Sporting News staff reports
Padres closer Heath Bell continues to harbor ill will toward his former team, the Mets, almost four years after New York traded him to San Diego.
Bell told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Monday that Mets management wasn’t always honest with him, in particular in 2006 when it was shuttling him between the majors and Triple-A Norfolk.
The topic came up because a.) the Mets are in San Diego this week and b.) the Padres just sent reliever Adam Russell to the minors because of a need elsewhere on the pitching staff.
"For me, it was 11 times in ’06, but only nine of them counted," Bell told the Union-Tribune.
"There were a few where I got called up, took batting practice and was told, ‘Oh wait, we’re not activating you.’ Or you get the phone call after you get off the plane and they’re telling you ‘Just wait there.’
"Then there are the times when they told me, ‘Go to the hotel, but we’re not sure you’ll be activated.’ So you go to the bar and there are, like, three of us. There’d be two pitchers and a position player, all three of us waiting to find out if we’re going to be activated.
"One time, (the Mets) had me take batting practice because they weren’t sure another (late addition) was going to show up, then he showed up and they had me clear out my locker for him before he got there."
"That’s why I have a lot of hostility toward my ex-team."
"I got told things I found out weren’t true. I wasn’t always hearing the whole story."
Sporting News staff reports
Padres closer Heath Bell continues to harbor ill will toward his former team, the Mets, almost four years after New York traded him to San Diego.
Bell told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Monday that Mets management wasn’t always honest with him, in particular in 2006 when it was shuttling him between the majors and Triple-A Norfolk.
The topic came up because a.) the Mets are in San Diego this week and b.) the Padres just sent reliever Adam Russell to the minors because of a need elsewhere on the pitching staff.
"For me, it was 11 times in ’06, but only nine of them counted," Bell told the Union-Tribune.
"There were a few where I got called up, took batting practice and was told, ‘Oh wait, we’re not activating you.’ Or you get the phone call after you get off the plane and they’re telling you ‘Just wait there.’
"Then there are the times when they told me, ‘Go to the hotel, but we’re not sure you’ll be activated.’ So you go to the bar and there are, like, three of us. There’d be two pitchers and a position player, all three of us waiting to find out if we’re going to be activated.
"One time, (the Mets) had me take batting practice because they weren’t sure another (late addition) was going to show up, then he showed up and they had me clear out my locker for him before he got there."
"That’s why I have a lot of hostility toward my ex-team."
"I got told things I found out weren’t true. I wasn’t always hearing the whole story."
Sporting News staff reports
Two anonymous Mets players say they are tired of left-hander Oliver Perez’s continued struggles (0-3, 6.25 ERA, 32 walks in 26 innings) and hope the club either demotes him to Triple-A or releases him. Perez is in the second year of a three-year, $36 million contract and has the right to refuse a minor-league assignment.
Player A told the Post: "You tell him you go to Triple-A or that’s it, you are finished."
Player B told the Post: "At some point you have to cut bait. You owe him a lot of money, but for what?"
Manager Jerry Manuel pulled Perez from the rotation two weeks ago but doesn’t have the confidence to use him in any role but mop-up duty. Perez allowed three runs in two innings his last appearance, in relief Saturday.
Sporting News staff reports
Two anonymous Mets players say they are tired of left-hander Oliver Perez’s continued struggles (0-3, 6.25 ERA, 32 walks in 26 innings) and hope the club either demotes him to Triple-A or releases him. Perez is in the second year of a three-year, $36 million contract and has the right to refuse a minor-league assignment.
Player A told the Post: "You tell him you go to Triple-A or that’s it, you are finished."
Player B told the Post: "At some point you have to cut bait. You owe him a lot of money, but for what?"
Manager Jerry Manuel pulled Perez from the rotation two weeks ago but doesn’t have the confidence to use him in any role but mop-up duty. Perez allowed three runs in two innings his last appearance, in relief Saturday.
Sporting News staff reports
The Angels hope 1B Kendry Morales, who broke his left leg celebrating a game-winning grand slam Saturday, can return by September if everything goes well with his surgery and rehab. Morales will have surgery once the swelling subsides and then spend four to six weeks on crutches. After that, it’ll be a matter of regaining leg strength and baseball timing.
In the interim, manager Mike Scioscia said he would use catcher Mike Napoli and reserve infielder Robb Quinlan at the position (backup outfielder Michael Ryan also has gotten a start). But GM Tony Reagins said he is interested in making a trade for a first baseman to make a run at the injury-riddled, up-for-grabs AL West.
According to ESPN, the most likely viable trade targets are the Diamondbacks’ Adam LaRoche, the Astros’ Lance Berkman, the White Sox’s Paul Konerko, the Indians’ Russell Branyan and the Brewers’ Prince Fielder.
Comcast Sports reported that Red Sox infielder Mike Lowell is available, although Boston radio station WEEI reported the Angels have not expressed interest in him.
Sporting News staff reports
The Angels hope 1B Kendry Morales, who broke his left leg celebrating a game-winning grand slam Saturday, can return by September if everything goes well with his surgery and rehab. Morales will have surgery once the swelling subsides and then spend four to six weeks on crutches. After that, it’ll be a matter of regaining leg strength and baseball timing.
In the interim, manager Mike Scioscia said he would use catcher Mike Napoli and reserve infielder Robb Quinlan at the position (backup outfielder Michael Ryan also has gotten a start). But GM Tony Reagins said he is interested in making a trade for a first baseman to make a run at the injury-riddled, up-for-grabs AL West.
According to ESPN, the most likely viable trade targets are the Diamondbacks’ Adam LaRoche, the Astros’ Lance Berkman, the White Sox’s Paul Konerko, the Indians’ Russell Branyan and the Brewers’ Prince Fielder.
Comcast Sports reported that Red Sox infielder Mike Lowell is available, although Boston radio station WEEI reported the Angels have not expressed interest in him.
The Braves entered May with the memory of a nine-game losing skid still very fresh in their minds. They enter June with a much different taste in their mouths.
They have recent winning streaks of four games, five games and five games. They’ve gone from battling to stay out of the NL East cellar to battling for first place, a combination of their vastly improved play and the Phillies’ newfound and befuddling inability to score.
How will they enter July? Good question. On to the poll …
Evan Longoria already has a career high in stolen bases.
