Report: Reggie Bush spends a little off time in Vegas
October 28, 2008
Report: Reggie Bush spends a little off time in Vegas – Sports – Times-Picayune – NOLA.com
Posted by The Times-Picayune October 26, 2008 5:29PM
Categories: FootballSo how does Reggie Bush spend the time off, not being with the New Orleans Saints?
Apparently in Vegas. And what happens there doesn’t always stay there.
According to E! network, Bush crashed girlfriend Kim Kardashian’s 28th birthday party.
New Orleans Saints hold on for win against San Diego
October 28, 2008
Posted by The Times-Picayune October 26, 2008 3:15PM
Categories: Saints
The Associated PressDrew Brees’ big game led the Saints to a win against San Diego.Finally, things started clicking for the New Orleans Saints.
After watching their season seemingly slip away as the team continued to make mistakes, give up big plays on defense and just simply not getting the job done, New Orleans turned it around and beat the San Diego Chargers 37-30 in Wembley, England.
The Saints’ victory keeps hope alive for a team that has had injuries and could be faced with some players being suspended for a test for a banned substance.
Click to view the graphic.
Quarterback Drew Brees was brilliant, going 30-of-41 for 339 yards and three touchdowns to show up the team that gave up on him after a shoulder injury and replaced him with Philip Rivers.
Brees hit eight different receivers. Lance Moore had six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Billy Miller had seven catches for 82 yards and a touchdown.
Deuce McAllister, the featured tailback in place of injured Reggie Bush, had 55 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. McAllister was solid, running through defenders and showing the kind of hard-nosed running he is known for.
San Diego’s LaDanian Thomlinson did have 105 yards rushing, but the Saints were able to keep him out of the end zone. Rivers was 25-of-40 for 341 yards and three touchdowns.
Related Saints content: Saints news » Saints photos » Saints forum » Saints stats » Fan photos » NFL news »The game got close when Chargers came roaring back from a 17-pint deficit with 10 points in a 2:20-second span early in the fourth quarter to close the Saints’ lead to 37-30 with 7 minutes to play. The big play was an onside kick by the Chargers which they recovered after kicking a field goal. Five plays later, Philip Rivers hit Vincent Jackson for a beautiful diving 14-yard touchdown pass to trim the margin to a touchdown.
Seemingly only minutes before, the Saints had taken what appeared to be an insurmountable 37-20 lead on the second play of the fourth quarter on a 1-yard plunge by fullback Mike Karney.
While the Chargers committed xxx penalties for 109 yards, the Saints, have made few mistakes. They didn’t have a turnover or allowed a sack all game.
The Saints took a 23-17 at halftime and with Brees leading the way, were moving the ball at will. Brees completed 22 of 29 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.
Like the Chargers in the fourth quarter, the Saints scored quickly, taking a 16-3 lead in the second quarter with a pair of touchdowns within a 2:10 span.
On one of the few miscues for the Saints, Taylor Mehlhaff missed the extra point on the Saints first touchdown.
New Orleans Saints vs. San Diego Chargers in-game updates
October 28, 2008
Posted by Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune October 26, 2008 12:52PM
Categories: Saints
The Associated PressMark Campbell celebrates a touchdown against San Diego.WEMBLEY, ENGLAND – An interesting move at the end. Drew Brees took the snap at the Saints’ 26-yard line, ran backwards, and threw the ball out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
More importantly, there was just eight seconds remaining on the clock when he did that. Taylor Melhaff then kicked off high, forcing Darren Sproles to return the kick. By the time San Diego lined up, there was one second remaining. Good strategy that helped the Saints hang on for the 37-32 win.
Jonathan Vilma might have just saved the game. The linebacker got an interception off a ball intended for San Diego’s Chris Chambers, tipped by Scott Shanle to kill the Chargers’ drive with 1:18 left in the game.
Things were beginning to get interesting before that. The Chargers just scored 10 points in a 2:20-second span to close the Saints’ lead to 37-30 with 7 minutes to play. The big play was an onside kick by the Chargers which they recovered after kicking a field goal. Five plays later, Philip Rivers hit Vincent Jackson for a beautiful diving 14-yard touchdown pass to trim the margin to a touchdown.
