Ben Maller’s Sports Rumors & Notes

Rumors Archive for November 30, 2006

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NBA Rumors & Notes

Thursday, November 30, 2006

It didn't cost anything for corporate sponsors and others to attend a 76ers meet-and-greet last night at the Lucky Strike Bowling Lanes. It cost Allen Iverson a substantial amount of money for not attending. Coach Maurice Cheeks confirmed that the Sixers captain was the only player not to make a mandatory appearance at the event, and said he "will be fined accordingly.'' The Center City event was attended by about 300 sponsors, premium seat-holders and some season ticketholders. "We would have liked him to be there, but he wasn't, and that was his choice,'' Cheeks said. "I can't speculate on why he wasn't there, but he wasn't there.'' A source said Iverson was upset when he left practice earlier in the day, less than an hour after the 11 a.m. start at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. After practice, Cheeks said Iverson had left early because he "was a little fatigued.'' Asked whether Iverson had been upset, Cheeks said, "Whatever happened between him and me, I'd like to keep that private.''

Chris Mihm stopped by the Lakers' training facility with crutches, a large cast on his lower right leg and the beginnings of a beard, an unusual sight for the normally clean-shaven center. He said he hoped to be fully recovered from ankle surgery if the Lakers made the playoffs, but acknowledged his return would be a longshot. In the meantime, he said it was difficult to watch his teammates go on without him.

Dirk Nowitzki admitted feeling a bit scared when he couldn't see clearly out of his right eye in the first quarter of the Mavericks' 117-98 victory over Toronto on Wednesday night at American Airlines Center. For the time being, at least, his worries have subsided. "It's nothing major, so hopefully I could be back in action Friday," he said. Nowitzki took himself out of the game with 1:46 left in the period, not long after scoring on a driving layup. He left the arena to be checked by the team's ophthalmologist, Dr. Maurice Syrquin, and has been cleared to practice today. The Mavs (11-4) face Sacramento on Friday.

Bernie Bickerstaff brought center Primoz Brezec off the bench against the Hawks, but he's still flirting with the idea of playing Adam Morrison as a reserve again. This could potentially address two issues: How to get Brezec back into the mix and how to prop up the Bobcats' bench scoring. This would work only if Morrison buys into it, and Morrison doesn't seem to have a problem with such moves. He had no beef with Brevin Knight starting the opener. Obviously, the way he's played of late, Morrison would still be in the game at clutch time in the fourth quarter. "I think he could come off the bench,'' Bickerstaff said, "and he has the (personality) to deal with it.''

Before the game with Orlando on Wednesday, coach Bob Hill had separate meetings with Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen and asked them about the state of the Sonics locker room. "I met with them separately and they both said the team is fine," Hill said. "We just need to get a win. But I talk to them all the time." If anything, Lewis said, the criticism handed out by Hill should motivate the culprits to play better. "People thrive off of when things are going bad or when they get badmouthed in the paper, because I know I thrive off of it," Lewis said. "In Charlotte, he jumped on a couple of us because we weren't playing well, and I was a whole different player in the second half."

Grizzlies center Stromile Swift said he doesn't want to make any excuses. But when asked about Swift's subpar performances of late, coach Mike Fratello insisted Swift isn't operating a full strength. His right knee still is bothersome. "He's had so many shots point blank that he's not converted," Fratello said. "His lift is not what it's going to be eventually." Swift acknowledged the pain when pressed about his tentative play on offense and why he hasn't become the shot-blocking force the team expected.

Wizards President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld recently returned from a scouting trip that included several stops in Europe. Among the players Grunfeld watched was Juan Carlos Navarro, a guard for FC Barcelona. The Wizards still hold Navarro's NBA rights after taking him in the second round of the 2002 draft, but Navarro's contract with FC Barcelona runs through 2009 and contains a $13 million buyout clause.

If the do-it-all Marcus Camby gets hurt, he knows there is no Nuggets replacement for him. "I feel it. Nobody will just really come out and say it, though," Camby said. "The rest of the 'bigs' we have, those guys are, I don't want to use the word role players, but they're not really starters. The guys we are missing are starters, guys who are productive and are going to start the ballgame. "I need to not only be out there in games, but in practice. Being a captain and leader of this team, guys have to see me out there on the practice and in the game."

Allen Iverson will be fined for failing to appear at a 76ers event for corporate sponsors and premium ticket holders, Comcast SportsNet reported last night. Sixers players were required to attend the event last night at Lucky Strike Lanes on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, but Iverson did not show up.

The Cavs remain completely noncommittal about the return of Larry Hughes from his ankle injury. Hughes said Wednesday that he can't yet run at game speed, so that probably rules him out of the weekend road trip to Atlanta and Houston.

Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich is almost impossible to trade because of the rules regarding his extension, but almost anyone else would be in consideration if the Bulls don't start winning soon.

