American Sports Thread

[magpie seanie]

SO going forward to 2009, who looks to be primed for making a play-off run. While the draft and the trades have yet to be settled going on what we've seen this year, I think next year the Falcons will be in there, Patriots might be back strong again, Pittsburgh of course, Tennessee, Miami (if Parcells is still there), Redskins possibly, Panthers, Cardinals clearly have the talent in some positions but I get the feeling Warner wont be there and they need a run game.

Colts are on a downward curve, Eagles, Giants, Chargers Cowboys too,

Hate to say it but watch for the Vikings, Ravens and Saints.

Hopefully the Bears if the D picks up a bit and a great QB & WR via trade or draft.

Yeah. D had no ability to get to opposing QB's last year so that needs to be looked at. They're not that far awat from bieng really good. Hopefully Forte can reproduce his form of last season but he needs some help.

[Minder]

Lads I don't know if this was asked before, but do you know the program on Sky Sports "America's Game".  Is that available to buy on DVD?

£125 for Super Bowl I-XL, this is shipped from the UK.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B000VAHQW4/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

[declan85]

SO going forward to 2009, who looks to be primed for making a play-off run. While the draft and the trades have yet to be settled going on what we've seen this year, I think next year the Falcons will be in there, Patriots might be back strong again, Pittsburgh of course, Tennessee, Miami (if Parcells is still there), Redskins possibly, Panthers, Cardinals clearly have the talent in some positions but I get the feeling Warner wont be there and they need a run game.

Colts are on a downward curve, Eagles, Giants, Chargers Cowboys too,

Hate to say it but watch for the Vikings, Ravens and Saints.

Hopefully the Bears if the D picks up a bit and a great QB & WR via trade or draft.

Yeah. D had no ability to get to opposing QB's last year so that needs to be looked at. They're not that far awat from bieng really good. Hopefully Forte can reproduce his form of last season but he needs some help.

Spot on mag, they never seem to get to the QB. On offense im hoping to see Orton keep improving and show he can be a franchise QB as well as 1st draft pick being a WR. Something to be cheerful about:
The Bears have the easiest schedule in the NFL next year with games against the Lions (0-16) twice, the Rams (2-14) Seahawks (4-12) Browns (4-12) and Bengals (4-11-1). That said, they are the only team that will play all 4 division finalists from this year, steelers, ravens, eagles & cards...

[Gabriel_Hurl]

Free agents

Arizona Cardinals: RB JJ Arrington, LB Monty Beisel, DE Bertrand Berry, OL Elton Brown, CB Ralph Brown, LB Karlos Dansby, P Ben Graham, CB Eric Green, LB Clark Hagans, OL Scott Peters, DE Antonio Smith, RB Terrelle Smith, QB Brian St. Pierre, QB Kurt Warner.

Atlanta Falcons: LB Michael Boley, De Chauncey Davis, CB Domonique Foxworth, OL Wayne Gandy, DT Grady Jackson, LB Tony Gilbert, DT Jason Jefferson, P/K Michael Koenen, S Lawyer Milloy, TE Justin Peelle, TE Marcus Pollard, LB Coy Wire.

Buffalo Bills: OL Kirk Chambers, LB Angelo Crowell, OL Melvin Fowler, CB Jabari Greer, LB Teddy Lehman, QB JP Losman, RB Corey McIntyre, OL Duke Preston, OL Jason Whittle.

Baltimore Ravens: QB Kyle Boller, QB Todd Bouman, OL Jason Brown, WR Terrance Copper, CB Corey Ivy, S Jim Leonhard, LB Ray Lewis, FB Lorenzo Neal, LB Bart Scott, OL Chad Slaughter, K Matt Stover, DE Terrell Suggs, TE Daniel Wilcox.

Chicago Bears: S Mike Brown, QB Rex Grossman, RB Kevin Jones, WR Brandon Lloyd, LB Darrell McClover, S Brandon McGowan, OL Fred Miller, OL John St. Clair, S Cameron Worrell.

Cleveland Browns: S Mike Adams, CB Travis Daniels, LB Andra Davis, TE Darnell Dinkins, OL Lennie Friedman, LB Kris Griffin, CB Daven Holly, S Sean Jones, LB Willie McGinest, OL Seth McKinney, LB Shantee Orr, RB Jason Wright, OL, Scott Young.

