You will also be a witness to musical theater history

I have to tell you that I was in awe when I saw the announcement of your collaborative effort for the Six Degrees of Marvin Hamlisch event, which is taking place on Monday, October 4th at Symphony Space.? You are co-producing this event with Lucie Arnaz, Murphy Cross, Bonnie Kole and Donna Murphy. How did this dream team come together?

It's been incredible. wholesale New era mlb hatsWhat a great cast. Angie Schworer, Rachelle Rak, George Dvorsky, Arthur Marks, Sally Freakin Struthers and the hottest ensemble imaginable and me! I'm honored to be on stage with them.. Gerry MacIntyre has out done himself and Ogunquit Playhouse does amazing work. Tony Stevens, Fosse's assistant choreographer on the original production came up last week and we were all thrilled. The late Barney Martin, the original Amos, was a friend and I bring him out there with me every night.

Hi Paul! I know you are currently in Ogunquit,Cheap New York Yankees Hats  Maine at the Ogunquit Playhouse doing Chicago. That must really be keeping you busy?

You will also be a witness to musical theater history as the original A Chorus Line stars Donna McKechnie, Kelly Bishop, Ron Dennis, Robert LuPone, Priscilla Lopez, Musical Director Don Pippin and Sammy Williams appear on stage in celebration of the show's 35th anniversary! ... and many more surprises! The evening is produced by Lucie Arnaz, wholesale New York Yankees HatsMurphy Cross, Bonnie Kole, Paul Kreppel and Donna Murphy. The Musical Director is Ron Abel and the event's co-directors are Murphy Cross & Paul Kreppel. The concert will also serve as a tribute to longtime Broadway musical director and keyboardist Fran Liebergall who is living with MS.

MTS Centre for the closing ceremonies

As runners flooded back into the MTS Centre for the closing ceremonies, Darcy Cantin stood near a stage dotted by pink feathers, fuschia sequins and the detritus of other wild     cheap Rockstar hatsand wacky costumes, and prepared to tell the returning crowd about how she faced her breast cancer diagnosis as the mother of two young children.

"I had to run as fast as I can," Kissack said, blinking back tears. "Cancer's one of those things where you want to do something physical. If I could, I would kick it in the head."

The 10-friend team was one of the most visible in the run, their backs sprouting wild blooms of skinny pink balloons.  wholesale Rockstar hatsWith this get-up, most decided to walk the course. But fitness-buff Kissack, driven by the memory of a friend who died of cancer last year, pounded the pavement.

Near the finish line, Coco Kissack and her six-month-old boxer-mix Gabee, the first dog to finish the race, waited for the rest of her teammates in Moving for Melons.

So long was the procession that by the time the last groups jogged out of the MTS Centre loading dock and onto Carlton Street,cheap POLO hats the fastest runners were already dashing back down to the arena's floor. Other front-runners stopped, turned on the street corner, and waited to cheer friends, teammates or strangers left behind.

The first, and loudest

Lewis HamiltonCheap New York Yankees Hats still sees the title chase possible for him despite having walked out of Singapore without any points last Sunday.

The thing is — the two skits aren’t all that similar at all, except for the size of the hats.

The first, and loudest, was from a SNL sketch called “Ladies Who Lunch” where Kristen Wiig is constantly one-upped by Amy Poehler’s continually shrinking hat size.  cheap Famous hatsThis was noticed by the creators of Cartoon Network’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show: Great Job!, who took to Twitter to note the similarities to their skit, “Tiny Hats”.

Here’s the story, such as it is: SNL‘s premiere had two skits that other sites have pointed to as having potentially ripped off other shows.

I’m not going to weigh in too much here on the Saturday Night Live wholesale Famous hats“joke-stealing controversy”, because honestly, there isn’t one.

A Twins spokesman said Gardenhire appeared to be OK

"We are pleased that the new shop will allow people to be correctly and uniquely fitted to their headwear this coming hunting season." 

Trevor Chapman, a director of Patey,

Wholesale Monster energy hats  said: "We are the only traditional hunt cap manufacturers to be approved by the Master of Foxhounds Association (MFHA). 

With the new shop, Patey will be expanding its range to include trilbies, panamas and tweed hats. 

As well as the equestrian range of hunt caps, bowlers,Cheap DC shoes hats  polo hats and toppers, Patey Hats make theatrical, military and silk top hats. 

The Red Sox signed Felipe Lopez, four days after the infielder was released by the Cardinals.

A Twins spokesman said Gardenhire appeared to be OK after being hit in the right ear, and that team doctors were monitoring his conditionWholesale DC shoes hats.

Arizona receiver David Roberts

Arizona receiver David Roberts is a performer -- in the recording studio on the field.

Stanford coach Cheap Monster energy hats  Jim Harbaugh says Nike money wasn't behind the Cardinal's decision to wear black uniforms, as far as he knows.

The Cardinal's injury policy? Don't ask, don't tell.

Stanford receiver Ryan Whalen has a dislocated left elbow.

OSU athletic director Bob De Carolis calls for the zipper plan when the Pac-10 realigns.

That bright, blue practice field at Oregon State?Wholesale Monster energy hats The Oregonian's Paul Buker has the story.

Former UO quarterback Dennis Dixon will go under the knife, could miss the remainder of the NFL season.

UO men's golf team places eighth at the Husky Invitational.

Masoli tells Bay Area sportswriter Jeff Faraudo, Cheap DC shoes hats "I'm not a thief, not a crook, not a thug," in a long, profile story.

Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News has the Ducks No. 1 in his conference power ratings; says he's waiting to see if they can put 60-plus on Arizona State.

Oregon's weekly football media release.

It's a great cause for businesses

It's a great cause for businesses and school children to support by having mini fund-raisers for the Veteran's Walk of Honor.

There are donation jars around the communityCheap Chicago White Sox Hats  and the funds are coming in showing the support this effort has rallied.

Freedom doesn't come free and we need reminders like the Veterans Walk of Honor.

America must stay strong and maintain a military force that can insure our safety from those who would threaten her. I hope those who visit this mini-park setting some day will agree America must remain a free country wholesale Chicago White Sox Hats .

When you think of all the things America has endured, what better way to say thanks and keep patriotism alive?

It's a $200,000 project all totaled, but they already have a good jump start of about $35,000 that has been donated discount Chicago White Sox Hatsand the money needed is still coming in.

