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...

Art Schlichter in trouble again, this time a scam

The hits, just keep on coming. Art Schlichter, an ex-Ohio State and NFL football player who gained notoriety for his well-publicized gambling addiction, is in trouble yet again.

This time, he's being charged with a 1st degree felony in connection with stealing more than $1 million from someone.

According to reports, he was a part of a sports ticket scam and investigators think there are more victims out there.

The story, from the Columbus Dispatch RIGHT HERE

For his part, Schlichter turned himself in. It's not his first time with legal problems either. He spent 12 years for various fraud and forgery convictions.

His history, quite honestly is too lengthy for us to go into detail with. He was an all-american quarterback in college, made it to the pros, though he was mostly a backup quarterback with the Indianapolis Colts.

Either way, it's a sad commentary on what he was apparently all about that not only did he get in trouble, he can't seem to stop getting in trouble. And this newest case, if true, will keep him in jail for a long, long time.

Pro Football Saturday Destroys Favorites

((HT: NFL/NBC/Youtube))

Yes, the Seattle Seahawks and the Silver Surfer were double-digit underdogs.
No, they didn't give a tinker's damn what any of us thought, and if anyone ((translation- everyone)) bet against them- they lost...

Matt Hasselbeck threw 4 TD's and Marshawn Lynch scored on a 67-yard run with a little over three minutes left to clinch the first playoff victory by a losing team.

The Seahawks (now 8-9), the first division winner with a losing record, will play either at top-seeded Atlanta or Number 2 Chicago...

Here's Marshawn Lynch masquerading as a quality NFL running back...


And then in the AFC, if you bet against the Jets- and a lot of you did...
Nick Folk did you in, too...


Folk made a 32-yard field goal as time expired giving the Jets a 17-16 playoff victory over Indianapolis.

"I'll tell you what, it feels awesome because this is the playoffs and we're moving on," Jets head coach Rex Ryan said.

What will Sunday hold...???

Colts Brackett Fined $35,000

((HT: NFL/CBS/Youtube))

The Shield has fined Indianapolis Colts linebacker Gary Brackett $35,000 for his hit on Tennessee Titans long snapper Ken Amato in last week's game.

Brackett levelled Amato with a blindside block as they ran toward the Colts' goal line on a return off a missed field goal.

Titans coach Jeff Fisher called it "vicious."

Brackett has been fined twice this season for illegal hits

Decide for yourself...


And let us know what you think...

DEVELOPING: Colts' Collie Knocked Out VS Eagles

((HT: NFL on CBS/Youtube))

After being cleared to play after his last concussion, Indianapolis Colts wideout Austin Collie was laid out again in the first half of Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

Collie, after catching a pass from Peyton Manning, Collie got both feet in the field of play and went into a defensive posture on the way down.

He was hit twice in rapid succession, the second hit being the one that knocked him out.

After a slight delay, Collie was taken off the field on a stretcher.
Initial word from the Colts is that he suffered another concussion...

Here's the play...not for the squeamish...


More when we know more...

DEVELOPING: Ooops, Colts punter arrested, drunk and swimming in canal....

Pat McAfee/Courtesy: footballsfuture.com

This is kinda funny, but not if you are Jim Caldwell or Jim Irsay.

It appears that Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee was found drunk and soaking wet, next to a canal in Indianapolis just before 5am this morning. We'd go into more detail about why and how he got there, but we keep laughing when we read it.

So...follow this link to WISH-TV in Indy to read more about what he did...RIGHT HERE

We are pretty sure that after Mr. McAfee gets out of jail that he's going to be in a spot of trouble. It may...or may not cost him his job, but it will definitely be costing him some money.

Scobee Do, Scrappy Do... Jags Beat Colts At Buzzer

And all it took was a career-long field goal of 59 yards to get the job done.

The Jacksonville Jaguars matched Indy stride for stride all day at the gator Bowl, but Josh Scobee hits the game-winner and deserves to run off the field with his helmet raised high...

Nicely done...
Until it gets pulled...
((HT: NFL on CBS/Youtube))


Both teams are now 2-2...
Insert laughing and finger-pointing at all Indianapolis players...

Woman Claims Reggie Wayne Files Charges To Cover Up Affair

((HT: Fox59 Indianapolis via Brooks))

Colts star Reggie Wayne is currently hip-deep in a credit card fraud investigation involving a woman who claims she became a target only after her alleged affair with him was made public.

Natasha McKenzie said Indy city detectives told her she was being investigated for stealing Reggie Wayne's Huntington Bank debit card and charging nearly $100,000 on it.

McKenzie says, however, that everything was cool and there was no fraud on the account. She sent thank you notes and kept everything on the up-and-up...

Heather MacWilliams caught up with McKenzie...
 

All the HQ really needs to say here is : "Oops..."

But anticipate McKenzie getting arrested, as does her lawyer currently...

Super Wrap-Up

By now unless you've been hiding in a cave, you know that the New Orleans Saints have exercised 46 years of demons and won the Super Bowl. No, it isn't a sign of the Apocalypse, it really happened. They beat the Indianapolis Colts in a very entertaining game 31-17.

Needless to say, the state of Louisiana and the town of New Orleans in particular exploded.

Here is the first of many stories by Nola.com RIGHT HERE

((At last//Courtesy: NOLA.com))

The game itself set 6 different Super Bowl records and according to the NFL was the most watched TV show in history with an audience peaking at 153.4 million viewers and averaging 106.5 million for the broadcast.

Speaking of those viewers, they actually got to watch a broadcast from CBS that focused on the game and not the stars of their network TV shows as the other networks do to the point of overkill. The pregame show however was long, way too long. Surely some folks stayed and watch the whole thing, to them...may your brain return to solid form soon.