1. Rays (1). Evan Longoria, apparently, has added "base-stealer" to his resume. Tampa Bay’s third baseman is one of only two players in the bigs to enter the week with double-digit home runs and stolen bases. He’s already set a career-high with his 10 stolen bases, to go with his .325 average, 10 homers, 42 RBIs and .968 OPS.
2. Twins (3). Same story as always in Minnesota: starting pitching is pretty consistent, Mauer and Morneau are excellent, Twins are in first place.
3. Yankees (4). Robinson Cano is enjoying his finest season, and that’s saying something. After a "slump" that dropped his average all the way down to .322, Cano enters the week riding a 13-game hitting streak that includes eight multi-hit games. He’s hitting .455 in the streak and .362 overall.
4. Padres (5). David Eckstein has 14 extra-base hits and just five strikeouts on the season. The only player who is even close to that ratio is Houston’s Jeff Keppinger, who has 16 extra-base hits and nine strikeouts.
5. Reds (10). Cincinnati’s two catchers, Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan, went 12-for-24 as the Reds took five of seven from the Pirates and Astros during last week’s homestand.
6. Cardinals (6). All nine of the runs the Cardinals scored Sunday against the Cubs crossed the plate with two outs. For the year, the Cardinals have 97 RBIs with two outs, good enough for sixth in the majors. They’re also hitting .283 (fourth in MLB) and have an .836 OPS (third) with two outs.
7. Blue Jays (9). Starting with Monday’s game against Tampa Bay, the Blue Jays play 24 consecutive games against teams that enter this week over .500—vs. Rays (3), vs. Yankees (3), at Rays (3), at Rockies (3), at Padres (3), vs. Giants (3), vs. Cardinals (3), vs. Phillies (3).
8. Braves (13). Entering this week, only one NL player has an OPS better than 1.000. Yep, the rookie Jason Heyward, who checks in at 1.017.
9. Red Sox (11). In 15 combined starts since April 23, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz—who were born just seven months apart—are 12-1 with a 2.02 ERA.
10. Phillies (2). This drop in the poll certainly is temporary, and the Phillies’ offense will be just fine in the long run. But getting shut out five times in eight games is impressive.
11. Dodgers (8). Matt Kemp, the NL leader with 41 runs scored, might never find a permanent spot in Joe Torre’s lineup—he’s hit fourth 18 times, third 12 times, second 18 times and fifth twice this year. This, after hitting in six different spots in the order at least 14 times last season.
Buster Posey’s bat is living up to the hype.
12. Giants (14). Stephen Strasburg’s much-anticipated call-up will generate more headlines, but catcher Buster Posey’s arrival in San Francisco likely will have more of an impact in the playoff race. In his first two games after arriving from Class AAA Fresno—where he was hitting .349—Posey went 6-for-9 with four RBIs for the parent club.
13. A’s (16). This was a good week for the A’s. Not only did they climb back into first place in the AL West, but they got Brett Anderson back in the rotation. In his first start since April 24, the 22-year-old lefty allowed just three baserunners in 5 2/3 shutout innings against the Tigers on Saturday.
14. Tigers (7). Speaking of the Tigers, they had a similar experience on Sunday—young fireballer Max Scherzer came back from the minors to strike out 14 A’s in 5 2/3 shutout innings.
15. Rangers (12). This was a horrible week for the Rangers. Not only did they fall out of first place in the AL West, but they had to put slugger Nelson Cruz on the disabled list, and young lefty Derek Holland had to leave his start Sunday in the second inning with a sore shoulder.
16. Rockies (18). Troy Tulowitzki has five homers and 10 RBIs in his past 10 games after just one homer and 16 RBIs in his first 38. Not coincidentally, the Rockies are 7-3 in that stretch.
17. Mets (19). The Mets have more wins at home (19) than any team in baseball. Of course, only one team (the Orioles) has fewer road wins than the Mets, who have just seven victories away from home.
18. Marlins (15). Time for a minor-league update. Mike Stanton, the best Marlins prospect since Miguel Cabrera, is crushing the ball for Class AA Jacksonville as a 20-year-old—the 6-foot-5 outfielder has 18 homers and a 1.143 OPS. Yikes.
19. Nationals (17). Here’s a bit of a surprise. Entering the week, Josh Willingham leads the National League with his .429 on-base percentage. His previous career high is .367.
20. Angels (20). The Kendry Morales injury could be devastating. The switch-hitting slugger leads the Angels in homers, RBIs and batting average.
21. Cubs (22). Alfonso Soriano’s slugging percentage (.585) is higher than Aramis Ramirez’s OPS (.508)
22. Royals (25). Billy Butler enters the week with a .348 batting average, which puts him 20 points behind Justin Morneau, the AL leader. It also puts him 23 points ahead of Martin Prado, the NL leader.
23. White Sox (24). Remember the Longoria tidbit? Rios is the other guy with double-digit steals and homers, and he bests Longoria in both categories. Rios has 11 homers and 16 stolen bases to go with his .312 average and .958 OPS.
Corey Hart has put on a surprising power display.
24. Brewers (26). Prince Fielder has played every game and Ryan Braun has missed just two. But, Corey Hart leads the team in home runs (12) and Casey McGehee leads the Brewers in RBIs (41). Though, to be fair, McGehee’s total leads the NL and Hart is tied for first in the league.
25. Pirates (23). Impressive work thus far from reliever Evan Meek, who has a 0.92 ERA and a 0.955 WHIP through 29 1/3 innings.
26. Diamondbacks (21). Ian Kennedy was the Diamondbacks’ best starter—by far—this April, posting a 2.54 ERA in his six starts.
27. Indians (27). Another minor-league update: He’s no Mike Stanton, but catcher Carlos Santana is crushing the ball for Class AAA Columbus—10 homers and a 1.013 OPS.
28. Mariners (28). Yes, it’s still early, but that 14-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio Cliff Lee is sporting is pretty impressive.
29. Astros (29). Fifteen Astros position players have at least 22 at-bats this season, and 11 of them are hitting .242 or worse.
30. Orioles (30). Brian Matusz is going to have a long, successful major league career, but he’s dealing with consistency issue at the moment. In his past four starts, he’s given up 6, 0, 7 and 6 earned runs.
Ryan Fagan is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com, and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ryan_fagan.
The Braves entered May with the memory of a nine-game losing skid still very fresh in their minds. They enter June with a much different taste in their mouths.