Hat Festival begins

The price per person is ￡45 plus materials. For more details see www.highwayfarm.co.uk or call 01308 424 321.
Fiona will be running a one-day workshop at Highway Farm on November 13th, from 10am-4pm, where you can learn how to make cloche and stylish trilby-styleCheap NBA hats  Now Fiona works from a studio on the St Michael’s Trading Estate, but also works in Snook’s women’s section, selling hats which include some of her own designs.
“When the shops closed after they retired, I inherited the leftover stock and started my own millinery business.”
“Soon she had shops in Brackley, High Wycombe and Henley-on-Thames that were run by my mother Elaine and my aunt Sheila.
“My Irish grandmother Gladis Falloon started an independent dress and hat shop in Brackley North Oxfordshire, in the 1920sWholesale NBA hats I use materials such as fur and straw, and add felt or vintage haberdashery decorations which I make myself.
“Some are made bespoke to suit particular clients, but I am developing a range for general sale.
Fiona says: “Most of my hats are based on designs from the 1920s and 1930s, but with a modern twist in the use of materials and decoration.
Bradpole resident Fiona is also running a hat-making workshop at Highway Farm, West Road, Bridport, next month.
Fiona, whose handmade hats are sold in T Snook of Bridport, will be exhibiting her exclusively-designed hats in the Electric Palace as part of the hat festival.
l Local milliner Fiona Neylan will be displaying her own creations at this weekend’s Hat Festival – and if you fancy having a go at making hats yourself, she can show you how.
Make sure you pick up a copy of the festival programme, available from T Snook, West Street, and other outlets around Bridport.
The Festival Finale, with Jess Upton and Steve Wilson playing an alt country/folk set, takes place at The Stable from 4pm-6pm.
You can catch an acoustic set from Duotone at the Electric Palace from 1pm (more information in View 2) and Jim Reynolds at The George Hotel from 4pm.
The final day of the festival, Sunday, sees a workshop at the Arts Centre from 11am-1pm, followed by Argentine Tango Social Dancing from 1:30pm -3:30pm.
There are plenty of other events in the afternoon, culminating with a Cabaret Evening in the Arts Centre from 8pm and Madness tribute act One Step Behind in the Electric Palace; Scrumpy &?Western band Skimmity Hitchers play Ropemakers from 9pm.
There are a choice of workshops beings held at the Town Hall from 10am, Cheap F1 hats     vintage cars and cream teas on the Millennium Green all day, and trade stands and demonstrations in the Arts Centre and Electric Palace.
Saturday sees a whole host of hat-related activities. You can catch music street theatre and the magical Cat Man Do in Bucky Doo Square from 10am-3:30pm, whilst The Bull Hotel and Bridport Museum both host exhibitions from 10am-5pm.
The fun begins on Friday (September 17th) night with a concert by Hank Wangford &?The Lost Cowboys at Bridport Arts Centre (more information in View 2).

Ready for a restart

"The mentality is you've got to go full force," he says. "It's not first gear, it's sixth gear. You have to put in the time, put in the extra work. All the things that have gotten you to the point that you are at, you have to do that and more."

But with  Colt Brennan and Charlie Frye also battling for a roster spot, Boller knows he can't let up.

The Raiders jersey won both games.

Boller appeared in both of the Raiders' preseason games this August, going 12-of-21 for 148 yards and a touchdown against Dallas on Aug. 12 and 7-of-9 for 55 yards and a rushing score Saturday against Chicago.

"It was just an opportunity to be on the West Coast and be with a great organization that's headed in the right direction," he says.

Aside from working with Jackson, Boller says he was just excited for the new start.

"I have a history with Kyle, but Mr. (Al) Davis, when he was able to watch the tape, too, along with me, says, 'Hey, this guy can play.' And I know he can," says Jackson, now the Raiders' offensive coordinator, of a conversation with the team's owner. "He's come in and done a good job. Kyle is a tremendous competitor, likes to play and is a good young man, and I'm glad he's here with us."

In Oakland, Boller reunited with former Baltimore quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson, which he says was a factor in his decision to sign with the franchise.

After a lackluster year in St. Louis, where Boller started four games, he now finds himself in Oakland where he is currently third on the Raiders' depth chart behind projected starter Jason Campbell and Bruce Gradkowski.

On April 4, 2009, the Rams signed Boller to back up then-starter Marc Bulger.

The transition was underway.

Flacco found success in 2008, while Boller landed on injured reserve following a preseason shoulder injury.

"I don't know that Kyle ever had that guy to sit behind and learn from," says Billick, who coached Boller from 2003-2007. "I put Kyle into the fire a little early, but people forget, we went to the playoffs that year and won the division with him as the staring quarterback as a rookie. Maybe it would have been better to have a player to mentor him along the way."

In retrospect, Billick says it might have been better to give Boller a chance to learn behind a veteran, like Aaron Rodgers did with Brett Favre in Green Bay or even  Carson Palmer jersey did as a rookie behind Jon Kitna in Cincinnati.

Boller was in and out of the starting position in 2007, but in 2008, the Ravens drafted quarterback-of-the future Joe Flacco out of Delaware State.

Injuries stunted 2005, and in 2006, the Ravens brought in veteran Steve McNair to lead the offense.

The next season, Boller started all 16 games. Baltimore finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs.

With Boller out, Anthony Wright stepped in at quarterback.

The Ravens finished the regular season 10-6 in 2003, losing to the Tennessee Titans in the wild-card round.

"I've felt that when I get going in a rhythm an injury comes up, at least it has in the past," he says. "But I've been able to overcome that. And I've taken a lot of criticism from the media. I've felt like I've stayed strong and kept battling my butt off to be the player I know I can be."

Battling injures is a trend that Boller says has been his biggest obstacle.

As a rookie, the 1999 Hart grad started the first nine games of the season before suffering a knee injury in week 10 against the Rams.

"He was with a championship-caliber team from the get-go and the mentality was, 'Don't screw it up,'" Billick says of Boller. "That is a tough learning curve for a young quarterback."

Unlike Bradford's St. Louis Rams, however, Baltimore was ready to compete.

Former Ravens head coach and current NFL analyst Brian Billick points to 2010 No. 1 overall selection Sam Bradford, who signed a six-year, $78 million deal on July 30, $50 million of which is guaranteed.

How much?

Once again, the pressure was on.

When Boller was drafted 19th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, expectations were high for the team that had won the Super Bowl three years earlier.

