DEVELOPING: Probe Underway After Drowning At Texans Player Home

((HT: KTRK-TV Houston))

Police investigators outside of Houston are investigating a drowning in the swimming pool at the home of Houston Texans DE Antonio Smith.

25 people stayed at Smith's house last night and are all being questioned as a body was found at the bottom of the pool around 9AM. The last, witnesses say, the victim was seen was around 2AM.

For now, foul play is not suspected and an autopsy is underway.

Smith was holding a private party for close to 100 people...

Sonia Azad has the latest out of Houston...

NFL Owners Think Solution Is Good, Trade Association Disagrees...

((HT: No Bias No Bull Sports))

New Dawg was there for the duration along with Gil Tyree for OSG

So, here's where we are...

The owners got together in one of the many airport hotels in Atlanta and discussed their future. They thought they came up with a great CBA for themselves...

NFL owners voted 31-0 with the Oakland Raiders abstaining from the ratification in favor of a tentative 10-year agreement to end the four-month-old lockout pending player approval.

The vote was here are the greatest hits...

An agreement that covers the 2011 through 2020 seasons, including the 2021 draft.

Reducing the offseason program by five weeks and reducing OTA's from 14 to 10. Full-contact practices in the preseason and regular season and increasing number of days off for players. During two-a-days, contact itself will be limited.

A rookie wage scale gets four-year contracts for all drafted players (option for five years on first-rounders) and three-year contracts for undrafted free agents.

Unrestricted free agency for players after four seasons with RFA status for players with three seasons.

Close to a billion dollars wil go to a "Legacy Fund," which will be devoted to increasing pensions for pre-1993 retirees.

Salary cap plus benefits of $142.4 million per club in 2011 and at least that amount in 2012 and 2013.

Teams have to spend in the neighborhood of 90-percent of the cap or 99-percent of league operating revenues...

Here's Jim Irsay again talking everything from the Krafts to the, ahem, settlement...


But that's where the fun started shortly after 7PM eastern time. The player's trade association said they weren't consulted on some aspects of the new CBA- and they weren't pleased...

The NFL is saying the PA has to recertify by mid-week... general counsel Richard Berthelsen said in an e-mail...

"In addition to depriving the players of the time needed to consider forming a union and making needed changes to the old agreement, this proposed procedure would in my view also violate federal labor laws..."

FOSG Mark Berman caught up with Houston Texans co-player rep Eric Winston
((HT: MyFoxHouston))

NFL Owners Ratify New CBA: MyFoxHOUSTON.com

But Chiefs boss Clark Hunt is happy it's done- even if it's really not...

Sunday Carousel: Weis And Garrett Make An Odd Couple

Only because they're in the same story...

Charlie Weis looks like he's going to take the OC job in Boomtown after all.
Nothing like being an overbearing, Type-A personality that will be paired with another Type-A personality for a coaching staff.

Will Muschamp will be the enthusiastic one in Gainesville, and the question now becomes: Who gets to recruit...??? And how do they recruit as a unit...???

Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun has the details about Weis and Aubrey Hill joining the staff.

Now, to the NFL... and it looks like Jason Garrett, winner of 4 of the 7 games he's coached as the interim leader in Dallas, may get that "interim" label pulled after all.

But David Moore of the Dallas Morning News has things still in flux and indecision.

But if you check in to Michael David Smith at PFT, it's a done deal since the Cowboys brought in Ray Sherman to satisfy the Rooney Rule.

OTHER STUFF: Looks like Tom Cable is in question for a return to Oakland, Gary Kubiak is returning to Houston and the Texans, and Marvin Lewis can stay in Cincinnati if his staff changes- which Lewis may balk at...

More when we know more...

Andre Johnson Does Fantasy Owners No Favors

Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson was having a decent day by fantasy standards, but somehow Tennessee Titans corner Cortland Finnegan got into his head in some severe way.

Evidence below...
((HT: NFL on CBS/Youtube))


Both players were tossed, and the HQ expects that the league office will be putting envelopes in both their lockers demanding some of their financials- perhaps granting both a suspension for a game.