They have recent winning streaks of four games, five games and five games. They’ve gone from battling to stay out of the NL East cellar to battling for first place, a combination of their vastly improved play and the Phillies’ newfound and befuddling inability to score.
How will they enter July? Good question. On to the poll …
Evan Longoria already has a career high in stolen bases.
1. Rays (1). Evan Longoria, apparently, has added "base-stealer" to his resume. Tampa Bay’s third baseman is one of only two players in the bigs to enter the week with double-digit home runs and stolen bases. He’s already set a career-high with his 10 stolen bases, to go with his .325 average, 10 homers, 42 RBIs and .968 OPS.
2. Twins (3). Same story as always in Minnesota: starting pitching is pretty consistent, Mauer and Morneau are excellent, Twins are in first place.
3. Yankees (4). Robinson Cano is enjoying his finest season, and that’s saying something. After a "slump" that dropped his average all the way down to .322, Cano enters the week riding a 13-game hitting streak that includes eight multi-hit games. He’s hitting .455 in the streak and .362 overall.
4. Padres (5). David Eckstein has 14 extra-base hits and just five strikeouts on the season. The only player who is even close to that ratio is Houston’s Jeff Keppinger, who has 16 extra-base hits and nine strikeouts.
5. Reds (10). Cincinnati’s two catchers, Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan, went 12-for-24 as the Reds took five of seven from the Pirates and Astros during last week’s homestand.
6. Cardinals (6). All nine of the runs the Cardinals scored Sunday against the Cubs crossed the plate with two outs. For the year, the Cardinals have 97 RBIs with two outs, good enough for sixth in the majors. They’re also hitting .283 (fourth in MLB) and have an .836 OPS (third) with two outs.
7. Blue Jays (9). Starting with Monday’s game against Tampa Bay, the Blue Jays play 24 consecutive games against teams that enter this week over .500—vs. Rays (3), vs. Yankees (3), at Rays (3), at Rockies (3), at Padres (3), vs. Giants (3), vs. Cardinals (3), vs. Phillies (3).
8. Braves (13). Entering this week, only one NL player has an OPS better than 1.000. Yep, the rookie Jason Heyward, who checks in at 1.017.
9. Red Sox (11). In 15 combined starts since April 23, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz—who were born just seven months apart—are 12-1 with a 2.02 ERA.
10. Phillies (2). This drop in the poll certainly is temporary, and the Phillies’ offense will be just fine in the long run. But getting shut out five times in eight games is impressive.
11. Dodgers (8). Matt Kemp, the NL leader with 41 runs scored, might never find a permanent spot in Joe Torre’s lineup—he’s hit fourth 18 times, third 12 times, second 18 times and fifth twice this year. This, after hitting in six different spots in the order at least 14 times last season.
Buster Posey’s bat is living up to the hype.
12. Giants (14). Stephen Strasburg’s much-anticipated call-up will generate more headlines, but catcher Buster Posey’s arrival in San Francisco likely will have more of an impact in the playoff race. In his first two games after arriving from Class AAA Fresno—where he was hitting .349—Posey went 6-for-9 with four RBIs for the parent club.
13. A’s (16). This was a good week for the A’s. Not only did they climb back into first place in the AL West, but they got Brett Anderson back in the rotation. In his first start since April 24, the 22-year-old lefty allowed just three baserunners in 5 2/3 shutout innings against the Tigers on Saturday.
14. Tigers (7). Speaking of the Tigers, they had a similar experience on Sunday—young fireballer Max Scherzer came back from the minors to strike out 14 A’s in 5 2/3 shutout innings.
15. Rangers (12). This was a horrible week for the Rangers. Not only did they fall out of first place in the AL West, but they had to put slugger Nelson Cruz on the disabled list, and young lefty Derek Holland had to leave his start Sunday in the second inning with a sore shoulder.
16. Rockies (18). Troy Tulowitzki has five homers and 10 RBIs in his past 10 games after just one homer and 16 RBIs in his first 38. Not coincidentally, the Rockies are 7-3 in that stretch.
17. Mets (19). The Mets have more wins at home (19) than any team in baseball. Of course, only one team (the Orioles) has fewer road wins than the Mets, who have just seven victories away from home.
18. Marlins (15). Time for a minor-league update. Mike Stanton, the best Marlins prospect since Miguel Cabrera, is crushing the ball for Class AA Jacksonville as a 20-year-old—the 6-foot-5 outfielder has 18 homers and a 1.143 OPS. Yikes.
19. Nationals (17). Here’s a bit of a surprise. Entering the week, Josh Willingham leads the National League with his .429 on-base percentage. His previous career high is .367.
20. Angels (20). The Kendry Morales injury could be devastating. The switch-hitting slugger leads the Angels in homers, RBIs and batting average.
21. Cubs (22). Alfonso Soriano’s slugging percentage (.585) is higher than Aramis Ramirez’s OPS (.508)
22. Royals (25). Billy Butler enters the week with a .348 batting average, which puts him 20 points behind Justin Morneau, the AL leader. It also puts him 23 points ahead of Martin Prado, the NL leader.
23. White Sox (24). Remember the Longoria tidbit? Rios is the other guy with double-digit steals and homers, and he bests Longoria in both categories. Rios has 11 homers and 16 stolen bases to go with his .312 average and .958 OPS.
Corey Hart has put on a surprising power display.
24. Brewers (26). Prince Fielder has played every game and Ryan Braun has missed just two. But, Corey Hart leads the team in home runs (12) and Casey McGehee leads the Brewers in RBIs (41). Though, to be fair, McGehee’s total leads the NL and Hart is tied for first in the league.
25. Pirates (23). Impressive work thus far from reliever Evan Meek, who has a 0.92 ERA and a 0.955 WHIP through 29 1/3 innings.
26. Diamondbacks (21). Ian Kennedy was the Diamondbacks’ best starter—by far—this April, posting a 2.54 ERA in his six starts.
27. Indians (27). Another minor-league update: He’s no Mike Stanton, but catcher Carlos Santana is crushing the ball for Class AAA Columbus—10 homers and a 1.013 OPS.
28. Mariners (28). Yes, it’s still early, but that 14-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio Cliff Lee is sporting is pretty impressive.
29. Astros (29). Fifteen Astros position players have at least 22 at-bats this season, and 11 of them are hitting .242 or worse.
30. Orioles (30). Brian Matusz is going to have a long, successful major league career, but he’s dealing with consistency issue at the moment. In his past four starts, he’s given up 6, 0, 7 and 6 earned runs.
