SB Nation - Adam Jones

The Shotgun/Throwdown: Tuesday (9/1/09) Edition

WVUIE97 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:03:54 -0000

Welcome By-Godders to the Shotgun/Throwdown, the best damn WVU Link ~~Sanitary Landfill~~ (who are we kidding) Dump known to man. Today's edition is brought to you by St. Pauli Girl.

I'm a bit giddy today. The countdown to game day is at Gamecon 4 and we're getting closer by the second. Basketball is starting their pre-season workouts with coaches. Schadenfreude is happening in EPIC proportions up North. BTW, I left a big one out of the Schadenfreude section. Stay tuned, I think Country Roads has some more fun to share later. The tipline is always open for tips/suggestions/requests. UPDATE: I've added a few more since the first posting. On with the show.

What you may have missed:

Liberty Week Begins - eersports.com
Another notebook.

Women’s Soccer: Mountaineers Fall In OT - MSNsportsNET.Com
Women drop a 1-0 game to #25 BYU.

Stewart Currently Most Popular WVU Coach of Last Three Decades - WSAZ News Channel 3
I had heard about this last night but couldn't find it. Thanks Charley.

WVU Varsity Sports Report - BlueGoldNews.com
The "other" sports are reviewed here.

Pacman agrees to one-year deal to play in Canada - SI.com
ADAM is going WAAAYYYY up north.

Schiano keeps quarterback decision a secret - ESPN

Pitt Football Notebook: Wannstedt will try again to redshirt QB Bostick - PPG

Alabama's Deaderick shot in arm - ESPN
Even football players get mugged.

UCLA Bruins plan to play opener, keep eye on fires - ESPN
UCLA Bruins plans to play its football season opener while monitoring the wildfires in the Los Angeles hills above the Rose Bowl.

Top players, coaches, team fans honored in Herbie Awards - ESPN
Herbie dished out his annual pre-season awards. Barksdale posted this earlier in the Fanshots.

News of Note:

WVU's Barclay Has Jarrett Brown's Back - eersports.com
Back from a broken leg and ready to go.

10 games to watch in the Big East this season - ESPN

Big East preseason position rankings: Linebacker - ESPN
Bennett ranks the BE Linebackers.

Big East preseason position rankings: Defensive back - ESPN
and the DB's.

Scout.com: 2009-2010 Bowl Projections ... Pre-Week 1
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl January 4, Phoenix, AZ 8 pm Fox BCS vs. BCS (Big 12 Champion, if available) Projection: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia.

College Football Countdown: 22-19 Kansas, Iowa, West Virginia and North Carolina - Aaron Torres Sports
As posted by PacMan321 in the Fanshots section.

Deep Thoughts - MSNsportsNET.Com
from the voice of Pravda, Comrade Antonik.

BE Notebook - MSNsportsNET.Com
Antonik's version

Beecher gets Liberty from Gamecock days - The Charleston Gazette
Our first opposing QB, a former Gamecock under Spurrier, is profiled.

Huggins Says WVU Has a ‘Real Chance’ - Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
Huggs made a stop at the BMAC fundraiser.

For Less Than A Dollar A Day, You Can Help Syracuse Football - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
Proceeds raised by the sale of orange t-shirts on Saturday go to help...Syracuse football.

Fans Cannot Be Involved in Recruiting, but the Line Blurs - Washington Post
NCAA rules explicitly state that fans of teams cannot be involved in recruiting, but the lines blur when the fan wears a media credential.

In Schadenfreude News:

Rodriguez's WVU workouts drew extra eyes - The Charleston Gazette
And the obvious WVU questions begin.

No flaws found as WVU reviews Rich Rod's records - Charleston Daily Mail
Casazza's version.

West Virginia says no time violations under Rodriguez - ESPN
Bennett combines several iterations into one.

You Made Rich Rodriguez Cry - Deadspin

ESPN interrupted Bill Belichick getting choked up over Teddy Bruschi so America could watch Rich Rodriguez get choked up about all the mean things the Detroit Free Press wrote about him. Why are our football coaches so sad?

