Army says Caleb Campbell no longer a Lion

It almost seems unfair. No matter where you stand on the issue of Caleb Campbell trying out for the Detroit Lions, you have to wonder what took the Army so long to decide his fate. At first, Campbell was allowed to try out for the Lions. The Army ruled that if he made the team, he would be allowed to forgo the military service that is required of all West Point graduates. Then on July 8, the Army changed the rule, according to ESPN.com, "regarding soldiers playing professional sports, requiring cadets to complete two years of active duty before applying for a release." Unfortunately, the Army didn't tell Campbell, or the Lions, until two weeks later -- just one day before the opening of camp. According to the story, "The Lions will retain his rights until the 2009 draft, but he will not be eligible to play until 2010." Detroit Free Press writer Nicholas J. Cotsonika hit the mail on the head when he wrote: "How could they let Campbell go to the NFL scouting combine, go to the draft in uniform at Radio City Music Hall, do interviews on NFL Network and ESPN, get drafted by the Lions, listen to “USA!” chants, go to rookie camp, go to minicamp, negotiate a contract – and then, the day he is supposed to report to training camp, tell him, no, he must report for traditional military duty?" Rules are rules, but too bad the rule got changed after all the hoopla.

Rams' Steven Jackson in Vegas before hitting camp

According the best gossiper in the business, Norm Clarke of the Las Vegas Review-Journal wrote that spotted in Vegas was: "Las Vegan Steven Jackson, the NFL All-Pro running back for the St. Louis Rams, celebrating his 25th birthday Tuesday at the Vinter Grill." Rams training camp opens Friday.

Stands collapse at bullfight in Columbia

No one was killed but 80 were taken to the hospital in Columbia as a stadium collapsed at a bull fight.

It appears Jessica Simpson loves Tony Romo

According to the latest issue of the Star, Jessica Simpson has packed on 30 pounds. A source, and you can never tell who a source is with the Star, says: "Her weight is a dead giveaway of her mood. When she’s rounder, she’s happy. When she’s slimmer, she’s not. Whenever Jess falls in love, she’s so content she loosens up on the hard-core dieting and takes her trainer off speed dial." Anyway, that's Simpson on the cover of the Star in the top right corner. It probably is hard on the diet when she appears to be always following him to golf matches.

Racy CFL cheerleader photos cause stir for Winnipeg

Racy photos of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers cheerleaders hit the internet recently, and it has caused a stir for the team. In fact, according to The Canadian Press, "After the photos were published in local newspapers last week, Blue Lightning dance team coach Dena Clark resigned. Clark joined the volunteer dance group as a cheerleader in 1998, and became its coach in 2003." According to the National Post, though, the women in the photos were not part of this year's Blue Lightning cheerleading squad. According to the National Post: "The pictures surfaced at a time when the team is winless after three games and mired in a public debate over whether tax money should be invested in a new stadium." Bomber spokesman Arash Madani released the following statement: “Many of the photos are dated from no later than 2005, and involve individuals who no longer have a connection with the franchise or have never been affiliated with Blue Lightning at all."

Brian Piccolo was the most famous bubble player

At every NFL training camp, each team has its list of bubble players. One of the most famous bubble players was Brian Piccolo. Each season, Piccolo would enter camp on the bubble. Piccolo played for the Chicago Bears from 1965-69. His best was 40 years ago this season, when he took over for the injured Gale Sayers in the final five games of the season. Piccolo rushed for 450 yards and gained another 281 yards in receiving over the last five games. He finished the season with 741 yards rushing.
As we all know, Piccolo died of cancer June 16, 1970. He became more famous in death than he was in life because of the movie "Brian's Song."
When training camp rolls around each year, for those old enough to remember the movie, it's hard not to recall scenes from the movie when Sayers and Piccolo became friends. So here is Sayers' speech (by Billy Dee Williams). It's a two-minute clip with a hanky needed for the final 40 seconds.

Brett Favre rumors cross all over NFL to CFL

A poll by the Green Bay Gazette shows a split by the Green Bay Packers shareholders, who are seen as symbolic shareholders without power. The shareholders meeting is slated for Lambeau Field Thursday.

The New York Daily News' Gary Myers writes that the New York Jets are a perfect fit for Brett Favre. He writes: "According to a source familiar with their thinking, the Jets are turned off by his age (39 on Oct.10), salary ($12million), the required draft-choice compensation (probably a second-round pick) and his commitment. The source confirmed yesterday that the Jets are still not thinking about Favre." But despite all this, he writes that Favre still "gives the Jets a better chance to win than (Chad) Pennington or (Kellen) Clemens."

Cell phone records might show the Vikings and Favre did talk, but now there is another direction this Favre soap opera can go. The cell phone was team-issued, which means if it wasn't as one of the perks on Favre's contract, it could be a salary-cap violation if Favre used it while a player for the Packers. This is getting crazier and crazier.