Cincinnati Bengals: OL Stacy Andrews, RB Cedric Benson, LB Darryl Blackstock, S Chris Crocker, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, CB Jamar Fletcher, OL Eric Ghiaciuc, K Shayne Graham, WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, DT John Thornton.

Carolina Panthers: LB Donte' Curry, OL Jordan Gross, OL Geoff Hangartner, WR Mark Jones, LB, Jason Kyle, OL Frank Omiyale, DE Julius Peppers, LB Adam Seward, DT Darwin Walker.

Denver Broncos: RB Tatum Bell, De Ebenezer Ekuban, De Carlos Hall, WR Darrell Jackson, S Marlon McCree, C Tom Nalen, CB Karl Paymah, DE Kenny Peterson, RB Michael Pittman, TE Jeb Putzier, QB Patrick Ramsey, WR Edell Shepherd, LB Nate Webster.

Dallas Cowboys: OL Joe Berger, QB Brooks Bollinger, DE Chris Canty, S Keith Davis, DT Tank Johnson, LB Carlos Polk, WR Paris Warren.

Detroit Lions: RB Aveion Cason, DT Shaun Cody, WR Keary Colbert, OL Damion Cook, OL George Foster, P/K Jason Hanson, RB Rudi Johnson, Paris Lenon, OL Andy McCollum, WR Shaun McDonald, DT Langston Moore, LB Ryan Nece, RB Moran Norris, QB Dan Orlovsky, TE John Owens, OL Stephen Peterman, DE Corey Smith, CB Stanley Wilson.

Green Bay Packers: DT Colin Cole, DE Mike Montgomery, OL Mark Tauscher.

Houston Texans: S C.C. Brown, TE Mark Bruener, CB DeMarcus Faggins, S Nick Ferguson, OL Scott Jackson, OL Bryan Pittman, CB Dunta Robinson, RB Cecil Sapp, OL Chris White, CB Jimmy Williams, S Eugene Wilson, DT Jeff Zgonina.

Indianapolis Colts: RB Najeh Davenport, S Matt Giordano, LB Tyjuan Hagler, CB Kelvin Hayden, CB Keiwan Ratliff, DT Darrell Reid, RB Dominic Rhodes, C Jeff Saturday, DE Josh Thomas.

Jacksonville Jaguars: OL Brad Meester, OL Chris Naeole, Rb Alvin Pearman, LB Mike Peterson, S Pierson Prioleau, S Gerald Sensabaugh, CB Scott Starks, TE Joe Zelenka.

Kansas City Chiefs: LB Jason Babin, LB Rocky Boiman, S Oliver Celestin, OL Adrian Jones, S Jon McGraw, LB Patrick Thomas.

Miami Dolphins: S Yeremiah Bell, T Vernon Carey, ILB Channing Crowder, CB Andre' Goodman, S Renaldo Hill, C Al Johnson, WR Tab Perry, LB Derek Smith.

Minnesota Vikings: DT Kendrick Allen, C Matt Birk, S Michael Boulware, LB Heath Farwell, LB Napoleon Harris, DT Jimmy Kennedy, TE Jim Kleinsasser, CB Benny Sapp, S Darren Sharper, LB Dontarrious Thomas, DE Kenechi Udeze, DT Ellis Wyms.

New England Patriots: QB Matt Cassel, LB Roosevelt Colvin, RB Heath Evans, WR Jabar Gaffney, P/K Chris Hanson, S Rodney Harrison, OL Russ Hochstein, LB Larry Izzo, RB LaMont Jordan, CB Deltha O'Neal, OL Lonie Paxton, S James Sanders, CB Lewis Sanders, LB Junior Seau, KT Kenny Smith, OL Barry Stokes, S Tank Williams, DT Mike Wright.

New Orleans Saints: CB Jeremetrius Butler, TE Mark Campbell, LB Troy Evans, CB Aaron Glenn, K Martin Gramatica, QB Joey Harrington, WR Devery Henderson, S Terrence Holt, DT Antwan Lake, CB Michael Lehan, OL Matt Lehr, DT James Reed, RB Aaron Stecker, OL Jon Stinchcomb, LB Jonathan Vilma,.