Ryan Fagan is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com, and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ryan_fagan.
ST. LOUIS — That Rams defensive end Chris Long owns a pair of six-month-old English bulldogs — Rambo and Chubbs, who can’t last five minutes without getting some attention — seems about right.
Chris Long has more sacks than any of the seven defensive ends drafted in the first two rounds in ’08.
Tenacity is one of the characteristics of a bulldog. And Long is nothing if not tenacious.
The former Virginia lineman lines up and comes at you on every snap. In his first two NFL seasons, he has recorded 113 tackles, nine sacks and 31 quarterback pressures.
"If he were a late first-round pick or a second-round pick, then I think you’d be very happy with where he is," Seahawks vice president of football operations Will Lewis said.
But the Rams made Long the No. 2-overall pick in 2008, and with that selection came a lot of expectations. Big-time plays routinely. Double-digit sacks in a season. Pro Bowl berths.
None of that has occurred, which doesn’t mean Rams officials are unhappy with Long — they’re not — but has left some skeptics wondering if Long is another in a procession of high Rams picks to disappoint. Long admits it has been a challenging road, both individually and as a team. The Rams have won only three games in his two NFL seasons.
Asked which word best describes his first two seasons, Long replied: "Hectic. Frustrating and hectic. It’s just been hard to get into a rhythm or a flow, but I feel finally that time is kind of coming."
Since coming to St. Louis, Long has made the transition from a 3-4 defense in college to a 4-3 scheme, has had three head coaches (including interim head coach Jim Haslett) and has played in two different defenses.
But the statute of limitations is running out on the explanations. It’s time for Long to have a breakout season — and it could happen in ’10.
"I know some guys come in and make a big splash right away and maybe don’t get better or reach that level again," Long said. "I felt like I was solid for a rookie in my first year, and I’ve just continued to slowly get better. I’ve made a couple big jumps here and there, but I’d really like to make that really big jump this next year — and I think that will happen."
The light went on for Long midway through the ’09 season, during the Rams’ bye week. Until then, he felt like he had been playing under a yellow caution flag, wanting to avoid mistakes instead of playing aggressively. Finally, he thought the heck with that.
"Once I was able to get back to that mentality, my game opened back up," said Long, who recorded a sack in three of the first four games after the bye.
Long still hasn’t carved a reputation as a sackmeister, but he has more sacks than any of the seven defensive ends drafted in the first two rounds in ’08.
"He may not be getting the sacks, but the effort and athleticism show up when he does rush," Lewis said. "He’s got a good motor and he’s relentless and he’s playing hard all the time.
"He’s learning better pass-rush moves and better counter moves, so I think all those things are coming together."
Long is one of several Rams who has worked with a martial arts expert this offseason. The techniques he learned should help him use his hands and hips more effectively to shed blockers.
He also has switched from right end to left end, which he says is his more natural position.
"I feel like I can do both, and I’ll do whatever they ask me to do," he said, "but to be back primarily at the left is kind of exciting for me because I think I can do a lot more over there."
Is this the year Chris Long becomes explosive?
"That should be everybody’s expectation," Lewis said. "When you’re picked that high and you have the ability and athleticism and mindset to get better, if you’ve been coached hard and coached the right way, now it’s just kind of up to you to take off and go to the next level. It’s time to step up and make some plays."
It’s time for the bulldog to start playing like a pit bull.
Ahead of his class
Although Chris Long hasn’t yet lived up to expectations as the No. 2-overall pick in the ’08 draft, most of his statistics are better than the other six defensive ends selected in the first two rounds that year.
Pick Player, team Tackles Sacks QBP FF
2. Chris Long, Rams 113 9 31 2
6. Vernon Gholston*, Jets 19 0 3 0
8. Derrick Harvey*, Jaguars 104 5.5 49 0
28. Lawrence Jackson, Seahawks 61 6.5 17 2
32. Phillip Merling, Dolphins 59 3.5 11 0
50. Calais Campbell, Cardinals 78 7 3 2
52. Quentin Groves*, Jaguars 51 2.5 18 2
(Notes: QBP – QB pressures; FF – Forced fumbles; * – Also has played outside linebacker.)
Dennis Dillon is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.
ST. LOUIS — That Rams defensive end Chris Long owns a pair of six-month-old English bulldogs — Rambo and Chubbs, who can’t last five minutes without getting some attention — seems about right.
Chris Long has more sacks than any of the seven defensive ends drafted in the first two rounds in ’08.
Tenacity is one of the characteristics of a bulldog. And Long is nothing if not tenacious.
The former Virginia lineman lines up and comes at you on every snap. In his first two NFL seasons, he has recorded 113 tackles, nine sacks and 31 quarterback pressures.
"If he were a late first-round pick or a second-round pick, then I think you’d be very happy with where he is," Seahawks vice president of football operations Will Lewis said.
But the Rams made Long the No. 2-overall pick in 2008, and with that selection came a lot of expectations. Big-time plays routinely. Double-digit sacks in a season. Pro Bowl berths.
None of that has occurred, which doesn’t mean Rams officials are unhappy with Long — they’re not — but has left some skeptics wondering if Long is another in a procession of high Rams picks to disappoint. Long admits it has been a challenging road, both individually and as a team. The Rams have won only three games in his two NFL seasons.
Asked which word best describes his first two seasons, Long replied: "Hectic. Frustrating and hectic. It’s just been hard to get into a rhythm or a flow, but I feel finally that time is kind of coming."
Since coming to St. Louis, Long has made the transition from a 3-4 defense in college to a 4-3 scheme, has had three head coaches (including interim head coach Jim Haslett) and has played in two different defenses.
But the statute of limitations is running out on the explanations. It’s time for Long to have a breakout season — and it could happen in ’10.
"I know some guys come in and make a big splash right away and maybe don’t get better or reach that level again," Long said. "I felt like I was solid for a rookie in my first year, and I’ve just continued to slowly get better. I’ve made a couple big jumps here and there, but I’d really like to make that really big jump this next year — and I think that will happen."
The light went on for Long midway through the ’09 season, during the Rams’ bye week. Until then, he felt like he had been playing under a yellow caution flag, wanting to avoid mistakes instead of playing aggressively. Finally, he thought the heck with that.
"Once I was able to get back to that mentality, my game opened back up," said Long, who recorded a sack in three of the first four games after the bye.