Backup point guard Bobby Jackson, the team's fourth-leading scorer, could miss the game after his ribs were bruised in Tuesday's loss to the Toronto Raptors. The Hornets are listing him as questionable, but Jackson said Wednesday he likely won't play. "It's real bad right now," said Jackson, who did not practice. The Hornets are already shorthanded, without starting shooting guard Peja Stojakovic and starting forward David West.

Sixth man Corey Maggette is not considered a long-range specialist, shooting only 31.9% on three-pointers in his career. This season, however, Maggette has been especially ineffective from beyond the arc. In the Clippers' first 13 games, the seven-year veteran missed 22 of 24 shots. Maggette is not a marksman, but a three-point success rate of 8.3%? "It's tough when you know you can make them better than that and you're not," he said. "I can't really put my finger on it, I can't really figure out why I'm shooting the way I am, but I'm definitely not happy about it."

Sonics owner Clay Bennett wants the public to make a "significant contribution" to a new arena for his NBA team, but he won't say how much. Bennett wants the new arena in a Seattle suburb, but he won't say where. And Bennett wants a National Hockey League team to play in the new arena, but he won't say if he will own that team. At a news conference Wednesday in downtown Seattle to announce the hiring of an arena architectural firm, the Oklahoma City businessman continued to sidestep questions regarding a new home for his Sonics.

Nuggets guard Earl Boykins is shooting 28.4 percent from the field, has shot 4-for-19 in the past three games and was 0-for-5 against Memphis. He came to practice early and made 200 shots. "I'm still going to shoot the ball," Boykins said.

Paul Pierce addressed the booing issue. “I think that just comes from playing in Boston,” he said. “There’s certain places where that happens. . . . It really doesn’t bother me. I’m so zoned into the game. I can’t control that. If that happens, you’ve just got to be able to brush it off. You’ve got to understand that when things aren’t going well it’s part of what goes on in Boston. I wish they wouldn’t do it, but, hey, these fans are really into the game.”

Cavs coach Mike Brown had an issue with a player's headgear Wednesday, but no, it was not a Bulls-style Headbandgate. Scot Pollard showed up at the shoot-around with a Drew Gooden bald head cap, the giveaway to fans Wednesday night. Gooden said he embraced the shaved-head-and-headband look in his rookie year. ``I needed a new look,'' Gooden said. ``I went from being a pretty boy to being sexy.'' Others have a different version of the events, referring to Gooden's nickname from his last year at the University of Kansas: ``Recede Wallace.''

Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace has a message for those who believe tonight's Detroit-Miami game is a matchup between Eastern Conference rivals -- Don't believe the hype! "Nah" was Wallace's response when asked whether Detroit-Miami was a good rivalry. "I would say the rivalry against Indiana, when I first got here, was a pretty good rivalry," Wallace said. "With this one, they just got up there on that (upper) echelon. But I don't really see that as a strong rivalry."

At 37, P.J. Brown didn't have to move his family to the Chicago area early so he could begin working out at the Berto Center with his new teammates. But he did, another reason why his lengthy acclimation period is puzzling.

Yao Ming cheats at Pop-A-Shot. The shocking revelation surfaces as part of the Rockets' television advertising campaign, which features Yao, Shane Battier and Tracy McGrady along with several season-ticket holders. In the Yao spot, the Rockets center becomes the newest, tallest member of Victor and Keri Cerda's family, joining Victoria, 13, and Cameron, 10, in the back seat of the family SUV and competing against Cameron in Pop-A-Shot, where he can clearly be seen swatting one of Cameron's shots. "It was neat for us to see that he was such a real person," Keri Cerda said. "You can't help but laugh with him. He kept on calling me 'Mom.' And the kids thought he was great." Nobody likes having his shot blocked, but Cameron Cerda, a student at Falcon Pass Elementary, took one in the name of show business. "I just went with it," he said. "It was awesome." The campaign was designed by Jon Dillon, Rockets vice president of marketing, and included McGrady working out with Lucy Clampit, a retired Spring Branch elementary school librarian, and Battier riding in a car with two fans.

The Suns are 8-for-8 when it comes to sellouts at US Airways Center, the team’s longest streak to open a season since selling every seat all year in 1997-98. Suns president Rick Welts said no games are sold out moving forward — the Suns purposely hold back some single-game tickets to sell — but said there is a chance the streak will continue all year. “We’re not there yet. But if we get to Christmas (with all the games sold out) I’ll be optimistic we can run the table,” Welts said.

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MLB Rumors & Notes

Thursday, November 30, 2006

While speculation continued to run hot that the Red Sox were closing in on making a deal for Manny Ramírez, nothing appeared imminent last night, and the likelihood was that talks would continue in Orlando. As of late last night, the Sox had not spoken with the Dodgers, considered by many to be a leading landing place for Ramírez because of their wealth of young prospects. The Padres remained an interested party, though it was unclear which major league players they would be willing to part with, and the biggest X factor of all is whether Ramírez, who has veto rights over any deal, would be willing to go to a National League team. The Sox, while aggressively exploring trade options, still would prefer to have an unhappy Ramírez return for another season in Boston than make a lopsided deal they would regret. It would appear to be a given that Ramírez would demand, as a condition of any trade, that a team pick up at least one or both of his option years -- at $20 million per -- or negotiate a contract extension. Among other reasons he might be conducive to a trade to the Dodgers: He enjoyed a good relationship with manager Grady Little and was close to hitting coach Eddie Murray when they were teammates in Cleveland.