Violation report adds to pressure building on Rodriguez - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com
It's an opener Michigan should win. Now it seems like a must win. If the Wolverines lose to another inferior opponent, Sunday's report will seem like a gnat flying around Rodriguez' head. There will be vultures circling his program.

Hoppy's Commentary - WVmetronews.com

That sounds like a clever attempt by Coach Rod to reframe the argument. The issue isn’t whether Rodriguez cares for his young men, but rather whether he practiced them in ways that violate the rules that Michigan and every other school in the country are supposed to follow.

What's on Tap:

ESPN's Erin Andrews discusses her story with Oprah Winfrey - ESPN
Everyone's favorite sideline reporter does the sit down with Oprah to talk about the incident. I know, I know, it's not today, but still.

Video of (Dis)Interest:

These are some SICK facilities, but we are right on par with ~~some~~ most of what you see here. Our new locker room is VERY similar.

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is the 2008 St. Pauli Girl herself (as seen above), Irina Voronina. I am absolutely kicking myself for not using this connection before. As always, the picture links to greater things.

via wallpapers.afrodita.name

St. Pauli logo via www.greensbeverages.com

St. Pauli Irina Voronina image via onebeer.net

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: Hoping For Record Cold This Winter In America's Hat Edition

August West — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:22:55 -0000

More photos » by David Richard - AP

Keith Bulluck doesn't need no stinkin' head to take you down, Jamal!

Browse more photos »

Jimmy weighed in on the Dateline piece last night, and my quick thoughts are in the comments. Here, Jim Wyatt comes up with roughly the same assessment.

And so it goes: Pacman Jones is back playing football. Despite numerous blown chances and a complete inability to stay out of trouble Pac will suit up for... the Winnipeg Blue Bombers! HAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!11!11!!1. Damn, that just made my day. Mainly because I still hate that jerk for ruining a high draft pick for us. Congrats on going from the self-proclaimed 'America's Team' to America's Hat.

David Climer and I actually kind of agree on something:

Mistakes cannot be totally eliminated, but there comes a point when they must be minimized. And as the Titans move toward the season opener, their No. 2 quarterback needs to quit putting himself in so many bounce-back situations.

Fisher wants the starters to play only one or two series before giving way to the guys who are fighting for the final roster spots and auditioning for other squads this week, fully aware that they'll be cut when the roster must shrink to 53.

Craig Hentrich dropped 29 lbs. in the off-season thanks to a doctor-monitored diet and a 4 week cleansing process. He says it makes him stinky, but maybe that will help ward off potential punt blockers!

This '5 things we know' format is becoming very tired. Usually because it's completely mailed in.

The Stock Report, however, I still like. Glad to see a lot more up arrows than down ones...

Outstanding Titans scribe for the AP Teresa M. Walker writes about the explosion of U-Stream, Twitter and Facebook, with Bulluck and CJ right in the middle of it.

The folks at Bodog.com say we're likely going 10-6. What do we at MCM think? Stay tuned for that prediction... remember that Jimmy nailed out scorching hot start last year and everyone called him crazy for it.

He's a very good QB, who could be great, but Matt Schaub is already hurt.

If there's anything you would like to share with the MCM community, please take advantage of the comments, fanshots and fanposts to do so! Or, you can always email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com.

How Great Is It That Andre Johnson Is Boring?

Mike Kerns — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:57:48 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

Browse more photos »

In a sports world dominated by outstanding athletes who love to look in the mirror more than play the game, it really makes you grateful to have a player like Texans WR Andre Johnson. NFL Network decided to follow the Texans All-Pro around with cameras for a "day in the life of AJ" segment this week.

While only Texans fans will find any entertainment out of the segment, it made me realize how great it is to have ~~probably~~ the best player at his position in the league, and he isn’t a loud mouth "look at me!" type of player. The league is full of Pacman Jones and Terrell Owens types who make more headlines off the field than they do on it. Sure, they’re terrific players, but you ~~kind of~~ get sick of hearing them tell you how great they are.

