National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) announced today that attorney DeMaurice Smith has been named the new National Football League Players Association Executive Director. NFLPA Player Representatives, acting on behalf of the 32 NFL teams, selected Mr. Smith to succeed the late Gene Upshaw, who died in August. Mr. Smith becomes only the third Executive Director in NFLPA history and will serve a three-year term. He made the following statement regarding his new assignment:

“I’m humbled by their decision. I’m honored and proud to lead a great group of men. I think we understand the challenges that face us but we also understand the strength of our unity.”

The search for the new Executive Director began shortly after Mr. Upshaw’s death, when Acting Executive Director Richard Berthelsen, NFLPA President Kevin Mawae (Tennessee), and Executive Committee members Domonique Foxworth (Baltimore), Tony Richardson (New York Jets), Jeff Saturday (Indianapolis), Mike Vrabel (Kansas City) and Donovin Darius, were appointed to the Search Committee. Reilly Partners, an executive search firm based out of Chicago, was then hired to assist the Committee in its search. The NFLPA’s constitution requires that the Executive Director be elected by a majority of the members of the Board of Player Representatives. Mr. Smith was unanimously elected to the position.

Mr. Smith was selected from among three other finalists for the Executive Director position: former NFLPA Presidents Trace Armstrong and Troy Vincent and sports attorney David Cornwell. The four finalists were given the opportunity to speak directly to the 70 Player Representatives and Alternates in attendance during hour-long presentations on Saturday. They then met with Player Reps in smaller break-out sessions this morning before the official election took place in the afternoon. NFLPA President Kevin Mawae also made the following statement regarding today’s announcement:

“The Board of Player Representatives made a decision today that will chart the course of this organization. This decision is a legacy decision. It is one that will unify and strengthen the National Football League Players Association.”

Here’s a quick bio on Mr. Smith. He’s a trial lawyer and litigation partner at D.C. law firm Patton Boggs. He has defended individuals in high profile criminal cases and Congressional investigations while also representing Fortune 500 companies in criminal and complex civil cases, compliance matters, and internal investigations. He’s a former assistant U.S. attorney and previously served as counsel to then Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder in the U.S. Department of Justice. He graduated from Cedarville University and received his law degree from the University of Virginia. Mr. Smith is married with two children and will begin his term with the NFLPA immediately.

Source: NFLPlayers.com, Photo: Newscom

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DeMaurice Smith Named NFLPA Director

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel has been traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs also got linebacker Mike Vrabel from New England in exchange for their second-round pick (34th overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft. The agreement is good only if both players pass their physicals, but I don’t think that will be an issue. Chiefs new GM Scott Pioli (formerly of the Patriots, of course) was thrilled to bring old faces into new places:

“I have a long history with both players. Mike and Matt are men that I respect both personally and professionally. I look forward to having them as new members of the Chiefs family.”

I am shocked that the Patriots gave up both players for only a second round Draft choice. I think this is an incredible steal for the Chiefs. Granted, Matt Cassel could be a “one season wonder” and Mike Vrabel is in the twilight of his career, but this has the potential to be a very big deal for the Chiefs.

I knew the Patriots weren’t going to keep Matt around as a $14.5 million backup to Tom Brady. So they must be very secure that Tom’s knee rehab is going well. Matt had a great season by anyone’s standards last year (3,693 yards and 21 TDs to only 11 INTs). So, why let him go for so little — especially with what appeared to be a high demand for his services this offseason?

The Kansas City Chiefs, though, are an organization headed in the right direction in a hurry. After finishing the 2008 season with a dismal 2-14 record, they fired head coach Herm Edwards (one of my favorite head coaches, by the way) and brought in aforementioned general manager Scott Pioli to help get things going in the right direction. I’d say he’s doing a great job so far. And that’s what I expected. He hired new head coach Todd Haley just days after coach Haley’s Arizona Cardinals lost Super Bowl XLIII. He’ll be an outstanding young head coach in this league. And with the additions of Cassel and Vrabel, the Chiefs are on the road to greatly improving their personnel. Just like that the Kansas City Chiefs are ready to contend in the AFC West.