The transition to the NFL wasn't an easy one.

"I've dealt with it ever since I was in high school," he says of the pressure. "When you're the guy, you just have to handle your business and be a professional. You are a role model, and do everything that the job entails being a quarterback - not only as a professional, but in high school and college as well."

As a senior with the Indians, he passed for 4,838 yards and 59 touchdowns, the second- and third-best marks in state history, respectively. He garnered player of the year awards and top-recruit recognition from multiple publications.

Pressure has never frightened Boller, who led the Hart Indians to a 12-2 record and CIF-Southern Section division title in 1998 before becoming a consistent starter at the University of California, Berkeley.

"Obviously I wish I've had a couple cheap Super Bowls jersey and stuff like that, but it's been good and I've learned a lot," he says of his seven years in the NFL. "I've met a lot of great people along the way, and I know that I have a lot of football left in me and that my career will end better than it started."

Now he is in training camp with the Oakland Raiders - his third team in three years - and is not only looking to silence his critics, he's looking to restart his career.

He's been battered and bruised by opponents and skeptics.

Hart High graduate Kyle Boller is used to being under the microscope.

The 49ers have had their share of solid preseason running backs

Westbrook was released by the Philadelphia Eagles in March, and, over the past couple of months, Washington was considered a likely landing spot. Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan made no secret that he coveted Westbrook, who would have given the team a solid option on third down. The team offered Westbrook a contract.

Westbrook's brother, Byron, is a Washington cornerback, and Brian Westbrook counts Redskins' quarterback Donovan McNabb among his good friends.

Without Westbrook in the fold, Redskins coaches will be paying close Nate Davis attention to both Ryan Torain and Keiland Williams during the next three preseason games to see who emerges as the best third-down option.

Free agent running back Brian Westbrook will not be joining the Washington Redskins. The San Francisco 49ers announced Monday evening that they have signed the former Philadelphia Eagle running back to a one-year contract.

The deal was first reported by the Sacramento Bee.

Is there really any doubt about this choice? Anthony Dixon was a monster out there for the 49ers. His longest rush was 23 yards and while he was stood up at times after short gains, he provided a decent amount of consistency, which is all you can ask for, particularly from a backup running back.

The 49ers have had their share of solid preseason running backs that are no longer with the team in large part because they struggled when it came to blocking. I honestly need to go back and review the tape as far as Dixon's pass protection is concerned. For those who paid particular attention to this facet of his game, could you give us your thoughts in the comments?

There were several players potentially worthy of this honor (and a prestigious one it is!). Safety Alex Smith had the big interception return for a TD that was a game-changer (even if it was after Manning left the game). LB Bruce Davis looked very solid netting 6 total tackles and a sack. Newly acquired defensive end Will Tukuafu  had a sack right off the bat, which was nice. And even though the first string defense had some issues, nose tackle Ricky Jean Francois look solid in his time on the field.

However, given the expectations of some fans, the performance of Michael Crabtree has to inspire some excitement and confidence in 49ers fans. Briggs has generally been impressive in the preseason but has not yet had the opportunity to make a big impact once the regular season starts. With Ahmad Brooks likely out for the very beginning of the regular season, Briggs might get a crack at some regular season playing time. And considering Manny Lawson may not be a member of the 49ers past 2010, it would be nice to see what the team really has in Briggs.

Michael Robinson: Considering Frank Gore  is the primary running back, that backup job only has so much value to it. And yet, Michael Robinson may have coughed up the job in a matter of seconds. That's not to say Anthony Dixon is a lock to now be the #2 running back. However, Robinson's performance combined with Anthony Dixon's performance certainly can't have Robinson feeling all that comfortable heading into week 2 of the preseason.

Alex Smith: I include Smith here in a similar fashion to including Carr in the good. Whereas Carr's numbers appear solid, Smith's were not even pedestrian. Smith was 3 of 9 for 37 yards and an interception. More importantly, you could see some of the rust that appears early in the preseason. The best example of that came when Smith and Vernon Davis apparently miscommunicated on one of their patented seam routes that would have been the biggest offensive play of the day. Personally I'm not yet concerned about that. There's a drastic difference between running that play in practice and running it in front of 70,000 fans in your first game of the season. That play will be there when the season gets going.

Jason Hill: I include him here solely for that ball that bounced right off his hands midway through the game. Dominique Zeigler was outperforming him in practice, and while Zeigler didn't outperform him yesterday, drops like that one will not help Hill.

A pass across the middle for Johnny Knox that safety Craig Steltz picked off to end a two-minute offense drill

We need to do a better job of covering kicks," coach Jim Schwartz said Sunday. "All you have to do is point to that Chicago game last year and how that game changed because of kick coverage."

After the game changed, so did the team. The Lions signed Vinny Ciurciu shortly afterward, and coordinator Stan Kwan was fired after a season in which his unit finished 25th in the league.

The Lions hired energetic special-teams coordinator Danny Crossman and added more special-teams aces.

"We've got some guys that have had some success around this league …," Crossman said. "Now it's a matter of trying to blend those guys with some other new guys from different systems."
Lions' Danny Crossman is working to improve special teams

When he was in his second year in the NFL, linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba Johnny Knox received a dubious honor. He made it into the "Madden" football video game, but he was one of the lowest-rated players in the game.

"I made it in the game," Ekejiuba said. "A couple people that were playing the league that year didn't make it into the game on our roster. It was bittersweet. A lot of people ask me about that. But it's 'Madden.' It's not real life."

It sure isn't. The demand for Ekejiuba's skill would attest to that. The Lions signed Johnny Knox the veteran last month as part of an ongoing effort to bolster the special-teams roster and improve a unit that ranked 25th among 32 teams last year.

Ciurciu and Zack Follett brought life to the struggling coverage units last season, and this year Ekejiuba and Dante Wesley have been acquired to further improve the special teams.

The Bears are banking on Jay Cutler taking better care of the football this season and if his recent run of activity in training camp is an indication, he's on his way to doing just that.

Yes, Cutler was intercepted Sunday night on his final throw, a pass across the middle for Johnny Knox that safety Craig Steltz picked off to end a two-minute offense drill. But it was the first pick Cutler has thrown in 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 drills since last Wednesday.

He was particularly sharp in the red zone again, using tight end Greg Olsen as his preferred target. Olsen caught five touchdown passes on 12 throws in 7-on-7 near the goalline.

