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Show HERALD DAILY 84 Thursday, August 17, 2006 NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Owens fina llvbacliatpractice Enough practice for some is too much for others Terrell Ovens ditched the bike and got back onto the field for the Dallas Cowboys. He did keep them waiting, though, Owens, who missed 14 straight practices .. because of a hamstring problem, was the last player on the field Wednesday in Oxnard, Calif. He did ride the stationary bicycle on the sideline, where he's spent the last two weeks, but this time just for a quick warmup before the his first since Aug. 2. only practice of the day Coach Bill Parcells wasn't sure if Owens' return to practice meant he'd be available for Monday night's game against New Orleans. "That doesn't mean he would play," Parcells said. "He has ihissed a lot of time. It wouldn't be so much whether he practiced or not, as to how he looked, how much he practiced and did he get enough practice to make a good judgment " about playing him. ' Based on how Owens was running around the previous two days, he should be OK. While Owens was back, lots of NFL players were sidelined by injury or suspension. Nowhere has training camp been more chaotic than with the Cleveland Browns. They discovered Wednesday that Alonzo Ephraim, an emergency signing after center LeCharles Bentley went knee injury, was down with a season-endingames suspended for the first four regular-seasofor violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He will be eligible to rejoin the Browns' e ' roster Oct. 2. comes after Bentley's Ephraim's suspension injury and the sudden retirement of backup center Bob Hallen. The Browns rushed to sign Ephraim as a free agent Jury 29, two days after Bentley tore his patellar tendon on the second day of camp. Cleveland's desperation to get a veteran center and bad timing resulted in the club not knowing about Ephraim's pending suspension, Crennel said. The signing took place on a Saturday when the league's offices were closed. "We were in a situation where we needed a body and he was available," Crennel said. "All of the lines of communication were not open and we went ahead and made a move. As it turns out. he's suspended. It was one df those things that happened because we weren't able to communicate the way we needed to." Lee Suggs returned to practice Wednesday, , one day after his trade to New York was voided when the Jets said the oft injured running back had failed his physical. "I was shocked," he said. "I practiced throughout training camp and all of the spring. I did all the workouts, passed the physicals here ana everytrung was line, i nen i went up to New York, and I failed. So, yes I was shocked." who heard rip preseason as a waste of time the other day had to chuckle. It wasn't on a par with Allen Iverson's classic comedy rant a few years ago, but the point was ostensibly the same. "We're talkin' "bout practice here, man," as Also memorably put i. "Not games. Practicer Portis carried the football 352 times last season, fourth-mos- t in the NFL, and rolled up a franchi- Anybody se-record J! 4a,'tT i V '"III I g JEFFERY WASHINGTONFort Worth n . -- Vikings Dallas Cowboys' Terrell Owens catches a pass during evening practice at football training camp in Oxnard, Calif ., on Tuesday. roster moves plus a trade in the last 72 hours. Daniels was hurt in Tuesday's practice and was sent to a specialist for an MRI. The good news is that Daniels should recover in plenty of time for the season opener Sept. 11 against Minnesota. Tyer indicated Springs, who had an operation to repair a torn abdominal muscle, would have only an outside chance of playing in the opener. Tyer was slightly more optimistic that Portis, recovering from a partially dislocated shoulder, would play against the Vikings. . blood-alcoh- yards. With- of Washington's four preseason games this season, the normally lighthearted running back was genuinely peeved. "Four games is ridiculous, man," Portis began, "then you go out and play a season? Then you got playoff games behind that? How much wear and tear can you get?" That last question gets asked every time one of the league's think Mimajor celebrities chael Vick in 2003 or Jason Sehorn in 1998 takes an untimely turn on the preseason casualty list. The best way for players to answer it is by asking something in the locker room, , like they did back in the day," he said "And play with no mouthpiece, play with the pads and the helmets that they did back then, then maybe youU need to go through aD this training." Some of those guys who played bai.k in the day, at least before 1978, could let him know practice wasn't any Defensive end Phillip Daniels is the latest injured Redskin, out