Opening the roof over the new home of the Minnesota Vikings would have forced planners of the $975 million project to eliminate some of the fancy features.
So the team, the public agency in charge of the stadium and the architects designing it literally saw the light. The yet-to-be-named multipurpose facility will have a translucent roof and moveable front windows. Bryan Trubey, the lead architect for the project for the Dallas-based HKS Sports and Entertainment Group, presented images to a crowd of fans, public officials and members of the Vikings organization Monday night. The event took place at the Guthrie Theater, a few blocks from where the stadium will be built in downtown Minneapolis.
It will replace the 31-year-old Metrodome, which the Vikings will vacate after the 2013 season. They'll play outside at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium for two years while the new venue is under construction.
In 2016, the Vikings will move back indoors. From the look of the new 65,000-seat building, though, they'll feel a little like they're playing in the elements, albeit with a controlled climate and protection from the rain, wind and snow.
"It's a beautiful building," center John Sullivan said after the unveiling.
The steeply pitched roof will let natural light stream in, making the covered, glass-centric stadium seem more like it's outside. Trubey said the covering will be the world's largest transparent roof.
"Clear is the new retractable," he said.
Like the aquatics center in Beijing built for the 2008 Summer Olympics, the southern half of the stadium's roof will be built with a material known as ETFE, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene. The solar power generated from the sun that streams in will help make the building more energy-efficient.
The slope of the roof will also allow for easier snow removal. The Metrodome's Teflon roof infamously collapsed during a storm in December 2010, forcing the Vikings to play their last two home games that season elsewhere.
The Vikings have also focused on creating a fan experience that can't be replicated elsewhere, from special lounges for following fantasy football results to intimate sightlines to the sidelines. Two giant scoreboards will measure more than 50 feet by 120 feet each.
Dozens of purple-jersey-clad fans snatched up the limited amount of free tickets available to the public, singing a couple of bars of the team fight song, "Skol Vikings," before the program began.
They cheered the handful of key officials who helped shepherd the project to approval through the tricky channels of state and city politics. One of the luminaries who appeared on stage to tout the design was former Vikings head coach Bud Grant, who took the team to four Super Bowls.
"I've always been an advocate of outdoor football," Grant said. "Not anymore." The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority unanimously approved the design, forwarding it on to the city of Minneapolis for review. Minnesota lawmakers hoped they could pay for the stadium without new taxes, relying instead on electronic gambling devices in bars and restaurants to cover $348 million in state debt.
But establishments and their patrons have been slow to embrace the new games, and the money has been barely trickling in. The law gave state officials the power to launch a new scratch-off lottery game and impose suite taxes to cover any gaps, but there has been no indication they will.
Instead, Gov. Mark Dayton and top legislators are working over various options, including a new sports memorabilia tax, to make up the difference. Bonds to pay for stadium construction are supposed to be sold in August, but the state might alter the process to keep costs down. They've insisted that construction will proceed as scheduled.
The Vikings and the NFL are on the hook for $477 million, including a $200 million loan from the league. The city of Minneapolis will contribute $150 million, through redirection of existing hospitality sales taxes.
"We're using public money, but at the same time it's going to benefit the public," Sullivan said. "In my mind, as a taxpaying resident of the state of Minnesota, that seems like a good way to spend our tax dollars."
Minnesota Vikings unveil images of new downtown stadium - NFL-com
Former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney will visit the San Diego Chargers on Wednesday, NFL-com's Ian Rapoport reported late Tuesday.
The Chargers are suddenly in great need of pass-rushing help after second-year linebacker Melvin Ingram tore his ACL in practice Tuesday.
Rapoport also said on last Friday's "NFL Total Access" that the market was expected to heat up for Freeney this week, with four or five teams interested.
Freeney has 107 1/2 sacks in his career, all with the Indianapolis Colts. He and John Abraham (122 career sacks) are the two most accomplished veteran pass rushers left on the free-agent market.
Dwight Freeney to visit San Diego Chargers - NFL-com
Linebacker Rolando McClain hasn’t been released by the Ravens, but he won’t be playing for them in 2013.
Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome announced Wednesday that McClain, who was arrested for disorderly conduct last month, is retiring from the NFL.
“Rolando let me know that he plans to retire from the NFL,” Newsome said in a statement from the team. “We have placed him on the Reserve/Retired list.”
McClain’s arrest was the latest in a series of run-ins with law enforcement that have checkered McClain’s brief professional career. He also wound up being asked to stay away from the Raiders for several games at the end of last season after a blow-up with coach Dennis Allen. The Raiders released him in early April and it all adds up to a rapid fall for the eighth overall pick of the 2010 draft.
Since McClain is just 23, it seems inevitable that we’ll hear rumblings about McClain wanting to make a comeback in the next couple of years. He might get a shot, but it will be a much longer one than the one he blew over the last few years.
Rolando McClain retires from the NFL | ProFootballTalk
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson in Florida. The warrant was issued May 7 in Broward County because Johnson violated several terms of his probation, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office. The BSO said Johnson failed to meet with probation specialists on Feb. 15 and March 15. Johnson also failed to show proof of enrollment and completion of the "Batterers Intervention Program."
The probation stemmed from when Johnson was accused by his then-wife, "Basketball Wives" star Evelyn Lozada, of head butting her during a heated argument in August in the driveway of their Davie, Fla., home. The fight began after Lozada found a receipt for condoms in the couple's car, according to the police report.