The Angels would love to pry Alex Rodriguez away from the Yankees — now, there's a player who could fill the Angels' need for power and a third baseman—but Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman has said publicly he has no intention of trading Rodriguez, and Rodriguez, who has a full no-trade clause, has said repeatedly that, despite his turbulent tenure in New York, he wants to remain with the Yankees. Still, there are many baseball executives who believe the Yankees — and Rodriguez — are open to a trade, and since the Yankees still haven't upgraded a rotation that could use an infusion of youth, a deal is not out of the question.

Barry Bonds is fast becoming their only hope for a marquee name in 2007, and the Giants seem on their way to a tender reunion scene. Perhaps they had it planned that way all along, feigning interest in other outfielders only to lower Bonds' contract expectations. Of course, that assumes that they anticipated the wild bids for modest talent, expecting to be priced out. The market may get stranger yet.

Add the Seattle Mariners to the list of teams that might be interested in former Diamondbacks left fielder Luis Gonzalez. "Seattle called us today and they want to throw their hat in the ring and see if there's a fit there," said Bross, one of Gonzalez's agents. Baltimore, St. Louis and the Dodgers are also in the mix.

The Yankees have had conversations with free-agent right-hander Vicente Padilla, who was 15-10 with a 4.50 ERA for the Texas Rangers last year. A baseball official familiar with the Yankees' plans described Padilla as one of several free-agent pitchers on which the team is keeping tabs. Others include former Yankees Ted Lilly and Andy Pettitte as well as right-hander Gil Meche. The Yankees privately fear that Lilly is asking for too much money (more than $40 million for four years) and is destined to return to Toronto. And they don't know if Pettitte wants to pitch at all in 2007 -- or, if he does, whether he wants to leave his hometown Houston Astros for a return to the Bronx. They value lefties Lilly and Pettitte over right-handers Padilla and Meche, but they may have to settle for one of the righties, or seek another starting pitcher in a trade.

If White Sox GM Ken Williams is overwhelmed by an offer for Joe Crede — be it from the Angels or another club — he might make a move. But as he prepares for next week’s winter meetings in Orlando, Fla., Williams insists he is not shopping Crede. “We have spoken to all the clubs that we match up with, as far as trade partners,’’ Williams said. “At this point, it is incumbent on them to get back to get back to us. Whether or not that happens, I have no idea.’’

The Yankees have talked to the representative for Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens and are in the same holding pattern other teams find themselves in regarding the free-agent hurlers. Do Pettitte and Clemens want to continue to pitch next year? If so, are they going to stay in Houston? Or, could they return to The Bronx as an entry or solo? Can the Yankees, with question marks in their rotation, wait until the end of December for Pettitte's decision to hurl or retire? And where does Clemens fit into the equation? Those are the dilemmas facing Yankee GM Brian Cashman as he prepares for the winter meetings next week in Orlando.

If he passes, the Phillies could announce today that he has signed a three-year, $24 million contract. If he fails? He might wind up elsewhere, like righthanded reliever Joe Borowski. Multiple sources said yesterday that the Phillies backed off a multiyear contract with Borowski when they had questions about his right shoulder. There remains a chance that the Phillies still could sign Borowski, but it would have to be a one-year or incentive-laden deal. If Borowski signs elsewhere, it would be another setback for the Phillies. ... If the 35-year-old Borowski moves on - and he should have plenty of suitors with a shallow talent pool in the free-agent market - the Phillies likely will turn their attention to righthander David Weathers.

For now, it's safe to say that the interest between the Diamondbacks and free-agent pitcher Mark Mulder is mutual, particularly after Mulder and his agents toured Chase Field on Wednesday. But just how serious the Diamondbacks are won't be clear until the two sides get down to talking dollars, which could happen soon. Mulder had been one of baseball's best left-handers before a shoulder injury derailed his 2006 season. Mulder has drawn interest from several other teams, reportedly including Texas, San Diego and San Francisco.

Former Padres first baseman/left fielder Ryan Klesko, who is a free agent, is drawing interest from the Orioles and Giants.

Pat Gillick denied a report that the Phillies were talking with the Rangers about leftfielder Pat Burrell. Burrell is believed to be willing to waive his no-trade clause only for the Yankees, Red Sox or a contending West Coast team such as the Giants, Padres, Dodgers or Diamondbacks. Gillick would not comment on any list Burrell might have supplied...