Kinda reminds us of the Andre Rison-Deion Sanders fight in Atlanta...
A little... but theirs was more slap-fight than swinging...
Evidence below...
((HT: Youtube/ESPN))

Just like a cat, the Jacksonville Jaguars have 9 Lives....With Gus on the Call

This is your Sunday play of the day. The dreaded Hail Mary at the end of the game never works. Does it?

Well, this one did. Here's the situation, 3 seconds to go, Jaguars and Texans tied at 24. Jacksonville has the ball on the 50 and there's one last play.

Without spoiling the moment, look at the video and enjoy the perfect person to call the play....our pal Gus Johnson...Hopefully it won't get pulled.

Thanks BSOUncut and YouTube:

Texans Front Office Going Through Player Lockers For PED's

So, you lose two of your heavyweight players to suspensions for using Performing Enhancing Drugs... what do you do to keep it from happening again...???

If you're Houston Texans owner Bob McNair, you go on constant patrol in your employee's lockers to make sure there aren't any more shenanigans...

Here's FOSG Mark Berman standing indoors in front of a monitor...


Is this invasion of privacy, or since they're employees, can the Texans do what they damn well please to look after their bottom loine in their business affairs...???

What say you...???

Cushing Disagrees With Suspension, Still Suspended Anyway

((HT: MyFoxHouston))

FOSG Mark Berman caught up with Houston Texans LB Brian Cushing.
Safe to say, he's not to pleased about the decision... he issued his displeasure through his agent, Tom Condon...

"I was substance-tested randomly by the NFL during the 2009 season," Cushing wrote in his statement.

"The results of those tests indicated the presence of a non-steroidal banned substance. The league acted to suspend me based on those results, which I challenged in my appeal of the suspension," Cushing wrote in his statement.

"I believe we presented compelling evidence during the appeal process to challenge the test results, and I disagree with and am disappointed by the suspension.

"Bound by the decision of the league, I regret the situation it presents to the Texans' organization, my teammates and our fans. My dedication to a championship season in 2010 continues undeterred."

Cushing gets to participate in Texans training camp and all 2010 preseason games, but he will miss the Texans' first four regular season games because of the PED charge from the National Football League.

Texans Anthony Hill Released From Hospital After H1N1 Treatment

((HT: Fox 26 Houston/Berman))

Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said rookie tight end Anthony Hill had been diagnosed with the swine flu and had been hospitalized.

Hill told FOX 26 Sports he has since been released from the hospital and is resting at home.

"Doing much better now," Hill said. "I went to the hospital because I wasn't feeling well.

"In the beginning doctors thought it was pneumonia. It wasn't. Then (Thursday) results for swine flu came back and it was positive. I was already taking medicine for both.

"I left the hospital (Friday morning) and I'm back in my house."

Here is Mark's initial piece from when Hill was diagnosed and was sent to the hospital, thanks to our friends at Fox 26...

4 Gets Fined 10 Large

Perennial OSG favorite and alleged mass-media darling Brett Favre is $10,000 lighter in the wallet tonight. He was fined for a "Very" illegal crack-back block on Houston Texans Safety Eugene Wilson in last weeks exhibition game. Wilson is likely to be out for the year.

Here is what TwinCities.com had to say about it.

Favre, who was blocking for Vikings rookie Percy Harvin on a "Wildcat" play said "I wasn't trying to hurt him" "I couldn't get out of the way". Maybe so, we aren't accusing here. But, it just kind of smells bad. It's a cheap and lazy move by someone...who well...no we won't say it.

Video of the offending play on the You Tube: Notice the poster put some arrows on it.

Dallas Officer Resigns After Moats Controversy

((HT: MyFox DFW))

The police officer who detained an NFL player in a hospital parking lot while the player's mother-in-law was dying inside has resigned.

In a two-sentence letter (click here to see a PDF copy) , Dallas Police Department officer Robert Powell ((pictured, thanks Fox4 Dallas)) resigned Wednesday over the March 18 incident in which the officer drew his gun and threatened Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats.

"I made this decision in the hope that my resignation will allow the Dallas Police Department, my fellow officers, and the citizens of Dallas to better reflect on this experience, learn from the mistakes made, and move forward," Powell said in a statement released through his attorneys. (Click here to read the full statement.)