Johnson was arrested on Aug. 11 and charged with domestic battery. He eventually pleaded no contest and was placed on probation for one year, according to court records.
Johnson spent 11 years in the NFL, mostly with the Cincinnati Bengals, and gained attention for his play but even more so for his antics, like when he legally changed his last name to Ochocinco so he could put that the name across the back of his jersey.
After the August arrest, the Miami Dolphins dropped Johnson, and he has been out of the NFL since.
Chad Johnson wanted for arrest after probation violation - NFL-com
Earlier this week, we passed along Tavon Austin's concerns about all the cousins he never knew coming out of the woodwork looking for money. There was a light-hearted tone to his comments, but it undoubtedly is a serious problem for many players. For Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith, it has broken up his family.
You might remember last year when Smith called 911 after his siblings showed up at his Dallas home to "harass and torment" him "in the pursuit of collecting financial gain," in the words of the police report. He also was forced to file a restraining order against his mother and stepfather.
Smith spoke about the ordeal for the first time to The Dallas Morning News. He agreed to pay his parents in four installments after getting drafted, but they kept coming back for more. When he told them about a move to left tackle, they didn't say congrats. They talked about the next contract.
"There was a certain amount I agreed to give them, but it went way beyond that and I was just like, 'I'm done,' " Smith said. "I feel like I shouldn't have given them so much. There was nothing wrong with helping them out and making sure they were taken care of, but not something to where they live the same lifestyle as you."
Smith's lawyer alleged that his mom and/or stepdad threatened Smith's well-being and the life of his girlfriend. The lawyer also alleged that Smith's family took more than $1 million from him. The money went missing when Smith was using a financial advisor his parents recommended. "There was money missing, but I just don't know where it went," Smith said. "There were times I would check my statements and it wouldn't make sense and I hadn't authorized it at all. I just felt betrayed and I was like, 'Who can I trust?' "
Smith says he's open to a reconciliation with his family someday if they give him "the space" he has asked for. But his story is a sad, cautionary tale for incoming rookies.
"The takeaway from this is don't let people take advantage of you. And it's all right to say no to certain people," Smith said.
Dallas Cowboys O-lineman Tyron Smith's family ordeal - NFL-com
Eric Crouch has no doubt he could have been an All-Pro receiver in the National Football League. But he never gave himself that opportunity.
Following a record-setting career as quarterback at the University of Nebraska that included the 2001 Heisman Trophy, Crouch was drafted by the Rams in the third round (95th overall) of the 2002 NFL draft.
Convinced that Crouch, who stood 5 feet 11¾ and 195 pounds, was too short and lacked the arm strength to play quarterback in the NFL, Rams coach Mike Martz drafted the talented triple-option quarterback as a receiver.
But the Crouch experiment never got off the ground.
A hamstring injury and shin splints limited Crouch’s offseason training. He entered training camp at less than 100 percent physically and, after catching two passes for 30 yards in the preseason opener against Jeff Fisher’s Tennessee Titans, Crouch suffered a late-game thigh injury that lingered through the preseason.
Then, just two days before the Rams were to open the season, a frustrated Crouch announced that he no longer intended to play football. On Sept. 11, 2002, he made it official.
“I was 23, engaged to be married and trying to adjust to a new city, a new team, a new level of football and a new position,’’ Crouch, now 34, said last week via phone from the NFL’s Sports Journalism and Communication Boot Camp at Bowling Green State University. “And then there were the injuries that kept me from performing at the level I was used to. Everything seemed to be stacked against me.’’
Crouch continued: “Looking back now, I should’ve used my rookie year as a learning experience. I was in an ideal situation for a young receiver, working with Mike Martz alongside guys like Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt and Ricky Proehl.
“But I was never passionate about being a receiver.’’
‘I misled’ Mike Martz
Crouch made his name as an option quarterback at Nebraska.
After starting one game as a redshirt freshman, he took over three games into the next season and went on to a brilliant career that included 3,434 yards and 59 touchdowns on the ground and 4,481 yards and 29 touchdowns through the air.
“I guess I was born too early,’’ Crouch kidded. “With all the talk about the read-option these days, I’d be the perfect fit for a lot of NFL teams.’’
But that was not the case in 2002. In fact, even Jim Steiner, Crouch’s agent, tried to convince him that shifting to receiver was his ticket to the NFL.
“I remember him telling me to get my foot in the door (by playing receiver) and to see how things went from there.’’ Crouch said.
So Crouch went along, saying all the right things in his pre-draft meetings with NFL teams. But he never gave up on his dream of playing quarterback.
“There’s no other position in sports like it,’’ he said. “I like calling the plays, I like having my teammates look to me in the huddle to find out what we’re going to do next and I love the pressure that goes along with that.
“I tried to convince myself that I could become a receiver, but playing quarterback has always been my passion. I misled Mike Martz and the rest of the NFL, and that’s something I regret.’’
A couple of years ago, when Martz was with the 49ers, Crouch tried to reach out to his former coach to apologize.
“I left a voicemail and never heard back,’’ Crouch said. “I don’t even know if the message got to him and I don’t blame him if he decided not to respond. Coach Martz believed in me and I let him down. I made him and the Rams look bad and that was not my intention at all.’’