Long still hasn’t carved a reputation as a sackmeister, but he has more sacks than any of the seven defensive ends drafted in the first two rounds in ’08.
"He may not be getting the sacks, but the effort and athleticism show up when he does rush," Lewis said. "He’s got a good motor and he’s relentless and he’s playing hard all the time.
"He’s learning better pass-rush moves and better counter moves, so I think all those things are coming together."
Long is one of several Rams who has worked with a martial arts expert this offseason. The techniques he learned should help him use his hands and hips more effectively to shed blockers.
He also has switched from right end to left end, which he says is his more natural position.
"I feel like I can do both, and I’ll do whatever they ask me to do," he said, "but to be back primarily at the left is kind of exciting for me because I think I can do a lot more over there."
Is this the year Chris Long becomes explosive?
"That should be everybody’s expectation," Lewis said. "When you’re picked that high and you have the ability and athleticism and mindset to get better, if you’ve been coached hard and coached the right way, now it’s just kind of up to you to take off and go to the next level. It’s time to step up and make some plays."
It’s time for the bulldog to start playing like a pit bull.
Ahead of his class
Although Chris Long hasn’t yet lived up to expectations as the No. 2-overall pick in the ’08 draft, most of his statistics are better than the other six defensive ends selected in the first two rounds that year.
Pick Player, team Tackles Sacks QBP FF
2. Chris Long, Rams 113 9 31 2
6. Vernon Gholston*, Jets 19 0 3 0
8. Derrick Harvey*, Jaguars 104 5.5 49 0
28. Lawrence Jackson, Seahawks 61 6.5 17 2
32. Phillip Merling, Dolphins 59 3.5 11 0
50. Calais Campbell, Cardinals 78 7 3 2
52. Quentin Groves*, Jaguars 51 2.5 18 2
(Notes: QBP – QB pressures; FF – Forced fumbles; * – Also has played outside linebacker.)
Dennis Dillon is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.
Sporting News staff reports
ESPNLosAngeles.com reports the NCAA will release the results of its investigation of Southern California’s football and men’s basketball programs on Friday.
The website, citing an unnamed source with knowledge of the situation, reports the association’s Committee on Infractions will disclose what it has uncovered during its lengthy probe of the programs. The university has admitted the basketball program committed violations related to the recruitment of O.J. Mayo, and it has imposed its own penalties, including a one-year postseason ban.
USC has been fighting the allegations against the football program, which center on whether former running back Reggie Bush and his family accepted improper benefits. Bush has denied any wrongdoing and has not cooperated in the probe.
Depending on how the NCAA rules in the matter, USC could lose scholarships, be banned from TV and postseason appearances and be forced to forfeit wins from 2003 to 2005. Also, Bush could be required to give up his 2005 Heisman Trophy if the NCAA retroactively declares him ineligible.
Sporting News staff reports
ESPNLosAngeles.com reports the NCAA will release the results of its investigation of Southern California’s football and men’s basketball programs on Friday.
The website, citing an unnamed source with knowledge of the situation, reports the association’s Committee on Infractions will disclose what it has uncovered during its lengthy probe of the programs. The university has admitted the basketball program committed violations related to the recruitment of O.J. Mayo, and it has imposed its own penalties, including a one-year postseason ban.
USC has been fighting the allegations against the football program, which center on whether former running back Reggie Bush and his family accepted improper benefits. Bush has denied any wrongdoing and has not cooperated in the probe.
Depending on how the NCAA rules in the matter, USC could lose scholarships, be banned from TV and postseason appearances and be forced to forfeit wins from 2003 to 2005. Also, Bush could be required to give up his 2005 Heisman Trophy if the NCAA retroactively declares him ineligible.
When an NFL team wins in a Super Bowl in the recent past, there’s a tendency to compare seasons to everything that went right in that one special year.
Ray Lewis enters his 15th season in the NFL — all with Baltimore.
When it comes to examining the Baltimore Ravens, that year is 2000. In the regular season, led by middle linebacker Ray Lewis, the Super Bowl 35 MVP, the defense was a dominant force. The run-heavy offense, often scraping by with clusters of field goals from Matt Stover, simply was a complement.
Ever since, the same question has been asked: The Ravens have a great defense, but do they have enough offense to get back to the Super Bowl?
Considering it has been a decade, it’s time to stop asking and comparing. Lewis, the only remaining Raven from that Super Bowl team, says the overhaul was necessary for the team’s evolution.
"The teams are totally different — the coaching staff, the players, the plays we run," Lewis said. "I don’t believe in complacency."
With so much turnover in the NFL, it’s impressive the Ravens were able to make the playoffs in six of the past 10 seasons, especially with considerable changes in both personnel and scheme. Here are five reasons why Baltimore will be a more consistent playoff team the next decade:
1. The 3-4 defense. Until Hall of Fame-bound playmakers such as Lewis and safety Ed Reed hang it up, fans always will think defense first. Before it was Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa clogging the gaps, and now it’s big athlete Haloti Ngata leading the front three.
Through changing alignments, the Ravens have maintained their stinginess against the run and knack for coming up with critical sacks and takeaways. It’s important to note that former coordinator Rex Ryan, now the Jets’ head coach, created the aggressive 3-4 blueprint.
"Defense still wins championships," Lewis said.
2. Joe Flacco. In 2000, Baltimore split quarterback duties between Tony Banks and Trent Dilfer, two stopgap veterans and neither a long-term solution. The team’s first attempt at landing a franchise QB failed with Kyle Boller, leading to another veteran stopgap, the late Steve McNair.
Dilfer did start and win a Super Bowl, and McNair also was able to guide the team to the playoffs. But most winning NFL teams have a long-term star at quarterback, and Flacco already is 2-for-2 on leading his team to postseason.
3. Ray Rice. Although the ’10 team still can hammer away when necessary with fullback Le’Ron McClain, the current state of the running game is far removed from the 1-2 power punch of Jamal Lewis and Priest Holmes in 2000. As the passing game has blossomed, Rice is the ideal open-field feature back: He’s fast, elusive and versatile.
"When you watch them, they both have a burning desire to get better," Ray Lewis said of Rice and Flacco.
4. John Harbaugh. There’s no doubt the cerebral Brian Billick was effective when the team was laden with well-schooled veterans, but Harbaugh’s old-school motivation meshes well with a team on the upswing from a youth movement.
Ray Rice started 15 games for the Ravens last season, scoring 7 rushing TDs for 1,339 yards.
