Former NFL receiver Sam Hurd gets 15 years in prison

Former Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears receiver Sam Hurd was sentenced by a federal judge to 15 years in prison on a drug trafficking conviction.

Hurd admitted to buying and distributing marijuana but denied any trafficking of cocaine.

“I am very sorry. I am very remorseful for what I did,” Hurd said.

U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis could have sentenced Hurd to anywhere from 10 years to life in prison.

“It’s a tragedy,” Solis told Hurd before issuing the 15-year sentence. “You had everything going for you. You had no reason to get involved in this activity.”

Hurd was arrested in December 2011 outside a Morton's steakhouse near Chicago after accepting a kilogram of cocaine from an undercover officer. Inside the restaurant, prosecutors alleged, Hurd told the officer and an informant that he wanted to buy 5 to 10 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 pounds of marijuana weekly to distribute. Outside, he got into his vehicle and within moments police surrounded him. Authorities arrested Hurd, capping a more than year-long investigation.

Hurd told the judge that his marijuana addiction led him to make decisions.

Lately it seems like the addiction card is being thrown around lately. Marijuana didn't make Hurd want to be a distributor, Hurd made Hurd want to be a distributor. He made good enough money doing something lots of us will never be able to do in our wildest dreams but he had to screw it up. While 15 years might be a long time, the part of him dealing with cocaine probably got him more years than he might've deserved.

Hopefully professional athletes will take a look at Hurd and leave the street activity out of sports.

Tony Dorsett says he deals with depression, suicidal thoughts

Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett says that his quality of life is deteriorating along with his memory. The former Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos great told Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton on WFAN in New York that he deals with suicidal thoughts and depression.

Dorsett played in the NFL from 1977-88.

“Well, you know, I’ve been diagnosed with all that,” Dorsett said. “That’s private stuff and I don’t want to get into all that stuff, but I’ve been diagnosed. I’m just telling you, I’ve been diagnosed with that, yes.”

Dorsett was part of the class action lawsuit against the NFL that ended in a $765 million dollar settlement. For Dorsett that isn't enough. He believes the league should be paying for NFL retirees health insurance.

“I’m one of those guys,” he told Boomer and Carton. “My quality of life is deteriorating every day.”

“All I want to do is have health insurance for the rest of my life,” Dorsett said. “I signed up for this, obviously. My family is worried about me. I’m worried about me in some respects.”

Dorsett recently found out that he was graded a three out of four on the memory loss scale.

“My memory is really, really, really getting bad, and it’s going down,” Dorsett said. “I take my daughters to school, I take my daughters to practices, and all of a sudden the one day comes up and I’m saying ‘Well, how do I get there?’”

Dorsett isn't blaming anyone for playing the game and he knows he signed up for it. All he's asking for is the league to take care of it's own. He's a proud man who refuses to let his current condition keep him down.

I know the players make enough money to last a lifetime but the league should set something up for retired players who eventually suffer from memory loss and conditions of that nature.

Documentary: Millen didn't want to draft Mike Williams

Back in 2005 the Detroit Lions had their sights set on drafting DeMarcus Ware with the 10th puck of the NFL Draft. Of course everyone knows they ended up with Mike Williams, which gave the Lions their third consecutive first round receiver.

Williams flamed out in Detroit and Ware is a seven time Pro Bowler with the Dallas Cowboys.

In a documentary titled “A Football Life: Matt Millen”, Millen's son Matthew says that Millen didn't want to draft Williams but was talked into it by other members of the organization.

Matthew Millen, Matt’s oldest son, said that he was in the Lions’ war rooms in 2002-08 and heard the exchange that swayed Millen’s mind.

“The Mike Williams draft, I got really mad at him because we had talked all up to that point about, ‘DeMarcus Ware is a stud. He’s going to be a great pass rusher, he would fit our scheme, and he’d be the guy that I’d take,’” Matthew Millen said. “It gets to pick 10, and there’s DeMarcus Ware, so I’m thinking, ‘All right, we got our guy.’ And then all of a sudden, there’s chatter from some other people in the room that, ‘You know what, if we got this wide receiver and paired him with Roy Williams and some of the other weapons we have, we’d be a really potent offense.’ And I can see his mind starting to change.”