Post-Dispatch football writer Jim Thomas recently compiled a list of the best and worst 50 draft picks in Rams history. Crouch ended up No. 4 on the worst list behind running back Lawrence Phillips and offensive linemen Jason Smith and Jesse James.
Other top-50 notables from the Rams’ 2002 draft class were offensive lineman Travis Scott at No. 6, linebacker Robert Thomas at No. 14, quarterback-turned-safety Steve Bellisari at No. 22 and running back Lamar Gordon at No. 28.
Crouch, who never played a down in the NFL, tried to make it as a quarterback and safety with the Green Bay Packers in 2004 and was signed in 2005 by Kansas City. He played in five games as a defensive back in NFL Europe before the Chiefs released him.
Crouch spent 2006 and 2007 with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and was set to play with Team Texas of the All-American Football League when that league folded before its debut season in 2007.
As recently as 2011, Crouch was still pursuing his dream. Playing indoors with the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League, he hurt his knee in the fourth quarter of the season opener and decided to call it quits.
“As a pro, I could never stay healthy,’’ said Crouch, who had 11 football-related operations.
Life’s next chapter
Crouch lives in suburban Omaha with wife Nicole and a daughter, Lexie, 13, and a son, Carsen, 9. He helps run Crouch Recreation, a company that sells playground equipment, and is working toward a career in broadcasting.
That is what led him to the NFL Boot Camp in Ohio, where he and 22 other participants spent four days studying and working on their craft. The program included covering a Toledo Mud Hens baseball game.
“I’ve learned a lot, from the instructors and from the other guys in the program,’’ Crouch said. “It’s a chance to work on my writing skills and to also help me do a better job in forming opinions. I did about 12 games last year for Fox Sports and I’m hoping to expand on that. Like football, it’s a very competitive field and that’s why I’m thankful to the NFL for this chance to learn and hopefully improve. I’d like to try everything, from studio work to commentary to play-by-play.
“I love football, always have and always will, and I’m excited about the chance to stay connected with the game. I really feel like my life experience gives me a perspective that’s unique and hopefully that’s somethi
The NFL and NFL Players Association are on the verge of pushing back the draft to May and moving up the start of the league year to before the Indianapolis scouting combine, according to league and union sources.
The change of the draft to May would be effective in 2014, according to a source.
As for the draft, the NFLPA is close to signing off on allowing the NFL to move the draft to May from April for at least the next three years, according to sources. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can set the date of the draft without the NFLPA's approval, although he would prefer to have the union's blessing to maintain league harmony.
The start of the new league year is now expected to be moved to before the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis rather than after it, per league sources. The NFLPA wanted to give free agents a chance to find new teams sooner.
The new league year would start before the combine in 2015 and 2016, a source said.
The NFL originally proposed a league year that would have started later in the calendar year and the NFLPA rejected that idea, believing it to be unfair to its players.
This year's scouting combine took place from Feb. 20-26. The 2013 league year began on March 12.
NFL close to shifting draft to May -- sources - ESPN
Jimmy Haslam wanted to get something off his chest.
The newest member of the most powerful fraternity in sports, unanimously approved in October as Cleveland Browns owner, came to the NFL meetings Tuesday with the sticky predicament of a federal investigation hanging over his family-owned business.
When it became public in mid-April -- with FBI and IRS agents raiding the Knoxville-based headquarters of Pilot Flying J pursuing allegations of fraud, conspiracy and other misdeeds -- it hit the image-conscious NFL like a ton of bricks. So, with league owners gathered at an airport hotel, the CEO of Pilot Flying J felt obliged to offer some explanation to his new business partners. And as he stood before them, he apologized, too, for any damage done to the NFL brand.
"I know he feels a sense of embarrassment," New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. "He said they're going to do everything they can to get it under control and put it behind them, and that he felt bad for the attention that it brought to the Cleveland franchise and the NFL, and he was going to make it right."
Haslam addressed his fellow owners for about five minutes just before a lunch break, after business that included a vote to secure $200 million in G-4 financing for the Atlanta Falcons stadium project and approval for Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis' purchase of a small share of the team from a minority stakeholder.
It wasn't on the agenda. But Haslam, with the owners gathered for the first time since the raid, had asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell if he could speak to the group.
The floor was his.
"I thought it was important," Haslam told USA TODAY Sports after the meetings adjourned. "We're partners in the NFL. I wanted to address them face-to-face." By the accounts of three owners and another key team executive who shed light on Haslam's address, the Browns owner -- who similarly addressed a group of clients, including some alleged victims, at a trucking convention in Indianapolis last week -- scored major points in strengthening his NFL ties.
Perhaps most important, the executives contended, Haslam seemed sincere in maintaining that he wasn't personally involved in the scheme to allegedly short-change some companies that had purchased fuel in large volumes and had earned rebates from Haslam's travel centers.
Sounding genuine was crucial, given the little time Haslam has had to built trust within the fraternity.
"Personally, hearing Mr. Haslam explain his full situation, I was very touched by it," New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch said. "The complexity of the situation, I don't fully understand. But he was open. I admire him for taking a very proactive position."
To the NFL owners, behind the closed doors of a second-floor ballroom, Haslam outlined some of the internal measures he has undertaken with Pilot Flying J, which include an audit review and the hiring of a compliance officer. He also offered to speak additionally in private about his issues with any owners who wanted further explanation.