The Padres are talking with the agent of second baseman Tony Graffanino, one of a few candidates San Diego is considering for its starting job.

GM Jim Duquette said the Orioles, who also could use their pitching depth to make a trade, are unlikely to extend any deals longer than one or two years to any of the remaining free-agent outfielders. The club is aware that next year's free-agent market could include Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells.

According to a source, the Red Sox are expected to announce soon that they have signed left-handed reliever Hideki Okajima, who will turn 31 on Christmas. A Yomiuri Giant for 11 years until he moved to the Nippon Ham Fighters last season, Okajima is primarily a left-handed specialist, although he has been used as a set-up man and could grow into that role for the Sox. He is said to have a devastating curveball but is not a hard thrower. Terms and length of the contract are not known, but it is believed the sides were discussing a two-year deal. The expected signing of Okajima cannot hurt the Sox’ cause with Matsuzaka. After a visit to Japan that included a meeting with the leaders of the Seibu Lions, Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino is expected back in Boston shortly. One of the purposes of Lucchino’s trip was to forge a long-term relationship with the Lions. That relationship will undoubtedly be regarded as healthy if the two teams can convince Matsuzaka and his agent, Scott Boras, to strike a deal with the Sox. The initial offer was believed to be for $7 million to $8 million a year, about half of what Matsuzaka is seeking. Lucchino spoke of the Sox making a “fair” and “comprehensive” offer at a Tokyo press conference.

Free agent Cliff Floyd told the Post yesterday that several teams have called regarding his services, including Baltimore, Seattle, Cleveland and Oakland, though the clubs are awaiting a medical update on Floyd, who had offseason surgery on his left Achilles'.

Regarding a trade of Manny Ramirez, who could be notified soon that the Red Sox have found a suitable partner, Theo Epstein said, “I don’t think it’s appropriate to comment at this time. Manny’s obviously a big part of the team but we really have no further comment unless or until there is something to announce.”

Craig Wilson remains a possible option in the Yanks' pursuit of a righthanded-hitting first baseman. Cashman has had a conversation with Wilson's agent, and the two are expected to talk again at next week's winter meetings. Wilson hit .212 with four homers and eight RBI in 104 at-bats with the Yanks after being acquired from Pittsburgh.

The Giants continue to negotiate with free-agent reliever Dave Weathers, a seasoned right-hander who could pitch in the eighth or ninth innings, depending on need.

The Red Sox' pursuit of Julio Lugo, meanwhile, awaits a decision by the Dodgers tomorrow on whether they would offer the shortstop salary arbitration. If they do, the Sox would have to surrender their first-round draft pick as compensation.

Tom Glavine, the most critical Met left with an uncertain future, is still figuring out whether to pitch for the Mets or Braves. His agent, Gregg Clifton, said yesterday that the "Braves have expressed interest" in him. Clifton said Glavine has told the Mets all along that he would inform them of his decision by the winter meetings, which start Monday.

Phillies GM Pat Gillick reiterated that the Phillies have not been interested in pursuing catcher Mike Piazza.

Orioles executives expressed some interest with all their agents, knowing that each player carries a significant risk. At this point, it appears Luis Gonzalez and Cliff Floyd are at the top of the wish list, even though each would give the Orioles an all left-handed-hitting starting outfield, something Duquette said the club is not especially concerned about.

Japanese infielder Akinori Iwamura is scheduled to come to the United States next week and visit the Tampa Bay area as negotiations continue. After bidding about $4.5-million for his rights, the Rays have until Dec. 15 to sign him.

With Roberto Hernandez joining the Indians and Octavio Dotel having received three offers to close games, the Rockies' options to add relievers are shrinking. They have inquired about LaTroy Hawkins and Rudy Seanez and made contract offers to Jose Mesa and Tom Martin. Mesa is believed to have received a proposal of slightly more than $1 million. The team also is monitoring the progress of reliever Mike DeJean, who is among several players working out at Coors Field.

Dodgers GM Ned Colletti doesn't know if closer Eric Gagne will be healthy in April and, more to the point, nobody will know for weeks if Gagne can even throw off a mound. By then, another club might have a higher risk tolerance than the Dodgers, or Colletti could be out of money. Its reasonable for Gagne to believe there's a team out there that is willing to guarantee him $5 million-$6 million, or some other number he may not get from the Dodgers. "Nothing's changed," Gagne said. "I'm always going to be a Dodger. I love the McCourts [owners Frank and Jamie]. I feel I have a great relationship with the Dodgers, and I'd love to go back. But I can't control everything. It doesn't mean much unless they want me there. That part is out of my control."

Rich Aurilia's deal, worth about $6 million over two years, is not being delayed merely by the Giants' desire to see if the Reds will offer him arbitration by Friday's deadline. In a phone interview Tuesday, Aurilia said the team and his agent still are trying to tweak a few minor issues in the contract. It is not a done deal, but close, and Aurilia is looking forward to his return.