“I’m like, ‘Great, the buffoon just picked another wide receiver,’” Matthew Millen said. “That’s what everyone’s going to think.”

Matthew was correct about his assumptions. Lions fans were pissed and the media got the last laugh on the Lions.

In the end it sounds as if Millen is throwing someone else under the bus instead of admitting to his mistakes.

Redskins GM Bruce Allen calls the NFC East the 'SEC of the NFL'

The NFC East has probably been the most competitive division in the NFL since the mid 1980's. There might have been a few to come close but none that come to mind immediately. Bill Parcells, Joe Gibbs, Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Andy Reid and Buddy Ryan had a lot to do with that run of excellence.  

Maybe that's why Washington Redskins general manager Bruce Allen  called the division the 'SEC of the NFL. During a recent interview with Chris Russell and Rich Campbell on ESPN 980, Allen explained why the NFC East has always been the top division in the league.

“There’s so many changes in the playoff teams each year — I think half of them change each year anyway,” the GM noted. “And in our division, you know, we’re in the SEC of the NFL. This is the big leagues. I think when the Giants last won the Super Bowl, they won it with a 9-7 record. So we have to keep competing in our division, and that’s what our focus is.

“And if we can hold our ground in the division, we’re going to be ok, because they are elite teams in our division,” Allen continue. “That’s where our focus has to remain. We were successful [last year] — 5-1 in the division — and that leads to good things. I think once again the young talent that we have on the team, they tasted success. As long as they’re not spoiled by that little bit of success, then it bodes well for our future.”

Sounds like SEC-speak to me. But Allen's words do ring true. You win the division, you get in the playoffs. From that point on anything can happen. Save for Donovan McNabb's meltdowns in NFC title games and the Dallas Cowboys not being able to win a playoff game in forever, the division has done well for itself in the playoffs.

Patriots bringing in Felix Jones for a visit

Free agent running back Felix Jones doesn't have too many miles on him but he's always getting bit by the injury bug. Maybe that's why he's still looking for a team.

Jones has spent his five years in the league with the Dallas Cowboys and the former first round pick is an unrestricted free agent. Among his potential suitors are the Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, and New England Patriots.

Even after acquiring LaGarrette Blount last week, the Patriots are bringing in Jones for a visit. Jones has already visited with the Eagles and worked out for the Bengals. With the stable of running backs New England has I don't know if they would have room for Jones. Somehow they always seem to find a role for someone.

Jones has pass catching ability and good speed so that shoud allow him to find his way onto a NFL roster.      

Brett Favre says if the Cowboys play better, Tony Romo will be less reckless

Tony Romo will be the whipping boy of the Dallas Cowboys until they win a Super Bowl or any game of consequence. The team does have talent but for some reason it hasn't came together for them.

Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre believes that Romo shouldn't be judged on his one playoff win and that if the Cowboys play better Romo wouldn't have to be reckless.


“It’s the ultimate team sport,” said Favre, the featured speaker at an SMU athletic forum luncheon in Dallas. “I think it’s misleading to say that a quarterback has wins and losses and say he was a part of one playoff victory. I think there are a lot of factors that go into the success of not only Tony Romo but any player. Just what little bit I’ve watched the last couple of years, it seems like they were a little bit in disarray offensively. I thought he did a good job, from what I saw, of managing and making plays.

“Does that get you in trouble sometimes when you try to do too much? Sure it does. But I think I’d rather have a guy who’s willing to take those chances.”

“I like the way he plays,” Favre said. “I think there’s times that he’s made plays or decisions that were bad. But I think based on how the team has played or the way that the game has gone, for the most part, has kind of dictated the way his decision-making has played into it.