"Our red-zone package is pretty impressive," Olsen said. "When we first installed it in OTA's, I think guys came away like, 'Wow, we're really put in good positions here to find gaps and get the ball.' The last couple days we have done red zone I think it has been pretty evident."

Bill Belichick Expecting Gary Guyton to Make Plenty of Noise in Crowded Linebacking Corps

Before training camp, we threw around the idea of shifting Gary Guyton to outside linebacker in a way to get the Patriots' most talented linebackers on the field at one time.
However, Guyton has done a sound job with Jerod Mayo on the inside, and Guyton got off to a blazing start at camp before suffering a knee injury during Sunday afternoon's practice.

Since Guyton has taken up residence on the inside, we figured it would be best to put the speculation to rest and just ask head coach Bill Belichick: Could Guyton play outside linebacker, or is he simply too valuable on the inside to move him?

"Gary is a pretty versatile player," Belichick said Wednesday. "I think he can do a lot of different things. He's smart. He's big. He's athletic and runs very well, so he's had a variety of roles for us on regular defense and our sub defenses. I wouldn't rule it out, but he's done well inside. He's made a lot of progress over the last two years.

"I think, this camp, he started at a higher level than he finished last year -- good offseason, more confidence, a better understanding of the defense and offensive play recognition, those kind of things," he added. "I think he's in pretty good shape where he is, but could he play out there? I think he would be competitive out there."

Clearly, Belichick had some high praise for Guyton, but it sounds like he'll Jerod Mayo remain on the inside of the 3-4 defense unless things (here's that speculation again) just go haywire on the outside. Or, of course, if Brandon Spikes or Tyrone McKenzie become too valuable to take off the field.

Originally, we suggested moving Guyton to the outside because the Patriots are loaded with talented inside linebackers, and they're a work in progress on the outside. For now, Belichick is giving rookie Jermaine Cunningham a lot of reps at outside linebacker, and it's probably going to take a few preseason games before we see where Cunningham really stands. After all, contact is somewhat limited at practice, and it's tough to judge an outside linebacker if they can't go full bore against the tight ends and tackles.

Guyton's speed is what truly makes him an intriguing option on the outside, so that was also brought to Belichick's attention.

Would it be fair to call Guyton the Patriots' fastest linebacker? Well, Belichick had another interesting answer.
"There are probably other linebackers that would not be willing to just concede that, so I don't know," Belichick said. "We've never put them out there in a race. I mean, he runs well. I think there are other guys at the linebacker position that also run well, and they probably feel like they're the fastest. I don't know. Speed can be measured in a lot of different ways, and for linebackers, there are not a lot of 40-yard dashes like there are for corners and receivers. A lot of it is probably more 20 yards, and a lot of it is five yards. And a lot of it is sideways, not forward. No doubt about it, Gary runs well. He's certainly one of the fastest linebackers on our team. I think we've got other guys that are in that same range. If he's faster, they're close. If they're faster than him, he's close."

Forte flashing old quickness

One of the welcome sights so far at training camp is of running back Matt Forte exploding through a hole.

''We're hoping and praying everything goes well,'' running backs coach Tim Spencer said Tuesday. ''But right now, he's pretty quick.''

After topping 1,200 rushing yards as a rookie, Forte managed just 929 last season, scoring only four total touchdowns. But Forte was slowed by injuries, didn't talk about them and endured them to play all 16 games.

''He tried to work through the injuries,'' Spencer said. ''We knew he wasn't 100 percent. I'm sure that's really frustrating.''

During the offseason, the Bears brought in veteran Chester Taylor, who topped 1,200 rushing yards in Minnesota during the 2006 season. Taylor and Matt Forte have been splitting reps in practices, and both have insisted they get along.

''What I say is, competition breeds success,'' Forte said. ''We're out there every day, doing our best to make each other better, for the team.''

His goal, he said, is to ''make something happen with [the ball], no matter how many times you get it.''

Spencer said it's a ''coach's dream'' to have two players like Matt Forte and Taylor.

''It's a good, healthy competition,'' he said. ''They both get along very well; that helps out, so there's no animosity between any of them. I'm liking it. I'm loving it.''

Because they're both so versatile, Spencer even hinted at something special: lining them up together in the backfield.

''We might even be able to get them in at the same time,'' Spencer said. ''You never know.''
Defense gets to Cutler

Jay Cutler is strictly off limits during practice, wearing a bright red jersey like all the quarterbacks.

But the defense seemed to annoy him on Tuesday.

Cutler had a solid day, completing seven passes in a row, including two to Johnny Knox and one to tight end Greg Olsen. But that was in seven-on-seven drills that don't include the defensive line.

When the defensive line was on the field, it got after him several times. At one point, defensive tackle Tommie Harris swatted the ball out of Cutler's hands as he ran by in front of him. Cutler picked up the ball and tossed it at Harris' feet.

Cutler made his share of plays, with his offensive line protecting him. But there was a stretch when Cutler would have been sacked on consecutive plays. Julius Peppers blew by Frank Omiyale on one play; then the entire defensive line collapsed the pocket, and Mark Anderson appeared to be in position to sack Cutler.

Cutler responded by chucking the ball toward the right sideline at the top of a large, white tent.

Asked if his quarterback was frustrated, coach Lovie Smith said, ''I don't know about frustrated. We have scholarship players on the other side of the ball, too. Jay's a good player. I'm really pleased with what he's done. But it's good competition.''

Peppers downplayed any frustration the quarterback should have. ''I don't know if we frustrated him because he's not getting hit, so he can't really feel it,'' Peppers said.
Iwuh injured

Brian Iwuh, a linebacker who signed as a free agent during the offseason, injured his knee during practice Tuesday. He was tended to by the training staff for several minutes before being carted off the field.

Smith confirmed Iwuh's injury, but he didn't provide an update.

''He's been active,'' Smith said of Iwuh, who showed potential as a special teamer. ''He's got instincts for a linebacker. He's not the biggest guy around, but he fits the mold of what we look for.''

Panthers add depth to backfield

Gruden has really studied the Panthers. He knows some of them well already, having played Carolina twice a season for years. He is catching up on the new players in preparation for Carolina's Aug.12 exhibition against Baltimore, which Gruden will work as color analyst for ESPN.

So he is a good guy to hear from on the Panthers.

"I just don't know about their defense," he said by phone. "I've got some real questions on that side of the ball."