The Jays haven't yet ask him, but Gregg Zaun said he'd be willing and eager to put in some phone calls to potential free-agent pitchers such as the Jays' Ted Lilly or Seattle's Gil Meche. As they had done a year ago for B.J. Ryan and A.J. Burnett, the Jays were pitching a little woo at the 28-year-old Meche by bringing him to the city and, among other things, Tuesday's Leaf game.

Doug Melvin said he plans to make a concrete offer soon to free agent infielder Jeff Cirillo to return to his reserve role with the Brewers. Cirillo batted .319 off the bench last season. As further evidence that the plan is to move Bill Hall to left field, Melvin said he expected Koskie to recover from the post-concussion syndrome that sidelined him for the second half of 2006 and return to third base. Otherwise, Melvin said he was prepared to give prospect Ryan Braun a shot.

The Red Sox have reached an agreement with veteran utility man Joe McEwing on a minor league contract, according to a source. McEwing, 34, is a .251 career hitting in 754 games with the Cardinals, Mets, Royals and Astros.

The Jays are also headed to winter meetings in Orlando looking for a fourth outfielder to back up Reed Johnson, Vernon Wells and Alex Rios. "I think we'd be looking at someone very, very, very cheap at that spot," said Ricciardi, adding that it would likely not be Adam Lind, who had such a rousing September call-up. "I don't want to have Lind not play," Ricciardi said.

Mets ace Pedro Martinez reiterated that he expects to be out until the second half of next season, though he noted progress in his recovery from rotator cuff surgery. "The rehabilitation process is going better than expected," Martinez said.

Gary Matthews Jr. the Angels' new center fielder, who signed an eye-popping, five-year, $50-million contract last week, didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable defending a deal that has been roundly criticized — primarily by Internet columnists — as the worst contract of the winter so far. "If you don't know the game, some people might think that," Matthews, speaking Wednesday at an informal media luncheon in Anaheim, said of the skepticism surrounding his deal. "But you have to look at the various ways I can help the team win. That gives you a broader picture."

Juan Pierre, a career .308 hitter at Dodger Stadium, said he is looking forward to playing in a home stadium that is "definitely a good place for me to hit." "The infield grass is short, and the lines are pretty much true. You can almost eat off the field," he said. "That's what I remember about coming here. And there's no nooks or crannies in the outfield."

The A's named Bob Schaefer as their bench coach Wednesday. The 2007 season will be Schaefer's ninth on a major-league staff. He was the bench coach for Kansas City in 1991 and from 2002-05. Schaefer, 62, spent last season with Atlanta as the special assistant to the general manager. Schaefer is the first addition to the A's staff since Bob Geren was named manager Nov. 17. He joins returning coaches Brad Fischer (bullpen), Rene Lachemann (first base) and Curt Young (pitching).

The Devil Rays are exploring the possibility of playing several regular-season games in the Orlando area, perhaps as soon as the upcoming season, as part of an effort by the franchise to broaden its fan base beyond Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. "One of our business goals is to become a regional baseball team, with support from a large portion of the state of Florida," Devil Rays president Matt Silverman said. "Some of our efforts have come to fruition, especially with Charlotte County hosting spring training [starting in 2009], and we have several ideas to cultivate areas east, toward Orlando."

Who Knew? The Brewers were the only team in baseball not to hit a grand slam.

Jose Reyes has expressed interest in playing winter ball for Gigantes in the Dominican Republic, but the Mets have yet to sign off. Reyes feels loyalty to that team's GM, Eddy Toledo, who signed him at 16. Toledo left the Mets organization this year as part of an overhaul.

The Reds probably will wind up spending close to $70 million on their 2007 payroll. The Brewers could approach that, too. And the difference between these three markets, in terms of size, stadiums and just about every intangible is exactly zero, which means there remains no visible, explainable excuse for the Pirates to spend in the range of $50 million, as they are planning.

The Red Sox announced that former second baseman and Lowell Spinners manager Luis Alicea will be their first base and infield coach. “He’s a terrific infield instructor, he’s very knowledgeable about baserunning and it’s very important to the organization to promote from within,” Epstein said.

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NFL Rumors & Notes

Thursday, November 30, 2006

It probably would take a king's ransom, but the Vikings would be foolish, if coach Dennis Green isn't back with the Arizona Cardinals next season, if they don't try to work a deal for Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr., who is from Minneapolis.

Raiders coach Art Shell lashed out Wednesday, not about demoted offensive coordinator Tom Walsh, but someone within the organization Shell accuses of undermining his efforts all along. Shell refused to name the name, but at least two team insiders fingered senior personnel executive Michael Lombardi as the object of Shell's ire. "There has been an attack on my family ... the Raider family," Shell said, quivering at times with anger. "For someone to do that is unconscionable. It's detestable and it's an outrage. But that's what has happened since I've been here. Tom has taken a lot of the brunt of that." Shell said there is one person in the organization who has ripped him, Walsh and team ownership under the "guise of football sources in the National Football League" ever since Shell was named coach in February.

