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Sports Outside the Beltway

John Madden retires after 30 years in booth

He was a Hall of Fame coach with the Oakland Raiders before that. From ESPN-

John Madden, a fixture in NFL broadcast booths for 30 years, has decided to retire, he announced Thursday in a statement released by NBC Sports.

Madden, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and former Super bowl-winning coach of the Oakland Raiders, has been a game analyst and TV personality since walking away from coaching in 1979.

“It’s time. I’m 73 years old. My 50th wedding anniversary is this fall,” Madden said. “I have two great sons and their families and my five grandchildren are at an age now when they know when I’m home and, more importantly, when I’m not.”

“It’s been such a great ride,” he added. The NFL has been my life for more than 40 years, it has been my passion – it still is. … it’s still fun and that’s what it makes it hard and that’s why it took me a few months to make a decision.

Madden played college ball at Cal Poly and had a brief career as a player with the Philadelphia Eagles. Before being hired by the Raiders as a defensive assistant, Madden was a assistant coach on the college level with Buffalo State and San Diego State(Under Dan Coryel). Sadly Al Davis the owner of the Oakland Raiders hasn’t been able to make a similarly brilliant head coaching choice of late as to when he promoted Madden to the job in 1969.

Enjoy your retirement coach.

 

QB Jeff Garcia signs with Oakland Raiders

One of the NFL’s worst teams was looking for insurance at Quarterback. From ESPN-

The third time is charm for the Oakland Raiders and Jeff Garcia as they agreed Monday on a one-year contract, the team confirmed.

Twice before during his football career, the Raiders talked to Garcia about joining them, dating back to his days coming out of college.

Garcia grew up in Gilroy, Calif., and went to college at San Jose State. Out of college, he signed with Calgary of the CFL. The Raiders also talked to him about joining them another time before he settled into a career with the San Francisco 49ers, a career that has featured Pro Bowls and trips to the playoffs.

The 39-year-old Garcia is expected to back up JaMarcus Russell, who is solidly entrenched as the starter.

The Raiders will be Garcia’s sixth team. He has also played with the 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

If not for his age, you might wager Garcia plays with a dozen or more NFL teams before his career is through.

 

Private search on for missing NFL players in Gulf of Mexico

This comes after the Coast Guard called off their search. From AP-

Family and friends refused to give up the search for two NFL players and a third man missing four days in the Gulf of Mexico, enlisting private boats and planes to comb the waters off the Florida coast.

The Coast Guard called off the official search Tuesday for Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, free-agent NFL defensive lineman Corey Smith, who played for the Detroit Lions last season, and former South Florida player William Bleakley. The friends have been missing since their boat overturned Saturday in rough seas.

Authorities were done, but about a dozen charter boats motored out Wednesday, some with friends of the families aboard, to try to locate some signs of the men, according to dock workers at John’s Pass near St. Petersburg. Three private planes also flew over the endless stretch of water, according to Cooper’s father.

“Everyone around here, they’ve either known someone or heard of someone who’s been lost out at sea,” said David Scott, who works at a marina at John’s Pass. “It’s just one of those situations. Everyone really comes together in times like these.”

A fourth man on the fishing trip, Bleakley’s former South Florida teammate, Nick Schuyler, was rescued Monday after a Coast Guard cutter crew found him clinging to the hull 35 miles off Clearwater. His doctor said it’s a “miracle” Schuyler survived in the 63-degree Gulf water for nearly two days.

It will be a miracle if the others are found alive. I understand the families don’t want to give up hope, but exposure and hypothermia(I live over 200 Miles to the southeast of where the boat capsized. Temperatures were in the 40′s just two days ago) have certainly taken the lives of all three of these men.

 

Two NFL players missing after boating trip

They left harbor Saturday morning. From AP-

Sports agent Ron Del Duca said his client, Detroit Lions defensive end Corey Smith, and Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper were two of the four boaters who were reported missing Sunday morning by the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard issued a statement saying the boaters were on a 21-foot vessel that left Clearwater Pass on Saturday morning for a fishing trip and did not return as expected. Crews used a helicopter and a 47-foot motor-life boat to search a 750-square mile area west of Clearwater Pass on Sunday.

Say a prayer so all four people are found.