5. Ozzie Newsome. Like Ray Lewis, the Ravens’ general manager has been a consistent presence for more than a decade. Newsome has a knack for finding great talent and has proven capable of adapting, able to acquire the right players to fit changing schemes on both sides of the ball.
Take one of Newsome’s most recent draft successes, Michael Oher—he made getting a long-term left tackle to replace another, Jonathan Ogden, look easy. As long as they have Newsome in the front office, the Ravens will be in the Super Bowl mix.
Better when balanced
The Ravens have made the playoffs five times since winning Super Bowl 35. Not surprisingly, in those five years, they finished in the top half of the league in both scoring offense and scoring defense. Their combined NFL rankings in 2009 give them great promise for ’10: (bold indicates they made playoffs that season)
Year Points scored Points allowed
2000 14th 1st
2001 18th 5th
2002 23rd 19th
2003 8th 6th
2004 20th 8th
2005 25th 10th
2006 12th 1st
2007 24th 23rd
2008 11th 3rd
2009 9th 3rd
Only Ray has stayed
After Baltimore decided not to bring kicker Matt Stover back for last season, it meant that now 11-time Pro Bowl inside linebacker Ray Lewis was the only holdover from the Super Bowl 35 champs. A quick look at how the team has changed in a decade:
2000 Ravens
Coach: Brian Billick
Starting QB: Tony Banks, Trent Dilfer
Backfield: Jamal Lewis, Priest Holmes, Sam Gash
Defense: 4-3 scheme
Division: AFC Central
Toughest competition: Titans, Steelers
2010 Ravens
Coach: John Harbaugh
Starting QB: Joe Flacco
Backfield: Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain
Defense: 3-4 scheme
Division: AFC North
Toughest competition: Bengals, Steelers
Vinnie Iyer is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at viyer@sportingnews.com.
When an NFL team wins in a Super Bowl in the recent past, there’s a tendency to compare seasons to everything that went right in that one special year.
Ray Lewis enters his 15th season in the NFL — all with Baltimore.
When it comes to examining the Baltimore Ravens, that year is 2000. In the regular season, led by middle linebacker Ray Lewis, the Super Bowl 35 MVP, the defense was a dominant force. The run-heavy offense, often scraping by with clusters of field goals from Matt Stover, simply was a complement.
Ever since, the same question has been asked: The Ravens have a great defense, but do they have enough offense to get back to the Super Bowl?
Considering it has been a decade, it’s time to stop asking and comparing. Lewis, the only remaining Raven from that Super Bowl team, says the overhaul was necessary for the team’s evolution.
"The teams are totally different — the coaching staff, the players, the plays we run," Lewis said. "I don’t believe in complacency."
With so much turnover in the NFL, it’s impressive the Ravens were able to make the playoffs in six of the past 10 seasons, especially with considerable changes in both personnel and scheme. Here are five reasons why Baltimore will be a more consistent playoff team the next decade:
1. The 3-4 defense. Until Hall of Fame-bound playmakers such as Lewis and safety Ed Reed hang it up, fans always will think defense first. Before it was Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa clogging the gaps, and now it’s big athlete Haloti Ngata leading the front three.
Through changing alignments, the Ravens have maintained their stinginess against the run and knack for coming up with critical sacks and takeaways. It’s important to note that former coordinator Rex Ryan, now the Jets’ head coach, created the aggressive 3-4 blueprint.
"Defense still wins championships," Lewis said.
2. Joe Flacco. In 2000, Baltimore split quarterback duties between Tony Banks and Trent Dilfer, two stopgap veterans and neither a long-term solution. The team’s first attempt at landing a franchise QB failed with Kyle Boller, leading to another veteran stopgap, the late Steve McNair.
Dilfer did start and win a Super Bowl, and McNair also was able to guide the team to the playoffs. But most winning NFL teams have a long-term star at quarterback, and Flacco already is 2-for-2 on leading his team to postseason.
3. Ray Rice. Although the ’10 team still can hammer away when necessary with fullback Le’Ron McClain, the current state of the running game is far removed from the 1-2 power punch of Jamal Lewis and Priest Holmes in 2000. As the passing game has blossomed, Rice is the ideal open-field feature back: He’s fast, elusive and versatile.
"When you watch them, they both have a burning desire to get better," Ray Lewis said of Rice and Flacco.
4. John Harbaugh. There’s no doubt the cerebral Brian Billick was effective when the team was laden with well-schooled veterans, but Harbaugh’s old-school motivation meshes well with a team on the upswing from a youth movement.
Ray Rice started 15 games for the Ravens last season, scoring 7 rushing TDs for 1,339 yards.
5. Ozzie Newsome. Like Ray Lewis, the Ravens’ general manager has been a consistent presence for more than a decade. Newsome has a knack for finding great talent and has proven capable of adapting, able to acquire the right players to fit changing schemes on both sides of the ball.
Take one of Newsome’s most recent draft successes, Michael Oher—he made getting a long-term left tackle to replace another, Jonathan Ogden, look easy. As long as they have Newsome in the front office, the Ravens will be in the Super Bowl mix.
Better when balanced
The Ravens have made the playoffs five times since winning Super Bowl 35. Not surprisingly, in those five years, they finished in the top half of the league in both scoring offense and scoring defense. Their combined NFL rankings in 2009 give them great promise for ’10: (bold indicates they made playoffs that season)
Year Points scored Points allowed
2000 14th 1st
2001 18th 5th
2002 23rd 19th
2003 8th 6th
2004 20th 8th
2005 25th 10th
2006 12th 1st
2007 24th 23rd
2008 11th 3rd
2009 9th 3rd
Only Ray has stayed
After Baltimore decided not to bring kicker Matt Stover back for last season, it meant that now 11-time Pro Bowl inside linebacker Ray Lewis was the only holdover from the Super Bowl 35 champs. A quick look at how the team has changed in a decade:
2000 Ravens
Coach: Brian Billick
Starting QB: Tony Banks, Trent Dilfer
Backfield: Jamal Lewis, Priest Holmes, Sam Gash
Defense: 4-3 scheme
Division: AFC Central
Toughest competition: Titans, Steelers
2010 Ravens
Coach: John Harbaugh
Starting QB: Joe Flacco
Backfield: Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain
Defense: 3-4 scheme
Division: AFC North
Toughest competition: Bengals, Steelers
Vinnie Iyer is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at viyer@sportingnews.com.