"He is the new kid in town in terms of NFL ownership," Tisch said. "And to sort of deal with an issue like this in the first quarter is impressive." No one in NFL ownership circles is probably more familiar with Haslam than Pittsburgh Steelers President Art Rooney II. Before purchasing the Browns for $1 billion, Haslam owned a minority stake in the Steelers for three years. Rooney saw Haslam's remarks on Tuesday as appropriate.
"He doesn't want to bring any embarrassment on to fellow owners," Rooney said.
During the vetting process to approve Haslam, which included an extensive background check by NFL Security, apparently no wrongdoing was uncovered. Officially, the NFL has said little about Haslam's situation with Pilot Flying J but maintained from the onset that he would not be asked to relinquish control of the Browns during the investigation.
Rooney said he "was shocked" upon learning of the case, which federal agents supported with a 120-page affidavit that primarily targets sales executives and staffers.
"I felt like it's nothing Jimmy would become involved in," Rooney said. "I feel like I know Jimmy.
"He's not someone who'd be breaking the law."
Although issues at Pilot Flying J are not linked to the NFL, Haslam's connection to both entities --and the NFL's widespread presence -- makes it an NFL problem, too. But Haslam, who said the company has "been very transparent throughout the process," has taken a crucial step.
"He handled himself in a very professional way and spoke about what the NFL and the Cleveland market means to him, how important it is that he make both parties proud," Kraft said. "They have a huge company. Maybe they didn't have all the controls that they wanted. He was very impressive in explaining that. I thought it was classy."
Speaking at the NFL’s spring meeting on Tuesday, the commissioner continued to float the idea of expanding the league’s regular season by two games, in hopes of capturing more revenue and broadening the sport’s footprint…even as he also talked up the NFL’s commitment to player wellness.
But here’s another number worth remembering: 240.
That’s how many concussions were disclosed by NFL players and teams last season, according to the @NFLConcussions Twitter feed. (The actual number of mild brain injuries among NFL players is undoubtedly higher.) And the balance of those concussions were in the second half of the season, as the accumulation of subconcussive hits to the head likely contributed to more total concussions.
Where the league’s improved
Goodell’s posturing shows the Janus-like nature of his role: As the head of a $9.5 billion business, he’s charged with seeking out growth opportunities for the league. And adding two more regular season games could boost NFL revenue by $500 million per year.
But as the de facto spokesperson of America’s most popular sport, Goodell has to continue espousing the NFL’s commitment to player safety, especially given the industry-shaking lawsuit beginning to move through the courts.
Give Goodell credit where it’s due, experts say. Concussions may always be an issue in a sport predicated on large men flying at each other at full speed. (Especially as football players continue to evolve, with athletic specimens like Haloti Ngata doling out hits that carry the force of a ton of bricks—literally.)
Yet after decades of denying a link between head and brain injuries, the NFL’s gotten much better at concussion safety in the past few years. Changing the kickoff rules. Encouraging officials to flag more illegal hits. Better observation and reporting.
There’s more to come, too. Starting this fall, the NFL will require players to wear knee and thigh pads to reduce knee-to-head injuries, and will station independent neurologists on the sidelines of games.
The league also recently announced a major new initiative with ramifications that go well beyond football—a $50 million-plus partnership with GE to improve imaging technology for concussions.
Where it needs to get better
But the NFL can still go further.
Here are three remaining problems—and possible solutions—with the league’s concussion care and player safety.
Problem #1: It’s unclear just how many brain injuries there actually are.
Across the past three seasons, the Oakland Raiders reported 32 player concussions, based on data collected by The Concussion Blog.
The Houston Texans have reported a total of three.
Is something wrong in Oakland? No, experts argue—there’s something right. The Raiders have been much more proactive about tracking and reporting brain injuries, and sitting players as their injuries are identified.
One challenge is that teams use different terms to describe the same injury; for example, PBS Frontline notes that a player can be listed as suffering from a generic “head” injury when he’s actually wrestling with a concussion.
According to Richard Ellenbogen, who chairs the NFL’s Head, Neck & Spine Committee, teams should be using consistent terminology, which will allow for better tracking.
And in theory, that should help with enforcement too–especially given some teams’ tendency to flout the protocol around benching players with brain injuries, in part by calling their injuries something that isn’t a “concussion.”
Problem #2: Scared for their jobs, players will hide symptoms and play through head injuries.
January’s Super Bowl provided high-profile evidence of why players don’t disclose their symptoms. San Francisco 49ers QB Alex Smith was enjoying the best season of his career—then lost his job to Colin Kaepernick in November after self-reporting a concussion. (Kaepernick subsequently dazzled as a starting quarterback, muting what could’ve been a controversial debate.) It’s the wrong kind of object lesson; several weeks later, quarterback Greg McElroy waited days to tell the New York Jets he was experiencing his own symptoms before getting benched.
Solution: Create protections for concussed players.
“This one is simple in my mind,” says Dustin Fink of The Concussion Blog. “If a player gets a concussion, make it a 10-day minimum injury, so [he] will miss at least a week; if a player received his concussion due to an illegal hit … then the offender should be suspended one week.”
Given the effect on teams’ rosters, Fink also thinks that the league should add new flexibility. “The NFL should have a concussion designation for the 53-man roster and impose four extra slots for concussed players that can be placed there and put back on the roster,” Fink told me. “The minimum stay [could be] two weeks—and any team found ‘gaming’ this rule will forfeit their 1st round draft pick.”