“I guess the way for me to explain it would be that if the Cowboys offense is going according to plan, say you’re up by 14, or you’re never out of it and your running game is OK, and you know where everyone is going to line up and you know what you’re going to get out of your defense, then I think he would probably play less recklessly. I think it just kind of falls in line with how maybe the season or the game goes.”

Romo had his finest statistical season in 2011, and Dallas finished 8-8. His worst season came last year, and, again, Dallas was 8-8. I've watched Cowboys games where the team was rolling and bad Romo decisions blew it for them (2011 vs. Lions). So while you can't pin the blame on Romo, Favre's claims aren't dead on.

While we shouldn't blame Tony for his reckless playing style.  We need to blame whoever's responsible for the team falling far enough behind that desperate play becomes needed -- i.e. the defense, who gives up points.  Oh, and the offense, who doesn't score enough to keep up, including (and especially) the leader of the offense... uh, oh yeah -- that'd be Romo, himself.

Which means that Romo will always get the blame no matter how you spin it.

Dez Bryant thinks he can be the first 2,000 yard receiver

Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant has high hopes for his NFL career. Bryant believes he can become the NFL's first 2,000 yard receiver. A tall task indeed.

Bryant told ESPNDallas.com that his breakout season in 2012 was only the beginning of better days to come. Bryant caught 92 passes for 1,382 yards this past season.

"That's still scratching the surface," Bryant said in a telephone interview with ESPNDallas.com. "It's only going to get better, to be honest. I still have a lot to give. I feel like nobody's seen anything. Nothing.

"I feel like it can be a lot more than that. That's just being honest. I honestly feel like [2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns] can potentially happen." 

It can happen but it won't happen for Bryant as long as he's in Dallas. Bryant says his knowledge of the offense and maturation gives him this confidence. Maybe but I can't see it happening. Dallas still likes to run the ball which will take away any potential targets coming his way. Throw in the fact that tight end Jason Witten is still around and that further dwindles his chances.

The closest to come to matching that feat was Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions and he was all they had on offense. So if he couldn't pull it off I don't see Bryant doing it in a more complete offense. I'm not saying he's a bad receiver, I think the Cowboys have too many other variables that will keep him from approaching that benchmark.

It's good to have confidence in your abilities but this may be a bit too much for Bryant.  

Cowboys have Monte Kiffin in their sights

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones vowed that changes are coming. Former defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was shown the door after the Cowboys missed the playoffs this season. Everyone knows that Jones isn't going anywhere and for some strange reason head coach Jason Garrett remains safe in his job. So someone had to go.

The Cowboys are looking to fill their defensive coordinator void and have former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin topping their list. Kiffin,72, won a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay, recently resigned from the same job at USC, where his son Lane was the head coach. If Kiffin is named defensive coordinator look for the Cowboys to move from a 3-4 alignment to a 4-3, which would be a key to the Cowboys changing to a Tampa 2 defense.

There was talk of Kiffin possibly joining Andy Reid on the Kansas City Chiefs staff, but the story is that Kiffin wasn't interested in the job.

Jones, Kiffin, or Garrett couldn't be reached for comment, so as of now this is more rumor than fact.

Toomer says Romo is better than Eli

Despite winning his second Super Bowl, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning still has his detractors. If you ask some fans, they would call Manning the equivalent of a hot goalie.

Former Giants receiver, Amani Toomer, might have said a few things that might serve as motivation for Manning this upcoming season. On the Sirius XM NFL show, Movin' the Chains, which Toomer co-hosts, he said that he prefers Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Tony Romo, over Manning.        

“Tony Romo is probably, if you look at it statistically, he’s probably the best quarterback in the NFC East,” Toomer said.  “You look at Eli Manning and what he does in the fourth quarter, but you talk about consistency, talking about 31 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions, that guy can play.”


“For me, if I wanted a guy that is going to throw less interceptions, (be) more productive, higher completion percentage, I'm going to go with Tony Romo. At crunch time, he's not as good as Eli, but every other time, he's pretty darn good.”


