Newsgroup: it.sport.americani
Titolo: infobeat folies

Se fossi un tifoso dei Raiders direi:
vabbè, oggi è martedì grasso, finiamola con queste cretinate
Sono curioso di conoscere l'analista di Al Davis (Hannibal Lecter, o giù
di lì).
4 anni di contratto a Gannon a 4 milioni annui (e Gannon ha 32
anni!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Ha lasciato andare Jeff George (contratto pesantuccio, me pare): Diego,
hai capito? Jeff George è libero!
ma, in compenso, come backup ha firmato il qb del futuro per i
Raiders......Wade Wilson!!!!!!! (40 primavere pure lui)
Ci manca solo un triennale a Steve De Berg....
Solidarietà ai tifosi dei predoni predati.....
Dalle leggi di Murphy:
Il primo mito del management è che esiste.
Saluti
Mauro
          News and Notes
                 Vikings trade Brad Johnson to Redskins
                 It's official: Reggie White retires from football
                 Raiders going with Gannon at QB; George gone
                 Rams sign free agent quarterback Green
                 Spielman close to joining Browns, according to reports
                 Utley takes a few giant steps
                 Former Panthers quarterback has drunk-driving case
postponed
                 Father of Jets' Testaverde dead at 66
                 Titans sign free agent defensive end Mike Jones
                                                  Return to Top
          Vikings trade Brad Johnson to Redskins
          (AP) - Quarterback Brad Johnson's career with the Minnesota
          Vikings ended Monday when they traded him to the Washington
          Redskins for a package of draft picks. Officially choosing
          Randall Cunningham as the leader of their high-powered
offense,
          the Vikings sent their one-time starter to the Redskins for
          first- and third-round draft picks this year and a
second-round
          pick in 2000. "We got a lot of valuable coupons today, and how
we
          redeem those coupons will tell the story," Vikings general
          manager Tim Connolly said. Johnson's agent, Phil Williams,
said
          his client had mixed feelings about the move. "It's always
          bittersweet when you've had such a good situation," Williams
          said. "He's loved Minnesota, but when things happen the way
they
          did he realized that the situation pretty much was going to
          predicate him leaving." Johnson will take a physical Tuesday
to
          complete the deal.
          Washington made the deal after their starting quarterback,
Trent
          Green, signed with St. Louis as a free agent Monday. The
Redskins
          will give up the second of their two first-round picks, 11th
          overall. "We made a decision not to re-sign Trent because we
were
          going to trade for Brad Johnson," said Charley Casserly,
          Washington's general manager. The Vikings had talked with at
          least six teams about a possible trade. They had been
negotiating
          with the Redskins for nearly a month and said the third-round
          pick this year was an important part of the deal. The Vikings
          gave up their 1999 third-rounder last year in a trade for
          cornerback Jimmy Hitchcock. "We set the price and the
Washington
          Redskins met it," Connolly said. Johnson was an afterthought
when
          the Vikings took him in the ninth round of the 1992 draft out
of
          Florida State.
          *** For the full story, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558468919-333
                                          Return to Top | News and Notes
Index
          It's official: Reggie White retires from football
          (AP) - Reggie White made it official Monday. The Green Bay
          Packers said the All-Pro defensive end turned in his
retirement
          letter to general manager Ron Wolf at the team's corporate
          offices Monday. The 37-year-old White, the NFL's career sacks
          leader, had said last season would be his last. But there had
          been hints he might change his mind after the Packers hired
his
          longtime friend, Ray Rhodes, as new head coach, replacing Mike
          Holmgren. White wound up making 16 sacks and earning Defensive
          Player of the Year honors in what was to be his last season,
and
          that raised speculation he might not be ready to retire. Then
          came reports during the weekend that a return by White would
          cause trouble for the Packers in staying within the NFL salary
          cap. The Packers said it's all settled now. "He's officially
          retired. It's over. I think he's had it," Packers spokesman
Lee
          Remmel said.
          *** For Reggie White's career stats, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558466439-4f8
                                          Return to Top | News and Notes
Index
          Raiders going with Gannon at QB; George gone
          (AP) - Quarterback Rich Gannon is getting his chance as a
          full-time starter and the Oakland Raiders are giving it to
him.
          The 11-year backup and spot starter was signed Monday by the
          Raiders, reportedly to a four-year, $16 million contract in a
          free-agent deal that also signaled the end of Jeff George's
          two-season stay in Oakland. "It's been an uphill battle for me
          but it's made me a better football player," Gannon said. "This
is
          the first time I've entered the season as a starter, but my
          approach isn't going to change at all. I always prepared each
          week so I really don't think it's going to make that much
          difference." The Raiders also announced the re-signing of
backup
          quarterback Wade Wilson and the signing of receiver Chris T.
          Jones, who had 70 catches for 859 yards for Philadelphia in
1996
          before hurting his knee. He played four games in 1997 and none
          last season.
