Author Archive

Chalk It Up: A Win For The NFLPA May Spell a Loss For NFL Fans

With the Super Bowl fast approaching and the hype surrounding the shootout to come, it’s hard to imagine the NFL struggling to retain its integrity.

The truth remains, though, that the league’s owners and players are still marching towards a potential lockout at the end of the 2010 season.

On Monday, the NFL Players Association won in an arbitration against the collective NFL owners under Special Master Stephen Burbank. Read more…

Baltimore Ravens Make Jim Zorn Quarterbacks Coach

The Baltimore Ravens have made the best offseason move thus far in the hiring of Jim Zorn as the new Quarterbacks Coach.

His hiring came after former quarterback coach Hue Jackson left to join the Oakland Raiders as their new offensive coordinator.

Zorn is coming off an embarrassing two-year tenure as the head coach for Washington where he led the ‘Skins to their worst record in fifteen years at 12-20. His team came close to victory time and again, but was never able to overcome the mistakes of an inane owner and a rookie head coach.

Owner Daniel Snyder promoted Zorn from offensive coordinator to head coach before the season ever began; the team’s first mistake. Read more…

Gaines Adams Dead at 26

Chicago Bears defensive end Gaines Adams was pronounced dead Sunday morning at Self Regional Hospital in Greenwood, SC.

Gaines was rushed to the emergency room in the early hours of morning and, while the cause of death or concern is still unknown, the coroner has divulged that Gaines appeared perfectly healthy before his death was pronounced. An autopsy is scheduled for later today.

It seems 26 is the unlucky number right now in the NFL. This story strikes a chord as it follows the death of Cincinnati’s wide receiver Chris Henry no more than a month ago, also at the tender age of 26. Read more…

Pete Carroll and New Staff Show Seattle is Committed to Winning

After General Manager Tim Ruskell was released from the Seattle organization in December, it was clear the Seahawks were headed for a makeover.

The first major change was the firing of first-year coach Jim Mora. Apparently the front office didn’t feel a 5-11 record warranted a second chance.

In a surprise move, the team landed Pete Carroll, the long-time USC wheel-man, as a successor. Read more…

Lou Spanos is Headed For Washington

Long-time Pittsburgh Steelers defensive assistant Lou Spanos has accepted an offer to become the Washington Redskins’ new linebacker coach.

The latest addition to the Redskins coaching makeover comes as a surprise, as the former Tulane star has been a part of the Steeler organization for fourteen years. He is one of only two assistants to be a member of the coaching staffs that saw three Super Bowls: XXX, XL, and XLIII. Read more…

Lane Kiffin Takes Over at USC

After a tumultuous week of indecision and doubt, USC has found a replacement for Pete Carroll – Lane Kiffin.

Kiffin is coming off a one-year stint in Tennessee where a prosaic season and allegations of recruiting violations forced Kiffin to face the music or abandon ship. Kiffin’s strong personality never really assimilated to the SEC as several coaches found themselves butting heads with the Volunteer head man more than once in 2009. Read more…

Alex Gibbs Headed to Seattle: Carroll’s Best Hire Yet

Several sources within the NFL reported today that the Houston Texans’ offensive line coach Alex Gibbs is headed to Seattle to serve under new head coach Pete Carroll.

With two assistants from USC following Carroll to Seattle already, it’s refreshing to see a non-USC coach making his way to the Seahawks organization. Although he’s only officially been the head coach for a day or so, this is Carroll’s best decision yet. Read more…

Redskins Bring in Jim Haslett as Defensive Coordinator

Sources within the NFL announced today that former New Orleans Saints and UFL head coach Jim Haslett has accepted an offer from the Washington Redskins to become their new defensive coordinator.

The former Buffalo linebacker was atop a long list of prospects that included Mike Zimmer of the Cincinnati Bengals. When the Bengals resigned Zimmer earlier this week, it was clear the deal between the ‘Skins and Haslett would gel quickly. Read more…

Seahawks, in Compliance with Rooney Rule, Contacted Tony Dungy

The Seattle Seahawks have taken a lot of criticism of late, facing claims that their quick hiring of Pete Carroll was outside the lines of the Rooney Rule.

It’s now come to light, though, that the Seattle organization reached out to Tony Dungy almost a month ago in regards to a position as their team president. Dungy considered the offer, but ultimately turned it down.

John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance responsible for monitoring the minority hiring process in the NFL, spoke of the offer, “They called Tony about three weeks ago to see if he would seriously consider becoming their president…He told them he wanted to pray and sleep on it but the next day he called them back and said he wanted to stick with everything he was doing now.” Read more…

Miami Dolphins Part Ways with Defensive Coordinator Paul Pasqualoni

Numerous sources have cited that the Miami Dolphins have decided to part ways with their defensive coordinator, Paul Pasqualoni.

In a press release, head coach Tony Sparano said, “I want to thank Paul for his services to the team, and I want to wish him the best.”

Pasqualoni is coming off a season in which his defense ranked 22nd in the league. The real kicker was the NFL-high 140 points his crew gave up in the fourth quarter.

It seemed at first that Sparano would be lax in his judgement against the coach, attributing the poor play of the defense to a lack of execution by the players, but the fourth-quarter debacles and the defense’s susceptibility to the big play spurred Sparano to make the decision. Read more…