Despite entering camp with five quarterbacks, including start Jeff Garcia, there is chatter that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are thinking about Brett Favre. According the Chris Simms, who has asked for a trade, Bucs General Manager Bruce Allen asked Simms what he thought of Favre coming to Tampa Bay. Simms said: "He asked if I felt Brett would be able to come back and be good here if he didn't have a lot of reps in training camp. I said I thought he would but there would have to be some compromise with coach (Jon) Gruden. He'll just want the play called and to drop back and throw it in there."

Favre in the CFL as quarterback and owner? From York reporter Marty York: "Brett Favre, the message on my voice mail insisted, is mulling over an offer from the Toronto Argonauts that would make him not only the quarterback of the CFL team but also its part-owner." York doesn't know who left the message, but he says of the person on the voicemail: "He didn’t identify himself. He said he’d lose his job if he were exposed." This is news -- guys leaves message for reporter. Hmmm. York writes: "Genuine blockbuster stories have been leaked to me this way in the past and it would’ve been irresponsible for me not to at least check. And if Favre happens to join the Argos, I’ll still brag that I let you know about it first." The Argonauts denied the story.

Camp opens for five more teams

Another five NFL camps open for rookies and another seven open for the veterans.
NFC
Arizona Cardinals: Flagstaff, Ariz. (rookies and veterans)
Chicago Bears: Bourbonnais, Ill. (rookies and veterans)
Detroit Lions: Allen Park, Mich. (rookies and veterans)
New Orleans Saints: Jackson, Miss./Metairie, La. (rookies and veterans)
AFC
Baltimore Ravens: Westminster, Md. (veterans)
Cleveland Browns: Berea, Ohio (rookies and veterans)
New England Patriots: Foxboro, Mass. (veterans)
New York Jets: Hempstead, N.Y. (veterans)

Report: Favre used Packers phone to call Vikings. Oops.

Reports say that Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre used the Packers' cell phone that was issued to him to call Vikings head coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. As if this storyline for this soap opera couldn't get any juicier. The story states: "Bevell served as Favre’s quarterbacks coach in Green Bay from 2003-05 and the two have remained close. That relationship made it difficult to believe the Packers could prove much by simply pointing to conversations between Bevell and Favre. However, if Favre’s phone records also point to conversations with Childress that could be a different story." More updates expected as today's episode of "As the Favre Turns" comes to a close.

Travelgolf.com blogger still hates Tony Romo

Blogger Chris Baldwin of Travelgolf.com, sheds a few tears for Greg Norman having to pay $103 million in a divorce settlement with his ex-wife, while Christy Brinkley only had to pay $2.1 million. Baldwin, right, writes: "Look at that and you have to realize that it’s still much better to be a woman than a man in a divorce case these days no matter how much money your spouse makes." Okay. We're not even going to touch that comment. Then he had to mention Tony Romo. He just had to to. Baldwin writes: "On the bright side, this should all make Jessica Simpson feel good about the idea of marrying Dallas Cowboys choking dunce, golf poser quarterback Tony Romo though. Since Simpson has more money than Romo now, will always have more money than Romo - and more importantly has already done much more with her career than Romo will ever do with his."
This all comes after in one column he called Romo an "attention whore" and later in another column he ripped Dallas Morning News reporters (aka "homers") for defending Romo. And, oh, then in another column he praises Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers while ending his praise with a slap at Romo.
I think that covers it all.

Other NFL news (7-22-08)

Two Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl rings fetched $66,000 on eBay, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The newspaper reported: "The ring for Super Bowl IX against the Minnesota Vikings -- the Steelers' first Super Bowl -- sold for $32,751 after receiving 77 bids. The ring for Super Bowl X against the Dallas Cowboys sold for $34,100 after 55 bids."

Troy Smith to start season as the Baltimore Ravens starting quarterback? It could happen, according to Profootballtalk.com.

ESPN releases their NFL power rankings. No. 5 are the Jags?

ESPN.com released it NFL power rankings. Sitting at the top is the New England Patriots. Top five are: 1. Patriots; 2. Colts; 3. Chargers; 4. Cowboys; 5. Jaguars. That's right, the Jaguars at No. 5. In fact, one voter (Kevin Seifert) had the Jaguars at the No. 2 spot. What is also interesting is that they released how each voter voted. All picked the Patriots as the No. 1 except Pat Yasinskas (who picks the Indianapolis Colts) and Bil Williamson (who picked the New York Giants). The voters are: ESPN reporters John Clayton, James Walker, Paul Kuharsky, Bill Williamson, Matt Mosley, Kevin Seifert, Pat Yasinskas and Mike Sando, along with Scouts Inc. Insiders Jeremy Green and Matt Williamson.