Albert Pujols’ next contract will not be affected by Ryan Howard’s big pay day.
One of the biggest flaws in baseball’s economic system is that some contracts affect others. When a big deal gets done, it can have a domino effect. Ryan Howard’s five-year, $125 million extension is an example of why they shouldn’t.
Immediately after Howard re-upped, the media began to speculate about how his deal would affect Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder and Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, both of whom are eligible for free agency after the 2011 season. That kind of speculation should anger players and teams. Howard isn’t Fielder, Fielder isn’t Howard, and nobody is Pujols.
Why Howard’s deal won’t serve as the floor in Fielder’s or Pujols’ extension negotiations:
Fielder: Because of different revenue situations, Milwaukee money doesn’t equally convert to Philadelphia money. The Brewers can’t — and shouldn’t — pay Fielder as much as the Phillies can pay Howard, and that will be an obstacle in negotiations. Fielder and Howard both play first base, hit cleanup and are the most feared hitters in their respective lineups. But Fielder doesn’t have a World Series ring or an MVP award. If it gave Fielder a Howard-like deal, Milwaukee wouldn’t be able to afford to put quality players around him. And, really, who cares how much money you make if you can’t win?
Pujols: The idea that Howard’s deal will affect Pujols’ next contract is even crazier than thinking that it will affect Fielder’s. Pujols has no peer. What the Cardinals must ask themselves: Is Pujols the best player/person in baseball? Is he an ambassador for the game? Does he project what we try to teach our young players about how to play the game? Does he affect our financial bottom line? Is he durable and consistent? Would every other team in baseball pursue him if they could afford him? Did we save money on his current deal (seven years, $100 million)? The answer to all of those questions is yes. So, St. Louis should give Pujols whatever he wants, never once worrying about Howard’s price.
As for Howard, he could have made more money if he had waited until he reached free agency to sign a deal, but his new contract is guaranteed. Similarly, the Phillies didn’t have an urgent need to hammer out a deal, and they took a risk by signing Howard through his age-36 season. It basically is an unmovable contract, so, for better or worse, Howard isn’t going anywhere. Because he is comfortable in Philadelphia, that’s probably fine with Howard — and the team. The Phillies recognized that Howard is exactly what they wanted at this particular time, and they swallowed hard and signed him.
Todd Jones, a former major league closer, is a regular contributor to Sporting News.
Albert Pujols’ next contract will not be affected by Ryan Howard’s big pay day.
One of the biggest flaws in baseball’s economic system is that some contracts affect others. When a big deal gets done, it can have a domino effect. Ryan Howard’s five-year, $125 million extension is an example of why they shouldn’t.
Immediately after Howard re-upped, the media began to speculate about how his deal would affect Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder and Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, both of whom are eligible for free agency after the 2011 season. That kind of speculation should anger players and teams. Howard isn’t Fielder, Fielder isn’t Howard, and nobody is Pujols.
Why Howard’s deal won’t serve as the floor in Fielder’s or Pujols’ extension negotiations:
Fielder: Because of different revenue situations, Milwaukee money doesn’t equally convert to Philadelphia money. The Brewers can’t — and shouldn’t — pay Fielder as much as the Phillies can pay Howard, and that will be an obstacle in negotiations. Fielder and Howard both play first base, hit cleanup and are the most feared hitters in their respective lineups. But Fielder doesn’t have a World Series ring or an MVP award. If it gave Fielder a Howard-like deal, Milwaukee wouldn’t be able to afford to put quality players around him. And, really, who cares how much money you make if you can’t win?
Pujols: The idea that Howard’s deal will affect Pujols’ next contract is even crazier than thinking that it will affect Fielder’s. Pujols has no peer. What the Cardinals must ask themselves: Is Pujols the best player/person in baseball? Is he an ambassador for the game? Does he project what we try to teach our young players about how to play the game? Does he affect our financial bottom line? Is he durable and consistent? Would every other team in baseball pursue him if they could afford him? Did we save money on his current deal (seven years, $100 million)? The answer to all of those questions is yes. So, St. Louis should give Pujols whatever he wants, never once worrying about Howard’s price.
As for Howard, he could have made more money if he had waited until he reached free agency to sign a deal, but his new contract is guaranteed. Similarly, the Phillies didn’t have an urgent need to hammer out a deal, and they took a risk by signing Howard through his age-36 season. It basically is an unmovable contract, so, for better or worse, Howard isn’t going anywhere. Because he is comfortable in Philadelphia, that’s probably fine with Howard — and the team. The Phillies recognized that Howard is exactly what they wanted at this particular time, and they swallowed hard and signed him.
Todd Jones, a former major league closer, is a regular contributor to Sporting News.
Sporting News staff reports
Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran, still progressing slowly from offseason knee surgery, might not be ready to return to the lineup until mid-July.
General manager Omar Minaya told the New York Daily News that Beltran still hasn’t been cleared to resume "full baseball activities" and will need 4-6 weeks from the point when he is cleared to do so until the time he can make his 2010 Mets debut.
Beltran is doing some running and taking some swings but isn’t doing any sprinting.
Beltran hit .325 with 10 homers and 48 RBIs last season, but he was limited to 81 games.
Sporting News staff reports
Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran, still progressing slowly from offseason knee surgery, might not be ready to return to the lineup until mid-July.
General manager Omar Minaya told the New York Daily News that Beltran still hasn’t been cleared to resume "full baseball activities" and will need 4-6 weeks from the point when he is cleared to do so until the time he can make his 2010 Mets debut.
Beltran is doing some running and taking some swings but isn’t doing any sprinting.
Beltran hit .325 with 10 homers and 48 RBIs last season, but he was limited to 81 games.
The off-field problems involving multiple members of the Pittsburgh Steelers created the impression that a double standard applies in the city of Three Rivers. Lower-level players get the boot, and those deemed indispensable get a pass.
Would the Texans have handled Brian Cushing differently if he wasn’t key to their defense?
It happened most notably in 2008, when linebacker James Harrison and receiver Cedrick Wilson were accused of domestic violence in the same general time frame. Harrison remains a key fixture on the team; Wilson was dumped not long after his arrest.
The Steelers have been vague regarding whether their sliding scale has yielded to a one-strike arrangement in the wake of the unfortunate situations involving quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and former receiver Santonio Holmes. The problem with zero tolerance is that it must be enforced and, eventually, a great player will be cut.