Bucs QB Chris Simms is now considering a two-year offer that he described as "a starting point," but significant enough for the 26-year-old to consider remaining with the team that drafted him in the third round in 2003. "They offered a contract," he said. "There's still a few things that have got to be worked out or whatever. I can't tell you what they are. My agents are working on that. Hopefully everything can work out. "If we can get it done, without question, without a doubt, I want to be here."

Running back Reuben Droughns' status as the Browns' starting running back of the future is in jeopardy. Droughns, who was benched last week in favor of Jason Wright, said he's upset and doesn't know why he has been benched. "Sometimes it is upsetting, but you've got to understand the position that they're trying to address as well," he said. ... Droughns, who rushed for 1,232 yards last season, signed a three-year, $12 million extension in the off-season, but most of that isn't guaranteed. He received a $2.5 million signing bonus, a $1.25 million roster bonus in 2006 and a $1.2 million salary. Essentially, he's making about $5 million to play this season. He's due a $1.75 million roster bonus and $1.25 million salary in 2007, plus incentives based on yards.

The guaranteed portions of Shawne Merriman's salary over the next two seasons ($822,000) were voided when he was suspended. This shouldn't matter, because the Chargers are not going to cut Merriman. But neither would they have to pay him if he suffered a career-ending injury.

Bill Cowher might ultimately go to North Carolina, but he won't be going to North Carolina State. He made that clear yesterday after the university's board of trustees chairman said the board would be foolish not to try to find out if the Steelers' coach were interested in returning to his alma mater to fill its vacancy. "I'm very flattered to hear some of the things that have been coming out, but I'm not a candidate," Cowher said after practice. "I have a job here, and my focus really is on this job right here, so you can take me off the list."

Those who know Chris Simms are predicting the quarterback will not re-sign with Tampa Bay any time before he is first allowed to test the free-agent market, which he will this winter. The prevailing feeling is that the Buccaneers still are the favorites to retain the rights of their quarterback. Simms would like to remain in Tampa. But if another team wants Simms badly enough -- and demonstrates it through its contract offer -- then Tampa Bay easily could find itself searching for another quarterback.

The Ravens have resigned themselves to the probability that their standout strongside linebacker Adalius Thomas, who is second in the AFC and fifth in the NFL with nine sacks, is going to test the free-agent market this winter. A long-term contract agreement seems to be out of reach, and the Ravens have accepted that Thomas will test the free-agent waters before deciding what he wants to do with his future.

Since the Cowboys released Mike Vanderjagt on Nov. 27, no team claimed him on waivers and no teams have called and offered him a full-time job. "He wants to go where he would have an opportunity to be the guy," Vanderjagt's agent, Gil Scott, said. "Right now, there's just not a whole lot of kickers messing up." The Redskins discussed Vanderjagt and opted against him, signing former Cowboys kicker Shaun Suisham to their practice squad instead. And no other playoff contenders appear to have a pressing need at kicker. In recent weeks, the Texans and Dolphins have tried out kickers, but neither team has been in contact with Scott. For now it looks like Vanderjagt, who has returned to his home in Canada, might be iced for the remainder of this season.

The Texans worked out former Olympic gold medalist Justin Gatlin on Wednesday, but the team is not interested in signing him. In April, Gatlin, 24, was banned from track and field for eight years because he tested positive for a banned substance. Now he is looking to start a football career despite never having played in college. "It's my understanding that he never played football before, but he can run really, really fast," said Texans coach Gary Kubiak, who did not attend the workout. "A lot of teams in the league have worked him out over the course of the past month. From (general manager) Rick's ( Smith) perspective, he was very impressive. "Nothing is going to happen right now with Jerome (Mathis) coming up and what's happening with our receivers. That's not going to happen right now."

A war of words is under way between the Vikings' secondary and Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman. But none of the parties privy to the exchange on Sept. 24 would reveal what Grossman said after throwing a 24-yard touchdown pass that punctuated the Bears' 19-16 come-from-behind victory at the Metrodome. "After he threw a touchdown pass, he kind of was beating his chest, talking trash, this and that. 'You guys are this,' " Vikings safety Darren Sharper said. "Some curse words, stuff like that." Sharper didn't elaborate, and neither did safety Dwight Smith. Sharper, though, clearly disapproved of Grossman's comments. "He tried to show us up a little bit," he said. "In 10 years, I haven't had a quarterback do that at any time to me. So we definitely remember that, and the guys in the locker room remember that. "Will that decide the game on Sunday? I don't think so," Sharper said. "But it gives us a little extra motivation." Grossman told Chicago reporters that he said "some things that I regret." But he insisted that Smith provoked him.