You can have this debate with quartebacks of years past. Stabler/Fouts, Marino/Montana, Bradshaw/Staubach. I think Manning can put up the same kind of numbers if called upon, but the Giants have always relied on a solid ground game to balance their offense. The Cowboys put more on Romo's shoulders than the Giants do Manning.

Manning is also a better crunch time performer, and that's why he has two Super Bowl rings in four years and Romo is still looking to get a playoff win under his belt. Romo may have the glitzier stats, but Manning has what really matters. The bling.

DeMarcus Ware agrees with Jerry Jones about the Cowboys' window of opportunity

With every passing year a team that doesn't win a championship sees their window of opportunity start to slam shut. Back in May, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that the Dallas Cowboys' window is starting to close and said that the team needed to win now.

Count defensive end DeMarcus Ware as one who is on board with Jones' assessment.


“I feel like from my standpoint, we’re a better team than we were last year, and it’s going to show on the field,” Ware said. “Jerry saying that the window’s closing, I’m with Jerry. The window can be closing. It closes every year. It just depends on if you’re going to walk through that door or not. I’m with Jerry on that.”

With the players the Cowboys have on the roster they should have the urgency to win it all now. The problem is that the stars never align right for them and they fall short of the Super Bowl aspirations.

DeMarco Murray thinks the Cowboys should be in the Super Bowl

Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray is not making a Super Bowl prediction but during a recent local radio interview, the Cowboys running back did say that the he doesn’t see why the Cowboys shouldn’t be playing on the game’s biggest stage next February in New Orleans according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News.

“We have a great group of young guys and we also have a great group of vets who I think they’re still playing like they’re 25, 26, 27 years old,” Murray told Galloway & Company on 103.3 [KESN-FM]. “Look at [Jason] Witten, I’m around that guy everyday and he’s one of the hardest working guys. He’s out there beating me in agility drills. I’m trying my hardest over and over and over to beat him and I can’t beat [him].

“I think we have a great group of guys but at the same time we definitely feel that this year is going to be a great year for us and we don’t see why we shouldn’t be in the Super Bowl this year.”

“I think we have the pieces,” Murray said. “We have a great coaching staff and that’s what we are aiming for. We’re aiming to not only make the playoffs and make a splash, but I think every NFL team is looking to win the Super Bowl.”

Miles Austin admits to being out of shape

There wasn't much of an offseason in the NFL last season due to the lockout. The lockout affected some players but not all as there wasn't too much of a dropoff in play.

Dallas Cowboys receiver Miles Austin was one of the players the lockout hurt. After coming out of nowhere and piling up back to back 1,000 yard seasons, Austin experienced a decline in production because he battled a nagging hamstring injury. After a disappointing showing Austin admitted that he was out of shape.  

“Right now I’m working with the trainers at our facility,” Austin said during a promotional appearance at a Neiman Marcus store in San Antonio. “I feel like last year I wasn’t prepared for the season the way I should’ve been condition-wise, even though I looked and felt it at the time. That’s one thing that I have to keep an eye on. To make sure I’m in the best physical shape I can be.”


Austin said the injuries are behind him and the hamstrings aren't an issue. The Cowboys will need him to be at full strength for them to put together a good season.

Owens says Romo had 'a hand' in him leaving the Cowboys

Terrell Owens left the Dallas Cowboys under a black cloud. According to Owens it was a cloud of suspicion as to why he left Dallas. That cloud was Tony Romo. Owens believes that Romo helped grease the skids on his way out of Dallas.

In a radio interview on The Ben and Skin Show [KESN-FM] 103.3 in Dallas, Owens said he believes that Romo "had a hand" in him leaving the Cowboys.

"With that situation, dude, I've kind of lost my respect for that situation," Owens told The Ben and Skin Show [KESN-FM] 103.3 in Dallas. "Man, that's a guy I shed tears for, I went to bat for. Then obviously, ultimately I'm not in Dallas anymore and I know he definitely had a hand in that. So, again, it's one of those things that you just kind of have to bite your tongue and keep moving on, you know what I mean? 

