, the Falcons worked to bury just about every sign of the past, releasing popular running back Warrick Dunn and tight end Alge Crumpler and unloading disgruntled cornerback DeAngelo Hall. CLICK IT 4 the full read.......brooking does indeed, have heart!!! Sun, 11 May 2008 05:22:01 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265638 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265638 No position on the Eagles' roster comes under more scrutiny than that of the wide receiver. Since the departure of Terrell Owens, Eagles' fans have been clamoring for a receiver of Owens' ability. Prayers were almost answered this offseason when the team nearly snagged Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald, and Roy Williams. The team also had the chance to sign former Denver receiver Javon Walker, as well as former Raider Jerry Porter. However, no new receivers ended up in Eagles' green during the free agency spending frenzy. It was not until the Draft that head coach Andy Reid and company snagged a receiver in Cal's electrifying DeSean Jackson. The first mini camps have come and gone without any meaningful new additions to the position. This begs the question: Can the Eagles make a Super Bowl run with these receivers? Reid thinks so. "We did a tremendous job statistically in just about every area," Reid said in a press conference last week. "We'll work very hard at [red zone production], and we'll be fine there." CLICK IT!!!!!! just for the record i dig Curtis, always have & well Jackson is gonna be off the hook soon enough!!! as usual, i'm stayin positive.......u read & decide how u feel, peace out ck0712 Sat, 10 May 2008 15:41:21 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265533 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265533 What does Governor Ted Strickland have in common with NFL players and turkeys? Their effort to promote youth outdoor recreation. Today during the 2008 Ohio Governor's Youth Celebrity Spring Turkey Hunt, local kids got a chance to mingle with Governor Strickland and some Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles players, all in effort to promote outdoor recreation. "If more young people were involved with the outdoors, and hunting and other outdoor activities, I'm convinced we'd have less drug abuse, we'd have fewer school dropouts. I just think it's a way to try to get our young people engaged in a way that's wholesome and healthy and will keep them out of trouble, and at the same time, let them enjoy themselves," says Governor Ted Strickland. some "give back" love it, click it for the full read!! Sat, 10 May 2008 13:58:37 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265505 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265505 lol!!! it's a slideshow, check it for a good laugh!! my pick is this guy....LMAO!!! Sat, 10 May 2008 05:58:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265417 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265417