Whereas you have a guy like Andre Johnson who dominates every Sunday (except against Nnamdi Asomugha, but he does that to a lot of guys) and you don’t really hear much about him from the national media. Because he does his talking on the field instead of off it. And that is exactly the type of guy you want to build your franchise around. With all the contract disputes going around Texans camp right now, it is nice to know Andre is locked up for the prime of his career. Because Andre leaving is a nightmare I don’t want to have to envision in the near future.

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: WR Overhaul Edition

August West — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:16:28 -0000

More photos » by MARK HUMPHREY - AP

Still not forgotten.

Browse more photos »

No unit changed as drastically at the top as the Titans' WR corps, and Gary Estwick takes a look at the new group in this installment of the Tennessean's position unit previews.

The Titans have $12.9 million in unused cap space and only two more rookies to sign, reports Paul Kuharsky. Both numbers are among the best in the division.

Pac is still looking for a team, but I seriously doubt he gets another shot at the NFL this year after the debacle that was his stay in Dallas.

Will Big Ben still be dealing with the charges of sexual assault against him when the season opens up against the Titans on Sept. 10? It's certainly looking like that's the case.

The geniuses at Football Outsiders take a look at the validity behind the 'Three Year' axiom for WRs. The results are an interesting mixed bag:

The "Third-Year WR Rule" has served as a fairly good rule of thumb over the years, but it doesn't tell the whole story. The "Second- to Fourth-Year WR Depending On Their Draft Round and Stats From Previous Seasons Rule" isn't as catchy, but it is more predictive for identifying potential breakout stars.

If there's anything you would like to share with the MCM community, please take advantage of the comments, fanshots and fanposts to do so! You can also email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com.

The 2005 NFL Draft is evidence in Cincinnati that what can go wrong, does go wrong

Kirkendall — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:36:37 -0000

Yahoo! Sports' Jason Cole writes that "only three first-round picks from the 2005 NFL draft have signed contract extensions with their initial franchise so far." The 2005 NFL Draft, James Walker writes, that "the top of this draft class was probably the worst of this decade. The best players turned out to be linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Shawne Merriman and neither went in the top 10." Some of the names in that first round include Alex Smith, Adam Jones, Troy Williamson, Mike Williams.

Of course we know the story about the 2005 NFL Draft from the Bengals perspective. Several players were a big part of the Bengals 2005 playoff run. Odell Thurman was one of the finalists for rookie of the year. David Pollack and Chris Henry figured to be a big part of the team's future. Tab Perry started out as a decent return man and that was the year Jonathan Fanene was drafted in the seventh round. Pollack's career ended in 2006 and Thurman hasn't played a snap since his rookie campaign. Henry's story is well known. Adam Kieft was injured all of the time and never played and Eric Ghiaciuc was, well, Eric Ghiaciuc. Tab Perry was hurt in the same game that Pollack was injured and never returned to form. Of all the players drafted in 2005, only Fanene received a contract extension (note: Henry was cut and then re-signed to a minimum two-year deal).

When 2005 was winding down, I thought to myself that this could be the defining draft in the Marvin Lewis era. Two great linebackers. A talented wide receiver that caused fits against third-string cornerbacks and safeties. Instead, as it seems to happen in Cincinnati, what can go wrong, does go wrong.

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: My Biggest Mistake Was Loving You Too Much, And Letting You Know Edition

August West — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:42:29 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

Not a single word on VY in today's links. Well I mean except for this caption, but you know what I'm getting at. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Browse more photos »

The coaching staff has been very upfront about the fact that Ryan Fowler is back in the mix for the starting MLB spot, but Stephen Tulloch will not go quietly into the night. He tells Jim Wyatt all about it:

"Now that I am getting my opportunity I'm not giving it back. The only way I give up this job is if they carry me off the field. To finally have the opportunity to start, I think the sky is the limit for me and I want to showcase my abilities. I'm just getting started.''