New York Giants: S James Butler, P/K John Carney, QB David Carr, RB Brandon Jacobs, DE Jerome McDougle, CB R.W. McQuarters, OL Grey Ruegamer, LB Rich Scanlon, WR Amani Toomer, RB Derrick Ward, QB Anthony Wright, DE Renaldo Wynn.

New York Jets: LB Eric Barton, CB Ahmad Carroll, RB Jesse Chatman, K Jay Feely, TE Bubba Franks, CB Ty Law, DT C.J. Mosley, K Mike Nugent, CB Hank Poteat, S J.R. Reed, RB Tony Richardson, LB Cody Spencer.

Oakland Raiders: CB Nnamdi Asomugha, S Rashad Baker, OL Carlisle Cooper, WR Drew Carter, LB Isaiah Ekejiuba, Cb Chris Johnson, DT William Joseph, P Shane Lechler, WR Ashley Lelie, CB Justin Miller, TE Tony Stewart, QB Marques Tuiasosopo, LB Sam Williams.

Philadelphia Eagles: RB Correll Buckhalter, S Sean Considine, S Brian Dawkins, CB Joselio Hanson, RT Jon Runyan, TE L.J. Smith, OL Tra Thomas.

Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Charlie Batch, P Mitch Berger, CB Fernando Bryant, OL Trai Essex, LB Keyaron Rox, LB Andre Frazier, OL Chris Kemoeatu, QB Byron Leftwich, CB Bryant McFadden, DE Orpheus Roye, OL Marvel Smith, OL Max Starks, WR Nate Washington.

San Diego Chargers: OL Kynan Forney, OL Mike Goff, LB Marques Harris, OL Jeremy Newbarry, RB Darren Sproles.

San Francisco 49ers: TE Billy Bajema, DT Damane Duckett, DT Ron Fields, RB DeShaun Foster, DE Roderick Green, WR Bryant Johnson, QB Jamie Martin, QB J.T. O'Sullivan, CB Allen Rossum, TE Sean Ryan, LB Takeo Spikes, CB Donald Stickland.

St. Louis Rams: S Oshiomogho Atogwe, CB Ronald Bartell, Cb Fakir Brown, CB Jason Craft, OL Anthony Davis, DT La'Roi Glover, OL Adam Goldberg, OL Brandon Gorin, WR Dante' Hall, OL Nick Leckey, WR Dane Looker, CB Ricky Manning, RB Travis Minor, DE Eric Moore, OL Rob Petitti, C Brett Romberg, LB Gary Stills, OL Cory Withrow.

Seattle Seahawks: DT Rocky Bernard, WR Bobby Engram, QB Charlie Frye, G Chris Gray, DT Howard Green, TE Will Heller, LB Leroy Hill, LB D.D. Lewis, LB Wes Mallard, OL Steve McKinney, RB Maurice Morris, TE Jeff Robinson, WR Koren Robinson, RB Leonard Weaver, OL Ray Willis, OL Pork Chop Womack.

Tampa Bay Bucs: S Will Allen, WR Antonio Bryant, CB Phillip Buchanon, DE Kevin Carter, LB Pat Chukwurah, QB Jeff Garcia, WR Cortez Hankerton, DT Jovan Haye, QB Luke McCown, S Jermaine Phillips, DT Ryan Sims, TE Jeremy Stevens.

Tennessee Titans: K Rob Bironas, CB Chris Carr, QB Kerry Collins, S Vincent Fuller, DT Albert Haynesworth, P Craig Hentrich, CB Reynaldo Hill, WR Brandon Jones, CB Eric King, OL Daniel Loper, WR Justin McCareins, CB Tyrone Poole, TE Bo Scaife, QB Chris Simms.

Washington Redskins: LS Ethan Albright, DT Ryan Boschetti, LB Khary Campbell, De Demetric Evans, OL Jason Fabini, LB Alfred Fincher, S Mike Green, CB DeAngelo Hall, G Pete Kendall.

[Declan]

Jesus  - Is Baseball as bad as cycling?