Problem #3: Concussions pile up across the season, as subconcussive blows begin to take their toll.
Solution: Don’t make the season longer—shorten it, if anything, and add more byes for rest.
Having already reviewed the problems of a longer season, let’s jump to this possible fix…which is destined to be unpopular.
Neither the league nor its players want to give back any revenue by sacrificing games, and most fans would suggest that reviving the NFL’s classic 14-game season feels like returning to a less exciting era for the sport.
However, the safety protections here would be manifold: Not just less in-game contact, but more time for players to heal during the season, too.
And if Goodell’s concerned about profits, keep in mind that a shorter regular season could actually set the NFL up for another round of playoff games–which carry huge margin for the league.
If Tyrann Mathieu can't stay clean, there's a very good chance the Arizona Cardinals will know.
NFL-com's Ian Rapoport reported on "NFL Total Access" that Mathieu -- who signed a four-year contract with the Cardinals on Thursday -- already has entered the NFL's drug-testing program and could be subject to up to 10 tests per month, according to a source close to the situation. Mathieu has welcomed all additional drug testing, agreeing to be tested once per week upon being drafted by the Cardinals. Because he's in the league's program, he'll have no choice.
Mathieu's agent, Pat Lawlor, told Rapoport that "both sides understood the issues we were dealing with."
Rapoport and Albert Breer reported earlier Thursday that Mathieu received a portion of his signing bonus up front, with the rest coming to him over the remaining three years -- granted he doesn't fail a drug test. Mathieu receives $265,000 initially, 35 percent of the normal slot for a 69th overall pick and less than any player has received up front in five years, according to Rapoport.
If Mathieu isn't on the Cardinals' 53-man roster for one game, he loses any remaining bonus money. Breer has a detailed breakdown of the contract particulars.
Mathieu's checkered past complicated the process, with the contract taking seven weeks to work out. The deal is not dissimilar to the rookie pacts signed by New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez and St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins, two players who -- like Mathieu -- came out of college with red flags flapping in the wind.
Tyrann Mathieu enters NFL in drug-testing program - NFL-com
The NFL's latest proposal in the battle against human growth hormone would include testing athletes immediately, according to a report by NFL-com.
The league and the players association have gone through plenty of wrangling to come up with a plan that works best for both sides. So far, nothing has been resolved.
Talks broke off recently after the NFL informed the union that it was no longer interested in doing a so-called population study to determine baselines for testing. The notification was included in a letter written by Adolpho Birch, NFL senior vice president of labor policy and government affairs.
The NFL submitted its plan to the union on April 24, NFL-com reports. The proposal included the elimination of game-day testing, which had been a stipulation by the NFL in previous talks. Instead, samples would be taken and tested, and the results would be stored until the World Anti-Doping Agency comes up with acceptable standard levels.
The union's stance has been to wait until the WADA comes up with the levels before allowing players to be tested.
"A population study that both parties agreed to a year ago would have resolved the issue of accuracy," union spokesman Geoge Atallah told NFL-com.
The NFLPA held a conference call with player representatives earlier this week to discuss the NFL's proposal. A union source told NFL-com the NFLPA is working on a counter-proposal that could be submitted to the league as early as next week.
NFL submits proposal to start testing for human growth hormone immediately - NFL - Sporting News
Until this week, the most newsworthy thing Kimberly Miale ever did was marry her Suffolk University Law School sweetheart, John Kelley. The two got hitched last August in Newport, R.I., and the wedding announcement made the New York Times.
Now? The 34-year-old attorney from Johnson, R.I., has left a lot of NFL agents crying foul, while wondering if she and her new business partner will revolutionize and dominate the league’s agent community.
Miale’s business partner, of course, is the real headline-grabber — famed rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z, whose entertainment company, Roc Nation, has gotten into the sports agency business this spring. His company, which also has a partnership with powerful sports agency CAA, lured Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano away from Scott Boras, gave Skylar Diggins a new Mercedes-Benz recently after she was taken third overall in the WNBA draft, and now has signed Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith after he dumped his agent earlier this month.
Jay-Z’s appeal as an agent is obvious — he has all the top connections in the entertainment world, and has amassed a fortune estimated at around $500 million.
“It’s the rock-star thing,” former NFL All-Pro Trevor Pryce told USA Today last week. “If you’re one of his guys, it affords you a lot of opportunity to do things off the field.”
But Jay-Z’s involvement in the NFL has many in the agent community up in arms. And that’s where Miale comes in.
Jay-Z hasn’t been certified as an agent by the NFL Players Association, and probably won’t be any time soon — certification requires studying the minutiae of the league’s collective bargaining agreement and passing a two-day test.
Jay-Z’s involvement has NFL agents crying foul - Sports - The Boston Globe
Notre Dame starting quarterback Everett Golson has been kicked out of school for academic reasons, but that doesn’t have him thinking about the 2014 NFL draft.
Instead, Golson says his goal is to be back at Notre Dame in 2014.
“I have been informed by the University of Notre Dame that due to my poor academic judgment that I have been suspended from the University for the 2013 Fall Term,” Golson said in a statement. “I want to thank the University of Notre Dame for the opportunity already granted and also the opportunity going forth to regain my eligibility in the winter of 2014.”