Gruden said some positive things, too, especially about the running backs, and was adamant that the Panthers should keep coach John Fox. But before we get to Gruden in his entirety, let's survey a few others about the Panthers.

NFL.com's Steve Wyche? He had the Panthers 30th out of 32 teams in his July "power rankings," proclaiming: "There is bad karma in Carolina."

The preseason magazines? Most pick the Panthers to miss the playoffs and finish third out of four teams in the NFC South, behind New Orleans and Atlanta.

Peter King? Sports Illustrated's respected writer generally has been high on the Panthers. So has his employer. SI is the magazine that famously picked the Panthers to win the Super Bowl before the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Oops.

King swung through Panthers training camp last week and wasn't terribly impressed. He wrote Monday: "The Panthers rarely have a really down season, but I'm not sure that streak is going to continue (suffice to say I'm wavering on my May pick of Carolina for the playoffs)."

All this is understandable. The Panthers have bade goodbye to a number of veterans this Kenneth Moore offseason. In Las Vegas, the oddsmakers believe the Panthers likely will go 7-9 and have set their Super Bowl odds at about 40-1.

I'd wager that few outsiders have studied the Panthers more than Gruden, who can riff on the team's nickel cornerback situation or anything else with ease. Let's listen:

"I really compliment the way Carolina finished last season," Gruden said. "To beat the New York Giants and Minnesota with authority?! That was something.

"I don't know how they're going to replace Julius Peppers, Chris Harris and Damione Lewis, though, and the Thomas Davis injury really hurts them. They were always a handful on defense - Kris Jenkins, Mike Rucker, Peppers, Dan Morgan - just formidable.

"Now I question that defense some. But I think they still have two very good corners in Chris Gamble and Richard Marshall, and I like Captain Munnerlyn at the nickel. He's going to be a fine player."

"On offense," Gruden continued, "Panther fans may not realize how good they have it. I have never seen a one-two running back combination like DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. And I mean never. And Steve Smith is one of my three favorite players in all of football. I still have scars from all the times he burned me while I was coaching.

"Now who will be the No.2 and No.3 receivers? That's a big question. Dwayne Jarrett - is he ever going to come on? The time for him has to be now, if there is going to be a time. Muhsin Muhammad will be tough to replace - he was a tough, underrated player. As for Matt Moore, I don't underestimate him. He could be good."

Then Gruden got to Fox, his former coaching rival, and you could almost hear him bristling over the phone. The unspoken undercurrent: How could the Panthers possibly be thinking of letting this guy walk away when his contract expires at the end of 2010?

The Carolina Panthers have added depth to their banged-up backfield by signing running back Dantrell Savage.

The Panthers waived injured cornerback Marcus Walker on Monday to make room on the 80-man roster.

DeAngelo Williams and Josh Vaughan had been Carolina's only two healthy running backs. Jonathan Stewart hasn't been cleared to practice following offseason Achilles' tendon surgery, while Mike Goodson and Tyrell Sutton are sidelined with injuries suffered in training camp.

The undrafted Savage played mostly special teams in 13 games over two seasons with Kansas City, rushing just 25 times for 98 yards. He was released in March.

The first matchup belonged to Eddie Royal and Champ Bailey

It often seemed like the ratio of coaches and staff members to players was almost 1-to-1 during the four practices from Wednesday to Friday.

For rookie cornerback Perrish Cox, a fifth- round draft pick from Oklahoma State, that meant plenty of extra time with defensive backs coach Ed Donatell and special-teams coordinator Mike Priefer.

As the Broncos' full camp opens today at team headquarters, Cox will be competing for playing time at the nickel cornerback position, and coaches are hoping he also can contribute as a punt and kickoff returner.

"I'm competing for everything, wherever they need me," Cox said. "If I'm a big special-teams player, I'd be happy to do that.

"Returning, or I'll even be a deep snapper. Nah, just joking. But seriously, returning kicks is my thing, and I'd like to be able to help Eddie (Royal) out because I know he has to take a lot of snaps on offense (at wide receiver)."

Time for conditioning test.

The Broncos' conditioning test is pretty simple: three 300-yard runs. Players are divided by position, and each position must beat certain time standards for each run.

During 11 on 11 drills, the first unit defense had Ronald Fields in the middle of the defensive line, flanked by Ryan McBean and Justin Bannan. Elvis Dumervil, D.J. Williams, Mario Haggan and Robert Ayers lined up at linebacker, and Champ Bailey, Andre' Goodman, Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill made up the secondary.

On offense, Tyler Polumbus was at left tackle, with Zane Beadles at left guard, J.D. Walton at center, Chris Kuper at right guard and Ryan Harris a welcome sight back at right tackle. Kyle Orton was at quarterback and Daniel Graham was at tight end, with Kolby Smith at running back with Moreno and Buckhalter out of practice. The receivers switched in and out, but Eddie Royal, Brandon Lloyd and Jabar Gaffney got the most work. Marquez Branson also subbed in as a second tight end on several plays.

DRILLS

Throughout individual drills for tight ends, Daniel Graham reiterated why he's the leader of the pack. In one drill, the tight ends were supposed to lift a blocking sled in the air before pushing it forward. Graham pushed it so hard that at the end of his rep, the sled flipped upside down. After seeing that display, Branson took his turn, flipping the sled at the end before letting loose a "Woooo!"

The running backs practiced getting physical during their drills, attacking blocking dummies Knowshon Moreno to work on initiating contact.

Typically players run through drills the exact same way, one after the other, to make sure they get the technique just right. The defensive linemen ran a drill where the only goal was to get past the blocking dummy — no matter the technique. Each lineman used a move they've been successful with in the past, whether it was a swim move, spin or bull rush.

PLAYMAKERS

During wide receiver versus defensive back 1-on-1s, the first matchup belonged to Eddie Royal and Champ Bailey. Bailey tipped Orton's throw, which Royal nearly caught, but the pass fell incomplete. Later in the drill, the two faced off again. This time Royal cut his route in front of Bailey, hauling in the sharp pass from Orton. That drew a "Nice, Eddie Royal!" from the quarterback.

On the first play of 7-on-7s, Brian Dawkins tipped a pass and nearly hauled it in before it hit the ground. Immediately he dropped to the ground for 10 pushups, as he didn't snare the interception. Afterward he jumped up with a huge fist pump to the sky, drawing a reaction from the already amped-up crowd.