Powell stopped Moats' SUV in suburban Plano after the vehicle rolled through a red light. Moats' wife, Tamishia, and other relatives were also in the car.

While Powell lectured Moats and wrote him a ticket.

"I can screw you over," Powell, 25, can be heard saying on the video. "I'd rather not do that. Your attitude will dictate everything that happens." As they argued, the officer got irritated. "Shut your mouth," Powell said. "You can either settle down and cooperate or I can just take you to jail for running a red light."

Moat's mother-in-law died before he made it up to see her.

Powell later issued an apology. Moats' agent, Jordan Woy, said the couple has accepted the apology and will meet with Powell because he wanted to apologize in person. Woy said in an e-mail Wednesday that they'll meet so "the matter can be finalized and everyone can have closure to this situation."

Powell said he wants the meeting "to personally express my deep regret, sympathy, and to apologize for my poor judgment and unprofessional conduct." He also said he wants to apologize to his fellow officers.

A call to Dallas police was not immediately returned Wednesday.

In the video, Tamishia Moats and another woman disregarded Powell's order to get back inside their vehicle, and they rushed into the hospital. Powell yelled at Tamishia Moats to stay in the SUV.

"Excuse me, my mom is dying," Tamishia Moats said before going into the hospital.

"Do you understand?"

She was by the side of her mother when Collinsworth died a short time later.

Moats explained that he had waited until there was no traffic before continuing through the red light. When Powell asked for proof of insurance, Moats grew more agitated and told the officer to go find it.

Police said the ticket issued to Moats was dismissed. Police Chief Kunkle has apologized to the family over the incident, saying, "When we at the command staff reviewed the tape, we were embarrassed, disappointed."

Bob Gorsky, Powell's attorney, said his client felt it was "time to move on." He said Powell had no immediate employment plans but hopes to return to law enforcement.

"He wanted to keep his job very much, but he considered the toll this story was taking on his family and himself," Gorsky said.

Here's the dashboard cam tape from Powell's police car...

((HT: KDFW-TV))

Dallas Cops Embarassed By Moats Situation

((HT: KDFW))

Dallas police Chief David Kunkle apologizes for a traffic stop at a local hospital that prevented an NFL player from seeing a relative before she died.

The incident happened earlier this month when Houston Texans' running back Ryan Moats was visiting his mother-in-law, who was dying at a Plano hospital. Moats and his wife, along with other family members, drove to Baylor Regional Medical Center on March 18 on word that Jonetta Collinsworth was dying.

Inside the hospital parking lot, 25-year-old Officer Robert Powell pulled over the family's sport utility vehicle for having rolled through a red light.

Despite pleas from Moats and his family about the dire situation, the officer refused to allow family members into the hospital and, according to Kunkle, "berated" Moats while demanding proof of insurance. The officer also repeatedly threatened to arrest him, Kunkle said.

Moats' wife ran into the hospital and was there when her mother died, but Moats missed the woman's passing.

On Thursday, Kunkle said he was "embarrassed" and "disappointed" by Officer Powell's behavior. Kunkle also issued a formal apology to Moats and his family.

"His behavior, in my opinion, did not exhibit the common sense, the discretion, the compassion that we expect our officers to exhibit," Kunkle said. "It just seems to be so unreasonable based on the circumstances … Hard to find the right words and still be professional in my role as a police chief," Kunkle said.

He also said the Moats' family exercised extraordinary patience and restraint dealing with the officer. Officer Powell will be placed on paid leave and that the department would file administrative charges against him. Possible disciplinary action could include dismissal, Kunkle said.

Officer Powell has been on the force for nearly three years.

Kunkle said the DPD learned about the incident via a tip from a Plano officer who witnessed the traffic stop.

Here's the cop camera video of the stop from the patrol car's point-of-view...
((HT: DPD/KDFW))

Black Tuesday Pro Tackle Football Update

In addition to Shanahan...

Dick Jauron is staying Head Coach of the Buffalo Bills...
Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News has the latest...
The contract extension is for three years...

Mike Martz is out in San Francisco to no one's surprise...
John Crumpacker from the San Francisco Chronicle tells us what we all knew- Samurai Mike and The Mad Scientist didn't get along...
Martz may now pedal his evil-geniusness someplace else...