Golson is only two years out of high school, so he wouldn’t be eligible for this year’s supplemental draft even if he wanted to head to the NFL. It’s still possible that he could change his mind and enter the 2014 draft, but Golson has some work to do as a passer before he’d be considered a strong NFL prospect.
So Golson is wise to keep his focus on regaining his college eligibility. If he’s ever ready for the NFL, it won’t be until 2015, at the earliest.
Everett Golson focused on return to Notre Dame, not the NFL | ProFootballTalk
Ian Rapoport joined us off the top to discuss Hakeem Nicks missing New York Giants organized team activities last week due to personal reasons. He said Nicks is willing to play out the final year of his rookie deal and is waiting for the Giants to approach him about an extension.
Rapoport also said Richard Seymour could join the Falcons after June 1 when Atlanta opens up $4.5 million in cap space when Tyson Clabo comes off the books. Seymour's adopted son is committed to the University of Georgia for the 2013 season and Seymour would love to take in a few of his home games.
LaDainian Tomlinson and Brian Baldinger discussed whether the Miami Dolphins are ready to challenge the New England Patriots in 2013. LT said he does not think the Dolphins are quite there yet. He wants to see if Dion Jordan can add some pass rush opposite of Cameron Wake.
When discussing Brandon Weeden's fit in the Cleveland Browns' new offense, LT made sure to point out how bright a guy Rob Chudzinski is and that he is an outside-the-box thinker. Baldinger added he believes Weeden will win the starting job at QB for the Browns.
Tomlinson said it is time for Ndamukong Suh to step up and be a leader for the Detroit Lions. He said the fourth year is the time to take that step. Baldinger also believes he has learned from his past transgressions and how they have hurt his team.
When asked who they would start a team with, both Tomlinson and Baldinger said they would take Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton over Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks. Baldinger made the points that Newton is tougher to defend and also does not have the weapons like Wilson does.
Tomlinson said the fastest QB in the league is RG3.
Baldinger said the most-accurate QB in the league is Aaron Rodgers.
Tomlinson said Rodgers has the biggest arm in the NFL, saying it hurt his hands when he caught footballs from Rodgers.
Baldinger said he cannot separate Tom Brady and Peyton Manning when it comes to football IQ.
Steve Wyche and Eric Davis discussed whether the NFC West has tightened up this offseason. The guys said it may have a little bit, but the San Francisco 49ers and Seahawks are still on top. Wyche made the point the St. Louis Rams still have to replace Steven Jackson in order to catch up to those two teams.
Matt Forte joined us fresh off his USO tour in Germany. Forte said he is excited about having an offensive-minded head coach in Marc Trestman and getting more involved in the passing game. He said there are a lot more routes for the running back in this system and will spend some time split out at wide receiver.
Tomlinson called Matt Forte the engine to the Bears offense but Cutler is the guy behind the wheel. Baldinger believes Forte could be a huge beneficiary of Trestman's new offense.
Be sure to tune into "NFL Total Access" on Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on NFL Network.
'NFL Total Access' recap : Will Dolphins challenge Patriots? - NFL-com
After much speculation that the NFL might move the date of its annual draft, the league announced officially that the 2014 NFL Draft will be held May 8-10.
The 2013 NFL Draft was held in late April at New York City's Radio City Music Hall. The draft had become a late April tradition, but that will change in 2014 due to a scheduling conflict with Radio City, according to the league.
"The decision was made after discussions with club personnel and key NFL business partners," the NFL said in a statement. "No decision has been made regarding the dates of the NFL Draft in 2015 and beyond. A variety of alternatives are being explored, teams were told, including holding the draft at Radio City or at other locations, either in the New York area or in other cities."
Other scouting and drafting related dates will not see a significant change, the NFL said. Regional scouting combines will begin in late January 2014 stretching through mid-February.
The National Scouting Combine will be held Feb. 18-25, 2014 in Indianapolis. The league's free agency period will begin March 11, 2014.
The delay in the draft will not impact practice days for the 2014 season, and changes in practice schedules are not expected in the years beyond.
"Clubs will have available to them the same number of practice days that they currently have and no changes in the off-season calendar are being considered that would reduce the number of practice days or the overall length of the off-season program," the NFL said. "At this time, changes are not anticipated in the off-season calendar for 2015 and beyond that would reduce the number of practice days or otherwise limit the off-season program." The NFL only explained the change in the draft date to May due to the scheduling conflict with the venue, but many have suggested the later draft period will allow for more games. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has discussed a potential desire to move the league's schedule from 16 games to 18 games, and possibly increase the number of playoff participants.
A later draft date could allow for an extended season and playoffs. Currently the Super Bowl is usually held the first Sunday in February.
If the season went two weeks longer, the Super Bowl would likely be held on President's Day Weekend, a three-day holiday weekend that would give many viewers the Monday after the Super Bowl a day off from work.
Delaying the season further into February would also give the NFL more games to broadcast during the February "sweeps" period, a prime position to sell games for television.
NFL Draft moves back a month | Comcast SportsNet Washington
Four years after he finished second in the NFL in receptions (107) to Wes Welker, former New York Giants wide receiver Steve Smith announced his retirement Wednesday. Known in fantasy football circles as "the other Steve Smith," the 2007 second-round draft pick never regained his pre-injury explosiveness and sharp cutting ability after undergoing microfracture knee surgery and a mosaicplasty procedure late in the 2010 season.
Smith bounced around the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the past two years, managing just 25 receptions for 255 yards.