Source: KCChiefs.com, Photo: Newscom

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Patriots Trade Matt Cassel to Chiefs

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

New England Patriots Pro Bowl linebacker Adalius Thomas will have surgery on his broken forearm tomorrow, thus most likely ending his 2008 season. Adalius broke his arm during Sunday’s 20-10 win over the Buffalo Bills. Fellow linebacker Mike Vrabel assessed the situation:

“I think it will be difficult. He’s a guy that certainly, like a lot of guys here, plays a lot of different positions and plays them pretty well, so it will be tough. He was a leader. He was a veteran guy that played well, and we’ll just have to find guys to step up.”

Enter Pierre Woods, who could make his first career start Thursday against the N.Y. Jets. I want to say the Patriots are in trouble, but if any head coach can maneuver his way out of an injury fix, it’s New England’s Bill Belichick. He’s managed a 6-3 record so far this season despite having lost the most important player on his team (and arguably the entire league), quarterback Tom Brady. Plus, two other key starters — running back Laurence Maroney and safety Rodney Harrison — also suffered season-ending injuries. It’s a “next-man-up” attitude in New England and because they seem to bring the right people into the organization, I won’t be surprised if they don’t miss a beat. The Patriots are just good like that.

Source: Boston.com, Photo: Newscom

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Adalius Thomas Surgery Ends Season

Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

Tennessee Titans center Kevin Mawae was elected president of the NFL Players Association today. As a 14-year veteran and someone who has been on the union’s executive committee for the past six years, Kevin’s a great choice. He’ll replace Troy Vincent, whose term recently ended and who last played for the Buffalo Bills before retiring. Kevin called his election by the player representatives an honor with serious issues looming, referring to the the collective bargaining agreement:

“The players are well informed of the potential cancellation of the CBA by the owners. They are committed to doing what it takes to preserve our game ….. That is of most importance, because the players need to know what they are facing and also how to react. In the end, it goes back to educating players of our past, how we’ve accomplished what we’ve gotten and having a plan for taking care of our business.”

The union also elected Domonique Foxworth of Denver, Drew Brees of New Orleans and Mike Vrabel of New England as new members of the executive committee. Re-elected were: Brian Dawkins (Philadelphia), Jeff Saturday (Indianapolis), Mark Bruener (Houston), Tony Richardson (Jets), Kevin Carter (Tampa Bay), Keenan McCardell (free agent) and Donovin Darius (free agent).

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Kevin Mawae Named NFLPA President

Just as an NFL player watches game film to prepare for his next opponent, I watched my share of previous Super Bowl Media Days on YouTube to get ready for today. But nothing could really replace being here. Media Day at the Super Bowl features a throng of reporters from all over the world. And a record number participated today.

Naturally, 2007 National Football League MVP Tom Brady was the center of attention as he had the most traffic around his podium. And I thought he handled it very well. Which is not surprising for someone who has had to get used to being in the spotlight both on and off the field. I didn’t even bother sticking my nose into that mob scene, preferring rather to talk with those players who were meandering about. But Tom was getting the most questions. He even received a wedding proposal from a reporter from TV Azteca in Mexico. Naturally, he declined, but the way he worked through the sometimes stupidity and absurdity of this “circus” was a thing of beauty. He’s done this before. He knew what to expect. And he more than made the best of it, although he admitted he prefers talking about football over his personal life:

“You just deal with whatever question is asked, and try to handle it the best you can. I’m obviously more comfortable answering the football questions. Those are much easier for me.”

We had one hour to speak to the players. My challenge was to get to as many as possible and take pictures as well. Having never worked Media Day before, I had a ballpark number of players in my mind to talk to (5-10) and had specific questions for specific players. I also had general team questions that any player could answer. But despite all the homework I did, I could not possibly know every single player. So I stuck with those I knew. If one player was busy talking to someone else, I either waited or moved on to another. I found that waiting was more or less a waste of time.