The Raiders list for their opening includes Tom Cable, Giants' OC Kevin Gilbride, Raiders extra-special scouting guy Paul Hackett, Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, and Westwood One analyst Jim Fassel.

Gary Kubiak fired three assistants with the Houston Texans- DC Richard Smith, D-Backs Coach Jon Hoke, and D-Line Coach Jethro Franklin.

John McClain from the Houston Chronicle has the fallout.

Mary Kay Cabot from the Cleveland Plain Dealer gives us Scott Pioli's first choice for coach- Iowa's Kirk Ferentz...???

More Cleveland... Tony Grossi has the interview list for the Browns Chief Exec- Scott Pioli and Rich McKay. Falcons fans are more than happy to hear McKay's name thrown in there.

Coach interviews are looking like Eric Mangini and the Giants Steve Spagnuolo... Romeo Crennel has told anyone willing to listen that he'll be more than happy to stay on staff if the new coach wants him to... Gee, thanks...

Last, but not least... The Chin will talk to the Jets.
Brian Costello of the New York Post has the idea on paper that "GM Mike Tannenbaum is "willing to do what's best for the team." That includes giving up his player personnel duties for Cowher and his cadre.

But Peter King maintains that it will be 2010 that Cowher comes back at the earliest-unless that perfect offer comes along.

And it's only Tuesday...

Suspensions Make Six For NFL

From WWL Radio in New Orleans...

Three Saints players – Deuce McAllister, Charles Grant and Will Smith have been suspended for four games by the NFL for violation of the league’s policy on anabolic steroids and related substances.

The suspensions end the season for the trio. Grant’s season had already ended when he was put on injured reserve. Should the Saints make the playoffs, McAllister and Smith would be eligible to return for those games.

Add two Minnesota Vikings and a Texan to the list as well...defensive linemen Kevin William and Pat Williams of Minnesota; and long snapper Bryan Pittman of Houston.

Angelo Wright, the Williamses' agent, said he would file a motion in federal court Wednesday morning, presumably to put off the suspensions.

A seventh player, Atlanta's Grady Jackson, was not suspended. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Jeff Pash, the league's chief counsel, had asked for additional information from Jackson.

If a player's team makes the playoffs, the player will be eligible to return to the active roster on Dec. 29.

"In response to this afternoon's ruling, the Minnesota Vikings are very disappointed in the National Football League's suspension of Kevin and Pat Williams," the team said in a statement. "At the appropriate time, we will have further comment."

Adolpho Birch, the NFL's vice president of law and labor policy, would not disclose during a conference call when the players tested positive.

Word of the positive test first leaked in late October. Asked why it took until the final four games of the regular season to hand down the suspensions, Birch said it was "a function of a lot of factors."

"I think if you ask most coaches, every game is important. I don't think they'd differentiate between the first and the last," Birch said. "We do have things in place to get them done as quickly as possible. But we had to deal with the number of players involved and adjust travel schedules. We have to fit it around the players' ability to attend."

David Cornwell, the lawyer for Pittman and the three Saints, called the decisions "inconsistent with the objectives of the steroid policy."

"Deuce, Will, and Charles did not try to enhance their performance with steroids, nor did they knowingly expose themselves to the adverse health risks of a diuretic," Cornwell said in an e-mail. "They took a weight loss supplement that they had every reason to believe was safe."

In their appeals, some players said the banned substance Bumetanide was not listed as an ingredient in StarCaps, an over-the-counter weight-loss pill.

In fact, Jackson filed suit against StarCaps in Alameda County Superior Court in California last month, seeking restitution for any lost salary and damages for "false advertising and unfair business practices."

But in issuing the suspensions, the league reiterated the section of its policy that reads:

"You and you alone are responsible for what goes into your body. Claiming that you used only legally available nutritional supplements will not help you in an appeal. ... Even if they are bought over-the-counter from a known establishment, there is currently no way to be sure that they contain the ingredients listed on the packaging or have not been tainted with prohibited substances ...

"If you take these products, you do so AT YOUR OWN RISK! For your own health and success in the league, we strongly encourage you to avoid the use of supplements altogether, or at the very least to be extremely careful about what you choose to take."

