Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Bloom agrees to four-year deal with Eagles
Two-time Olympic skier and Eagles' fifth-round draft pick Jeremy Bloom agreed to terms on a four-year contract with Philadelphia, his agent said Tuesday.
"He's going to sign the deal within the next 24 hours," Gary Wichard said.
A speedy but undersized player - he's listed at 5-foot-9 and 172 pounds - Bloom was a budding star in college with Colorado before his football career was put on hold. In the fall of 2004, the NCAA ruled that because he accepted endorsements to keep his equally successful career as a skier on track, Bloom couldn't be eligible for the football team.
The Eagles hope Bloom will upgrade their special teams and wide receiver corps. Bloom, the 147th overall selection, had 24 receptions for an average of 19.1 yards per catch in two seasons at Colorado. He returned 47 punts at 13.5 yards per return and 25 kickoffs at 25.1 yards per return. He had five touchdowns of 75 yards or more.
Wichard said Bloom has been working out in Arizona with Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
After returning from a sixth-place finish at the Turin Olympics in February, Bloom went to the NFL scouting combine, where he ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash. Bloom finished ninth at the Olympics in 2002.
"He's going to sign the deal within the next 24 hours," Gary Wichard said.
A speedy but undersized player - he's listed at 5-foot-9 and 172 pounds - Bloom was a budding star in college with Colorado before his football career was put on hold. In the fall of 2004, the NCAA ruled that because he accepted endorsements to keep his equally successful career as a skier on track, Bloom couldn't be eligible for the football team.
The Eagles hope Bloom will upgrade their special teams and wide receiver corps. Bloom, the 147th overall selection, had 24 receptions for an average of 19.1 yards per catch in two seasons at Colorado. He returned 47 punts at 13.5 yards per return and 25 kickoffs at 25.1 yards per return. He had five touchdowns of 75 yards or more.
Wichard said Bloom has been working out in Arizona with Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
After returning from a sixth-place finish at the Turin Olympics in February, Bloom went to the NFL scouting combine, where he ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash. Bloom finished ninth at the Olympics in 2002.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Lack of technology hurts officials' role in dictating fair play
"Let the Games begin." "Play ball."
This is how we used to approach our major sporting events. Something says that has changed, and a more appropriate refrain would be:
"Let the officials decide."
There is an increasingly popular point of view that the winners of practically all of our cherished championships are determined not by the players, but by the referees.
Seahawks fans feel that way. Mavericks fans feel that way.
And maybe even some French soccer fans feel that way.
Actually, it was victorious Italy that was on the receiving end of the more controversial calls, including having a goal taken away on a questionable offsides call.
But it seemed possible that the great French player, Zinedine Zidane, may have been kicked out of the game only after an official sneaked a peak at a replay screen to see his head-butt of an Italian defender.
Regardless, the just-completed World Cup featured more dives than an Olympic springboard competition, and those who follow international soccer much more closely contend that the game has gotten away from the capabilities of one referee to control.
Are we just whining more about officials' calls these days? Or are they really getting so many wrong that the games are being taken away from the athletes?
The answer is that as fans and as viewers, we have an incredible amount of technology on our side. We see multiple slow-motion replays from an array of angles, especially when it's a sport as thoroughly covered as the NFL.
The refs, for the most part, do not have technology on their side. Depending upon the sport, a limited amount of replay may be used to check last-second baskets or determine whether a receiver got both feet in bounds.
But for the most part, it's still the referee's eyes making calls on athletes who get bigger and faster each year.
Is the simple answer to increase the amount of technology that officials have at their disposal?
I think in some cases, it has to be.
It's hard to believe that the NFL is actually going into its 21st season since former Cowboys president Tex Schramm helped usher replay officiating into the game. At times, the league's general managers have grown so frustrated with the system that they have voted it out.
That wasn't the solution.
Neither is the current system, which puts the onus on coaches - who have a terrible viewpoint from the sidelines - to risk precious timeouts in order to overturn calls they really aren't sure about. Too often, the networks don't show the replays in time for coaches upstairs to tell the head coach whether "throwing the flag" is a good idea.