Peter King's daughter gets job with Seattle Seahawks

According to Sports Illustrated's Peter King: " I think in the interest of full disclosure, I want to report that my daughter, Mary Beth King, has taken a PR internship with the Seattle Seahawks for the season. It's going to sound hollow to say I had nothing to do with it, but I didn't. She applied without telling me. New family rule: Mary Beth does not share conversations with Matt Hasselbeck or Mike Holmgren with her father."

Where in the world is John Tomase of the Boston Herald

According to Profootballtalk.com, it appears John Tomase of the Boston Herald may have been taken off the New England Patriots beat. Tomase was the reporter who reported that the Patriots videotaped the St. Louis Rams walk through during Super Bowl XXXVI. The Herald later retracted the story. According to Profootballtalk.com: "Tomase has been covering the Red Sox of late." It appears the Herald is seeking a replacement for Tomase because there is an job advertisement seeking a reporter to cover the Patriots on Journalismjobs.com. Tomase was last seen on TV June 30 on Late Edition of Mohegan Sun’s Sports Tonight, talking about the retraction.

Wade Phillips, not Tony Romo, is making news in Dallas

In the Star-Telegram, Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said: "Get the ring finger ready." He even jokes about how last year's camp was called Camp Cupcake. Phillip told the newspaper: "It’s (Camp) Marshmallow this year. We’ll have a strong training camp, but we’ll curb back on pads at some time. … Will it be any different? I don’t know. I think the players are really looking forward to this year, as am I.

Jerome Holtzman dies at 81

Jerome Holtzman, who was known as "the Dean" and he wrote the book "No Cheering in the Press Box," died Saturday at age 81. The Chicago Tribune wrote: "Holtzman was a baseball beat writer and columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times for three decades, starting in 1957, the year before the Dodgers' and Giants' migration from New York to California turned baseball into a truly national sport. He moved to the Tribune as baseball columnist in 1981 and was inducted into the writers' wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989, perhaps the most notable of the countless honors he achieved over his remarkable career."

The New York Times wrote: "In 1959, Mr. Holtzman, then covering the Chicago Cubs, invented the statistic known as the save, which helps measure the effectiveness of relief pitchers. Mr. Holtzman’s notion was that if a pitcher entered a game with a lead and had to face the potential tying run, and he then held the lead and finished the game, he should be credited with a save. Mr. Holtzman introduced the save in The Sporting News; in 1969, it became the first new official statistic acknowledged by Major League Baseball since the run batted in, in 1920."

MSNBC's Bill Dedman shares a nice story about Holtzman's battle with an editor and the pressbox chanting, "Run the (expletive) column! Run the (expletive) column! Run the (expletive) column!"

His Tribune colleagues share their memories, including this one from Mike Downey: When we were Sun-Times teammates, Holtzman was astounded to hear a boss half his age complain: "Your writing is filled with cliches." "But they're my cliches," Jerry argued. "I invented them.".

From MLB.com: "Every fourth of July the phone would ring in Chuck Tanner's New Castle, Pa., home, a call from Jerome Holtzman wishing the former manager a happy birthday. The call didn't come this year. Tanner learned why on Monday. Like many of us, he was informed Holtzman, "The Dean" of baseball writers who'd been in failing health, died on Saturday in Evanston, Ill."

Shockey hopes to be a giant of a Saint

New York Times columnist William Rhoden says tight end Jeremy Shockey needs to prove himself. The New York Giants proved themselves in the playoffs last season without Shockey. Nor Shockey needs to prove himself. According to the Times' story, Shockey's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said: “He’s been one of the most successful tight ends in N.F.L. history, but now I think he’s going to be more prolific in the Saints’ offense. I don’t think Jeremy could ask for a better situation.” Rosenhaus is probably right, which means Shockey has no excuses this time.

The New York Giants get two 2009 draft picks for tight end Jeremy Shockey, reports the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

The New York Times reports that the Shockey trade now triggers a problem for the New York Giants -- finding a replacement for Shockey, 28. The Times reports: "Shockey leaves the Giants after 371 catches, for 4,228 yards and 27 touchdowns in 83 regular-season games. The five tight ends left on the Giants’ roster have combined for 15 N.F.L. regular-season receptions. Three of them have caught no passes."

A look at Jeremy Shockey's career via a timeline. It all started April 20, 2002, when General Manager "Ernie Accorsi swaps first-round picks with the Titans and throws in a fourth-round pick to move up one spot and take Jeremy Shockey 14th overall."

Clark Judge of CBSsports.com said Jeremy Shockey had to go. Judge said: "He was a distraction. Worse, he was a disruption, and while I can abide by distractions I can't tolerate disruptions. Apparently, the New York Giants can't either."