for a week or so with a sprained back. Trainer Biibba Tyer, who was in Alabama on Monday for Clinton Portis' shoulder exam and in North Carolina on Tuesday for Shawn Springs' surgery, was back at Redskins Park on Wednesday, and he had a daunting list of patients to discuss with coach Joe Gibbs. "There's a lot going on the last couple of caiH niKKc irVtrtca toam Viae alert marla Colts Safety Jahmile Addae becrme ill during the morning practice and was taken to a hospital, where he was expected to undergo further tests. Addae, an undrafted rookie frpm West Virginia, gave the Colts a scare when he became lightheaded. By the afternoon, coach Tony Dungy said Addae was feeling better and his vital signs had returned to normal. "We're not sure what it was," Dungy said. "We don't think it was a blow to the head, and it doesn't appear of the cardiac nature, either." RB Ron Dayne, who injured his toe in the preseason opener against Detroit, struggled to climb steps Wednesday, using the railing for support, He said he doesn't expect to play Saturday against Tennessee. Dayne already has fallen behind Tatum Bell and Mike Bell in competition for the starting job. "1 can't complain," Dayne said. "I can just try to get better; try to get it feeling stronger." it was an acknowledgment that the professionalism that had taken hold in the NFL made it possible to take the game to another level. Which, of course, meant even more money. "I remember when my dad was coaching in the 70s," said Falcons general manager Rich McKay, whose father, John, was the boss in Tampa Bay. "If we had 100 guys in camp, 80 of them spent the first two weeks trying to get into shape. Ten years ago, when I was still working for the Bucs, we had 80 guys in camp, exactly two weren't in shape and I was upset about it. "This year with the Fak more romantic then. There were actually six preseason games, followed by a regular season at the time. Marv Levy, the former Bills coach and current team executive, was an assistant on cons," McKay added, "we George Allen's staff back then. didn't have even one guy who "Gaorge wanted tp win every didn't come in at his target game, including the exhibiweight. And I'd be surprised if tions," he recalled. "I remember we were the exception." McKay took all that experistanding on the sidelines next to Jack Pardee during the sixth ence along when he joined the themselves another question: league's competition committee game one year. He said, 'You How much money dp I need to know, I'm years old and found some make the world go 'round? members sitting alongside him. and I've played every minute Four preseason games has conon defense in all six games. Forty years ago, even most "It wasn't," Levy concluded, sistently held up as a comprostars needed offseason jobs to mise because it gives coaches make ends meet and condition- shuddering at the memory, time to install offensive and "the healthiest way to do it" ing programs consisted almost e defensive schemes, to look at But the realnumber everycurls" entirely of so named because of the body was fixated on then, as . .cookies and upgrade a few positions, and let everybody else now, was 20 games, and for weight of the glasses of beer get used to game speed again.. they lifted to their lips. Most very good reasons. "Some players would prefer At that number, teams realplayers showed up at training no preseason games at all and ized they could pocket a tidy camp when they wanted, as some coaches would prefer out of shape as they dared, then profit, pay the players the princely sums free agency was that they games start in Februput on puffy plastic suits that were considered ary," NFL players association demanding, and still expose their newly minted assets to a executive Doug Allen said. equipment and promptly ran "But it all gets sorted out soon tolerable amount of wear and themselves into the ground. Now everybody knows bettear. The number wasn't pulled enough. By the end of October, chances are good nobody will Put of the air, but arrived at ter. remember which side of the Today, because the job pays after some serious so well, veterans stay in shape analysis and plenty of negotiat- debate they were on." year round. They have private ing with the union. I Jim Litke is a national chefs, personal trainers and Moving two from the prehome gyms, not to mention season column into the regular-ssports columnist for The workout and eason ledger in 1978 was Associated Press. Write to It not only meant him at jlitkeap.org. a nutritional regimens cover like-mind- rt cost-benef- it team-organize- d 2006 BYU FALL FOOTBALL CAMP Cornerback Shawntae Spencer probably won't ,jiay against Oakland on Sunday night after injuring his hamstring during practice. pro who started 26 games Spencer, a