The NFL needs to go back to having a full-time official in the booth who can replay anything he wants. And that means anything, including pass interference, because that's no more a judgment call than the supposedly "indisputable evidence" calls that officials have made regarding fumbles and possession calls.
A good replay official, if available, would have overturned the early pass interference call against Seattle in the Super Bowl, and maybe Seahawks fans wouldn't feel that every call in that game favored the Steelers.
While football's stop-start nature lends itself to the use of replay officiating, basketball does not. A courtside official could watch replays over and over of Miami's Dwyane Wade driving to the basket at the end of Game 5 of the NBA Finals without making a clear determination of whether Devin Harris (almost certainly not Dirk Nowitzki, who was whistled for the call) fouled him.
Checking the clock for shots at the ends of periods is one thing. Use of replays throughout the game would be counterproductive, just as it would in baseball, where the flow of the sport would be destroyed by timeouts to check umpires' calls.
We have to learn to live with a certain number of missed calls in a world where our vantage point from the television screen is far better than the officials' view on the court or the field of play.
And good teams, like the Italian soccer team, must do as they always have done, and that's overcome them.
This is how we used to approach our major sporting events. Something says that has changed, and a more appropriate refrain would be:
"Let the officials decide."
There is an increasingly popular point of view that the winners of practically all of our cherished championships are determined not by the players, but by the referees.
Seahawks fans feel that way. Mavericks fans feel that way.
And maybe even some French soccer fans feel that way.
Actually, it was victorious Italy that was on the receiving end of the more controversial calls, including having a goal taken away on a questionable offsides call.
But it seemed possible that the great French player, Zinedine Zidane, may have been kicked out of the game only after an official sneaked a peak at a replay screen to see his head-butt of an Italian defender.
Regardless, the just-completed World Cup featured more dives than an Olympic springboard competition, and those who follow international soccer much more closely contend that the game has gotten away from the capabilities of one referee to control.
Are we just whining more about officials' calls these days? Or are they really getting so many wrong that the games are being taken away from the athletes?
The answer is that as fans and as viewers, we have an incredible amount of technology on our side. We see multiple slow-motion replays from an array of angles, especially when it's a sport as thoroughly covered as the NFL.
The refs, for the most part, do not have technology on their side. Depending upon the sport, a limited amount of replay may be used to check last-second baskets or determine whether a receiver got both feet in bounds.
But for the most part, it's still the referee's eyes making calls on athletes who get bigger and faster each year.
Is the simple answer to increase the amount of technology that officials have at their disposal?
I think in some cases, it has to be.
It's hard to believe that the NFL is actually going into its 21st season since former Cowboys president Tex Schramm helped usher replay officiating into the game. At times, the league's general managers have grown so frustrated with the system that they have voted it out.
That wasn't the solution.
Neither is the current system, which puts the onus on coaches - who have a terrible viewpoint from the sidelines - to risk precious timeouts in order to overturn calls they really aren't sure about. Too often, the networks don't show the replays in time for coaches upstairs to tell the head coach whether "throwing the flag" is a good idea.
The NFL needs to go back to having a full-time official in the booth who can replay anything he wants. And that means anything, including pass interference, because that's no more a judgment call than the supposedly "indisputable evidence" calls that officials have made regarding fumbles and possession calls.
A good replay official, if available, would have overturned the early pass interference call against Seattle in the Super Bowl, and maybe Seahawks fans wouldn't feel that every call in that game favored the Steelers.
While football's stop-start nature lends itself to the use of replay officiating, basketball does not. A courtside official could watch replays over and over of Miami's Dwyane Wade driving to the basket at the end of Game 5 of the NBA Finals without making a clear determination of whether Devin Harris (almost certainly not Dirk Nowitzki, who was whistled for the call) fouled him.
Checking the clock for shots at the ends of periods is one thing. Use of replays throughout the game would be counterproductive, just as it would in baseball, where the flow of the sport would be destroyed by timeouts to check umpires' calls.
We have to learn to live with a certain number of missed calls in a world where our vantage point from the television screen is far better than the officials' view on the court or the field of play.
And good teams, like the Italian soccer team, must do as they always have done, and that's overcome them.