Seemingly only minutes ago, the Saints had taken a 37-20 lead on the second play of the fourth quarter on a 1-yard plunge by fullback Mike Karney.
In one of its best performances in years, the offense continues to slice through the Chargers defense like a knife through a wedge of English cheese.
The star has been Drew Brees, who has lit up his former team for 322 yards and three touchdowns on 29 of 37 passing. He hit Mark Campbell for a 1-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.
The Chargers have been their own worst enemies. They have committed 10 penalties for 109 yards. They also have made the game’s only turnover, a second-quarter fumble on a kickoff.
The Saints, meantime, have made few mistakes. They have not made a turnover or allowed a sack all game. They’ve also caught almost every one of Brees’ passes. I can’t remember a dropped ball.
Halftime
Saints lead the Chargers 23-17 at halftime in a wild shootout at soggy Wembley Stadium.
The teams combined to score five touchdowns in the second quarter.
New Orleans is moving the ball almost at will, mainly behind the hot passing of Drew Brees. He has completed 22 of 29 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns already.
The Saints own a commanding 19:17 to 10:43 advantage in time of possession.
His last touchdown pass was his finest, a perfectly placed 30-yard strike to Lance Moore with 3:29 left in the first half.
The Chargers trimmed the margin to six points on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers tto Antonio Gates with 1:08 left.
Rivers has completed 8 of 10 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. His passer efficiency rating is a ridiculous 152.1.
LaDainian Tomlinson has added 85 yards on 10 carries, including a 40-yarder that set up the Chargers’ first touchdown.
First quarter
The Saints took a 16-3 lead in the second quarter with a pair of touchdowns within a 2:10 span.
The Saints broke a 3-3 tie on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Devery Henderson. Brees had seemingly all day to throw the pass and found Henderson wide open in the left corner of the end zone. It might have been the easiest touchdown reception of Henderson’s career.
Taylor Mehlhaff missed the extra point, though, shanking it off the left upright.
Usama Young recovered a fumble by Darren Sproles on the ensuring kickoff. The fumble was forced by Chris Reis. the loose ball popped directly into Young’s hands at the San Diego 32-yard line and returned it to 25.
Six plays later, Deuce McAllister dove over into the end zone from the 1-yard line as the Saints elected to go for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal at the 1. McAllister found a seam behind three solid blocks by Zach Strief, who had checked into the game as a tackle eligible, left tackle Jammal Brown and fullback Mike Karney, who had an excellent lead block on linebacker Matt Wilhelm.
It was McAllister’s second TD this season. He has 31 yards on nine carries so far.
Reports: Deuce, Will Smith, two other Saints fail drug test
October 24, 2008
Posted by The Times-Picayune October 24, 2008 12:46PM
Categories: Saints
Michael DeMocker/The Times-PicayuneSaints running back Deuce McAllister is reported to have failed a test for a banned substance.According to two published reports, New Orleans Saints star tailback Deuce McAllister and star defensive end Will Smith were in a group of players that have tested positive under the NFL’s steroid policy as a result of taking water pills to lose weight.
Fox 31-Denver reporter Josina Anderson first reported the story, citing an unnamed NFL source, and ESPN’s Chris Mortensen confirmed it later Friday with two sources. Anderson’s report said four Saints players failed the test. It did not name the other two players.
Saints spokesman Greg Bensel, in London with the team for its game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, said “this is a league matter and we have no comment.”
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello also said the league has no comment on the report.
Anderson’s report cited “a rash of positive tests.” The number is more than 10 and may exceed 15, two sources told Mortensen, ESPN’s senior NFL analyst.
Under the NFL’s steroid policy, a player’s first positive test results in a four-game suspension.
According to Anderson’s report, McAllister and Smith are part of a group that tested positive for a diuretic known as Bumetanide. Others tested positive for a different substance.
“Most of them tested positive for Bumetanide,” said the league source, according to Fox 31-Denver. “The last few tested positive for another substance that works similarly.”
A source told Fox 31-Denver that Bumetanide “can also mask the use of other drugs or steroids.”