Look, Ryan Fowler seems like a good guy, but if the coaching staff is really debating starting him over Tully I just have on thing to say, and I know The Band agrees: Don't Do It!

Kerry Collins used his appearances at the CMT Awards earlier this week to meet some of his musical heros, and talk to Alan Jackson about diggin' on some Alan Jackson.

Former Titans Rien Long and Zack Pillar were selected in last night's much ignored UFL draft. This is actually a cool story for Rien Long, who has been battling back from a near fatal car accident in January of 2008.

I don't put much credence in rumors of Pac being resigned by the Cowboys, but Mike Florio has an interesting tidbit that would be an odd one for someone to make up:

There’s a rumor making the rounds that Pacman Jones is still living on property owned by Jerry Jones.

I think we'd all agree that it's time for Pac to give it up, and focus on preparing for his true life's calling: being a strip club DJ.

Now that the slower period of the off-season is upon us your help in finding out of the way Titans stories is more important than ever. If you have a link you'd like to submit for tomorrow's Morning Links email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com! (Be sure to include your commenting handle so I can give you glowing, semi-anonymous credit.)

The Rams at Twenty: June 8th, 2009 (Brett and PacMan)

3k — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:20 -0000

Pac Man Jones and Brett Favre were both in today's NFL news for their potential returns in 2009. Given the question marks they both have (for entirely different reasons), the probability either will play a full 16-game slate is relatively low.

View full size photo »

It's been a while since I dropped one of these on everybody, but then again, we've had a pretty quiet summer. Well, this morning was anything but quiet for the NFL's favorite offseason story of the last, what, 5 years?

First, we learned that Brett Favre underwent shoulder surgery last month after avoiding the operation as much as possible. The saga continues, but at this point, it looks like he and the Vikings are going to come to terms so that Brett can enact his revenge against the Green Bay front office. Expect to hear more about this...every week...until the season starts. Ugh.

Meanwhile, everyone's favorite parolee program, the Dallas Cowboys, is feeling a bit reticent about cutting ties with their failed reclamation project in PacMan/Adam Jones. Jerry Jones suggested he is open to bringing him back, although at this point, it's far from being nearly as certain as the Favre-Viking marriage.

With these two in mind, I'll throw this at you guys: who plays more in 2010 and why? Brett is old and coming off a substantial surgery to his throwing arm, while Pacdam/A-man doesn't really have a team lined up.

Poll

Who plays more in the 2009 season - Brett Favre, or Adam "Pac Man" Jones?

Brett Favre - Jones doesn't have an honest suitor outside of Dallas who just cut him.

95 votes

Adam "Pac Man" Jones - Brett is too old and too banged up. He may start in week 1, but he won't last. Plus, they have options. Tarvaris Jackson just needs to play mistake-free and let Adrian Peterson win games for them.

60 votes

155 votes | Poll has closed

Cowboys' Moving of Ellis Would Complete the Cleansing

Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) — Sat, 23 May 2009 20:44:49 -0000

According to rumors that surfaced this week, the Cowboys may be trading or releasing veteran linebacker Greg Ellis in the near future. Ellis is an interesting character. While he is by all accounts a good teammate, he has in the past had a difficult time properly managing the relationship between he and the team. Greg Ellis is generally liked by teammates, but has repeatedly used the media to voice his frustrations pertaining to issues such as his role or his contract.

Jerry Jones and company have made a genuine effort to turn the Cowboys organization into more of a team. Player who have in the past refused to toe the line are no longer around. Pacman Jones' unreliability made his release a no-brainer, but outspoken players and excuse makers such as Terrell Owens and Roy Williams have been shown the door as well. Greg Ellis is not a cancer in the traditional sense. He is not a bad teammate, but is at times a bad example for a young (and getting younger) team. The Cowboys' recent efforts have been directed at making the Cowboys a closer knit group, much like a family. Families handle their beef in-house. The Cowboys cannot allow old uncle Greg to continue to put family business in the street.