Carson Palmer doesn't hate Ohio State that that much. Honest

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, and an alum of Southern Cal, Carson Palmer changes his tune just a bit about Ohio State football. Palmer said he was speaking as a USC fan. He told the Columbus Dispatch: "I really do respect the Buckeyes, and I know their fans are passionate, too. I hope they all understand I'm just looking forward to a big game for my school against a very tough opponent, and that it's all in the good fun of a rivalry. You don't have a real rivalry unless both sides are great teams."

Here is the previous link to the audio portion of Carson's rant. You decide how serious he was.

And if this isn't enough for you, check out USC coach Pete Carroll shirtless during some sort of chant session.

The Rule of 59? NFL teams need to learn this rule

Bleacherreport.com does a nice job teaching us about the "Rule of 59." The rule is that you shouldn't draft a quarterback that hasn't completed more than 59 percent of their passes in college. The rule is confined to just the first three rounds of the draft, but it appears to make sense when presented by the Bleacherrport.com. The article states: "The reasons for this are complicated and diverse, but as these players move from college to the pro ranks, the margin allowed for error shrinks dramatically. Their rocket arms no longer can save them from bad reads and other risky throws. As every NFL expert has said, the speed of the game and the defenders changes dramatically." The less than 59 percent QBs include Michael Vick, Joey Harrington, Akili Smith and J.P. Losman, among others.

Was Bill Parcells' retirement Tony Romo's fault?

According to an advance copy of the transcript of Tuesday's Real Sports on HBO, Bill Parcells appears to be saying his retirement from coaching was because of Tony Romo's botched hold of a Dallas Cowboys field goal against the Seattle Seahawks two seasons ago, says the Sun-Sentinel. In his interview with Andrea Kramer, Parcells says: "All you got to do is kick a field goal, the most elementary of plays, and then you just don’t do it. And so I don’t want to go through that process again. Too much blood.”

Terrell Owens helps reporter hit by car

Sam Alipour, a Los Angeles based writer, was hit by a car at 2 a.m. after covering the Espys. After smashing into the windshield of the car that hit him, who comes to his aid? Terrell Owens. That's right, every one's favorite villain, T.O. Owens kept asking Alipour if he was all right. Alipour writes, "I'm fine, nothing to worry about, but Owens is so concerned, so kind, and I'm so touched by this -- we hardly know each other -- that I think my lip is quivering. There's a good chance I could break down like T.O. at that news conference." Alipour ends his ESPN.com coverage of the Espys with: "Thanks, Terrell."

Carson Palmer HATES Ohio State Buckeyes; can't wait for USC game

He quarterbacks the in-state Cincinnati Bengals, but Carson Palmer hates Ohio State football. HATES it. H-A-T-E-S. Remember, he is from Southern Cal. Here's his take on the Ohio State football program: "It's amazing to hear what those guys think about that university and what they think about that football program and (Ohio State coach Jim) Tressel and all the crap I gotta put up with being back there. I just can't wait for two years from now when SC comes to the 'Shoe and I get to hopefully, hopefully we'll have a home game that weekend and I can go up there and watch us pound on them in their own turf and kind of put all the talk to rest."
Cavsboard.com has the replay of his rant.

What in the name of Tony Romo: Simpson booed

Jessica Simpson, everyone's favorite girlfriend, was booed at her first country concert. Tony Romo was not there to defend his lady. He was back home in Wisconsin for a golfing event.

While Jessica Simpson was getting booed, Tony Romo was sinking his putts. He finished fourth at the Racine Tri-Course Amateur Championship in Wisconsin.

Jason Taylor traded; Dancing with stars reference hits all-time high

Mike Florio of the Sporting News breaks down the Jason Taylor trade 10 different ways.

Peter King likes Taylor's deal to the Redskins. Then he mentions his man-friend Brett Favre later in this column.

The Jason Taylor timeline.

The deal to the Redskins ends with the Jason Taylor saga. (Now all we need is an end to the Brett Favre saga.)

Jason Cole of Yahoo! calls the move logical. “This move really revitalizes Jason for the end of his career,” Gary Wichard, Taylor’s agent, said Sunday.

The Washington Post's Mike Wise writes about the Redskins' dance with yet another star. Daniel Snyder loves his stars.

CBS sports' Clark Judge: "Trade good for Taylor ... could be better for 'Skins"

Non-NFL news of the day: Justin Timberlake shares too much info

From the department of "Is-this-made-up?": Justin Timberlake peed himself "a little" after meeting Michael Jordan.

Chris Evert admits affair with Shark. Of their attraction for each other, Evert described it as "irresistible force" between her and Greg Norman. Both are 53 years old.

Danica Patrick told to "go away" by Milka Duno at the Mid-Ohio race this weekend. Duno said she didn't like Patrick's "bad words" and the drama she brings to the race track.