No new injury led Smith to retire, a source who speaks to Smith told NFL-com's Ian Rapoport. Smith simply can't play at the level necessary anymore and realized it was best to walk away. Smith is at peace with the decision, per Rapoport.
"This was not an easy decision, but it's the right decision for me at this time," Smith said in a statement released by the Bucs, who signed the receiver in April. Although Smith was an excellent route runner with sure hands, Giants general manager Jerry Reese has been vindicated in allowing the receiver to walk as a free agent in 2011. Smith's production was artificially inflated by the Giants' system and Eli Manning's reliance on the slot receiver, as Victor Cruz's statistical dominance has proven the past two years.
Smith's stalled career is a reminder for NFL players to take the money while they still can. Smith lost out on what was reported to be a five-year, $35 million offer from the Giants months before suffering what ultimately was a career-ending knee injury. He walks away with one Super Bowl ring, one Pro Bowl bid, 245 receptions, 2,641 yards and 12 TDs over six NFL seasons.
Ex-N.Y. Giant Steve Smith retires after six NFL seasons - NFL-com
If Philip Rivers truly is entering his final audition with the San Diego Chargers, he has a booster in offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt. Playing behind a patchwork offensive line, Rivers has turned over the ball a whopping 47 times while taking 79 sacks in the past two seasons. Along the way, Rivers has been reduced from a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback to a franchise question mark.
An enthusiastic Whisenhunt told NFL-com's Ian Rapoport that he's confident Rivers can return to his Pro Bowl level. Laying blame for the high interception total on other factors, Whisenhunt said he loves the way Rivers processes and reads defenses. Of all the quarterbacks he has ever coached, Whisenhunt believes Rivers possesses the most impressive "it" factor as a leader.
Somewhat surprisingly, Whisenhunt also insists Rivers can make all of the throws, even comparing the quarterback's accuracy to that of Kurt Warner.
It's those last two points that Whisenhunt will have to help his quarterback prove anew in 2013. Rivers' arm strength has been questioned in each of the past two seasons, and his footwork has grown shoddy in response to the cumulative effect of incessant defensive pressure. Playing behind a patchwork offensive line, Rivers has turned over the ball a whopping 47 times while taking 79 sacks in the past two seasons. Along the way, Rivers has been reduced from a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback to a franchise question mark.
An enthusiastic Whisenhunt told NFL-com's Ian Rapoport that he's confident Rivers can return to his Pro Bowl level. Laying blame for the high interception total on other factors, Whisenhunt said he loves the way Rivers processes and reads defenses. Of all the quarterbacks he has ever coached, Whisenhunt believes Rivers possesses the most impressive "it" factor as a leader.
Somewhat surprisingly, Whisenhunt also insists Rivers can make all of the throws, even comparing the quarterback's accuracy to that of Kurt Warner.
It's those last two points that Whisenhunt will have to help his quarterback prove anew in 2013. Rivers' arm strength has been questioned in each of the past two seasons, and his footwork has grown shoddy in response to the cumulative effect of incessant defensive pressure.
Ken Whisenhunt: Philip Rivers still a Pro Bowl-level QB - NFL-com
Since the beginning of the 2013 league year, 10 teams have taken advantage of a rule that allows clubs to release players with a post-June 1 designation.
It's a valuable cap-saving tool; teams can spread out the salary-cap hits of a recently released player over the 2013 and 2014 seasons, instead of taking the cap hit all at once. The flip side? The salary remains on the books until June 1. Those 10 teams will receive new cap space on June 2. It also means they will carry "dead" cap money into 2014. The 10 teams are the Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Eleven players in total were released using the designation; the Miami Dolphins were the only team to release two players.
The Atlanta Falcons released offensive tackle Tyson Clabo with the post-June 1 designation and will receive $4.5 million in additional cap space. The team has been linked to Richard Seymour (who was cut by the Oakland Raiders using the designation) and will now have some breathing room to sign a veteran who is going to command more than the minimum.
The Carolina Panthers used the rule to release linebacker James Anderson. They'll receive $2.9 million in savings and will have $10 million in total cap space. The Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers (who cut Jared Gaither) both have minimal cap space available, so the added wiggle room will allow them to sign their draft picks.
For veteran free agents such as defensive ends John Abraham and Israel Idonije and offensive tackle Eric Winston, it might be their last chance before training camp to latch onto a team. If a team doesn't sign one of them, the veterans could be waiting until late-July or early-August to find a home.
Salary-cap relief coming for 10 NFL teams on June 2 - NFL-com
Oakland Raiders punter Chris Kluwe has drawn a lot of attention for his political activity, primarily his advocacy of gay marriage. Many people questioned whether that activism cost Kluwe his spot on the Minnesota Vikings roster this offseason. He was one of the league's best punters, averaging 44.4 yards over his eight years in Minnesota, yet the Vikings let him leave in free agency.
Kluwe, signed to a one-year contract by the Raiders last month, apparently was forced to decline an invitation to the White House this month because it clashed with a mandatory Raiders minicamp, CBSSports-com reported.
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Pride Reception is on June 13, and the Raiders' mandatory minicamp is June 11-13.
Kluwe himself tweeted out the bad news Thursday with a picture of a letter written to the White House. The free-spirited punter seemed to use his attendance at the Raiders' upcoming minicamp as an answer to critics who say his activism is a distraction to his football career:
Chris Kluwe picks Oakland Raiders over White House - NFL-com
Aaron Rodgers famously uttered the "Do we need to?" line on NFL Network last season when asked about the Green Bay Packers' ability to run the football.
