NFL Rumors : Belichick throws red flag on instant replay angles

Bill Belichick's talked Friday about the number of angles provided by instant-replay cameras. The New England Patriots coach was angling for better coverage, enabling the decision-makers on the field to make a better determination of whether to challenge a play. "Well, that is the whole issue with instant replay," Belichick said. "When you challenge a play, you have no way of knowing what the camera angles are. That's why I said, going all the way back to the Denver game in 2005, if we at least had a camera placed like in tennis, on the goal line, the end line, and on the sideline so you have six cameras [and] you know that [if] the play involved any one of those positions, you at least have a camera angle on it, so you know what you are challenging."Belichick said he understood the play "that happens out in the middle of the field" to determine placement or possession of the ball often can be "the luck of the draw.""But a play that was on the goal line like [Benjamin] Watson's play with Champ Bailey [in the 2005 playoffs] was, or a play that was on the sideline, you don't know for sure that you have an angle on that," he said. "You think you would but you don't know, and that is what happened in the Denver game [when Bailey was ruled down at the Patriots' 1, although Watson had separated him from the ball, which went through the end zone]. All the cameras are down at the other end and they didn't have a good angle on it, supposedly."So I don't understand why we can't put six cameras in every stadium and just say, 'OK, here is where they are,' whether the game's a division championship game with 25 cameras [covering] it or whether it is a regular-season game with how

ever many they have on that [game]."

Source: Boston.com

Read more...

Bears' Orton practiced like a starting quarterback

Chicago Bears quarterback had his sprained right ankle wrapped, but he prepared during Wednesday's practice like a starting quarterback.I'm preparing like I am [playing]," Orton said. "Just going to go from there, day in and day out."Coach Lovie Smith was asked whether Orton needed to be 100 percent to play."100 percent? Now that's pretty strong," Smith said. "Who is 100 percent at this time of the year? We won't let Kyle play if he can't protect himself. ... We'll know if he's ready to go."If Orton is unable to go, Rex Grossman would get the call for the second straight week."I have to prepare like I'm playing the whole game," Grossman said. "I don't know what's going on, but that's how I am approaching it."

Orton has yet to play at Lambeau Field, while Grossman has enjoyed great success in Green Bay.

"I'm 3-0 as a starter up there," Grossman said. "I'm feeling pretty good about that stadium."

Source: Chicago Tribune

Read more...

Romo, Owens could be connecting more often this week

Terrell Owens said the Cowboys have "tweaked" some of what they do offensively over the bye week. Tony Romo coyly talked about some "different things" that have him excited about what is ahead for the offense. Neither player would go into specifics, of course, but would any of those things involve freeing up Owens?

"You could possibly say that," Romo told the Dallas Morning News.

At 5-4, the Cowboys are entering their most critical part of the season Sunday at Washington and need Romo, who has missed the last three games with a fractured right pinkie, to play like the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback he is. And for Owens to be Owens.

"We're looking forward to it," Owens said. "He's a lot healthier than he was last week. He's throwing the ball better. He's taking snaps. Obviously he's feeling better. We need to win, so we have to make sure these practices count."

In many ways, how Owens and Romo go, the Cowboys go, even if Romo disagrees.

Source: Dallas Morning News

Read more...

Street may not be in Colorado long, either

MLB.com noted, it's reasonable to assume that the 75 percent of polled Colorado fans who didn't think the Rockies got enough in return for Matt Holliday may have jumped the gun just a tad. Reports indicate that Colorado Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd might just package Huston Street in a follow-up deal. There are plenty of teams in the market for a closer — foremost among them the St. Louis Cardinals, the New York Mets and the Cleveland Indians — all teams which had called him about Brian Fuentes prior to the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. Or, Monday's conditional deal may have been the first step in a transition for the 2007 NL champs, as they move to a greater emphasis on pitching. Coors Field may seem an unlikely place for that, but Clint Hurdle's club ended the 2008 season with a solid top-of-the-rotation (Ubaldo Jimenez and Aaron Cook combined for 28 wins and a sub-4.00 ERA). Greg Smith adds another 200-inning arm, and the Rockies expect to add more frontline pitching in an eventual trade of third baseman Garrett Atkins. The Angels, Phillies, Indians and Dodgers are all eager for a third baseman. Or Street could be a keeper, in a bullpen needing to replace Fuentes' 30 saves.

Source: MLB.com

Read more...

Bears Re-Sign Harris

Tommie Harris says the talks that led to his four-year, $40 million contract with the Chicago Bears were businesslike and “classy.” Speaking at a morning news conference at Halas Hall, the defensive tackle said he and Bears management kept negotiations private in reaching a deal that will keep him with Chicago through 2012. That differs from what has happened between the team and linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. They’ve both gone public with complaints and either hinted or threatened holdouts. “We didn’t try to go out there and talk about one another or dispute different things, and I feel like we did it all in-house,” Harris said. “I would never go out and talk about the Bears in front of the media or disrespect my team,” added Harris, whose deal was the richest ever for the Bears in terms of dollars per year.
Harris started 56 of his 60 career NFL games and recorded 208 tackles during his four seasons with the Bears. The three-time Pro Bowler had 13 total sacks over the last two seasons—ranking him second among defensive tackles.

Read more...