Not Good News for the BLACK AND GOLD: BREAKING: “Rash of positive tests under [NFL's] Steroid Policy”
October 24, 2008
Oct 24, 2008 | 9:38 AM
Category: Sports
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Featured On: MyFoxColoradoThere has been a “rash of positive tests under the steroid policy as a result of players taking water pills to lose weight,” a highly-placed NFL source said.
The source told FOX 31’s Josina Anderson Friday morning that New Orleans Saints’ running back Deuce McAllister, and defensive end Will Smith were included in the web of positive tests.
“There are about six to ten overall positive tests. Three to four of them are from the Saints organization alone including McAllister and Smith.
The source told Anderson there were no Denver Broncos players that were a part of this group.
McAllister and Smith are in a group of players that have tested positive specifically for a diuretic known as Bumetanide. Some of the players in the group of six to ten tested positive for a different substance.
“Most of them tested positive for Bumetanide,” said the league source. “The last few tested positive for another substance that works similarly.”
Experts at the Mayo Clinic describe Bumetanide as a drug belonging to a group of medicines called loop diuretics or “water pills.” Its uses include the treatment of fluid retention and swelling caused by medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, liver disease, and kidney disease.
However, the source told Anderson that Bumetanide has another use which makes it one of the NFL’s banned substances.
“[Bumetanide] can also mask the use of other drugs or steroids.”
Dr. Norman Smith, the lead physician at an internal medical practice in Maryland confirmed this assertion to Fox 31 Sports.
“Bumetanide makes you excrete a lot of salt and water. It dilutes the urine and makes it very difficult to test for illegal substances. There are some patients who use or abuse it where weight is critical,” Dr. Smith said.
Weight loss is the main reason the highly-placed league source identifies as to why this group of NFL players tested positive for this drug. “It seems to be clear that most of these players were doing it to cut weight.”
When the source was asked how they’re more confident these players used Bumetanide as a weight loss agent as opposed to a masking agent, the source replied, “I know that a few of these players have had weight issues.”
The source also suggested some of the players may not have known Bumetanide is on the NFL’s list of banned substances.
“I don’t think many of them are attempting to cheat, or even know it is on the list. We are talking big guys who have likely never seen a steroid in their life. My understanding of the steroid policy is that it was intended to catch cheaters or people using performance enhancing substances to gain a competitive edge. These guys don’t fall into that category,” said the source.
Regardless, all of the players in this group of positive tests, including McAllister and Smith, are subject to a suspension pending an appeal to the league. Under the NFL’s steroid policy, a player’s first positive test results in a four-game suspension.
Smith’s listed agent, Joel Segal, was not immediately available to comment. A representative for McAllister’s agent, Jim Steiner, said the agent would call back.
New Orleans Saints’ Deuce McAllister been there, done that
October 24, 2008
Posted by Teddy Kider, The Times-Picayune October 23, 2008 7:57PM
Categories: Saints
David Grunfeld / The Times-PicayuneDeuce McAllister is likely to be the Saints’ feature back again this week, with Reggie Bush sidelined with a knee injury.LONDON COLNEY, ENGLAND — The last time Saints running back Reggie Bush was injured and missed a significant portion of a season — the final four games of 2007 — running back Deuce McAllister also was hurt, severely hampering New Orleans’ chances to make a push to the playoffs.
But this time, with Bush again sidelined for a significant amount of time because a left knee injury, McAllister is available. The Saints (3-4) are facing a crucial game against the San Diego Chargers (3-4) on Sunday at Wembley Stadium, and McAllister could once again have the opportunity to be the primary back that helps New Orleans win.
“I’ve been the starter before, so it’s not anything that I would be extremely nervous about, ” McAllister said Thursday, reminding reporters he is in his eighth year with the Saints.
Saints Coach Sean Payton has been mum this week on how long Bush will be out after surgery on a torn meniscus, hinting only that with a bye week coming up, Bush’s absence could be short-term. Bush will miss at least this weekend’s game, and the Saints need a win to avoid digging a deeper hole.
Although Payton also has been quiet about his plans with Bush gone, McAllister’s role almost certainly will increase. McAllister entered this season coming off two knee surgeries, one from an ACL tear last year, and he likely will bring a different style of running to the Saints’ offense.