Steroids accusations haunt US baseball

By Mike Carlson
US sports analyst

Alex Rodriguez had been viewed as a "clean" player
They called him "ARod" but now it is "AFraud" and "ARoid".
Alex Rodriguez, star third-baseman for the New York Yankees, baseball's highest-paid player and, with 553 home runs already hit at age 33, the latest threat to the all-time record, has been accused of using steroids.
But the impact of the scandal goes beyond one player. It is as if the sport itself has failed another drug test.
No matter how hard they try, Major League Baseball cannot make the steroids go away.
It has been more than a year since ex-Senator George Mitchell released his report into baseball's steroid abuse, implicating many of its biggest stars, including current all-time home-run king Barry Bonds and pitcher Roger Clemens.
As I wrote on this website at the time, Americans hold baseball to a higher standard, and the revelation that the player his Seattle teammates called "Mr Clean" may be a drug cheat is another crippling blow.
Perhaps in retribution for years of keeping their heads buried in the drug-free sand, steroids are back in baseball's headlines.
Timed to coincide with the opening of Bonds's trial for perjury in telling a federal grand jury he had never taken steroids, Sports Illustrated broke the story on their website, saying Rodriguez had tested positive in 2003 for both testosterone and for the "designer steroid" primobolan.
The drugs were not banned in baseball at the time, although primobolan has never been authorised even for prescription use in the US.
The testing, which covered all 1,198 major league players, had been agreed with the players' association to determine the extent of drug use in the game: if more than 5% of the players tested positive, it would trigger the instituting of mandatory random tests in 2004.
Nearly 9%, or 104 players, tested positive, though their identities were supposed to remain secret and no punishments were called for.
Confronted by SI.com reporter Selena Roberts in Miami, Rodriguez passed up the chance to comment on the report. "You'll have to talk to the union," he said. "I'm not saying anything."
Rodriguez has been a star ever since he went directly from high school in Miami to the Seattle Mariners with the first pick of the 1993 amateur draft.
As a fine defensive shortstop with both speed and power, he led a resurgent Mariners team before abandoning them as a free agent to sign a then unheard-of 10-year contract with the moribund Texas Rangers, for $252m - $2m more than owner Tom Hicks (of Liverpool FC) had paid for the team.
The year 2003 was his last year in Texas. He won the league's home run title and was the Most Valuable Player but in 2004 he was traded to New York, where he was hailed as a saviour.
But since his arrival the Yankees have failed to reach the World Series and his quiet performances in October's playoffs have made him the fans' favourite target.
He has faced accusations of poor sportsmanship on field and of multiple adulteries off it.
Last summer, stories emerged speculating about a possible relationship with Madonna, claims the pop star denied. Rodriguez's wife sued for divorce and reports said she had told friends the singer had used Kabbalah to "brainwash" her husband.
In 2007, Rodriguez announced, in the middle of the World Series, that he did not want to return to New York.
The Yankees rewarded him with a new 10-year deal, worth a minimum of $275m, with $6m bonuses payable whenever he passes one of the four players still ahead of him on the all-time home run list: Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Bonds.
He signed the contract the same day the Mitchell Report was released and became the acceptable face of baseball, despite accusations by former player Jose Canseco, a confessed steroid abuser, that he had provided ARod with the name of his supplier (and that ARod tried to seduce his wife but Canseco was promoting his second book).
Interviewed by Katie Couric on the prestigious 60 Minutes news magazine, Rodriquez said point-blank that he not only had never used steroids, he had never been tempted to.
Now those statements may come back to haunt him, just as a failure to face up to the prevalence of performance-enhancing drugs years ago has come back to haunt baseball.
The one thing unlikely to come back is George Mitchell.
Having dealt with the Northern Ireland peace process and drafted a landmark report on Arab-Israeli relations in 1991, the former senator is currently Barack Obama's special envoy to the Middle East.
Compared to sorting out baseball, Mr Mitchell may feel he has got it easy.

[dec]

Jesus  - Is Baseball as bad as cycling?

I feel some sympathy for both those sports, at least they are trying to do something about drugs. The downside is that any positive tests lead to bad publicity. The NFL which has at least as much steroid use (probably much more) gets little or no bad publicity about performance enhancing drugs.

[AZOffaly]

On another Topic, Ireland's favourite son, Larry Fitzgerald, was named MVP of the Pro Bowl in Hawai'i, catching 2 TD passes.