Based on Eric Mangini's initial comments on Adrian Jones' drunk-driving arrest, it might be wise for the Jets' backup tackle to start thinking about a new address. The Jets' coach, faced with the first off-the-field transgression in his tenure, sent a message yesterday by delivering a harsh rebuke. Mangini left Jones twisting in the wind, refusing to say whether he will suit up Sunday against the Packers. "We'll go through the week and see where we are," Mangini said. "We take personal conduct extremely seriously. ... He understands how seriously we take it, and what a big mistake it was."

Dolphins QB Daunte Culpepper visited surgeon James Andrews on Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala., for a scheduled evaluation of his right knee, causing him to miss practice.

Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck doesn't appear to have a broken finger, as was reported by a local television station Tuesday. He did, however, hurt his hand in the game Monday night, although when it happened is not clear. Holmgren said it was the first quarter, Hasselbeck said the second. Holmgren pointed to an area on the upper palm of his left hand to display where Hasselbeck's injury is. It's a spot in between the index and middle fingers but not the fingers themselves. "It's a bruise," Holmgren said.

Rumors ran rampant Wednesday that QB Chris Simms had signed a two-year deal with the Bucs. Only problem, it wasn't true. An erroneous Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story stated that Simms had signed with Tampa Bay. "There are a lot of reports going on around here," Coach Jon Gruden said. "I will certainly be happy to let everybody know if there is somebody who signs, but that's speculation right now. I don't have any news to report other than we're looking into his situation. "There is no contract that has been signed." A report surfaced Monday that the Bucs had offered Simms a two-year deal. Simms, who was placed on injured reserve after suffering a ruptured spleen in the Sept. 24 game against Carolina, becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Bucs GM Bruce Allen said the team has always had an interest in keeping Simms in Tampa.

Dolphins WR Chris Chambers, perhaps the most unassuming star in the locker room, is worried because he isn't as big a part of the offense as even coach Nick Saban says he would like. And Chambers finds himself in the difficult position of wanting to speak up but trying not to because, after all, the Dolphins are winning. ''I'm trying not to say anything,'' Chambers said Wednesday. ``One game I'll be angry and nothing happens. Another game I'll be quiet and nothing happens. One game I got on the phone with [offensive coordinator] Mike [Mularkey] to see what was happening.''

Should Jake Plummer and the Broncos part ways, the veteran quarterback likely will have an opportunity to start elsewhere since, as Dave McGinnis said, "he's a proven player who has been through a lot and keeps getting back up and playing hard, and the league is always looking for quarterbacks."

Robbie Tobeck is out of the hospital. When the veteran center returns to the Seahawks lineup depends on his ability to bounce back from the infection in his hip. He was hospitalized last week when an abscess that was causing pain in his hip was discovered. Tobeck will have tests Monday, coach Mike Holmgren said, to determine if treatment and antibiotics have cured the infection.

J. P. Losman was the last of four quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2004 N.F.L. draft, but in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world of pro football, there was grumbling in Buffalo that the Bills had squandered their pick. What a difference a month has made for Losman. Buffalo has won three of its past four games, and Losman engineered the winning score during the final possession in two consecutive games. The Bills (5-6) have managed back-to-back wins for the first time in more than a year, renewing hopes for a playoff berth, their first in seven years. Although he is not close with Rivers, or Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger — the other quarterbacks taken in the first round in 2004 — Losman said he had monitored their careers. “We all keep tabs on each other,” said Losman, who was the 22nd pick over all. “It’s all just a curiosity thing, really. It’s fun and exciting to see who’s doing what — who was right, who was wrong.” At the moment, Losman and Rivers are doing right; Roethlisberger and Manning have had their stars dimmed this season. Rivers’s passer rating is 94.5, seventh in the league. Losman (84.1) ranks 12th, while Manning (76.0) is 23rd and Roethlisberger (72.3) 24th.

Cardinals RB Edgerrin James kept his sense of humor in the aftermath of his four-carry day Sunday in Minnesota, the first time in his career he had been used so little for virtually no reason. “Hey,” James joked, “they’re saving my career.” James’ 28-year-old legs don’t need the rest, of course. He started strong against the Vikings, rumbling for 14 yards on the Cards’ fourth offensive play, and was barely seen again. He wants to be optimistic about what he called a now-simplified run offense, including an offensive line that is finally set as a lineup. “It took us forever to get to it, but . . .” James said, pausing before adding, “we got to it.”

Two days after saying he'll stick with his three-running back rotation, coach Eric Mangini has downsized the rotation to two. Rookie Leon Washington and Cedric Houston are in and veteran Kevan Barlow is out, a member of the organization told The Star-Ledger yesterday afternoon. That person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of Mangini's policy of not announcing lineup changes.

Steelers coach Bill Cowher said all the speculation about his possible "retirement" this season has not affected how he works. "You can talk to the players about that. But I know it has not affected me and my approach to this game and in my communication with the football team. I've dealt with it no differently. Like you say, it's all speculation. It's something I will sit down with at the end of the year and go from there, but we're in the middle of the year and my focus, again, is on this football team and trying to win this game this Sunday."