Toward the end of the final offense versus defense drill, Eric Decker ran deep down the sideline with Perrish Cox in tight coverage. As the ball came toward the receiver, Cox seemed to grab a little jersey to ensure the ball fell incomplete. On the adjacent field, special teams players and coaches signaled for a flag as the two jogged back toward the huddle.

QUICK HITS

The defensive backs sported a new look — personalized towels tucked in their waist. Two of the more notable towels belonged to Dawkins — inscribed with "Weapon X," of course — and Nate Jones, or as his towel says, "Nasty Nate."

To say fans were excited to see the team's newest first-round picks would be an understatement. Every catch Demaryius Thomas made and every throw Tebow made were met with raucus applause throughout practice. So when Tebow took off running during a couple offense versus defense drills, you can imagine the crowd lost it a little.

After a deep Tebow completion to a leaping Matthew Willis, the crowd gave a long ovation marked by the waving of a couple University of Florida flags. When the noise died down, however, a lone "Roll Tide!" echoed from an apparent Alabama fan in the end zone. It seems even as a Bronco his Florida fans — and rivals — will follow.

Early in practice, the three quarterbacks threw to four receivers — Gaffney, Lloyd, Royal and Brandon Knowshon Moreno Stokley — while the rest of the group worked on special teams drills.

Cowboys vice president of communications Rich Dalrymple

The pose was similar to Bennett's. Both players were taking a nude photo of themselves in a bathroom.

Wade Phillips had no comments about the photo, but Hamlin said the photo isn't of him.

"It's photoshopped," Hamlin said after Tuesday's afternoon practice. "If you look at my stomach (lifts shirt up) and the shirt on the photo, it's two different things. I don't know how these photos got up there, have no idea where it came from."

There's another photo of a Cowboys' player, former seventh-round pick Mike Mickens, who didn't make the active roster.

"We discussed this matter today with Martellus and will address it further on an internal basis," Cowboys vice president of communications Rich Dalrymple said.

Hamlin and Bennett are not the first athletes to have this happen. In February, San Antonio Spurs guard George Hill apologized for having nude pictures of him appear on the internet, and Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden apologized for the same thing in January.
New Dallas Cowboys jerseys left tackle Doug Free  says his fierce work ethic was forged working long days on his parents' Wisconsin dairy farm well before discovering sports in junior high.

The country-boy Cowboy loves hunting, fishing and knocking down defenders.

Free plays tackle with a pulling guard's ferocity. Consider last year's personal highlight when Free chugged 40 yards downfield from his right tackle spot to erase Philadelphia Eagles safety Macho Harris on Felix Jones' 49-yard touchdown dash.

It's somehow fitting then, that amid a training camp buzzing with Super Bowl expectations, a fellow Wisconsinite is being counted on to protect quarterback Tony Romo's blind side. Free hails from Manitowoc, Wis., Romo from Burlington.

At 6-6, 320, the fourth-year tackle is literally the biggest puzzle piece on a team studded with playmakers. Free played so well in last year's seven-game stint subbing for injured Marc Columbo at right tackle he convinced the Cowboys to release five-time Pro Bowl fixture Flozell Adams April 1

These kids today. They've got all the ability in the world but won't pay a veteran the respect he deserves.

It's not like I was asking him to get me lunch or wash my car or have my laptop checked for viruses. And I would never think of tying him down to a chair to give him an ugly haircut. Wouldn't be necessary. Sports writers' haircuts are ugly enough already.

While my little disagreement with the rookie was virtually ignored by the media, Bryant's dust-up with Williams made news, and not just in football-mad Dallas. In Tuesday's USA Today, it was the lead story in the sports section.

It's that time of year, a silly season when baseball - even another no-hitter - is nearly eclipsed by NFL camp news, including reports of Terrell Owens' job search.

It's not yet August, and I'm already bored by Owens, a condition that goes back to at least 2007. Except for T.O. and his agent, who wouldn't be?

Amazingly, though, Owens can still charm people who should know better. Following a meeting with Owens, and before Cincinnati reportedly agreed with him on a one-year contract, Bengals executive Mike Brown said, "I was taken by him. He was thoughtful (and) pleasant."

The Denver Broncos have an opening for a No. 1 receiver

Thomas — the Broncos' No. 1 draft pick this year and the receiver the team hopes will make Denver fans forget about Brandon Marshall — was a celebrity at the Federal Correctional Institution, a low-security women's prison in Tallahassee, Fla.

Inmates shouted out his name across the visitors room, and Thomas signed autographs.

But the thing Katina Smith kept focusing on was that ink on Thomas' arm.

"You got another tattoo!" she said.

Thomas pulled

both sleeves of his shirt up to reveal to his mother the full creation: The word "Family" on the inside of his right biceps and "First" on the inside of the left, joining about 10 other tattoos that cover his arms and chest.

"You've got to slow down with the tattoos," Smith said.

It had been nearly a year since the two had seen each other, since Demaryius was last able to make the nearly four-hour trip, take off his shoes to go through the metal detector and walk through a series of heavy metal doors to see his mother and his grandmother, Minnie Pearl Thomas. Both women have been housed here since 2000, when they were convicted of trafficking cocaine.

They have been incarcerated for half of his life.

"I know it has been hard for him. He's the one who holds everything inside," Smith said in an interview at the prison three days later. "But at the same time, it has given him the strength to go on and be better than the example I set for him."

Thomas has been here only five times, including the most recent visit July 9. He has seen his mother each time, but this latest visit marked the first time he had seen his grandmother in 11 years. He was just a boy, then. Now he is 6-foot-3 and 229 pounds, a grown man, nearly a millionaire and on the verge of NFL stardom.

The trio sat around the table for three hours, playing the card game Tonk and tic-tac-toe, talking about family and football, and the new life Demaryius is about to embark on, with Broncos training camp starting this week. They laughed loudly and deeply, and the women flashed their identical smiles. They couldn't remember seeing Demaryius so happy.

As they talked, Minnie Thomas kept leaning over to touch her grandson and to grab onto the Broncos jerseys shirt and blue Broncos football jerseys warm-up pants he wore. The NFL gear somehow made it all seem more real, a tangible sign that yes, Demaryius, the child they nicknamed Bay Bay when he was an infant, had turned out just fine.

"I'm happy to see them, but it's emotional," he said. "It has gotten a little easier because we talk a lot on the phone. But it was real hard when I was young. As I get older, it is different."