 

NY Giants Pro Bowl linebacker Brad Van Pelt dies of heart attack at 57

I remember Van Pelt very well. That in spite of my being a Jet fan. Most of my family were Met and Giant fans who hate the Yankees but were at worst indifferent about the Jets. That’s how I felt and feel towards the Giants today and when Van Pelt played for them. RIP.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fire Coach Jon Gruden

The Bucs ended the 2008 season by losing their last four games. From AP-

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen on Friday after the team collapsed following a 9-3 start and failed to make the playoffs.

Gruden, who helped lead the Buccaneers to a victory over the Oakland Raiders in the 2003 Super Bowl, was Tampa Bay’s coach for seven years. Allen was general manager for the last five seasons.

“We will be forever grateful to Jon for bringing us the Super Bowl title, and we thank Bruce for his contributions to our franchise,” Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer said in a statement. “However after careful consideration, we feel that this decision is in the best interest of our organization moving forward.”

The Buccaneers were tied for first place in the NFC South heading into December, but finished with losses to Carolina and Atlanta on the road and San Diego and Oakland at home, where they had been 6-0. One more win would have landed a NFC wild-card berth.

The 9-7 record this season left Tampa out of the playoffs for the fourth time in six years.

Last year ended in disappointment but Tampa ought to be careful. Before Tony Dungy took over the head coaching duties in 1996, The Bucs had thirteen consecutive losing seasons. No Florida fan wants to see the franchise experience wilderness years like those a second time.

 

How about them 6-4 Miami Dolphins?

The fins beat the Oakland Raiders 17-15 this afternoon. That puts Miami at 6-4 for the 2008 season. Pretty incredible after the 1-15 debacle of last year.

I’m still a skeptic about the rest of the 08 season. Miami has won the last two weeks by a combined total of four points against two teams who are a combined 4-15. Both wins came at home too. What will happen when Miami plays a real team for a change.

New England comes to town next Sunday. Miami clobbered them 38-13 less than two months ago using what was called ‘the wildcat offense’. The Patriots will be prepared for the gimmick this time. Can Miami sweep New England for the first time in ages?

After New England, Miami has games left with 7-3 NY Jets, 5-4 Buffalo, and St. Louis, San Francisco and Kansas City who won’t bother looking up the records for, but I know are all doing poorly this season. Miami could go 12-4 but I doubt it. I’m betting 10-6 or 9-7. Miami loses to New England, loses a game to either Buffalo ro the Jets, and possibly gets upset by one of the three remaining bums.

A few random notes on the game

*- Miami stopped the Oakland running attack this year. Oakland gained 299 vs. Miami in 2007 but only 70 today.

*- Dolphins special teams continue to stink. Exhibit A- Johnnie Lee Higgins 93 yard punt return for a TD where he went virtually untouched.(Kicker Dan Carpenter may have nipped him slightly. Its touch to tell on the replies)

*- Ted Ginn may be coming into his own. He scored a touchdown on a 40-yard reverse play in the first quarter. Later in the game he made a key grab on a 4th and 5 play.

*- Jamarcus Russell looks to me as if he has the makings of an NFL QB. Too bad he plays for a terrible team.

*- The Miami running game was on today. Over 100 yards from Ronnie Brown, 222 yards total as a team.

 

NFL QB Daunte Culpepper announces his retirement

In the NFL since 1999, Culpepper last played for the Oakland Raiders. From AP-

Daunte Culpepper, unable to land a starting or backup job this offseason, announced his retirement at the age of 31.

Culpepper had one-year offers from the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason for backup jobs, but didn’t find those offers suitable. Though his surgically reconstructed knee was healthy and his arm still strong during visits to those teams, Culpepper decided to end his career.

“After taking a long look at my career and my personal convictions, I have decided to begin early retirement from the NFL effective immediately,” Culpepper said in an e-mail.

“Since the beginning of training camp, I was told my opportunity would come when a quarterback gets hurt. I cannot remember the last time so many quarterbacks have been injured during the preseason,” Culpepper said. ” I have been strongly encouraged from family, friends and league personnel to continue to be patient and wait for an inevitable injury to one of the starting quarterbacks in the league.

The 11th pick in the 1999 draft, Culpepper played nine seasons for three teams — the Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders. His best days were in Minnesota where he established himself as one of the league’s top quarterbacks.

During his career, Culpepper completed 1,867 of 2,927 passes for 22,422 yards and 142 touchdowns. His career quarterback rating was a lofty 89.9. His best season was in 2004 when he threw for 4,717 yards and 39 touchdowns for the Vikings.