“It changes some things, of course, and you make some adjustments, ” Payton said about the loss of Bush. “And obviously some other players then will become a little bit more involved. Those are the initial things that you see. There’s some schemes that you carry specifically for a guy like him, and you may not carry in a game like this.”
The question for the Saints is how much more conventional their offense will become. Not counting quarterback Drew Brees, Bush has been the Saints’ primary weapon, handling runs up the middle and around the sides, as well as catches and punt returns.
McAllister, a more traditional runner, presents a different threat that involves a burst up the middle and an ongoing struggle for additional yards, even with opposing players on his back.
After a slow start to the season that the Saints described as cautious, McAllister has 50 carries for 208 yards and leads Saints’ rushers who have more than 10 touches in yards per carry, with 4.2. Against the Panthers last Sunday, McAllister had nine carries for 47 yards, a 5.2 average.
Bush had a 6.1 yards-per-carry average against the Panthers but is at 3.4 for the season.
“If you didn’t know he had the surgery, you wouldn’t be able to notice that, I think, ” Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma said about McAllister. “Maybe back in minicamp you might have noticed he still had a little limp. Ever since then he’s just been progressing and getting better and better. So looking at him now, if you didn’t know he had the surgery, watching him now, you wouldn’t think anything of it.”
McAllister insisted Thursday that with him in the lineup, the offense will not change — “same offense, same thing, still pretty much what we’ve always done.” And as his role increases, so might the roles of the team’s other running backs, Pierre Thomas and Aaron Stecker.
“I’m just a player, whether it’s primary or first or second, whatever it may be, ” McAllister said, echoing statements he has been making since the start of the season. “I’m just trying to go out there and contribute and help this team to win.”
Caution with McAllister’s left knee seems to be less of a concern — and with Bush out, it might be less of an option. McAllister now has the same concerns as every other player.
“It’s just the wear and tear, I guess, on your body, ” McAllister said. “That’s the one thing that you have to deal with. I can’t necessarily say whether I’m full-strength or whatever in the knee at this point. But I know I can go out there and contribute and still make plays for the team. So it’s just the wear and tear of a regular football season.”
PRACTICE REPORT: Cornerback Mike McKenzie (knee), right guard Jahri Evans (ankle) and defensive end Will Smith (abdominal strain) all returned to practice Thursday for full sessions after missing Wednesday’s practice.
Tight end Jeremy Shockey (hernia), who was scheduled to speak with the media Thursday but was not made available, was limited. Center Jonathan Goodwin (knee) and defensive tackle Brian Young missed practice.
Thursday’s session was held in cold and windy weather at the Arsenal FC Training Center at the end of a long line of soccer fields, with football lines painted and a goal post in place.
“It’s a great facility here, ” Payton said. “You could see just the amount of field space, and the condition of the field was outstanding.”
New Orleans Saints Insider: Thursday Film Review
October 24, 2008
New Orleans Saints Insider: Thursday Film Review – Jeff Duncan on Saints – Times-Picayune – NOLA.com
Posted by Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune October 23, 2008 10:37AM
Categories: Saints
Michael DeMocker/The Times-PicayuneEven the best quarterbacks have a bad day. He felt bad about the loss at Denver, but last week was one of the worst games for Drew Brees(This report normally runs on Tuesday but was delayed this week by jury duty at Orleans Parish Criminal Court. Thanks for your understanding.)
Drew Brees is human.
The Saints’ star quarterback struggled big-time against the Panthers. It was his worst day of the season by far, and it likely wasn’t coincidental. Brees’ passer efficiency rating of 61.0 was his worst since a 58.1 effort against – you guessed it – Carolina in Week 4 of 2007.
Clearly the Panthers know how to defend the Saints’ high-powered passing attack. While a lot of Brees’ struggles had to do with the Panthers’ defense, he also appeared to be just plain off.
The interception he threw to Ken Lucas in the third quarter was not a bad decision. It was just an exceptional play by Lucas. However, Brees threw a couple of other balls that he was fortunate were not picked off. He also missed a couple of open receivers and uncharacteristically underthrew a few others on deep balls.