And some other team would then pounce on him.
The Steelers aren’t the only franchise that treats different players differently. They all do it, to a certain extent. Former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson made no bones about it. In Boys Will Be Boys, Jeff Pearlman chronicles Johnson’s inconsistencies, explaining that some players "would be treated with greater dignity than others — and if you didn’t like it, you could find another line of work." Pearlman writes that, when first-round cornerback Kevin Smith and street free agent Michael James snuck out of camp, Smith got lectured and James got cut.
More recently, the San Diego Chargers have provided a glaring example of applying different rules for different players with receiver Vincent Jackson and safety Kevin Ellison. Jackson, who has twice pleaded guilty to DUI charges, will be going nowhere else, sober or otherwise. Ellison, who has been arrested for possession of 100 Vicodin pills, has been told to stay away from offseason workouts, a precursor to his likely release.
Though the substance abuse policy insulates Jackson against discipline from the team, that same policy protects Ellison, too. And the Chargers don’t seem to care.
In other cities, there are no recent dichotomies like Kevin Smith and Michael James, James Harrison and Cedrick Wilson, Vincent Jackson and Kevin Ellison. But what would the Texans be doing about linebacker Brian Cushing’s suspension for violating the steroids policy if he weren’t part of the nucleus of the team’s defense? In 2008, long snapper Bryan Pittman missed the final four games after breaking the same rules. And he wasn’t re-signed. (The Texans eventually brought him back late in the 2009 season, perhaps realizing that the position isn’t as fungible as it looks.)
In Washington, receiver Santana Moss has been entangled in the Dr. Anthony Galea HGH investigation. If Moss weren’t regarded as an important member of an otherwise so-so receiving corps, the Redskins might be doing something far different than accepting his version of the events and vowing to stand by him.
And in Miami, where V.P. of football operations Bill Parcells has said he wants no "thugs and hoodlums," plenty of guys are acting like "thugs and hoodlums," including Ronnie Brown, Will Allen, Phillip Merling and Tony McDaniel. To date, the Dolphins have been consistent in their treatment of the misbehaving players — none of them has been disciplined.
In Seattle, a big-name player’s big-money salary is having the opposite effect. Linebacker Leroy Hill, who was arrested for domestic violence only days after being placed on probation for marijuana possession, has been told to stay home in lieu of showing up for offseason practices.
In Hill’s case, his contract is hurting him more than a perceived lack of skill. He’s due to receive a guaranteed base salary of $6 million in 2010, and if the league suspends him the guarantee voids if they cut him.
Every team at every level of every sport looks at these situations on a case-by-case basis. And it’s not because they want to be fair and consistent with every employee; it’s because they understand that it’s important to know when and where and how to be inconsistent.
Mike Florio writes and edits ProFootballTalk.com and is a regular contributor to Sporting News. Check out PFT for up-to-the minute NFL news.
The off-field problems involving multiple members of the Pittsburgh Steelers created the impression that a double standard applies in the city of Three Rivers. Lower-level players get the boot, and those deemed indispensable get a pass.
Would the Texans have handled Brian Cushing differently if he wasn’t key to their defense?
It happened most notably in 2008, when linebacker James Harrison and receiver Cedrick Wilson were accused of domestic violence in the same general time frame. Harrison remains a key fixture on the team; Wilson was dumped not long after his arrest.
The Steelers have been vague regarding whether their sliding scale has yielded to a one-strike arrangement in the wake of the unfortunate situations involving quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and former receiver Santonio Holmes. The problem with zero tolerance is that it must be enforced and, eventually, a great player will be cut.
And some other team would then pounce on him.
The Steelers aren’t the only franchise that treats different players differently. They all do it, to a certain extent. Former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson made no bones about it. In Boys Will Be Boys, Jeff Pearlman chronicles Johnson’s inconsistencies, explaining that some players "would be treated with greater dignity than others — and if you didn’t like it, you could find another line of work." Pearlman writes that, when first-round cornerback Kevin Smith and street free agent Michael James snuck out of camp, Smith got lectured and James got cut.
More recently, the San Diego Chargers have provided a glaring example of applying different rules for different players with receiver Vincent Jackson and safety Kevin Ellison. Jackson, who has twice pleaded guilty to DUI charges, will be going nowhere else, sober or otherwise. Ellison, who has been arrested for possession of 100 Vicodin pills, has been told to stay away from offseason workouts, a precursor to his likely release.
Though the substance abuse policy insulates Jackson against discipline from the team, that same policy protects Ellison, too. And the Chargers don’t seem to care.
In other cities, there are no recent dichotomies like Kevin Smith and Michael James, James Harrison and Cedrick Wilson, Vincent Jackson and Kevin Ellison. But what would the Texans be doing about linebacker Brian Cushing’s suspension for violating the steroids policy if he weren’t part of the nucleus of the team’s defense? In 2008, long snapper Bryan Pittman missed the final four games after breaking the same rules. And he wasn’t re-signed. (The Texans eventually brought him back late in the 2009 season, perhaps realizing that the position isn’t as fungible as it looks.)
In Washington, receiver Santana Moss has been entangled in the Dr. Anthony Galea HGH investigation. If Moss weren’t regarded as an important member of an otherwise so-so receiving corps, the Redskins might be doing something far different than accepting his version of the events and vowing to stand by him.
And in Miami, where V.P. of football operations Bill Parcells has said he wants no "thugs and hoodlums," plenty of guys are acting like "thugs and hoodlums," including Ronnie Brown, Will Allen, Phillip Merling and Tony McDaniel. To date, the Dolphins have been consistent in their treatment of the misbehaving players — none of them has been disciplined.
In Seattle, a big-name player’s big-money salary is having the opposite effect. Linebacker Leroy Hill, who was arrested for domestic violence only days after being placed on probation for marijuana possession, has been told to stay home in lieu of showing up for offseason practices.
In Hill’s case, his contract is hurting him more than a perceived lack of skill. He’s due to receive a guaranteed base salary of $6 million in 2010, and if the league suspends him the guarantee voids if they cut him.
Every team at every level of every sport looks at these situations on a case-by-case basis. And it’s not because they want to be fair and consistent with every employee; it’s because they understand that it’s important to know when and where and how to be inconsistent.
Mike Florio writes and edits ProFootballTalk.com and is a regular contributor to Sporting News. Check out PFT for up-to-the minute NFL news.