Greg Ellis is still a valuable player to the team and would be sorely missed should he be moved. However, if the Cowboys are truly interested in cleansing the organization, keeping a problematic player around because of his on-field value would undermine the team's efforts. If you are going to clean up a locker room, clean it all the way up. If the Cowboys really want to change a culture that has been lackadaisical and un-phased by authority, then they have got to go through the roster and yank every nail that sticks out. It shouldn't matter if it is the starting quarterback or the third-string tight end. It shouldn't make any difference whether or not the team has a viable replacement on board. You worry about those things later, you just cut the cord and move on.

Keeping Greg Ellis around solely out of fear of losing his on-field production would destroy any credibility the Cowboys have built this off season. Greg Ellis is aging, paranoid, and has repeatedly proved his unwillingness to censor his comments about the organization. If the Cowboys can get as much as a 6^th round pick in return for Ellis, they should make it happen. If not, then the Cowboys need to grant Ellis his outright release, therefore rubbing out the final stain in a once-messy Cowboy locker room.

Around the AFC East, Week 2: New York Jets

MaPatsFan — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:00:16 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

7 months ago: New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, rear, lines up behind center Michael Parenton, lineman Matt Slauson, left, and Stanley Daniels, right, during rookie football minicamp Saturday, May 2, 2009 in Florham Park, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Browse more photos »

Continuing with this week's around the AFC East, Pats Pulpit chats with Gang Green Nation's JohnB about Plaxico Burress and the receiver situation.

PP: The rumor mill, most likely stoked by his agent, has the Jets showing interest in Plaxico Burress. Are the Jets really in that much need of a WR that they'd go after the toxic Burress? As an uber fan, do you want Plaxico on your team? Would he even be a good fit?

GGN: To answer your first question, yes they are in that much need of a receiver. Right now the starter opposite Jerricho Cotchery will come from a group that includes David Clowney, Chansi Stuckey, and Brad Smith. I cannot tell you how seriously the Jets are considering Plaxico. They claim to be confident with what they have at the position, but they said the same thing about Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff at quarterback a month ago.

I would be fine with signing Burress. I do not mean to belittle the stupidity of his alleged actions were, but he is hardly the first football player to be charged with a crime. It seems like it has been a tad overblown by the media. If Burress' teammate and former Jet, Kareem McKenzie was on the free agent market, nobody would even raise an eyebrow if a team expressed interest. McKenzie was charged with drunk driving during the 2008 season, something one could argue is just as likely to put lives in danger as what Burress allegedly did. Do not misconstrue my words. This is a serious matter. However, I would not put him in a Pacman Jones toxic category over this one incident.

On paper, he fits almost every need the Jets have at receiver. He is a legitimate number one target. He can stretch the defense to open things up for the guys underneath. He also was instrumental in the development of Eli Manning. As you may have heard, the Jets have a young quarterback. Mark Sanchez would benefit from having a safety blanket like Burress. Because of all of the bad publicity, his pricetag will never be lower than it is right now. I could not tell you how seriously the Jets are exploring this, but I know I would be looking at it long and hard if I was Mike Tannenbaum.

I think JohnB makes a compelling arguement for Plaxico Burress, especially when you consider that Sanchez is so green and could use all the help he can get. If connects with Burress and the other receivers early, this could be trouble for the Patriots.

Thanks to JohnB for his great answer on the Jets' receiver situation. Check out my answers to his questions at Gang Green Nation.

The Valley Ranch Review: Tony Romo a Top-Ten QB; Michael Irvin on the Current State of the Cowboys

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:36:05 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

The T.O. show begins filming in Buffalo on Sunday. How much would you want VH1 cameras at the Cowboys' OTAs and minicamps?

Browse more photos »

Tony Romo rounds out The Sporting News' top 10 quarterbacks, ranking him between Eli Manning (9) and Matt Hasselbeck (11).

