NFL: The NFL and its teams, players and fans have
raised and committed more than $4 million for tsunami relief
efforts, including $1 million coming directly from the league and
$1.5 million from Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen's charitable
foundation.
New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft and the team's charitable
foundation have raised $500,000 for the disaster relief. The
Atlanta Falcons and owner Arthur Blank have raised $370,000.
San Diego Chargers owner Alex Spanos made a personal
contribution of $150,000 to the relief efforts in Asia.
The NFL is encouraging league employees to donate money and is
offering to match their donations up to $1,000.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is donating
his playoff paycheck, worth $18,000, to the tsunami victims relief
effort.
Pro Bowl quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Peyton Manning filmed a
public service announcement for the United Nation's World Food
Program.
The NFL also announced that half of the proceeds from The
Soupier Bowl of Caring, a national hunger relief program chaired
this year by Jacksonville Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver and his wife,
Delores, will go to tsunami relief efforts. The program raised $4
million last year.
More than 150,000 people in 11 countries were killed by the Dec.
26 tsunami in the Indian Ocean.
New York Jets: Linebacker Eric Barton has been fined
$7,500 by the NFL for his hit on Drew Brees in last weekend's
playoff game at San Diego, and he told The Associated Press on
Thursday that he plans to appeal the
penalty.
Barton was flagged for roughing-the-passer after hitting Brees
in the head with his forearm and elbow on fourth down. The penalty
almost cost the Jets the game because San Diego got a fresh set of
downs and Brees threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Gates one
play later to send the game into overtime.
The Jets ended up winning 20-17 and will face Pittsburgh on
Saturday in the next round of the playoffs.
"We're going to appeal and see what happens after that,"
Barton said after practice. "That's all I can say about it right
now."
Barton said earlier this week that he did not watch television over
the weekend so he could avoid seeing replays of his hit.
"Things like that don't happen too often," Barton said. "I am
just grateful to get a second chance this week."
Pittsburgh Steelers: Linebacker Kendrell Bell missed
practice again with the flu and was downgraded to
questionable for Pittsburgh's playoff game against the Jets.
"Kendrell's flu is pretty significant," coach Bill Cowher
said. "We'll see where he is in two days."
Linebacker Joey Porter returned after sitting out Wednesday's
practice, also with the flu. Bell is the only Steelers player who
is not listed as probable or better.
Bell has missed all but three games with a sore shoulder and
groin injury, and he hasn't played since Nov. 21 in Cincinnati. On
Tuesday, Bell said he wasn't sure whether the groin injury would allow
him to play.
Bell has been replaced by Larry Foote, who started all 16
regular-season games. Foote would have started Saturday even if
Bell were healthy.
Rooney speaks up for Cowher: Steelers president Art Rooney II chastised pro football writers and broadcasters for not choosing Bill Cowher as
The Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year.
A 48-member media panel chose Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer by a nearly 2-to-1 margin in voting announced
Saturday -- hours before San Diego's 20-17 upset loss to the Jets.
The Steelers improved from 6-10 last season to 15-1 under
Cowher, a nine-game improvement that was better than the Chargers'
eight-game turnaround. Pittsburgh was only the fourth NFL team to
go 15-1 since the 16-game schedule was adopted in 1976.
"I'm very disappointed," Rooney said Wednesday. "I think he
should have been [chosen], with that kind of season, the kind of
job he did this year. With all due respect to Marty, I was just
surprised and disappointed that somebody who coaches a team to a
15-1 record, including 14 in a row ... wouldn't be the coach of the
year."
Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys are giving another
chance to receiver Zuriel Smith, a sixth-round pick in 2003 who had
modest success as a rookie but was out of football last season.
Smith, who signed a 2005 contract Thursday, caught the eye of
coach Bill Parcells because of his dazzling success as a punt
returner at Division I-AA Hampton. That led to Dallas drafting him
and to him opening 2003 as the primary kick returner.
He started out strong, perhaps most notably on a ball he didn't
return -- a last-minute kickoff against the New York Giants that he
let go out of bounds, giving the Cowboys good field position to
start a rally that turned into an overtime victory. It was Dallas'
first win under Parcells, and it led to a five-game winning streak
that propelled the Cowboys to a 10-6 season and playoff berth.
Smith averaged 21.5 yards on 23 kickoff returns and 7.1 yards on 30 punt returns, but lost the job later in the season. He caught
just three passes for 46 yards in nine games.
This past season, the Cowboys cut him a week before the opener.
Miami Dolphins: Former Cowboys and NFL executive Joe
Bailey has joined the Dolphins as their top executive and will oversee operation of the team and Dolphins Stadium.
Eddie Jones plans to retire this spring after nine years as
Dolphins president. Bailey will assume an expanded role as chief
executive officer of Dolphins Enterprises, an umbrella for all
sports and entertainment entities owned by Wayne Huizenga.
Bailey worked most recently for the New York executive search
firm Russell Reynolds Associates and helped the Dolphins hire coach
Nick Saban. The Dolphins said Saban will work with Bailey on a
day-to-day basis, and both will report to Huizenga.
Bailey will be in charge of implementing the plan unveiled
earlier this week to transform Dolphins Stadium into a full-scale
entertainment complex. Huizenga envisions a three-phase renovation
that could exceed $400 million and might include a roof.
Bailey spent 19 years with the Cowboys, starting in the
equipment and training room at age 13. He was also a scout,
business manager and senior vice president for administration.
Cleveland Browns: Butch Davis is gone, and now so is his
"right-hand man."
The Browns have fired Pete Garcia, the team's vice president of
player personnel and football development.
Newly hired general manager Phil Savage plans to replace Garcia
by filling a position equivalent to player personnel director.
Garcia said the parting was mutual but acknowledged he wanted
to stay in Cleveland. He said he never got the chance to speak to
Savage about a possible role in the rebuilding organization.
Garcia worked with Davis for six years at the University of
Miami, then followed him to Cleveland in 2001.
When Davis resigned as the team's coach in late November, few
expected Garcia to survive without him. Garcia said he hopes to
find another NFL job.
Siegfried & Roy shooting update
A former Oakland Raiders kicker charged with
shooting at the home of performers Siegfried & Roy will be sent to
a mental health facility in northern Nevada for treatment, a judge
decided Thursday.
Cole Ford, 32, was ordered to the Lakes Crossing Center in
Sparks after doctors determined he was not competent to stand trial
on several charges, including felony assault with a deadly weapon.
The long-haired and bearded Ford told Clark County District
Court Judge Jackie Glass he disagreed with her decision. He also
asked that doctors outside Nevada evaluate him because he didn't
"fit into the gambling" culture.
Ford repeatedly interrupted the judge, telling her he would
refuse to take medication. He said he wanted to plead guilty to the charges, but the judge said he couldn't until he was able to stand trial.
Ford could face up to 27 years in prison if convicted of all
charges. He has been in custody at Clark County jail since his Nov.
2 arrest.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.