This offseason, the 100-millionaire has come around a bit on the importance of a running game. "I just think it's better when we have balance for everybody," Rodgers said during a Q&A with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tyler Dunne, published Saturday. "It helps with the passing game. It slows down the rush. It gives us opportunities to have some more one-on-ones outside." Rodgers admitted the running game's lack of consistency allowed teams to sit back in coverage, making his job more difficult. Rodgers said this season -- specifically pointing out the new additions, Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin, from the 2013 NFL Draft -- he expects to get a whole lot more out of the offense.
"We have three of the best (wide receivers) in the league as a combination with Jordy (Nelson), James (Jones) and Randall (Cobb)," Rodgers said. "I'm really excited about those guys, and then we've got some guys behind them who have a chance to make the team and contribute. I like our offense and I like what we can do in the passing game. And now, I think we can complement it with a more consistent running game with two stud backs we got in the draft and a former used car salesman (DuJuan Harris)." "I don't think so. No, there's still, there's going to be critics out there all the time. And now, it's probably going to be related contract-wise because of the new deal, and that's fine. A lot of those things I can't control, and I learned as a young player to not try to worry about those things you can't control and to focus on the things you can -- and that's your preparation, your mental focus, your mental toughness and the way you're playing on the field. So that's what I focus on. The other stuff is stuff that's there that you learn to deal with. Some of it's comical. Some of it's silly at times. And the rest is stuff you can't worry about."
"Well, I think irony is the better word. Vindication, I'm not looking for vindication. I'm looking to be the best player that I can be. Every time the draft comes on, they show my mug on there and talk about the wait that I had and guys who have had similar waits over the years as well."
"For sure. Bart (Starr) has two Super Bowl rings. Brett (Favre) has one. And I have one. I'd like, when I'm done, to have the most rings. I don't know if it's possible to get as many championships as Bart has, but maybe I can equal him in rings."
Aaron Rodgers wants more from Packers' run game - NFL-com
So the team, the public agency in charge of the stadium and the architects designing it literally saw the light. The yet-to-be-named multipurpose facility will have a translucent roof and moveable front windows. Bryan Trubey, the lead architect for the project for the Dallas-based HKS Sports and Entertainment Group, presented images to a crowd of fans, public officials and members of the Vikings organization Monday night. The event took place at the Guthrie Theater, a few blocks from where the stadium will be built in downtown Minneapolis.
It will replace the 31-year-old Metrodome, which the Vikings will vacate after the 2013 season. They'll play outside at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium for two years while the new venue is under construction.
In 2016, the Vikings will move back indoors. From the look of the new 65,000-seat building, though, they'll feel a little like they're playing in the elements, albeit with a controlled climate and protection from the rain, wind and snow.
"It's a beautiful building," center John Sullivan said after the unveiling.
The steeply pitched roof will let natural light stream in, making the covered, glass-centric stadium seem more like it's outside. Trubey said the covering will be the world's largest transparent roof.
"Clear is the new retractable," he said.
Like the aquatics center in Beijing built for the 2008 Summer Olympics, the southern half of the stadium's roof will be built with a material known as ETFE, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene. The solar power generated from the sun that streams in will help make the building more energy-efficient.
The slope of the roof will also allow for easier snow removal. The Metrodome's Teflon roof infamously collapsed during a storm in December 2010, forcing the Vikings to play their last two home games that season elsewhere.
The Vikings have also focused on creating a fan experience that can't be replicated elsewhere, from special lounges for following fantasy football results to intimate sightlines to the sidelines. Two giant scoreboards will measure more than 50 feet by 120 feet each.
Dozens of purple-jersey-clad fans snatched up the limited amount of free tickets available to the public, singing a couple of bars of the team fight song, "Skol Vikings," before the program began.
They cheered the handful of key officials who helped shepherd the project to approval through the tricky channels of state and city politics. One of the luminaries who appeared on stage to tout the design was former Vikings head coach Bud Grant, who took the team to four Super Bowls.
"I've always been an advocate of outdoor football," Grant said. "Not anymore." The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority unanimously approved the design, forwarding it on to the city of Minneapolis for review. Minnesota lawmakers hoped they could pay for the stadium without new taxes, relying instead on electronic gambling devices in bars and restaurants to cover $348 million in state debt.
But establishments and their patrons have been slow to embrace the new games, and the money has been barely trickling in. The law gave state officials the power to launch a new scratch-off lottery game and impose suite taxes to cover any gaps, but there has been no indication they will.
Instead, Gov. Mark Dayton and top legislators are working over various options, including a new sports memorabilia tax, to make up the difference. Bonds to pay for stadium construction are supposed to be sold in August, but the state might alter the process to keep costs down. They've insisted that construction will proceed as scheduled.
The Vikings and the NFL are on the hook for $477 million, including a $200 million loan from the league. The city of Minneapolis will contribute $150 million, through redirection of existing hospitality sales taxes.
"We're using public money, but at the same time it's going to benefit the public," Sullivan said. "In my mind, as a taxpaying resident of the state of Minnesota, that seems like a good way to spend our tax dollars."
Minnesota Vikings unveil images of new downtown stadium - NFL-com