third-yea- r in his first two seasons, was hurt during a drill midway through practice. Sammy Davis, acquired from the San Diego Chargers in a summer trade, moved into Spencer's first-teaspot after the injury occurred. The Cardinals plan to play quarterback Matt Leinart at least a quarter, following starter Kurt Warner onto the field. "He'll go in the second, and then John Navarre will go in the third," coach Dennis Green said. Leinart, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner k holdout by signing a who ended a contract late Monday, will attend a pro game for the first time. "I've nev"er been to an NFL game," Leinart said, "and my first game I'm going to be playing in. It's pretty cool." two-wee- six-ye- 1ft '.''" 1 Football fans watch fv--i- . f ... Defense Murray ends Federer's streak .'. PRESS MASON, Ohio Roger Federer was the only one who saw it coming. Too much tennis, too little t ime off. The world's top player knew it was the perfect combination for a upset, one that a disbelieving British teenager pulled off d Wednesday. 64 vicAndy Murray's tory in the second round of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters ended Federer's winning streak in North America and provided his earliest tournament exit in two years. The streak included two 7-- h U.S. Open titles that helped stamp Federer as one of the best players. sport's e "The streaks? I don't care about those now that they're over," said Federer, who hadn't lost in straight sets in his last 194 matches. "It's going to be a relief for everybody, and now we can move on." Federer's last loss on the continent also came at the tournament, when Dominik Hrbaty beat him in the first round on Aug. 3, 2004. He had a premonition that the streak might end there as well. He beat Richard Gasquet in three sets on Sunday to win a Masters Series title in Toronto, then had only one day to travel, sneak in a little practice and get ready to resume the grind. He thought there was a good chance he'd get knocked out early. k "Two Masters series 12 matches in 13 days it's something of the back-to-bac- impossible," he said. The loss left Federer 62-- 5 this year and ended his bid to match one of the sport's enduring marks. He had reached the final of his last 17 tournaments since June 2005, one shy of matching Ivan Lendl's . Open era record of 18 straight such finishes since 1981-8James Blake hadanother second-roun- d loss Wednesday, one that made him wave his arms and swat a ball over the grandstands in frustration. Juan Carlos Ferrero took advantage of Blake's lapses for a 6-- victory that showed 6-- 4 how much work the American has ahead before the U.S. Open. Andy Roddick, playing in his first tournament since he strained his left side last month, looked smooth top-rank- Ninth-seede- d while beating Kristof Vliegen 64. Roddick was much more tentative in his opening-rounmatch, protecting his side. In other matches involving seeded players, Rafael Nadal beat Lee Hyung-tai64, Stanislas Wawrinka beat No. 3 David Nalbandian 64, No. 4 Ivan Ljubicic beat Mikhail Youzhny 64, (5); No. 7 Tommy Robredo beat Max Mirny i 64, 64; No. 8 Marcos Baghdatis beat Gael Monfils and (8), No. 14 Tommy Haas beat Gilles Simon 64. 6-- d 6-- k 6-- 7-- 6 7-- 6 6-- 1, 2-- 6-- 3, 4-- I Clijsters retires with wrist injury: At Montreal, Kim Clijsters retired with a wrist inmatch jury in a second-roun- d against Canadian Stephanie ' Dubois on at the Rogers Cup. Dubois, ranked No. 151 in the world, lost the first set but led 2 in the second after Clijsters twice had her left wrist treated at courtside. Clijsters' ouster was part of day filled with upsets, including a loss by third-see- d Nadia Petrova. She was upset by fellow Russian Anna Chakvetadze 64 in the Rogers Cup on Wednesday as seven seeded players exited in second-rounplay. 6-- 1, 3-- 6-- 1, d It JEREMY HARMON Daily Herald the Cougars scrimmage at La Veil Edwards Stadium on Wednesday. said. "I transferred here from Utah State so this is the first time I've played in the stadium. Continued from CI Every time you come down the a wake-u- p call today," tunnel it's something special." The offense managed just said, "and the defense 10 first downs and one touchrose to the occasion after scrimdown in the y their performance in the first (last mage. The score came when Saturday). scrimmage Our hope as a coaching staff is quarterback John Beck esthat when one side establishes caped the pocket and spotted itself as more dominant, the freshman slot receiver Mike other side will respond." s Hague running free in the secPoppinga was one of the ondary. Hague, who switched to offense just this week, stars of the scrimmage with turned on the jets and raced two tackles for losses, a pass 70 yards for a touchdown. knockdown and a