NFL - Are You Ready For Some Football?! - The Offseason

[Zopperoni]

Ex-Giant Burress pleads guilty in weapons case

NEW YORK(AP)—Former New York Giant Plaxico Burress(notes) pleaded guilty Thursday to a weapons charge and agreed to a two-year prison term for accidentally shooting himself at a Manhattan nightclub.

The ex-wide receiver pleaded guilty to one count of attempted criminal possession of a weapon, a lesser charge than he initially faced. Under a plea agreement, he agreed to a two-year prison sentence and two years of supervised release.

Full story: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=st&type=lgns

His career is over.

[Grandpa Troll]

Ex-Giant Burress pleads guilty in weapons case

NEW YORK(AP)—Former New York Giant Plaxico Burress(notes) pleaded guilty Thursday to a weapons charge and agreed to a two-year prison term for accidentally shooting himself at a Manhattan nightclub.

The ex-wide receiver pleaded guilty to one count of attempted criminal possession of a weapon, a lesser charge than he initially faced. Under a plea agreement, he agreed to a two-year prison sentence and two years of supervised release.

Full story: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=st&type=lgns

His career is over.

I dunno

Look at Vick

[snoopy369]

Vick's a bit younger than Plex. He already was getting too old, 2 years in the pen will not do good things for his fitness. (Or, maybe it will?)

[ColdWizard]

He might still be decent as a third guy or some such. 33 isn't that old, necessarily.

[Grandpa Troll]

Vick's a bit younger than Plex. He already was getting too old, 2 years in the pen will not do good things for his fitness. (Or, maybe it will?)

Thats what I was think Snoopy369

2 years doing a regimented workout, could preserve him physically

I hate to say it, but if Favre can come back maybe Burress can?


I dunno.........time will tell....

[ColdWizard]

He could come back and lead the Bears' receivers with 50-60 catches in a suspension shortened season.

[snoopy369]

He might still be decent as a third guy or some such. 33 isn't that old, necessarily.

Pretty old for a WR; and he'd have another bit of suspension, I'd guess, afterwards (like Vick - part of the year, perhaps). And even if he can lift weights or whatnot, he can't play against physical opponents and such.

I'm not sure Vick will come back effectively either, mind you - certainly not as a QB. Probably at best as a KR.

[Grandpa Troll]

Bucs' Talib arrested for allegedly hitting cab driver

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Tampa Bay cornerback Aqib Talib was held out of practice Thursday after police say he punched a taxi driver and was jailed on charges of simple battery and resisting arrest without violence.

The Bucs said the second-year pro, who fought with a teammate during last year's NFL rookie symposium and then had another confrontation with a teammate this offseason, would not be suspended by the team.

Instead the club referred the matter to commissioner Roger Goodell.

"It's unfortunate, certainly, what happened last night," general manager Mark Dominik said.

"I've been in contact with the league office. This falls under the personal conduct policy. Certainly whatever decision's made, the commissioner's decision supersedes anything the club does at this time."

Talib posted $300 bail early Thursday. A Florida Highway Patrol arrest report said the 23-year-old punched a cab driver in the neck and ear after he picked up Talib and two other men outside a St. Petersburg nightclub.

Talib, accompanied by Dominik, walked onto the practice field about 30 minutes into an afternoon workout, but did not participate in drills. He left before the end of the session and was not available for comment.

"Obviously you're concerned, obviously you're disappointed," coach Raheem Morris said. "The real deal of the matter is it's a league issue. ... You have to let it go through due process."

Morris said Talib did not practice for "obvious reasons," though last year's No. 1 draft pick is expected to play in Saturday night's preseason game at Jacksonville.

"Right now all I can do is mentor and help him, get him going the right way," the first-year coach said. "Make sure stuff like this doesn't happen to him again."

Shortly after being drafted by the Bucs, Talib clashed with then-teammate Cory Boyd at the rookie symposium.

In May, he apologized for letting emotions get the best of him and swinging a helmet at offensive tackle Donald Penn and accidentally striking cornerback Torrie Cox instead during an offseason workout.

Cox, who was acting as a peacemaker, was cut on the face and received stitches. Morris said at the time the matter would be handled internally, though Talib said the entire team ran as punishment.

"We're trying to help him. It may not seem like it's working, but we're going to continue to work with him," Dominik said. "If he needs counseling, he's going to get counseling. We're going to work and try to catch his attention."