Sure, the Panthers did a good job of getting in Brees’ face and forcing him to move around in the pocket. Their defensive linemen batted down three balls at the line of scrimmage. But Brees just didn’t seem like his usual android-efficient self and the Saints aren’t going to win many games when he doesn’t excel.
SHORT-SLIGHTED: After enjoying success against Oakland, the Saints’ short-yardage offense regressed against Carolina. The Saints converted their first third-and-1 try then failed on four consecutive short-yardage situations on third and fourth down. A missed block by wide receiver Robert Meachem derailed a third-and-1 run by Reggie Bush in the second quarter. Drew Brees threw an incompletion to Deuce McAllister on third-and-2 that could have been an interception. Deuce McAllister appeared to convert a fourth-and-1 late in the third quarter with a great second effort but officials ruled him short by about 6 inches in a controversial spot that Sean Payton unsuccessfully challenged. And Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers beat the block of Jeremy Shockey and made the tackle on Aaron Stecker to thwart a fourth-and-2 at the Carolina 3 in the fourth quarter. They’re not recorded as such but each failure is similar to a turnover because the offense turns over the ball on downs without the benefit of a punt or a scoring opportunity.
Michael DeMocker/The Times-PicayuneBefore his injury, Jonathan Goodwin was part of the call of the day for the Saints.
CALL OF THE DAY: There weren’t many for the Saints, but, for a change, I’ll go with a nice running play. Reggie Bush raced for a 29-yard run on the first play of the second series when the Saints caught the Panthers in a blitz and hit them with a quick-hitting run to the right side. Bush received a couple of nice blocks from Shockey, center Jonathan Goodwin and fullback Mike Karney on the play then did the rest on his own with his speed and nifty running skills. Panthers linebackers Thomas Davis and Jon Beason took themselves out of the play when they blitzed up the middle. The run was the longest from scrimmage of Bush’s career.
OFFICIAL WORD: The Saints have had their share of problems with officials this season and Peter Morelli’s crew had a couple of calls that hurt the Saints. The first was the personal foul penalty against Kevin Kaesviharn early in the third quarter. Kaesviharn definitely deserved the infraction because he threw Deangelo Williams to the ground after the running back was clearly out of bounds. But he did so mainly out of frustration because Williams was bending his facemask backward with a stiff arm. According to a recent rule, that’s supposed to be a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty against the offensive player. The rule allows the ballcarrier to put his hand on the defender’s facemask but he’s not allowed to grab it or yank on it. That clearly was the case with Williams. The second ruling that I still don’t quite understand was the spot on McAllister’s failed fourth-down run in the third quarter. If you watch the replay, the officials appeared to spot the ball wrong on first down because Matt Lehr was clearly right on the Carolina 46-yard line when he snapped the ball on first down. After an incompletion, though, the ball was moved up a good half-yard to the 45 ½ on second down. If this, in fact, was the accurate spot then the down markers on the Saints’ side of the field should have been adjusted accordingly. They weren’t and that was a disservice to the Saints. McAllister said afterward he was using the down marker on his side of the field as his gauge for a first down. Regardless, the FOX broadcast team was clearly fooled because they used the 46 to designate the line of scrimmage for viewers. I’m still not clear on what happened but it definitely hurt the Saints because they had driven into Panthers territory and had a chance to get pull within two scores.
NO RETURNS: Steve Weatherford clearly didn’t have one of his best days and paid the price when Sean Payton unceremoniously cut him after the game. However, the punt return game was almost as bad as the punting team. I realize you have to give Reggie Bush some freedom to free-lance but he’s costing the Saints a lot of hidden yards with his dancing and hesitation at the outset of his returns. Against Carolina, he could have gained 10-15 yards on each of first two returns but spent so much time trying to set up the return that he was swarmed under for gains of 0 and 9 yards. Clearly, these hidden losses are a price Payton is willing to accept in exchange for a big return by Bush also needs to realize that not every team is going to be as poor in punt coverage as the Vikings (who he burnt for two returns for touchdowns). Against a great defensive team like Carolina, yards are precious and he needs to take what he can get and give the Saints offense better field position.