Owens went on about how he and the other receivers weren't being targeted as much as tight end Jason Witten.



"It wasn't just me," Owens said. "I was just a voice. Sometimes I said things that a lot of people thought. I just happened to be one of those guys that really voiced their opinion. I wasn't the only one that felt that way. There were games where other guys were open. I wasn't saying that to get the ball thrown to me a lot more times. I was all about winning. During the course of the games, if you watch the film, there were other guys that were open that didn't get the ball. That was my thing.


"I think that's what's really misconstrued is that my passion and things that I say can be viewed that I'm being selfish and it's all about me, but my goal has always been about winning a championship, and I think if you really ask my teammates that, they'll really convey that and they'll tell you honestly that's what I'm about."


No mention on how he dropped passes that were thrown to him.

I believe all Owens wanted to do was win but he didn't know how to go about being a winning teammate. When things went wrong he opted to throw his teammates under the bus and not take accountability for his own actions. Owens spoke for the receivers as a whole but since he spoke and was the loudest voice he got the blame. Sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut and let things play out.

Dez Bryant's Unique Choice Of Clothing

Before a Wednesday media session, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, Dez Bryant, was seen wearing a pretty odd piece of clothing. He wore a Nike T-shirt that read "Lazy But Talented".    

An odd choice of clothing, considering that the mildly talented receiver has bee criticized about his work ethic since entering the NFL. If Bryant wants to be taken seriously and regarded as one of the elite receivers in the game, he needs to get rid of that kind of attitude.

Rob Ryan Disses Calvin Johnson

One of the marquee NFL games this Sunday will be the Detroit Lions taking on the Dallas Cowboys. The Lions are off to a 3-0 start and the talk of the NFL. This will be a big road test for the Lions as they try to extend their winning streak to eight after winning their last four last season.

The main weapon on the Lions offense is receiver Calvin Johnson. Johnson has caught two touchdown passes in each of the Lions three games, yet he isn't mentioned as one of the elite receivers in the NFL. ESPN analyst Cris Carter left him out of his top six and Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan isn't thinking too highly of Johnson either.

“We work against better receivers with Miles Austin and Dez Bryant,” Ryan told the Dallas Morning News. They are probably two of the premier receivers in football, but this guy is right there," Ryan said. "He's almost that good. He's excellent.




"We're going to get after him. I know he's on some touchdown thing like that, whatever. [Lions offensive coordinator] Scott Linehan has done this before with great receivers with Randy Moss. If the guy is as good as Randy Moss I'm going to go in there and hide. Thank God he's not, but he's a pretty [expletive] good player."

Well Rob I will agree with Cris Carter, but i can't agree with you. Although Miles Austin has proven himself to be one of the better receivers in the league I would think most GMs would jettison him in favor of Johnson. For all of Bryant's talent, he's still immature and hasn't proven anything in the league. Johnson still isn't there with the likes of Andre Johnson but he's been hampered playing for what was once a horrible football team. And Ryan is saying he's no better than number three on Dallas' roster. Yeah right.

Not to slight Austin or Bryant, but name me one person that would give up Johnson for Austin or Bryant. Not many and I'd question them about it. Ryan you're gonna have your hands full tomorrow. I'm sure Johnson and the Lions will use that as some extra motivation.






 

Tony Romo Is Owed An Apology

I'm not the biggest Tony Romo slappy around, but I have to give him his due. It's about time plenty of others do the same. It was announced that Romo played yesterday's game against the San Francisco 49ers with a cracked rib. It was reported later today that Romo has a punctured lung.

Now I know many Cowboys fans have a love/hate relationship with Romo. It's true that he hasn't led them anywhere and was the goat in a week 1 loss to the New York Jets. But yesterday's performance was heroic. Before I get lambasted here, the Cowboys were doing nothing in yesterday's game when Jon Kitna was at the helm. So think about that for a moment.