stop on "It was simply a loss of conOn one sequence, tain by the defensive end, Mike Poppinga knocked down a Jason Beck pass on second down Hague converting a route and on stopped Joe from a scramble and a secondSemanoff short of a first down ary player playing the wrong with a big hit. Poppinga just coverage," was Mendenhall's assessment of the play. recently switched sides at lineBeck was f 8 for 108 backer, lining up on the strong side (field side) rather than the yards and a towhdown, and weak side (boundary side). backup Jason Beck was "We just stepped it up today," 11 for 53 yards. Tonga led the rushers with two carries for Poppinga said. "There were guys flying around making big 22 yards. Starting running back Curtis Brown and freshhits, man. It was crazy. The defense talked before the scrim- man Harvey Unga showed their power by bowling over mage about all the hype about the offense. Everyone is talking tackles on a couple of carries. To be fair, the offense never them up but we've been going up against them every day and went downfield with its passwe're doing pretty dang good. ing game, partly because the "We showed you guys toCougars are still working on the timing of their short passes day, we showed our defense can shut down a pretty aweand partly because of the desome offense. That gets us all fensive coverages they Were pumped up." facing. Of the 22 completions Poppinga said he's been com- by BYU quarterbacks, 14 went ing to BYU games since he was to running backs, wjth reserve a kid and pointed at the section Isaac TaykT catching five. Of "Section KK, right there" the eight catches by receivers, four went to backup receiver where his family has seats. "Move this place," Poppinga Brett Ccoper and the tight ends Men-denha- ll i more money for everyone, but 49ers TENNIS ROUNDUP a The Associated Press Cardinals Redskins Cincinnati-are- Jim Litke "six-ounc- Broncos ment in receiver Koren Robinson seemed shaky after a DWI arrest tnat mignt cost the team one of its top offensive players. Robinson's blue BMW sedan was caught on radar going more than 100 mph in a 55 mph zone at 10:45 p.m., and he refused to stop, Chief Matt Peters said Wednesday. He was arrested by police about, 10 miles away in Mankato, where the Vikings hold their training camp. Robinson, who made the Pro Bowl last season after alcohol problems derailed his career in Seattle, was charged in Nicollet County with fleeing from police, a felony, along with two DWI charges and three other misdemeanors. A criminal complaint said a field test measured Robinson's content at 0.11 percent. He jopeared at a brief court hearing wearing an orange jail jumpsuit and chained at the ankles. Robinson, who posted bail of $50,000, smiled at reporters but didn't respond to questions as he left the courthouse with his wife, Joy, and a friend. His next court appearance is Oct. 17 1,516 out him, the Redskins and their anemic passing attack wouldn't have sniffed the playoffs. So after partially dislocating his shoulder making a tackle in the first quarter of the first ing almost every minute of the offseason. They come into camp strong enough to turn over a compact car or run 40 yards in under five seconds right after rolling out of bed. Despite all that, Portis got hurt three minutes into a meaningless game, and instead of seeing the silver his preseason is effeclining he kept focusing tively over on the dark cloud. "Maybe they need to let us start smoking cigarettes or third-and-- -- f- didn't catch any balls. Regardless, the defense made a marked improvement over last Saturday's scrimmage, which was ruled by the offense. "In our coverages we were playing to focus on small increments, intermediate to short route. It was a more patient approach," Mendenhall said. I Extra points: Freshman Shawn Doman and redshirt freshman Terra nee Hooks shared time at Jensen's ILB spot with the first defense. ... The starting corner-backwere junior Ben Criddle and true freshman Robbie s Buckner. Junior college transfer Andre Saulsberry also got a look with the ones. ... Senior linebacker Aaron Wagner had a pass knockdown and Hooks had a tackle for loss. ... Late in the scrimmage, freshman James Lark was intercepted by former Pine View teammate Carter Mees, a walk-osafety. ... Senior safety Cole Miyahira had n two strong tackles in run sup- port for the first defense. ... In Wednesday's evening practice, John Beck threw touchdown passes to McKay Jacobson (50 yards) and Jonny Hariine (six drills. yards) during True freshman Ryan Freeman, who played at Orem High last season, took snaps at left guard with the No. 1 offense. I Dairy Herald Sports Editor Darnell Dickson can be reached at or by at 344-255- 5 ddicksonheraldextra. com. Read his blog at harktheherald.comblogs. |