The Patriots who were at podiums/risers were Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, Laurence Maroney, Bill Belichick, Asante Samuel, Tom Brady, Richard Seymour, Randy Moss, Mike Vrabel, Junior Seau and Vince Wilfork. In designated areas in the stands were team owner Robert Craft, VP of Player Personnel Scott Pioli, Troy Brown, Kevin Faulk, Larry Izzo, Ty Warren and Wes Welker. The rest just mixed and mingled.

For the BIGPLAY Radio NFL Podcast, I spoke with Logan Mankins, James Sanders, Kelley Washington, Ty Warren, and Benjamin Watson. Adalius Thomas, who seemed a little agitated and ready to leave before the hour had elapsed, commented on my meticulous notetaking. “Look at you,” he said. “You’ve got everything written out.” I nodded approvingly: “This is what I do.” (Actually, I would like to have individually laminated sheets and a color-coding system like NFL coaches. Hey, I take this seriously. Maybe too seriously.) Anyway, Adalius was one of the few who refused a cell phone interview from a reporter. I saw quite a few players doing “mobile interviews” which I thought was unusual. I guess my feeling was you should either be here at the event or be out of luck. Otherwise, those of us that are here are standing around waiting for the cell phone interview to end. It’s like being at a retail store and having the clerk attend to a phone call instead of dealing with the customer who’s in the store. That was kind of irritating.

Anyway, it was a quick hour. Of course, I felt like I needed more time but one hour is sufficient and really all that can be expected from the players. The media proceeded to brunch for a 60-minute break while a field crew prepped for the Giants.

Photos by David Kindervater

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SBXLII Media Day: New England Patriots

The New England Patriots and San Diego Chargers lead the AFC’s 2008 Pro Bowl squad with a conference-high eight players each. New England’s eight All-Stars equals a franchise high set by the 1985 Pats. The AFC roster includes 18 first-time All-Stars, including Cincinnati WR T.J. Houshmanzadeh, who leads the NFL with 101 receptions.

Among a group of talented AFC quarterbacks, four-time All-Star Tom Brady of New England, who leads the NFL in passing yards (4,235), TDs (45) and passer rating (119.7), will be the starting QB in his fourth Pro Bowl. Tom is one of seven Patriots that will start for this year’s AFC squad. Joining him to aid the AFC passing attack will be Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning, who will make his eighth Pro Bowl appearance, and first-time selection Ben Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh, who ranks third in the NFL with 29 TD passes.

San Diego’s duo of running back LaDainian Tomlinson and fullback Lorenzo Neal have been named starters for a second year in a row. Earning his fifth Pro Bowl honor, L.T. ranks second in the NFL with 1,311 rushing yards this season and has passed the 1,200-yard rushing mark for the seventh consecutive year. Lorenzo, in his 15th NFL season, has been selected to his fourth Pro Bowl and third as a Charger. Adding to the AFC’s explosive backfield will be Pittsburgh’s Willie Parker and Joseph Addai of Indy. This is the second consecutive Pro Bowl trip for Fast Willie, who leads the NFL with 1,317 rushing yards. In his second NFL season, Joseph Addai ranks second in the AFC with 11 rushing TDs and will make his first Pro Bowl trip. Once again, Jacksonville’s Fred Taylor has been snubbed despite averaging a gaudy 5.1 ypc. He’ll need to lead the league in rushing to get consideration.

Four receivers are named to each All-Star squad. And it has to be nearly impossible to come up with just four. Chosen for the AFC’s 2008 team are New England’s Randy Moss, the NFL’s receiving yardage (1,343) and TD (19) leader. Randy records his first Pro Bowl appearance since 2004 (because he was lost in the black hole for several years) and sixth overall. Lined up across from Randy will be Reggie Wayne of Indianapolis, who will make his second All-Star game in consecutive seasons. Two first-time selections from clubs in Ohio will round out the AFC All-Star receiving foursome — Cleveland wide receiver Braylon Edwards, whose 13 TD receptions ranks second in the AFC, and the aforementioned T.J. Houshmandzadeh of Cincinnati. I know this is a very elite list of receivers and it’s incredibly hard to pick just four, but I could make a case for Wes Welker (Pats), Chad Johnson (Cincy) or even Brandon Marshall (Denver) in this group.