There are plenty of players that would've sat out the rest of yesterday's game. Remember when Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler left last season's NFC Championship game because of a questionable injury. I do and he was ripped from coast to coast because of it. I'm not saying that because of yesterday's game that Romo is the next coming of Johnny Unitas, but what he did yesterday was beyond macho.

Maybe it's time to cut Romo a little slack and not focus so much on his negatives.

Cowboys Kicker Says They Need To "Hit Ted Ginn In The Mouth"

When there's some trash talk going on in the NFL it usually isn't the kicker being the player doing the talking. Dallas Cowboys kicker David Buehler doesn't follow that unwritten protocol.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ted Ginn singlehandedly saved the 49ers in their season opener with a kick and punt return for touchdowns. Buehler seems to think that if Ginn getys his hands on the ball, the Cowboys need to hit him in the mouth.

"If the wind is at my back, hopefully I'll get the green light and be able to kick a touchback and keep it out of Ted Ginn's hands because he is a dangerous returner," Cowboys kicker David Buehler said. "As long as you hit him in the mouth earlier, I think he might give up."


Considering that Buehler only had one touchback in five attempts last week, the Cowboys might get that chance.


 
 

Dez Bryant Sued Over Jewelry Bill

Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant is having a busy offseason. First there was the incident at Northpark Mall. Deion Sanders blasted him in the media. And now he's being sued for not paying his jewelry bill. And that's all we know of.

Bryant has been sued by Rafaello & Co according to a report in the Dallas Morning News, for $246,000 for eight to 10 pieces of diamoned-encrusted jewelry that he ordered more than a year ago after he declared for the NFL draft.

“My client’s counsel in New York has been trying for at least six months to get him to pay,” said Mike Bowers, a lawyer with the firm of Bell Nunnally & Martin in Dallas, who is representing the jeweler. “We still would obviously like to have a satisfactory resolution to this outside of a trial.”

Of course, Bryant couldn't be reached for comment. I guess Dez never got the memo that the "bling" era was done and over.

Bryant ran up a $267,000 bill and paid $21,000 of it. I know Deion didn't mentor him on that.

"One was religious-type jewelry," Bowers said. "One was his name with his area code."

Maybe the good lord can help him in getting this matter taken care of. Clean it up Dez. Starting right now.
















  

Dallas Cowboys Start Clothing Line

The Dallas Cowboys have found another revenue stream. They've started their own clothing line called nineteen60, a reference to their inaugural season.

Here's a description from dallascowboys.com.

The Dallas Cowboys are proud to announce the release of their new apparel line, Nineteen60. Nineteen60 is an upscale, understated, fashion forward line for the Dallas Cowboys most discerning fans. It features unique, detailed pieces for both men and women and is designed for the fashion conscious male and female fan looking for more than just a t-shirt. This line will appeal to the trendsetting fan in both the boardroom and at the tailgate. It is tradition, style and luxury. You've never seen Cowboys fans dressed like this.

Once again it looks like the Cowboys are ahead of the curve when it comes to expanding their brand. I wouldn't look for other teams to follow suit though. For the Cowboys sake they better hope the clothing line performs better than the team did in their first season in 1960. The Cowboys were 0-11-1 that season.

Pasqualoni Back In The Big East

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordiantor Paul Pasqualoni will be returning to the Big East to be the head coach at Connecticut. Pasqualoni was formerly the head coach at Syracuse from 1990-2004 (could be wrong) compiling a 107-59-1 record in 14 years at the 'Cuse. He was there during the Marvin Graves & Donovan McNabb years. During that time the Orange won or shared 4 Big East titles and were in nine bowl games.

He beat out former University of Miami offensive coordinator Mark Whipple for the job.

Pasqualoni's track record in the Big East should help him in recruiting, since he brought in some good talent to Syracuse while he manned the sidelines in upstate New York. He brought the aforementioned McNabb and Graves in along with Qadry Ismail among others. The Orange were actually nationally relevant back then. UConn is hoping he can do the same for their program and build upon what Randy Edsall started and left behind.