          Raiders coach Jon Gruden announced the signings but declined
to
          go into detail about the team's decision to go with Gannon
over
          George. "I'm not going to compare two players," Gruden said.
          "This is all about Rich Gannon. He can make all the throws. He
          can throw the ball deep, short, intermediate. He can scramble.
He
          has great knowledge of the AFC West. He has been a big part of
          Kansas City's solid offensive play the last few years and he's
a
          great leader." The Raiders let George go over the weekend,
          declining to pay a $5 million option, a move that voided the
          final three years of his contract and made him a free agent.
          George had hoped to stay with the Raiders and offered to
          renegotiate his contract but Gruden called him Saturday and
told
          him the team was going in a different direction. George was
said
          to be surprised, even devastated by the news.
          *** For the full story, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558465961-8fd
                                          Return to Top | News and Notes
Index
          Rams sign free agent quarterback Green
          (AP) - The St. Louis Rams signed free agent quarterback Trent
          Green to a four-year, $16.5 million contract Monday, spelling
the
          end of the Tony Banks era. Coach Dick Vermeil made it clear at
a
          news conference that Green was being brought in as the
starter.
          The Rams have made a qualifying offer to Banks, a restricted
free
          agent, and likely will sign him and trade him. After the
season,
          Vermeil said he wanted another quarterback to compete with
Banks,
          the starter the last 3 1/2 seasons. He was forced to change
his
          mind once he surveyed the potential backup candidates and the
          likely cost. The Rams were attempting to notify Banks, who is
on
          a Caribbean cruise, and give him the news that it's all but a
          certainty that he won't be back next season. "I believe Tony
          Banks will be a starting quarterback and a very successful
          playoff quarterback," Vermeil said. "It just doesn't look like
          it'll end up being here."
          Vermeil said that Kurt Warner, the third-stringer last season
and
          one of the five players exposed for the Cleveland Browns'
          expansion draft, is the backup. The assurance that Green would
be
          handed the job closed the deal for the Rams, who won a bidding
          war to lure him away from the Washington Redskins. It also
helped
          that the Rams' offensive coordinator, Mike Martz, was the
          Redskins' quarterbacks coach the last two years. "I wanted to
          know where I stood and he made it very clear to me," Green
said.
          "If there were opportunities out there to be the starter and
not
          worry about competition, obviously that brings something to
the
          table." The Green signing came a day after the Rams signed
          offensive guard Adam Timmerman to a five-year, $18.7 million
          contract. Green, 29, started the 1998 season as an unheralded
          third-stringer for Washington, but ended up starting 14 games.
          *** For the full story, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558466048-d18
                                          Return to Top | News and Notes
Index
          Spielman close to joining Browns, according to reports
          (AP) - Chris Spielman could soon get his wish and become a
member
          of the expansion Cleveland Browns. A deal that would send the
          linebacker from the Buffalo Bills to the Browns is in the
works
          and will be announced soon, Columbus radio station WTVN and
          Cleveland radio station WJMI reported Monday night. There was
no
          word from the Browns. A message seeking comment was left for
team
          spokesman Alex Martins. Spielman, who hasn't played a down in
the
          NFL since 1997, had a workout and underwent a physical for the
          Browns on Friday at the team's headquarters in Berea. The
Browns
          were granted permission by Buffalo to bring him in. Spielman,
33,
          an Ohio high school star at Massillon who later starred at
Ohio
          State, missed half the '97 season with a neck injury that
          required surgery to fuse two vertebrae.
          Spielman then chose to sit out this past year to help take
care
          of his two children while his wife, Stefanie, was treated for
          breast cancer. Browns coach Chris Palmer said Monday he was
          impressed with Spielman's workout but otherwise couldn't
comment
          on his chances of his playing for the Browns. Spielman could
not
          be reached for comment Monday night. Last week, he said he
would
          welcome a chance to join the Browns. "If Cleveland's the
place,
          that would be great. I'm an Ohio guy born and bred," Spielman
          said. He has started all 148 NFL games he's played and said he
          wants to remain a starter wherever he's playing.
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Index
          Utley takes a few giant steps
          (AP) - Mike Utley took the first few steps Monday on what he
          plans to be a long journey back from paralysis. With two
friends
          steadying him, the ex-NFL player grimaced as he slowly placed
one
          foot in front of the other and walked perhaps 10 feet. A
couple
          of times, Utley lost balance and had to be caught by retired
NFL
          center Bill Lewis and Detroit Lions linebacker Rob
Fredrickson.
          When it was over, the 6-foot-6 former offensive lineman was
          relieved, comparing the effort to NFL training camp. "Whew,"
he
          exclaimed. "I'd rather double day than do this. It's a good
          start. Is it the finish line? Not even close." The few steps
          Utley took were small and halting, but represent giant strides
          for this irrepressible man who has come to epitomize
          determination and courage in the face of grim odds. Until
Monday,
          Utley had only taken the steps in private.