Representing the AFC at tight end will be nine-time all-star Tony Gonzalez (big surprise) of the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego’s Antonio Gates, who will play in his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl and start for the second year in a row.

Pittsburgh’s 10-year veteran guard Alan Faneca will make his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl trip and will be joined at the other starting guard position by first-time All-Star Logan Mankins of New England, who has helped pave the way for the league’s top-ranked offense. San Diego’s Kris Dielman, a former undrafted free agent who has been a mainstay for the Chargers offensive line this year, will make his All-Star debut.

AFC starting center Jeff Saturday will book his trip to Hawaii for his third consecutive Pro Bowl. First-time AFC All-Star Dan Koppen of New England will back him up.

Assigned to keep the pocket clean against a talented group of NFC edge rushers are a group of AFC All-Star tackles — New England’s two-time Pro Bowler Matt Light and first-time Pro Bowl selection Jason Peters of Buffalo. Jonathan Ogden of Baltimore will play in his 11th consecutive Pro Bowl in his 12th NFL season.

Lining up in the middle for the AFC defensive front are starting interior linemen Albert Haynesworth of Tennessee and New England’s Vince Wilfork. Both linemen will make their first appearances in the All-Star game. Accompanying Vince and Albert will be San Diego’s Jamal Williams, who has secured his third consecutive Pro Bowl berth.

Ranked second in the AFC with 11.5 sacks, Kansas City defensive end Jared Allen will make his Pro Bowl debut as a starter and will be joined by Tennessee defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, who will play in his second Pro Bowl in three seasons with the Titans and his first as a starter. Miami’s Jason Taylor will cap off this trio with the sixth Pro Bowl of his career.

Two first-time All-Stars — Mike Vrabel of New England and Pittsburgh’s James Harrison — will start at outside linebacker for the AFC. Mike has tied his career-high with 9.5 sacks and James leads the league’s top-ranked defense with 8.5 sacks. Joining them at outside linebacker is Shawne Merriman of San Diego, who tops NFL linebackers with 11.5 sacks. Shawne will make his third consecutive All-Star game appearance.

Roaming the middle of the AFC defense will be middle linebackers Ray Lewis of Baltimore and DeMeco Ryans of Houston. DeMeco, the 2006 NFL Defensive Rookie of Year, will start in his first Pro Bowl, while Ray-Ray, a 12-year veteran, will record his eighth appearance in Hawaii.

Interceptions are plentiful for the trio of AFC All-Star cornerbacks. Starter Champ Bailey of Denver has earned his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl selection and will be teamed up with two first-time All-Stars. New England’s Asante Samuel will start opposite Champ and Antonio Cromartie of San Diego, who leads the league with 10 INTs, will make his All-Star debut in his second season.

Indianapolis strong safety Bob Sanders earns his second consecutive AFC All-Star berth and Ravens ball-hawking free safety Ed Reed is a four-time Pro Bowl choice in six NFL seasons. Four-time Pro Bowl selection Troy Polamalu of Pittsburgh will join them as a reserve.

The AFC special teams unit is comprised of four players, including two first-time Pro Bowl honorees. Cleveland kick returner Joshua Cribbs is making his first trip to Hawaii. Joshua leads the NFL with a 30.9-yard average and is tied for second in the league with two scores. Tennessee kicker Rob Bironas, who leads the NFL with 31 field goals and set the NFL record for most field goals in a game earlier this season, will make his All-Star debut. San Diego wide receiver Kassim Osgood, who will serve as the AFC’s special teamer, makes his second consecutive trip to Hawaii. Concluding the special teams group will be Oakland’s veteran punter Shane Lechler (third Pro Bowl). Shane leads the NFL with a 49.0 average and has placed 21 of his 63 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.

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Patriots, Chargers Lead AFC All-Star Squad, 18 First-Time Selections Named