The Cowboys' plan to run more in '09 speaks to the strength of their running backs and the relative inexperience and lack of depth at wide receiver. It also raises a flag with regard to the coaches' confidence in Romo after an up-and-down '08 campaign. He will be on a short leash as Dallas looks to limit turnovers and costly errors.

Todd Archer takes his own look at the Romo-to-Roy connection, getting Felix Jones back, and perhaps the most important offseason acquisition: ST coach Joe DeCamillis.

CBSSports includes Dallas' releasing of such players as Terrell Owens and Adam Jones as one of its "smartest, boldest" offseason moves.

Let's hear it for Jerry Jones. One minute he loses his mind and signs these morons; the next, he wises up and discards them. Hallelujah. I applaud Jones for admitting his mistakes. Adding Owens I could almost understand. On second thought, no, I couldn't. If Philadelphia was willing to let him go to a division opponent, just how bad could he be? Dallas found out, with the Cowboys reduced to a weekly ESPN soap opera. Maybe it makes for good TV, but it never made for great football.

The Cowboys didn't win a playoff game with Owens. Pacman, on the other hand, is a waste of time. He seeks out trouble, even when it means messing with the security team Jerry Jones hired to keep him out of the papers. You can't make this stuff up. If he has a future it's as a supporting actor in Reno 911!

More VRR after the jump!

Michael Irvin's 4^th and Long sure sounds like it will be an interesting show. The HOFer answered some Qs from TSN about his show, as well as his thoughts on the current state of Cowboys and his reaction to the practice facility collapse.

Q: What do you think of the Cowboys' "addition by subtraction" moves this offseason?
A: We'll have to see how things play out. They shook up the locker room, and with the moves they made it's clear they wanted to go back to being more of a team. It remains to be seen if the technique of cutting down on talent for the sake of unity pays off.

[snip]

Q: You once were the Cowboys' No. 1 receiver. What's in front of Roy Williams?
A: Roy has experience as the Lions' No. 1 receiver, but it's a whole lot different in Dallas with the expectations and the pressure. He was on a team in Detroit where losing an average of 14 games was the norm; with the Cowboys, a team with Super Bowl expectations, there's a higher responsibility. Before, he could just get away with making a few big plays. Now, not only does he need to make those plays but he is expected to help lead the Cowboys to wins, too.

[snip]

Q: What was your reaction to the collapse at the Cowboys' practice facility May 2? You're hosting a benefit, too, during the TV show's premiere party, right?
A: It was scary. It's a sad situation. My heart goes out to Rich Behm. For him to be paralyzed with three young kids, I can't imagine how tough that is. I've never experienced anything like that in practice, but I was once laying on the hard carpet in Philadelphia, thinking to myself I may never walk again. When we debut the show in Dallas (today), we will be continuing to raise money to help (Behm) and his family see through this.

For both legal reasons and out of respect of those victimized by the indoor practice facility collapse, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys' organization have remained understandably quiet. A few veterans recently expressed their thoughts on the accident.

Demarcus Ware:

"I thought, 'If you build a building for the weather, shouldn't it hold " he asked. "It was really a disaster. The up against the weather?' whole place was flat like a pancake."

Roy Williams:

"I talked to one guy and he's still kinda terrified," Williams said. "In our locker room he keeps looking at the ceiling worried that that might come down. I can't explain what those guys are going through."

Marcus Spears:

"The guys that were hurt you were concerned. Then you hear about Rich and that really gets you," defensive end Marcus Spears said. "His life immediately changed. It's been a wonderful outpouring of people showing concern, but at the end of the day the guy can't walk."

Offensive quality control coach, Wes Phillips, will run the special teams activities while Joe DeCamillis recovers from surgery. Phillips will meet with DeCamillis daily to prepare for next week's OTAs and the June minicamp.

What if T.O. was still a Cowboy? VH-1 instead of HBO cameras will be watching, following the wide receiver's day-to-day life for his new reality show. They will arrive with Owens in Buffalo this weekend as the Bills break into their voluntary mini-camps.