DID YA NOTICE?: Shockey raised the ire of Damione Lewis when he went low at the Panthers’ defensive tackle’s knees during the runback of Ken Lucas’ interception in the third quarter. I haven’t spoken to Shockey about the play but I can see how Lewis thought it was a cheap shot. Shockey didn’t even attempt to get to Lucas to make the tackle, instead electing to take out Lewis with a low dive at the side of his legs. Lewis immediately pounced on Shockey and started throwing haymakers at the prone Shockey.
QUICK SNAPS: I counted three dropped passes by Saints receivers: two by the normally sure-handed Colston and one by Meachem. … Peppers was a monster for the Panthers. Not only did he force the big fumble in the second quarter, but he also batted down a Brees pass, forced a holding penalty against Jammal Brown and made the big stop on Stecker at the goal line. That’s the definition of a defensive playmaker. … Brian Young took an awkward spill in third quarter and did not look the same after that. He could barely run in pursuit on a couple of plays. … Recently signed defensive end Jeff Charleston made his Saints debut in the second half. … Lucas’ third-quarter interception was a terrific play by the Panthers cornerback but also a bit of bad luck by the Saints. Lucas was beaten by Colston on the play, which occurred along the Panthers sideline. However, he turned at the last second and made the pick when his teammates on the sideline alerted him the ball was coming by yelling “ball!” If the same play occurs along the Saints sideline it’s probably a big gain for the Saints because Lucas never turns around.
PERSONNEL GROUPINGS: The Saints used only six personnel groupings against Carolina, the fewest number of packages they’ve used this season. Part of that was due to circumstances. Once the Panthers got the big lead, the Saints went almost exclusively to three-receiver sets with Shockey at tight end. In fact, this was the grouping they used on 19 of their final 21 plays. The return of Shockey obviously factored into the strategy. With Shockey back on the field, the Saints were more traditional in their attack in the first half. They opened their first eight series in two-receiver packages with either one or two tight ends. The Saints did not run a single play without at least one tight end on the field. Perhaps concerned about the Panthers’ pass rush, the Saints only went to an empty backfield on two occasions, about half of their normal quota.
Here’s the breakdown of the Saints’ offensive personnel packages on all of their 62 plays from scrimmage:
3WR/1TE/1RB – 34 out of 62 snaps
2WR/1TE/1RB/1FB – 13 out of 62
1WR/2TE/1RB/1FB – 7 out of 62
2WR/2TE/1RB – 4 out of 62
2WR/1TE/2RB – 3 out of 62
3TE/1RB/1TE – 1 out of 62
DeShazier: Tight ends gone wild have something to say
October 24, 2008
Posted by John DeShazier, The Times-Picayune October 23, 2008 2:12AM
Categories: NFL, Saints
Michael DeMocker/The Times-PicayuneSaints tight end Jeremy Shockey’s statements could have been misinterpreted last week.Jeremy Shockey would’ve paid a bundle to check all the baggage he lugged with him to New Orleans from New York if his reputation actually could’ve been stuffed in suitcases.
A player’s background and act follows him wherever he goes, especially if he’s a free-spirited sort who speaks his mind and, equally, he has been a frequent critic of teammates or management.
But the Saints tight end might have taken a bit of an unfair hit this week when saying, after Sunday’s game, that his sports hernia had been misdiagnosed during training camp.
For one, there’s the possibility (likelihood?) that it’s true. Though the franchise did much due diligence regarding the injury, giving Shockey rest during camp and performing tests, it apparently skipped whatever method it uses to detect a sports hernia. And whatever it is that the injury looked like during camp, the fact it improved slowly or not at all suggests that, obviously, a sports hernia wasn’t discovered until it was too late. Shockey has been hobbled all season by an injury that, if addressed and remedied during training camp, probably wouldn’t be an issue now.
Second, to dismiss the guy as whiny in hindsight is to, in part, adopt the stance that a team wouldn’t dare pressure a player to get back on the field, either overtly or covertly. And that’s absurd. Hurting players are allowed/encouraged to play every weekend, and have their toughness questioned when they don’t.