School first

Demaryius Thomas and his two younger half sisters were fast asleep on March 15, 1999, when police officers burst into their mother's house in Montrose, Ga.

The officers were shouting, Thomas remembered, ordering his mother and stepfather out of bed. Smith was panicked, but she asked the officers if she could at least get her children ready for school like normal before they took her to jail. She helped the children get dressed, fed them breakfast, packed their backpacks and went outside to wait with them for the bus.

"I hugged them and said, 'I'll see you when I get back,' and told them, 'I love you,' " Smith said, dropping her head. "But I never came back."

His grandmother was arrested the same day, and both women were charged in Brian Dawkins federal court with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.

"I held money on two, maybe three occasions," Smith said. "They said I was the bank, but I wasn't the bank."

Minnie Pearl Thomas sold drugs — marijuana — for the first time in 1986, and was arrested for the first time that same year. Despite her first trip to jail, Minnie Thomas was hooked on the rush of selling drugs and was becoming accustomed to the extra money it provided her family. It wasn't long before she was manufacturing and selling crack cocaine out of her home.

She was arrested again in 1991 but resumed her business after she was released at the conclusion of a 14-month sentence in a jail near Milledgeville, Ga.

"I mostly did it to make ends meet, to buy my kids what they wanted, so they could wear what the other kids were wearing, so I could keep my house nice on the inside," Minnie Thomas said.

Demaryius, who was born in December 1987, was Minnie's oldest grandchild, and old enough to know what was going on inside her house. He remembered seeing his grandmother making the crack and the stream of strangers coming and going, leaving behind their makeshift crack pipes.

"I knew my grandma was selling it and my mom was keeping some money," Thomas said. "I told my mother one time that they needed to stop because I had a dream that they got in trouble. I started crying like every night after then. And then it finally happened."

The Denver Broncos have an opening for a No. 1 receiver. It could be filled by first-round rookie Demaryius Thomas or speedy third-year player Eddie Royal. But right now, it sounds like nine-year veteran Jabar Gaffney, who had one of the best years of his career last season, will get the first crack at the role when the team opens training camp Aug. 1. "I'm looking at it the way I've always looked at it, going in like I was the No. 1," Gaffney said. "Just waiting for my opportunity to make more catches, have more impact, more chances to make more plays." Largely because he could play any at any wide receiver spot in the offense, Gaffney put up a career-high in receiving yards in 2009. He totaled 732 yards. He also recorded his second-most receptions in a season, 54. Gaffney's biggest attributes on the field have often been his instincts and knowledge. Bill Belichick, Gaffney's former head coach in New England, once described him as a "tactician."

Dallas Cowboys the road home could lead to the next Super Bowl

Since the end of last season, and even before that, Jerry Jones has constantly reminded his Cowboys that Super Bowl XLV will be played at their own stadium in February.

"Our owner lets us know the game is at Cowboys football jerseys Stadium and he would love his team to play in it," Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Ware said. "We are doing everything we can get to get there."

But long before the possibility of being the first host team ever in a Super Bowl, or even playing a 2010 regular season game, the defending NFC East champion Cowboys jerseys have quite a summer trip.

Training camp begins Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio. That begins a five-week stretch in which the Cowboys will travel more than 6,500 miles, practice in three different cities and play preseason games in four stadiums.

"We're America's team, everybody wants to see us," receiver Roy Williams said.

Dallas will be the first full squad to begin camp, but Cleveland rookies report Friday. Rookies for New England and San Diego report Sunday, and every NFL team will be in camp by Aug. 1.

For the third time in four years, 17 of the 32 teams Felix Jones will conduct training camp at home. Just nine years ago, only five of 31 teams stayed home for preseason workouts.

Super Bowl champion New Orleans opens camp at home July 29. But before the Saints won the title last year, the previous three Super Bowl winners — Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and the New York Giants — had all held camp away from home.

For the Cowboys, the climate-controlled Alamodome will be their base for two weeks before going to Canton, Ohio, to play in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. A few days at home and a preseason game at Cowboys Stadium follows that.

Then comes two weeks in Oxnard, Calif., a strech that includes a game at San Diego. They break their West Coast camp and head to Houston for a game before finally getting to settle in at their Valley Ranch facility to prepare for the home preseason finale and the start of the regular season.

"I've had some pretty strange years, but not moving like that," said 13-year veteran Keith Brooking, going into his second season with Dallas. "I played in the Tokyo Bowl, 16-hour flight or whatever it was two weeks into training camp and still having four preseason games to play. But never two weeks at camp, then moving."

"Nobody cares where we practice. People care about whether we win," linebacker Bradie James said.

Jones raised the Lombardi Trophy three times in a four-year stretch in the mid 1990s. But the five-time champions have gone 14 seasons without winning a title and didn't even win another playoff game until last January.

The 20-year owner could think of no better way to end the championship drought than by winning a Super Bowl at his $1.2 billion stadium that opened last season.

"They have the potential to get there," said NFL career rushing leader Emmitt Smith, the three-time Super Bowl champion with the Cowboys who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next month. "Hopefully those guys have taken this offseason and said next year should be our time."

With lofty expectations and their longest training camp in more than a decade ahead of them, it's good for the Cowboys there are few issues and little drama. Just plenty of motivation.

"I really do feel that we've got top talent on the team, but this same talent, the majority of it, saw us fall short last year," Jones said. "And that keeps anybody from getting too caught up in what this looks like. We've got a lot of work to do when we get to training camp."

Here are some of the top storylines for the Cowboys so far:

_ Doug Free gets the first chance to replace left tackle Flozell Adams, the expensive 35-year-old five-time Pro Bowler cut last spring. Free, going into his fourth season, started seven games at right tackle for injured Marc Colombo last year.

The Cowboys also acquired tackle Alex Barron, sending Bobby Carpenter to St. Louis in a trade of underachieving former first-round picks.

_ After receiver Miles Austin went from relative unknown to Pro Bowl player and Dez Bryant was drafted in the first round, Patrick Crayton asked for a trade and skipped most voluntary offseason workouts. But Crayton, who could still end up playing for somebody this season, showed up for the final week of workouts and the minicamp, working like he always had.

The show has featured pseudo-celebrities before like NFL player Gary Hogeboom and poker pro Jean-Robert Bellande, but Jimmy Johnson is in another league. He's won two Super Bowls and, if you're not a football fan, he now has a second career as a spokesperson for Extenz, the male enhancement pill that makes you bigger "down there."