The Championship parade in New Orleans is scheduled for Tuesday at 5pm down Poydras Street right in front of the Superdome and in case you are wondering, will be circling the outskirts of the Bourbon Street area.

Yes, Drew Brees, the Super Bowl MVP spent the day after the game at Disney World, doing satellite interviews for most of the free civilized world. The rest of the team was set to arrive back home Monday afternoon.

Check out this video, shot on the field, courtesy of WWL-TV during the Trophy Presentation:

Here is the celebration in New Orleans...Courtesy: CNN/You Tube:

Belichick: I Thought We Could Get The Yard

((HT: NFL on NBC))

Here's the play that will light up Boston sports talk radio from now until the year 2017...
Al and Cris have the call...


Those of us at OSG HQ think The Hoodie has lost what's left of his mind...
Going for it on a 4th-and-2 at his own 28 with 2:00 left in a 6-point game...
Unless, of course, he thought his defense was gassed and couldn't stay with Manning and the Colts for more than a 30-yard field...

For the record, we timed Belichick's press conference...
At the 2:58 mark he had finally given two answers that were longer than four seconds in length to the questions asked by the assembled media...

We now point our collective finger at you... for a week...
We still readily admit that you're one of the, if not the, smartest coach in the league overall...

Jeff Fisher isn't that Funny

Apparently members of the Tennessee Titans organization are just chock full of bad ideas this season. The Coach, Jeff Fisher tried to do something that he thought would be humorous while introducing former Indianapolis Colts Coach Tony Dungy at a speaking engagement in Nashville. He dressed in a Peyton Manning Colts Jersey. While it drew some laughter from the crowd and from Dungy, the Titan nation...was not pleased. Nor were they happy about the quote that preceded the unveiling "I just wanted to feel like a winner".

Commentary from David Climer of the Tennessean HERE.

The apology story from the Tennessean HERE

((Jeff Fisher surprises everyone//Courtesy: Sanford Meyers/The Tennessean))

This was an odd act from an otherwise incredibly stable, understated coach. Fisher isn't known for bold outbursts, being overly colorful or anything else. He's the longest tenured coach in the NFL right now for a reason, he's been consistently successful with the Titans, a team almost always in playoff contention. This season hasn't been very kind though, last week they lost to New England 59-0 and head into their bye week 0-5.

We don't have video to put in a player, but if you'd like...check out the link from WSMV-TV in Nashville RIGHT HERE

Former Notre Dame QB Arrested

It sounds like former Notre Dame Quarterback Blair Kiel picked a bad day to attempt to quit drinking. Kiel was arrested Saturday evening after he supposedly smacked an Indianapolis Police Officer at a minor league Baseball game. He had apparently been in an argument with his girlfriend who would not leave the Women's bathroom. Kiel was apparently standing outside the restroom screaming at her when the officer arrived on the scene.

More on the story from the Indianapolis Star here

Kiel, who had spent time in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts was apparently grabbing his girlfriends arm and witnesses said that he "Appeared Intoxicated, smelling of alcoholic beverages and with glassy, bloodshot eyes"

More on the story from our friends at WISH-TV

Irsay Knows Sweetheart Deals When He Signs Them

((HT: Indy Star/Robert Annis))

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay ((pictured, thanks Sam Riche/IndyStar is refusing calls to renegotiate his team's stadium lease with the city, firing back at critics who suggest the Colts should foot more of the bill for Lucas Oil Stadium.

In comments during Saturday's NFL draft and in a call to The Indianapolis Star on Sunday, Irsay took a firm stand against calls for the Colts organization to kick in as much as $5 million extra for operating costs to help bail out the city's ailing Capital Improvement Board. The city and the Colts spent more than four years working out lease terms for the $720 million stadium.

"I'm not going to renegotiate. That's the bottom line," Irsay said. "All we did was negotiate in good faith. We've done everything we can to have a great organization. We've lived up to our part. We've exceeded our part."

Last week, Gov. Mitch Daniels joined other government leaders calling on the Colts and Pacers to "search their consciences" and kick in additional money to help the CIB, which operates Lucas Oil Stadium, Conseco Fieldhouse and the Indiana Convention Center. The CIB has projected its 2010 deficit at $47 million.

Irsay criticized Daniels -- a good friend, he pointed out -- for insisting that gambling companies abide by terms of an agreement signed before the economic downturn.

"He said, 'A deal's a deal,' " Irsay said. "But when the shoe's on the other foot, it's a different story."
Spokeswoman Jane Jankowski said the governor had no comment on Irsay's statement.

Irsay said the CIB's problems aren't unexpected.

"That's like me drafting all these players this week and later saying, 'I didn't know I was going to have to sign them, too,' " Irsay said.

State lawmakers are considering legislation that gives the City-County Council the authority to raise local auto rental, ticket, innkeepers and alcohol taxes to plug the CIB's deficit. Last week, City-County Council leaders from both parties said there were not enough votes to pass the package of tax increases if it makes it to the council. Also, the legislature ends its session Wednesday, so time is limited.

Here's some of Irsay's comments from the discussion in black...
Irsay also hates the idea of a ticket tax hike and fired back in a letter released to the public. The Colts claim they never "asked" for a new stadium.
Kevin Rader from WTHR-TV13 is at the Indiana Statehouse...

Tony Dungy Retires

There are some gentlemen you come across that when they know it's time to move on and do other things in their life, you just get that vibe from them, appreciate their place and what they've done, applaud, and see them off.

That's the vibe we get here at OSG HQ after Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy announced his retirement Monday from football.

He's off to reach more people in other ways...
More power to him and his family...
((HT: WISH-TV))