Shockey was determined to play, sure, but let’s not pretend the Saints weren’t just as eager to get him back on the field. So the player better have his own best interests at heart, even if the organization actually does have his back.
Those thoughts came to mind when Cleveland suspended its mercurial tight end, Kellen Winslow, after Winslow criticized the team following last Sunday’s game. Winslow, who’d missed the previous game, wasn’t particularly fond of the treatment he believes he received from some members of the organization while sitting out with a staph infection.
The Associated PressCleveland tight end Kellen Winslow carries around a lot of baggage.Winslow, too, travels with a few bags. He has developed a reputation as a guy who has as much mouth as game, if not more. He, too, has been known to say some things that aren’t borderline stupid; they comfortably clear the bar by a safe margin.
But you get the feeling that, as much as the words used to criticize General Manager Phil Savage for not paying him enough attention while hospitalized and the organization for treating him like a “piece of meat” were cited for his one-game suspension, it was the disclosure that he had a staph infection that really got him in trouble.
It was the sixth documented case since 2005 that a Browns player had been diagnosed with a staph infection. That’d be abnormally high if it was a case of high ankle sprains; it’s absolutely worrisome that one franchise would have that many cases of staph in that amount of time.
The team and Winslow reportedly agreed to not tell his teammates. The player changed his mind and whatever you think of his decision to renege, allow that Browns players absolutely should have been informed, that players always should be told what’s going on within the organization even if the information isn’t very flattering. Know that keeping that kind of information under wraps benefits the organization a heck of a lot more than it benefits the player.
Winslow is appealing the suspension, which would cost him one game check, more than $200,000. Good for him.
He might not win the appeal, might not get back his money. But he got out the word on a situation that, obviously, is a sensitive and embarrassing that the Browns wanted to keep a lid on. Maybe Cleveland should be a lot more concerned about the six documented cases of staph than it is with punishing a player who revealed his case during a stinging rebuke of the organization.
Winslow might not have been eloquent in his presentation but the tone wasn’t more important than the message. That’s something that could said about Shockey, too.
Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints, hope for a bounce back this week
October 23, 2008
Posted by Teddy Kider, The Times-Picayune October 22, 2008 4:18PM
Categories: SaintsOff the injury report and on the practice field for the Saints’ first full session abroad, receiver Marques Colston displayed his typically calm demeanor Wednesday. And he was blunt about his comeback in Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Michael DeMocker/The Times-PicayuneSaints receiver Marques Colston is hoping for a better performance this week.“I fully expected to come in and pick up right where I left off, and obviously that didn’t happen for me, ” Colston said. “But I really can’t say it was harder. I just didn’t have a good day. You have those every once in a while, and hopefully it’s a long time before you have another one.”
Colston finished the 30-7 defeat, which dropped the Saints to 3-4, with no catches. After two weeks of practice and more than a month of recovery from thumb surgery, 10 Saints had more catches than Colston on Sunday.
Colston, however, said his lack of production was not the result of “a medical issue.” As he tries to get back to the type of performances that made him the Saints’ most dangerous receiving threat, the issues for him are timing and rhythm.
They will be again Sunday at Wembley Stadium in London against the San Diego Chargers, with Colston, a Hofstra alumnus, performing in what he said will be the largest stadium he has ever played in.
“This week I definitely want to make a lot of progress, ” Colston said. “I didn’t have my best game last week in my first game back, but this is an important game for the team, and I’ve got to step up and play well. And so I fully expect that.”
Expectations are also high, as always, for another player in a similar situation. Tight end Jeremy Shockey is trying to return from hernia surgery. Shockey, who has been more vocal than Colston about his frustration, did not practice Wednesday.
He finished the game against Carolina with five catches for 50 yards. But he lost a fumble and missed a key block, and he said afterward that he aggravated his injury on the Saints’ first offensive play.
“I think any time you miss that significant amount of time — we’re talking a month or more for both of them — there’s an adjustment, there’s a rhythm to practicing and playing and a confidence level and that sort of thing, that just kind of needs to be regained a little bit, ” Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. “And so I’m not worried one bit about either of those guys. I think it’s only a matter of time before we all get right back on the same page and then elevate our game to another level, even better than we have been before.”