The arrest was the second jolt to the Bucs' defense in three days. Safety Tanard Jackson on Tuesday was suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL's substances of abuse policy.

"We've got to make better decisions. It's up to those guys to make those decisions," Morris said.

"We've got 78 guys doing it right. You've got to coach the 78 guys who are doing the right things, we've got to believe in the 78 guys that are doing the right things, and (Talib and Jackson) have got to go out there and do the right things."

Asked what it will take to get through to Talib, who the Bucs are counting on to be a major contributor in a revamped defense, Morris replied "continued growth" on the young player's part.

"He has to age every day, get better every day. He's goes a long time doing the right thing, then he messes up. We have to see what's going on," Morris said.

"You've got a young man trying to do the right thing putting himself in a cab. He obviously made a bad decision once he did that. So, he's made steps. He's made progress. But we've got to finish this thing off. That's up to me and him to get together and figure out how to do it."

[Grandpa Troll]

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger injured his right ankle or foot during the last half-hour of the team's final training camp practice. It was not immediately certain how badly he was hurt or how long he would be out.

Roethlisberger had an ice pack on the back of the ankle when he was carted off at the end of Thursday's workout, with offensive coordinator Bruce Arians accompanying him. Roethlisberger didn't talk to reporters, but he could be overheard saying, "Oh it just feels great. It feels like a car ran over it."

Coach Mike Tomlin declined to talk to reporters. Team spokesman Dave Lockett said only, "Someone stepped on his foot, and we don't have any updates other than that."

As the Steelers' starting offense practiced against the starting defense, left tackle Max Starks couldn't handle a rush from linebacker James Harrison, the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Starks went down to one knee as he tripped Roethlisberger, who stayed on the turf for about 5 minutes.

After being treated by athletic trainer John Norwig, Roethlisberger spent the rest of practice sitting on a cooler. He was limping noticeably as he gingerly walked from the sideline to join the end-of-practice huddle at midfield. He draped a towel over his head before leaving on the golf cart.

Normally, any player seriously injured during a Steelers practice is removed from the field immediately and is taken to a hospital -- an indication that Roethlisberger's injury may be no more serious than a sprain. Starks suggested such, saying, "My feet are fine. I don't have a sprained ankle."

Starks isn't certain exactly how the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback was hurt, but he didn't hear any popping or tearing noises as Roethlisberger went down, sounds that might signal a serious injury.

"James Harrison was bull rushing ... I'm not sure I knocked him into him (Roethlisberger) or what happened behind me. I was busy trying to block the defensive MVP," Starks said. "He got tripped up and fell down."

Roethlisberger didn't tell any teammates how he felt, though he could be heard saying, "I'll be all right."

"He didn't want to talk about it now, but I'm sure he'll address us upstairs," Starks said.

The injury was only the second major mishap of the Steelers' three-week-old camp -- right guard Darnell Stapleton needed knee surgery less than a week into camp. It brought an abrupt end to what might have been the best of Roethlisberger's six NFL training camps.

He has shown a strong, accurate arm for several weeks after having some soreness for several days, causing Arians to say, "His arm's really alive."

Roethlisberger is certain not to play in the Steelers' exhibition game Saturday at Washington. The Super Bowl champion Steelers have two more exhibition games after that before opening the season Sept. 10 against Tennessee.

The last time the Steelers were coming off a Super Bowl-winning season, 2006, Roethlisberger sustained severe facial injuries during a motorcycle crash six weeks before camp began, then missed the opener after undergoing an appendectomy.

The Steelers stage most nearly all of the practices on one of Saint Vincent College's three grass fields, but their second and final practice Thursday was held on an artificial turf field because of rain earlier in the day. There was no indication the turf contributed to the injury.

Hopefully wont be serious

[Ben Kenobi]

Time to lock this one up!

[Sava]

He could come back and lead the Bears' receivers with 50-60 catches in a suspension shortened season.

Greg Olsen will likely lead the NFC in receptions for TE's. Olsen is going to have a big year, but they will also make use of Clark in a lot of 2 TE packages. Either Olsen or Forte will lead the team... probably Forte. Bears' WRs are bad though... among the worst in the league.

[Sava]

2 years in the pen will not do good things for his anus

Fixed

[ColdWizard]

New thread: http://www.apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?t=187740

Time to lock this one up!