Tatum Bell was in the hunt for the league rushing title one month ago, before turf toe injuries limited his playing time. Bell vows to get the Broncos' running game back in gear Sunday. His goal against the Seattle Seahawks is to break a couple of long runs to help settle new starting quarterback Jay Cutler.

Green Bay Packers middle linebacker Nick Barnett got through his first full practice with a padded club on his broken right hand and was optimistic he would be able to play against the New York Jets on Sunday. "It felt OK," he said Wednesday. "I thought I did pretty good. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to play but I'm not going to say it's 100% that I'll play. I'm going to try to do everything I can, everything possible, to play this week." Barnett was listed on the injury report as "questionable," which means there is a 50% chance he will play. He'll face another hurdle today when he practices in pads with the bulky club for the first time.

This season, Brett Favre has completed 57.1 percent of his passes with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions (compared to 29 interceptions last season). All but one of his interceptions this season have come when the Packers were behind and playing catch-up. "He still looks like the old Brett Favre to me," said safety Kerry Rhodes, who'll match wits with Favre. Simply put, Favre, who is in a new offense, isn't the problem. It's youth. The Packers are starting three rookies on the offensive line and six total, including first-round pick, linebacker A.J. Hawk. Though they have 34 sacks (tied for fourth most in the NFL), the defense ranks 25th in the league, yielding 344.6 yards per game. Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Favre is doing a "very good job managing the game." He added that although the offense is new, he has kept a lot of the base concepts that Favre is "comfortable with."

Giants DE Osi Umenyiora practiced fully yesterday for the first time since suffering a hip flexor injury on Oct. 23 against the Cowboys. And there's a good chance he might return to the field on Sunday, ending a five-game absence that has severely hampered the Giants' pass rush.

Rookie receiver Sinorice Moss actually appears on schedule to play in just his second game of the season. Moss made an instant splash in the spring mini-camps, and the Giants were intrigued about the new dimension the diminutive speedster from Miami could add to the offense. Moss, though, was sidelined all of training camp with a badly strained quad muscle and his impact thus far has been none-existent - one catch in one game, at Philadelphia on Sept. 17. "If I progress this week, hopefully I get an opportunity to play, whatever I can do - special teams or on offense, or maybe doing something different," Moss said. "I've been feeling positive about it since I came back to practice. I'm progressing every day, doing what I have to do to get my leg stronger so I have enough confidence to go out there and run full speed and do what I have to do to help the team."

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was added to the Pro Bowl ballot this week. Romo, who replaced Drew Bledsoe in the starting lineup on Oct. 29 against Carolina, leads all NFL starting quarterbacks in passer efficiency with a rating of 110.8. In five starts, Romo has passed for 1,394 yards and 10 touchdowns with two interceptions. There are only two weeks of voting remaining.

The NFL suspended Ricky Manning after he pleaded no contest to a felony assault charge Manning then decided not to appeal the suspension that cost him more than $90,000 in pay. "[The NFL] basically had to suspend me because I took the plea and I understand that," Manning said. "It is a little easier to accept [knowing that]. People saw the tape and know that I didn't do what I was accused of." Manning was charged with being part of an attack on a patron at a Los Angeles-area restaurant that left the man unconscious. Manning also allegedly used racial and ethnic slurs against the victim. A videotape of the incident verified Manning's account to both the league's and the Bears' satisfaction. Nevertheless, as recently as a week ago Manning was depicted as a thug by at least one national commentator, who also criticized linebacker Brian Urlacher for Urlacher's criticism of the NFL's delay in arriving at a decision. "It is [difficult] because a lot of people are misinformed and don't know the facts, and that makes it kind of frustrating," Manning said. "I remember Urlacher made a comment saying it was [wrong] they suspended me and a reporter [disagreed because of] racial slurs. "That let me know what a lot of people are thinking. But I didn't do that. That wasn't done. That's the only thing that's really messed up."

Saints rookie wide receive Marques Colston appeared to be favoring his sprained left ankle while running a few pass routes. He did not participate in the team portion of practice and is listed as questionable for Sunday. Colston was inactive against Atlanta. He practiced once last week, on Thursday.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is not -- repeat, not -- dating Jessica Simpson. "Jessica and I are not dating," Romo admitted during a conference call. "So no one has to write about that. Very funny, though. But anyhow, I guess there are worse things."

Among the 10 new NFL coaches hired in the offseason, no one has a better record than the Saints' Sean Payton. "I think he definitely deserves (to be selected coach of the year)," Saints quarterback Drew Brees said of Payton, who has excelled as an offensive strategist and a team-builder in his first season as a head coach at any level. "He does not seem like a first-year coach," Brees said. "I had Marty Schottenheimer in San Diego, and he's arguably one of the better coaches to ever coach the game, deserves to be a Hall of Famer. And I remember a lot of the teachings and sayings that Marty used to say, and I find myself hearing all these things that Coach Payton says, they're sticking. It's like he's been a head coach for 10 years.

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