The Saints still are looking for a breakthrough game that shows a good command of offense and defense with the luxury of a full roster. The opportunity is gone now that running back Reggie Bush (knee) is sidelined, and Shockey appears to be farther away from 100 percent than Colston, based on practice time.
But the Saints did appear to have a few things to be pleased with Wednesday. Rookie defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis (knee) was off the injury report and back on the practice field for the first time in weeks, and Saints Coach Sean Payton said he expects Ellis to play Sunday.
Also back for the Saints was left guard Jamar Nesbit, who, after a four-game suspension, is playing with an exemption until Sunday’s game, when the Saints will have to free a roster spot for him. Nesbit’s return is important because center Jonathan Goodwin (knee) and right guard Jahri Evans (ankle) missed Wednesday’s session.
Defensive end Will Smith missed practice and was an addition to the injury report with what Payton called a slight abdominal strain, cornerback Mike McKenzie (knee) missed practice as expected and defensive tackle Brian Young was limited.
It seems the bye week could not come soon enough for the Saints — and they are hoping they can reach it with a 4-4 record, not 3-5.
“I think we’re getting there, ” Payton said about Colston and Shockey getting healthy, “and I think after the bye certainly we’re going to have a better feel.”
New Orleans Saints’ punter quick to answer call
October 23, 2008
Posted by Teddy Kider, The Times-Picayune October 22, 2008 8:04PM
Categories: Saints
Chuck Cook / The Times-PicayunePunter Ben Graham was sitting at home in New Jersey watching his former team, the New York Jets, when his agent called to tell him the Saints wanted to sign him.CHANDLER’S CROSS, ENGLAND — For the Saints’ new punter, Ben Graham, the trip to what he called “the Motherland” was a bit odd.
“My agent called on Sunday afternoon, and within an hour I was packed and on the way to the airport, ” said Graham, a 34-year-old Australian who was signed to replace Steve Weatherford following the Saints’ 30-7 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Graham, a 31-year-old rookie, has been cut twice this season, both times by the New York Jets. But he said he had worked out with a few teams in recent weeks before he was notified at his in-season home in New Jersey on Sunday that the Saints wanted to sign him.
“It was strange, ” Graham said. “I started off watching the Jets play the Raiders at home and ended up watching the end of the game at the airport, ready to fly out.”
The Jets-Raiders game kicked off at 3:15 p.m. (CDT), right after the Saints-Panthers game had ended.
Graham, who had a career in the Australian Football League before the NFL, said he did not have a chance to watch the Saints on Sunday, because the game was not shown locally.
But he was excited Wednesday to be in London. “It’s gonna be awesome, ” he said, adding that he was an English Premier League soccer fan — and to find his second NFL team, after 3 1/4 seasons with the Jets.
“The team has been fantastic, ” Graham said. “All the boys have been very welcoming, and they’re a good bunch of blokes, so I’m looking forward to Sunday and the rest of the year.”
FIRST PRACTICE: Dozens of members of the media, many of them from the United Kingdom, were at The Grove resort Wednesday to watch a portion of the Saints’ first London-area practice.
Saints Coach Sean Payton chose to practice on the field at the resort where the team is staying until this weekend, but he said the team would work today at its scheduled practice facility, the Arsenal FC Training Center.
Among the questions from the British media: Why should fans at Wembley Stadium root for the Saints on Sunday?
“Because we’re the home team, ” quarterback Drew Brees said. “So for this week, black and gold, root for the Saints. Cheer really loud when our defense is out there, and when our offense is out there, keep it quiet so our guys can hear.”
BUSH UPDATE: Payton said running back Reggie Bush’s surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee “went well.”
“In his case, fortunately, we’ll have a bye week after this weekend, and we’ll see the recovery time, the progress that he makes with his rehab, ” Payton said. “But he’s back in New Orleans, and things went well.”
Asked when Bush could be expected back, Payton said: “I think you’ve got to wait through this initial time where he’s off of it right now, but the good news is it was just a meniscus, and that’s something that shouldn’t be too long.”
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