NFL Toughens Drug Policy
NFL players will face random testing and stiffer penalties for amphetamine use as the result of a change in league policy that now places the drug in the category of performance-enhancers, such as steroids.
Previously, the NFL categorized amphetamines as a "substance-abuse drug." Drugs in that group pose personal medical concerns, a league spokesman said, but are usually not considered substances that can give a player an edge on the field.
Use of drugs on the performance-enhancer list is scrutinized more closely with league-wide random testing and punishment is swifter.
The league and the NFL Players Association agreed on the amphetamine change as part of a new collective bargaining agreement in the offseason. Last year, congressional hearings were held on drug use in sports.
"We never looked at [amphetamines] as a competitive issue for our players, like steroids and other things, but realized the possibility that some players would use it for a game-day edge," said Harold Henderson, NFL executive vice president of labor relations. "The [players] union quickly agreed with us."
Full enforcement of amphetamines as a performance-enhancer will begin in 2007 with random testing. Starting that year, a first positive test for amphetamines will result in a four-game suspension.
In addition, a second positive test for performance-enhancing drugs will be upped to an eight-game suspension, an increase of two games. A third positive test will remain a one-year suspension.
However, 2006 is being treated as a transitional year for amphetamines during which a first positive test will make a player eligible only for reasonable-cause testing.
As a substance-abuse drug - which includes substances often described as recreational drugs - amphetamines were in a category where testing is annual, unless a player had already tested positive and was subject to more frequent checks. A player is not suspended for using drugs in that group until the third violation.
Punishment for performance-enhancers is greater, in part, because their use is considered cheating with the consequence of potentially encouraging other players to also use them to remain competitive.
Amphetamines are a stimulant that can give the user a heightened sense of energy and ability. But negative effects range from depression to psychotic behavior and brain damage, and the drug can be addictive.
Previously, the NFL categorized amphetamines as a "substance-abuse drug." Drugs in that group pose personal medical concerns, a league spokesman said, but are usually not considered substances that can give a player an edge on the field.
Use of drugs on the performance-enhancer list is scrutinized more closely with league-wide random testing and punishment is swifter.
The league and the NFL Players Association agreed on the amphetamine change as part of a new collective bargaining agreement in the offseason. Last year, congressional hearings were held on drug use in sports.
"We never looked at [amphetamines] as a competitive issue for our players, like steroids and other things, but realized the possibility that some players would use it for a game-day edge," said Harold Henderson, NFL executive vice president of labor relations. "The [players] union quickly agreed with us."
Full enforcement of amphetamines as a performance-enhancer will begin in 2007 with random testing. Starting that year, a first positive test for amphetamines will result in a four-game suspension.
In addition, a second positive test for performance-enhancing drugs will be upped to an eight-game suspension, an increase of two games. A third positive test will remain a one-year suspension.
However, 2006 is being treated as a transitional year for amphetamines during which a first positive test will make a player eligible only for reasonable-cause testing.
As a substance-abuse drug - which includes substances often described as recreational drugs - amphetamines were in a category where testing is annual, unless a player had already tested positive and was subject to more frequent checks. A player is not suspended for using drugs in that group until the third violation.
Punishment for performance-enhancers is greater, in part, because their use is considered cheating with the consequence of potentially encouraging other players to also use them to remain competitive.
Amphetamines are a stimulant that can give the user a heightened sense of energy and ability. But negative effects range from depression to psychotic behavior and brain damage, and the drug can be addictive.
Ramsey Gets an Extension
So it might not be an even playing field after all. Coming off a bad minicamp, and a poor season in Washington two years ago, the Jets rewarded quarterback Patrick Ramsey with a contract extension.
The announcement was made by Daily News beat writer Rich Cimini.
"Adding some stability to their long-term quarterback situation, the Jets quietly extended the contract of newcomer Patrick Ramsey, who will compete with Chad Pennington for the starting job in training camp," wrote Cimini in Tuesday's Daily News. "Ramsey, acquired in a March trade with the Redskins, was due to become an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming season, but he received a one-year, $2.1 million extension through 2007."