But he blew out his knee the next season, and his career wasn’t the same afterwards.

That didn’t prevent the Miami Dolphins from throwing away a 2nd round pick on Culpepper, when Drew Brees was available also. We all know what happened after that deal. Culpepper played just four games in a Dolphin uniform before being benched. He was released in early 2007.

Culpepper was a rarity in the NFL in that he represented himself rather than hire a agent. Good luck in retirement Daunte.

 

Oakland Raiders agree to 1-year deal with WR Ashley Lelie

This in order to shore up perhaps the weakest wide receiver corps in the NFL. From AP-

The Oakland Raiders agreed to terms on a one-year contract with discarded receiver Ashley Lelie on Monday in hopes that the former first-round pick can regain his form and help bolster an inexperienced position group.

Before adding Lelie, they were extremely thin at receiver behind starters Javon Walker and Ronald Curry. With Drew Carter sidelined by a season-ending knee injury, Johnnie Lee Higgins was the only one of Oakland’s three backup receivers who had even played in an NFL game, catching six passes as a rookie.

The Oakland Raiders agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Lelie on Monday, Sept. 1, 2008 in the hopes that the former first-round pick can regain his form and help bolster an inexperienced position group.

*****

Lelie signed a two-year, $4.3 million deal with San Francisco last year, including a $2 million signing bonus, but he made little impact on his third NFL team. Lelie had just 10 receptions for 115 yards last season while struggling with injuries including a strained quadriceps, and the former first-round pick never emerged as the deep threat San Francisco needed.

Lelie then missed most of the 49ers’ training camp this season with a strained calf, watching from the sideline as Jason Hill and rookie Josh Morgan moved past him on the depth chart. Lelie played in the 49ers’ exhibition finale against San Diego on Friday night, but didn’t catch a pass in his only preseason action.

He was released on Saturday because of what 49ers coach Mike Nolan called a “durability issue.”

Lelie caught 54 passes for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns during his best NFL season with Denver in 2004, but hasn’t come close to replicating those numbers since then with the Broncos, the Atlanta Falcons or San Francisco. He has just 80 catches for 1,315 yards and two touchdowns the past three seasons.

Just proves to show former 1st round picks will be given 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and even more chances to establish themselves in the league. I’m wary about Lelie being of help to Oakland. The Miami Dolphins are at least one team weaker at WR than Oakland. Miami however has upside with Ted Ginn. Lelie is unlikely to putting up Ginn like numbers.

 

Gene Upshaw Dies of Pancreatic Cancer

Gene Upshaw, Hall of Fame offensive lineman and executive director of the NFLPA, has died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 63.

Upshaw played for the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1967 through 1981. He was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and an 11-time All-Pro, playing on two Super Bowl-winning teams with the Raiders. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987, but has been better known for the past 25 years as the executive director of the NFL Players Association.

From his involvement with the NFLPA as a player through his tenure as executive director, Upshaw took part in negotiations of the 1977, 1982 and 1993 Collective Bargaining Agreements between the NFL and NFLPA, and extensions of the CBA in 1998, 2002 and 2006.

Upshaw was born on Aug. 15, 1945, in Robstown, Texas, and played collegiately at Texas A&M. He was a first-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders in 1967 and became the starting left guard as a rookie. He quickly became part of one of the NFL’s most dominant offensive lines, lining up between fellow Hall of Famers Art Shell at tackle and Jim Otto at center. Upshaw became the first player who was exclusively a guard to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

It is no exaggeration to say that Upshaw had as much of an impact on the shape and success of the modern NFL as any owner or group of owners. His influence on the game and his advocacy for and on behalf of players (past and present) was a major factor in making football such a popular sport. R.I.P.

UPDATE (James Joyner): Truly a sad and unexpected loss. Driving in this morning, I heard the news on Sirius NFL Radio. They were stunned that Upshaw hadn’t told anyone but, as it turns out, he only learned of his illness this past weekend.

I started watching the NFL on a serious basis with the 1979 season, during which I also collected the Topps player cards. Here’s the front and back of Upshaw’s card from that year (via Milo’s Cards):

Topps Front Topps Back

I should note, too, that when I tuned into the middle of the Sirius discussion about how the upcoming labor talks would go without Upshaw, I presumed he had been fired. In recent months, there was a movement within the union seeking to replace Upshaw because he was perceived as too cozy with ownership. They’ll soon find out, to their chagrin, how good they had it.

 
 


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