          But he repeated the remarkable achievement in front of a small
          group of reporters and photographers to show that he has
          accomplished what doctors said he would never do. Seven years,
          three months ago, after one of the violent collisions so
common
          in the NFL, Utley lay motionless on the turf before a silent
          crowd at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich. The 315-pound
offensive
          lineman for the Lions was carried off the field. His sixth and
          seventh vertebrae were crushed. He was paralyzed, a
quadriplegic.
          Yet Utley refused to give up. He has skydived and scuba dived,
          gone skiing and taken kayak lessons. He drives a specially
          equipped van. He started a foundation aimed at finding a cure
for
          spinal cord injuries, and helping those who have been
stricken,
          mostly teen-agers or young adults. Utley has vowed to someday
          walk off the field from that precise spot where he was
injured.
          He isn't ready for that yet.
          *** For the full story, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558464029-f92
                                          Return to Top | News and Notes
Index
          Former Panthers quarterback has drunk-driving case postponed
          (AP) - A postponement was granted Monday in the
drunken-driving
          case of former Carolina Panthers quarterback Kerry Collins.
          Collins was scheduled to appear in Mecklenburg County District
          Court in Charlotte, N.C., Monday morning, but Judge Fritz Y.
          Mercer Jr. granted a continuance. No reason was given and no
new
          court date was immediately set. His arrest came about nine
hours
          after his new team, the New Orleans Saints, lost to the
Panthers.
          Collins was the target of repeated taunts from fans throughout
          the game. Collins, the Panthers' first-ever draft pick in
1995,
          was cut last October after reportedly saying his heart was no
          longer into being Carolina's quarterback. New Orleans picked
him
          up after his release by Carolina, but the Saints said last
week
          that they were not interested in re-signing the free agent.
                                          Return to Top | News and Notes
Index
          Father of Jets' Testaverde dead at 66
          (AP) - Al Testaverde, the father of New York Jets quarterback
          Vinny Testaverde and his biggest booster, died of a heart
attack
          while vacationing in Florida. He was 66. Al Testaverde, who
lived
          on Long Island, died Sunday in Fort Lauderdale while with his
          wife, Josie. Testaverde had not seen his son play in person
since
          he had a heart attack at Tampa Bay in 1987, the year Vinny was
a
          rookie for the Buccaneers. But Testaverde watched all of his
          son's games on tape, and had even said he would go to the
Super
          Bowl last season if the Jets made it. The Jets came close
behind
          the All-Pro play of Testaverde, but lost to Denver 23-10 in
the
          AFC championship game. The younger Testaverde won the 1986
          Heisman Trophy while at Miami and dedicated the award to his
          father. In fact, the license plate on Al Testaverde's car read
          "HEISMAN86."
                                          Return to Top | News and Notes
Index
          Titans sign free agent defensive end Mike Jones
          (AP) - The Tennessee Titans on Monday signed former St. Louis
          Rams defensive end Mike Jones, adding depth to the defensive
          line. An eight-year veteran, Jones started 15 games and
totaled a
          career-high 47 tackles with the Rams last year. He also had 2
1/2
          sacks, 21 quarterback pressures and two fumble recoveries.
"Mike
          brings a great deal of experience and talent to the defensive
          line for our team," Titans general manager Floyd Reese said.
          Jones, drafted out of North Carolina State by the Cardinals in
          1991, also spent four years in New England.
                                          Return to Top | News and Notes
Index
          Transactions
          GREEN BAY PACKERS-Announced the retirement of DE Reggie White.
          INDIANAPOLIS COLTS-Named Todd Grantham defensive line coach.
          Agreed to terms with DB Chad Cota.
          MINNESOTA VIKINGS-Traded QB Brad Johnson to the Washington
          Redskins for 1999 first- and third-round draft picks and 2000
          second-round pick.
          OAKLAND RAIDERS-Signed QB Rich Gannon to a four-year contract.
          Re-signed QB Wade Wilson. Signed WR Chris T. Jones.
          ST. LOUIS RAMS-Signed QB Trent Green to a four-year contract.
          TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS-Signed CB Ronald Bailey.
          TENNESSEE TITANS-Signed DE Mike Jones.

hai capito? Jeff George è libero!
Aspe'! Offro per conto dei Chargers la bella cifra di... uhm, vediamo
il portafoglio... 37.400 lire! Non basta, eh? Forse potrei provare a
giocare al Superenalotto, perche' se aspetto la dirigenza di San Diego
mi sorbisco Leaf e Whelihan per altri cinque anni... :-(((((
Saluti.
Diego
(Please remove NOSPAM to reply)

Povero Junior Seau, lui si fà in 4, è sempre in campo anche rotto, mentre
l'attacco...
Seau Defensive Player of the year !
Ringo