The NFL also said it sent two notifications about StarCaps on Dec. 19, 2006 -- one to NFL club presidents, general managers and head athletic trainers and the second to NFLPA executive Stacy Robinson, who oversees the steroid policy for the union. That letter, according to the league, advised that StarCaps had been added to the list of prohibited dietary supplement companies.

Asked if the NFL would review its policy on diuretics, Birch said the policy is reviewed every year.

"I suspect the players association may want to look specifically at diuretics or some other issues. We'd be happy to do that with them if appropriate," he said. "I do think it's good policy. It works well. It has different aspects to it, but we will certainly listen with an open mind and if it's appropriate to make change, make changes."

Hurricane Ike Updates/Saturday September 13th

The biggest news today where the rescheduling and juggling has been done on a lot of different levels of sports comes from the National Football League.

The Houston Texans-Baltimore Ravens game scheduled for Sunday and, then Monday, has been shifted to November 9th. Sunday now serves as the bye week for the two teams.

The November 9th game will be held during the Ravens' bye week. The Texans' home game against the Cincinnati Bengals, originally scheduled for November 9th, will be moved to October 26th, which was the bye week for both of those teams.

The Bengals' bye week will be the weekend of November 9th.

Shea Guinn, the President and General Manager of Reliant Park was asked about the status of Reliant Stadium ((pictured, thanks Billy Smith II/Houston Chronicle)) and its retractable elements.

"There is no way this stadium will host a game on Monday night," Guinn said Saturday. "There are parts of the roof that are completely gone."

The retractable roof on the $352 million venue rolls open in nine sections. Guinn said five of the sections were missing and large pieces of debris had fallen into the stadium.

"It's hard to tell what came from where," Guinn said.

Reliant Stadium sits next to the Astrodome. Guinn said Saturday that he had not yet inspected the dome for storm damage. The Texans' air-supported practice "bubble" across the street was deflated on Thursday and was not damaged, Guinn said.

The logistics of bye weeks of all teams involved is in blue, thanks to the National Football League and nfl.com

Minute Maid Park was spared from any major damage from Hurricane Ike, but the Astros may move games to another domed stadium- possibly Miller Park in Milwaukee for their series with the Cubs that is scheduled for Union Station this week.

"We couldn't get to the Rangers," Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane told the Houston Chronicle. "One of the options was to go to Minnesota. We're looking for a domed stadium because of all the rain that is out there. We're trying to deal with all that. Milwaukee is one of the few places that there is a roof.

"(The) Tampa (Bay Rays' Tropicana Field) was one, but they have a game Monday. It's one of the most difficult (scheduling) things I've ever dealt with."

The rest of the interview with McLane from Jose De Jesus Ortiz and the Chronicle is in blue

De Jesus Ortiz' article also talks about the precautions taken at Minute Maid:

Workers tied the stadium's roof to a concrete deck Thursday night and sandbagged the service level, where the home and visiting clubhouses and the Diamond Club seating are located.

They plugged drains below street level, and they tied all the exterior doors so they could not blow open. Those precautions paid off.

The Minute Maid Park roof was tested for 118-mph winds before it opened in 2000. Unisystems, which designed the roof, told the Astros it would be able to withstand 150-mph winds.

KHOU-TV's yeoman coverage, with friend of OSG Chief Meteorolgist Gene Norman, can be found in blue and is encouraged viewing...

Fox 26's coverage is in blue at myfoxhouston.com
KPRC-NBC2 in Houston is in blue at click2houston.com

UPDATE: De Jesus Ortiz has a follow-up article with the Chronicle where it was decided that Miller Park will host the Astros-Cubs games for Sunday at 7:05 and Monday afternoon at 1:05.

“If it all comes tied down at the end of the season we could play the third game in Houston,” Drayton McLane said. “We’re giving up the revenue that we would have had.

“This is costly for us. This is painful for us, but we felt for our fans and our city we needed to move these games. This is the right thing to do for our fans. We have a great chance to win the wild card and we think this will give them something to cheer them up.”

A September 29th scheduled tie-breaker would be played in Houston.