All spring Jets coach Eric Mangini said that the quarterback position will be an open competition featuring Ramsey, Chad Pennington, Brooks Bollinger and Kellen Clemens.
But Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum just tilted the even playing field. Remember both Ramsey and Bollinger were entering the final year of their deals in 2006. Since Ramsey got an extension, and Bollinger didn't, the team has clearly decided they like Ramsey better than Bollinger.
So much for an open competition.
The announcement was made by Daily News beat writer Rich Cimini.
"Adding some stability to their long-term quarterback situation, the Jets quietly extended the contract of newcomer Patrick Ramsey, who will compete with Chad Pennington for the starting job in training camp," wrote Cimini in Tuesday's Daily News. "Ramsey, acquired in a March trade with the Redskins, was due to become an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming season, but he received a one-year, $2.1 million extension through 2007."
All spring Jets coach Eric Mangini said that the quarterback position will be an open competition featuring Ramsey, Chad Pennington, Brooks Bollinger and Kellen Clemens.
But Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum just tilted the even playing field. Remember both Ramsey and Bollinger were entering the final year of their deals in 2006. Since Ramsey got an extension, and Bollinger didn't, the team has clearly decided they like Ramsey better than Bollinger.
So much for an open competition.
2006-2007 49ers & NFL calendar
With training camps scheduled to open around the NFL at the end of July, here's a list of important dates for the 49ers and the rest of the league for the remainder of this year, along with the postseason schedule and important 2007 dates leading up to next year's draft.
July 24: Signing period ends at 4 p.m. ET for unrestricted free agents who received June 1 tender.
July 27: 49ers players report to team headquarters.
July 28: 49ers training camp practice sessions begin.
August 6: Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, Canton, Ohio – Oakland Raiders vs. Philadelphia Eagles (NBC).
August 10-14: First full preseason weekend.
August 11: 49ers open preseason with 7 p.m. (PST) game vs. Chicago at Monster Park in San Francisco.
August 29: Roster cutdown to maximum of 75 players.
September 2: Final roster cutdown to maximum of 53 players.
September 3: Teams may establish practice squad of eight players.
September 7-11: Kickoff 2006.
September 10: 49ers begin regular season with 1:15 p.m. (PST) game vs. Arizona in the inaugural game at Cardinals Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
October 17: Trading deadline.
October 23-25: NFL Fall Meeting (New Orleans, Louisiana).
December 30-31: Regular season ends.
2007
January 6-7: Wild Card Playoffs.
January 13-14: Divisional Playoffs.
January 21: Conference Championships.
February 4: Super Bowl XLI, South Florida (CBS).
February 10: AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, Honolulu, Hawaii (CBS).
February 21-27: NFL Scouting Combine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
March 25-28: NFL Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona.
April 28-29: NFL Draft, New York City.
Late May: NFL Spring Meeting (Site TBD).
July 24: Signing period ends at 4 p.m. ET for unrestricted free agents who received June 1 tender.
July 27: 49ers players report to team headquarters.
July 28: 49ers training camp practice sessions begin.
August 6: Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, Canton, Ohio – Oakland Raiders vs. Philadelphia Eagles (NBC).
August 10-14: First full preseason weekend.
August 11: 49ers open preseason with 7 p.m. (PST) game vs. Chicago at Monster Park in San Francisco.
August 29: Roster cutdown to maximum of 75 players.
September 2: Final roster cutdown to maximum of 53 players.
September 3: Teams may establish practice squad of eight players.
September 7-11: Kickoff 2006.
September 10: 49ers begin regular season with 1:15 p.m. (PST) game vs. Arizona in the inaugural game at Cardinals Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
October 17: Trading deadline.
October 23-25: NFL Fall Meeting (New Orleans, Louisiana).
December 30-31: Regular season ends.
2007
January 6-7: Wild Card Playoffs.
January 13-14: Divisional Playoffs.
January 21: Conference Championships.
February 4: Super Bowl XLI, South Florida (CBS).
February 10: AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, Honolulu, Hawaii (CBS).
February 21-27: NFL Scouting Combine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
March 25-28: NFL Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona.
April 28-29: NFL Draft, New York City.
Late May: NFL Spring Meeting (Site TBD).
