Buckeye News around the Net for 07/29/08
Vernon Gholston,
Othello Hunter, Jamar Butler, Mike Conley, Terry Glenn, Troy Smith, Orlando
Pace, Drew Carter, Shane Olivea, Joey Galloway, Quinn Pitcock
By Bill Smith
The Good
John
Clayton, of ESPN.com, reports the New York Jets agreed to terms with
first-round draft pick LB Vernon Gholston on a five-year contract that
includes $21 million in guarantees and could max out at $50 million if he
reaches all performance clauses. While
he has to learn the strong side outside linebacker position he will have a
chance to participate in all the training camp practices. The Jets are looking
for Gholston to take the strong side and to provide a pass rush the team has
lacked for several years.
Othello
Hunter played for the Charlotte Bobcats in the Summer league. He appeared in 2 of the 5 games and averaged
10.5 points per game. That should result
in an invitation to training camp.
Jamar
Butler who played with the Spurs a few years back, is trying to get back
into the league. He has had a couple of
tryouts for the summer league but did not make a team. We will keep you posted on his progress in
reviving his NBA career.
Mike
Conley played with the Grizzlies summer league team to gain more
experience. He shined brightly scoring
25.7 points per game with 3 assist per contest.
The Miami
Dolphins are expected to sign free-agent WR Terry Glenn (Cowboys) in the
next few days, according to two sources.
Of course we told you that more than a month ago in the news. By reading BrutusReport.com you get the not
only the news but analysis of what will likely happen in the future.
The Smith QB saga rolls on
Pro
Football Weekly reported that the job is “Kyle Boller's job to lose, but Troy
Smith could take over with a strong camp. Boller has experience as a
starter but doesn't thrive in pressure situations. Smith is athletic and can
make plays outside the pocket but is small (6-0, 225). Both lack accuracy.”
Last Monday
Rod Woodson former all pro DB for several teams including the Ravens on their
Championship 2000 team said “Don't forget about Troy Smith. I keep saying on this show that he is the
hidden jem for this football team. I don't know if he's going to start on day
1. I don't know if Joe Flacco's going to
start on day 1 but I think the competition for the starting QB for the
Baltimore Ravens at the end of the day is between Joe Flacco and Troy
Smith.”
He added
“You always hear somebody say 'he has it' you always hear that 'it'. Talking to the guys and the people in the
front (office) he has that. He has that
winning ability. He's not going to have
great numbers. He's not the tallest guy
(or has) the measurables. You look at
him and go 'he can't be an NFL qb' but he can win football games for you. And at the end of the day you want someone
that can win football games for you. GM's and head coaches want to make sure
they're right especially when they draft a QB first. Ozzie Newsome, a good friend of mine, is the
same way. They took this guy (Flacco) to
be their future. And yes, he's probably
going to get more opportunities that Troy Smith to get this job for 08 and 09.”
OT Orlando
Pace (shoulder) was examined by team doctors Thursday, July 24. Head coach
Scott Linehan said, "Orlando
is in great shape. He has really worked and has got himself in a good spot.
It's a matter of what the docs say. I think they just want to see if he's ready
to take that next step as far as contact. Not to be overly cautious, but he's
had two bad-luck injuries two years in a row." the St. Louis Rams do not
plan on rushing OT Orlando Pace (shoulder) back into action before the season.
The team has set a target for his return at Aug. 9, the team's preseason opener
against the Tennessee Titans. OT Orlando Pace (shoulder) will start training
camp on the physically unable to perform list.
The Rams
are desperate to get him back in the lineup.
The team was unable to protect their quarterbacks or run the ball last
year without him.
WR Drew
Carter of the Raiders developed nice chemistry with QB JaMarcus Russell
during offseason workouts. Carter could emerge as an insurance policy should WR
Javon Walker not be ready for camp.
Updating
previous reports, Paul Schwartz, of the New York Post, reports free-agent ORT Shane
Olivea passed his physical with the New York Giants Monday, July 21, and
was officially signed.
The Bad
OT Shane Olivea admitted he was
addicted to painkillers during the 2007 season when he was a member of the San
Diego Chargers. He lost his starting job with the Chargers midseason and was
later released. He said he had asked the Chargers to let him loose.
WR Joey
Galloway (groin) missed practice for a third consecutive day Monday, July
28, due to a strained groin. Head coach Jon Gruden said there is no concern
that Galloway missed time in 2004 with a
similar injury because this one involves the opposite groin muscle. A groin pull is a bad injury for any WR and a
very bad injury for an old one like Galloway. We at BrutusReport.com will be watching this
situation closely and keep you up to date.
DL Quinn
Pitcock (Colts) has been placed on the team's Reserve/Did Not Report list.
Head coach Tony Dungy said Pitcock is going through some personal issues and
will let the team know when he can return.
He needs to get back on the practice field if he wants to make the club
let alone work his way into the DL rotation.
As you
know, Bengal QB Carson Palmer did some really ill advised trash talking about
the OSU/USC game. He has since recycled the trash in an attempt
to rehab his image. My thought is that
his analysis would carry a lot more weight if he was able to lead his team to a
winning record. As things stand, the
Bengals are among the most loosing franchises in the 1990-2007 period. But, I am not the only one that has those
feelings for Carson.
TSN reports
Cincinnati Bengals WR Chad Johnson (ankle) said him and QB Carson Palmer are
going to fight. "Me and Carson, I mean, we're fighting and bickering a lot
and he's pissing me off," Johnson said. "But other than that, you
know, it's cool." The reporter doing the interview then laughed at
Johnson's response but Johnson said he was serious. "Why are you
laughing?" he asked. "I'm serious." The reporter responded
saying it was hard to tell if he was serious. "I'm serious," Johnson
stated again. "Carson and I are going to fight in camp. I'm just telling
you now. We're going to frustrate each other, and I'm going to hit him in his
knee - the bad one… We have a great relationship but sometimes you fight."
The Ugly
QB Troy Smith
was 1-for-5 passing with three interceptions during the team's red-zone drills
Tuesday, July 22. Smith also fumbled one of the snaps. That is not going to get him the starting
spot. QB Kyle Boller could take the
first snaps with the first-team offense in training camp because he has
seniority. "We've said this from Day One: Our plan is to go with the best
quarterback at that time," Harbaugh said of the team's quarterback
competition. "Our goal is for those guys to make that decision based on
the way they play." QB Troy Smith worked with the second-team offense
Monday, July 28. Smith and the second-team offense had success against the
first-team defense in goal-line drills.
Bill Smith is a
former coach of several semi-pro teams and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for http://BrutusReport.com. He has
also published several novels on http://ebooks-library.com/index.cfm and
edits http://fryingpanpolitics.blog.com