[thejuice]

Philadelphia FD Blue Flame Vs Univ. Limerick Vikings,
Dingle, Co.Kerry
27th Feb - 1st Mar


As part of Comórtas Peile Páidi O Sé. Should be great craic. I'd say there'll be plenty lads buckled in more ways than one after it all. Wish I could go to this but I've already planned a weekend away in Wales. More info here:

http://www.irishcentral.com/IrishVoice/Article.asp?ID=3316

[dec]

A-Rod admits, regrets use of PEDs

Well he has admitted it, but claims it was only while he was with the Texas Rangers.

[DrinkingHarp]

Steelers don't know about Big Ben's rib injury

By ALAN ROBINSON, AP Sports Writer Feb 9, 4:05 pm EST



PITTSBURGH (AP)—The Pittsburgh Steelers have no knowledge that Ben Roethlisberger played the Super Bowl with two broken ribs, as the quarterback told a Web site.

According to SI.com, Roethlisberger said his fractured ribs did not show up on X-rays taken before he led the Steelers to a 27-23 win over Arizona on Feb. 1, but were revealed only during a MRI test he had last week.

"Luckily, in the game, I didn't take any big hits to make 'em hurt," Roethlisberger told SI.com. "But I knew all along there was something wrong. There wouldn't have been anything that could have been done about fractured ribs anyway. It was just suck it up and play.

Roethlisberger did not miss any practices before the Super Bowl, although a pool report from the Wednesday practice said he attempted during the middle of the workout to stretch his torso. He missed one practice during the off week before the Super Bowl because of what the team said was a back injury.

"There's not a whole lot to say," Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett said Monday. "Ben was fine to go. He was cleared to play. He didn't miss any (practice) time. There was no doubt he was going to play."

The Steelers said it would have been difficult for Roethlisberger to play any better than he did in leading the decisive 78-yard drive that ended with a precisely thrown 6-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds remaining, Several plays before, Roethlisberger—leading his sixth game-winning drive of the season—hit Holmes on a 40-yard completion.

Roethlisberger did not mention any possible injury during post-game interviews.

It is uncertain if the validity of Roethlisberger's claim will be proven.

NFL teams do not routinely require players to undergo MRI or other medical tests during the offseason, and Roethlisberger isn't due back in Pittsburgh until offseason workouts begin in April. By then, any problem that occurred before or during the Super Bowl might not show up in tests.

Roethlisberger has previously exaggerated or misstated injuries he supposedly suffered during his five-season career.

The day after the January 2005 AFC championship game, Roethlisberger said he broke two toes during the 41-27 loss to New England. Coach Bill Cowher emphatically denied that, saying the quarterback merely aggravated a toe injury from college. Roethlisberger never brought up the issue again.

Roethlisberger also said during training camp in 2006 that he played the Steelers' Super Bowl-winning season of 2005 with a broken thumb. Roethlisberger missed no playing time after supposedly being hurt on Nov. 28, 2005, in Indianapolis and the team never revealed any such injury.

After Cowher resigned following the 2006 season, Roethlisberger acknowledged he and the coach didn't always get along—in part, apparently, because Cowher felt the quarterback exaggerated the extent of injuries.

It also was reported that Roethlisberger sustained a spinal cord concussion against Cleveland on Dec. 28, but the team said only that he had a concussion.

"Ben's health is often the subject of inaccurate reports," coach Mike Tomlin said before the Super Bowl. "He's fine."
Updated Feb 9, 4:05 pm EST

[Puckoon]

Favres gone again.

[magickingdom]

groundhog day

[Minder]

Another tearful press conference then back in time for training camp to whoever will give him the biggest one year contract. . . . . . ?

[Puckoon]

I think hes done this time. Came back, proved them wrong, helped the jets.

Warner is the new Favre

[Minder]

I think hes done this time. Came back, proved them wrong, helped the jets.

Warner is the new Favre

He didnt help them much towards the end of the season, threw as many picks as TD's over the season. Warner is just waiting for the lord to tell him what to do, does anyone remember Reggie White when if became a free agent and every team in the league wanted him. He said he was waiting on the good lord to tell him who to sign with,he went to the Packers,who offered him the biggest contract. . . . . .The Lord is no mug