On the bright side, maybe eating cow testicles or falling into a pit of mud Tony Romo during a challenge will replace his job as a penis-enlargement pitchman as the new most embarrassing moment of his career.

The biggest question is whether a successful football coach has a shot at winning Survivor. It seems unlikely that anyone would vote for him to win, and if anyone hates the Cowboys, voting him out could be a dream come true. On the other hand, bringing him to the end could be smart because of the fact that no one would probably vote for him.

The Dallas Cowboys NFL operation were second at $1.65bn (£1.1bn). The New York Yankees, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots, Real Madrid, New York Giants, Arsenal, New York Jets and Houston Texans completed the top 10.

United's lofty standing is in spite of the club's heavy load of debt, with Forbes factoring in endorsements, merchandise sales, sponsorship and television revenues when considering a company's value.

Lions also will hold an open practice at Ford Field

Adam: I'm stoked to see (first-round pick) Ndamukong Suh suit up but how are the contract negotiations going? I really have not heard too much on this.

Tom Kowalski: Generally speaking, these things have a way of lingering and Matthew Stafford then coming together very quickly. Despite the optimistic tone from both sides of the negotiating table, I still have some reservations of whether Suh will report on time. Some of that is how the rest of the first round is going and what those deals look like. Will Suh sign before No. 1 pick Sam Bradford? Gerald McCoy, who went at No. 3, has already said he won't sign before Bradford.

It'll probably be another week before things start to heat up and Calvin Johnso some of the other first-rounders start to get signed. Nobody wants to be among the first to sign - and then have a fellow agent come in with a better deal in a slot behind you. The pressure doesn't really build until about 24 hours before the first practice (it used to be the reporting deadline, but that went by the wayside a couple of years ago - missing a team meeting is one thing, missing a practice is another).

Eric R: What are the chances that (seventh-round pick) Tim Toone makes the roster over Derrick Williams?

Tom Kowalski: If it comes down to just those two, I'd have to give the strong edge to Williams because he's a higher draft choice, there's more investment in him and he's the superior athlete. However, that situation changes drastically if Toone shows some real spark in the return game. He doesn't appear to have great speed - he's more quick than fast - but a lot of that role is based on vision and fearlessness. Again, we'll have to wait until the preseason games to find out what he's really got.

Blarneylion: You mentioned in your article that Drew Stanton most likely won't be with the Lions football jerseys after this season. Are there any young quarterbacks on the team who could unseat him this year for the third spot?

We are thrilled to welcome our fans back to training camp this year," Lions president Tom Lewand said in a released statement. "Our fans provide outstanding support throughout the year, and training camp is another excellent opportunity for them to come out and watch this team gear up for a new season. As excited as they are to see us, we share that same enthusiasm, as they generate a great atmosphere throughout camp."

There is no charge for viewing practices. Gates open 30 minutes before each session.

Just like last year, the Lions also will hold an open practice at Ford Field at 4 p.m. Aug. 7. There is no charge for the practice, and doors open at 3 p.m. A 45-minute autograph session will take place before the practice.

Here is the full schedule of training-camp practices open to fans. All sessions are at the Allen Park headquarters, unless noted.

The Dallas Cowboys would seem to have all the pieces in place

The Cowboys  went 11-5 last season and finally won a playoff game, their first since 1996. They were 9-7 ATS and 10-6 to the 'under,' but with additional offensive firepower Dallas should improve on their 22.6 points per game average.

The Cowboys will need to if they hope to keep pace with the likes of the high scoring Saints and Vikings. Both of those teams averaged at least seven points per game more than the Cowboys did in '09.

The 'Boys were one of the better-balanced offensive teams in the NFL. They were second in total yards (399.4), sixth in passing (267.9) and seventh in rushing (131.4). Tony Romo was third in the league in passing yards (4,483), and had 27 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. While he had has best statistical season, there are more than just a few Cowboys fans who still don't view him as one of the elite QB's in the game.

Miles Austin became the big-play weapon in the Cowboys football jerseys arsenal with 81 receptions, 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns. He's also replaced Romo as the team's most publicized player thanks to his relationship with reality television star Kim Kardashian.

Roy Williams, who had 38 catches and seven touchdowns, along with Patrick Crayton who had 37 grabs give Dallas solid options. However Crayton could be traded to open up a spot for rookie Dez Bryant from Oklahoma State. Bryant's got game but he's also got character issues (think Moss and Owens).

Still, owner Jerry Jones loves the guy and what Jerry wants, he gets.

Dallas has the best TE in the game in Jason Witten. The former DeMarcus Ware Tennessee standout had 94 receptions last season for 1,030 yards and two touchdowns.

Marion Barber led the rushing attack with 932 yards and seven touchdowns. Felix Jones had a glossy 5.9 yards per carry while Tashard Choice averaged 5.1 per carry. All three backs are excellent receivers as well and combined for 60 receptions.

It's not just the academics - about a year ago, he spent 30 days in jail for a DUI. So, this is one of those guys where there is some off-field stuff as well. Teams will want to do their due diligence to make sure they're not taking too much of a chance. But he is a talented player - measures in at just a shade under 6-foot-2, 318 pounds at the recent private workout he had for clubs. 18 teams were present at the workout, and several sent their directors of player personnel. He has the size to hold up inside, but he doesn't have great strength - he only had 21 reps at the 225-pound bench press at his private workout, and that would have been the worst of any defensive tackle over 295 pounds that was invited to this year's scouting combine.

    But you see some athletic ability and some "want-to" on the field. He's a productive player - not a superstar, but a guy who makes you think he's coming around to being something special. He's moving up on a lot of charts, because he's an established player in the Big 10, and a lot of teams are starting to warm up to him. He's probably the safest of the four players.

I asked Rob about the tradeoff between strength and speed - if he doesn't have the upper-body strength to hang in as a true nose tackle, and lacks the explosiveness to be a legitimate three-tech, does that make him a one-tech specialist?

    That's the concern I have for him. He's not a natural pass-rusher and he doesn't have the lateral quickness to make it as a three-technique tackle. I see him in a 4-3, but not as a true nose tackle. He's a one-gap player; he just doesn't have the strength to be a two-gap guy at this point. He can contribute even as a rookie as a rotational player, but I don't know if he'll ever be a standout.