LaMarr Woodley Takes A Jab At Joe Flacco

The NFL offseason is typically quiet this time off year, with or without a lockout. There hasn't been too much news being made except for players taking up other occupations, talking trash, holding POW's (player organized workouts), and taking up space on the police blotter. 

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley  has spent a little time amping up the hard hitting rivalry between the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. Woodley appeared on the NFL Network's All Access show and took a swipe at the Ravens, more specifically quarterback Joe Flacco. Woodley said that Flacco could never lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl since the Steelers stand in their way.

"No, not at all because they have to go through one team -- that's the Pittsburgh Steelers in that AFC Championship," Woodley said. "So in order for them to get to the Super Bowl, they have to beat us, and we're not gonna let that happen once we get that close. So that's not gonna happen in this lifetime."

He wasn't quite done there either. He did say that Cleveland's Colt McCoy would be a "great quarterback" and took a shot at the Cincinnati Bengals and their situation with Carson Palmer.

 "Well, honestly, when they play against us, it really doesn't matter whether he's there or not," Woodley said about Palmer and the Bengals.

You can't go against what he's said since the Steelers have ended Baltimore's postseason run the last two years. The tables might be turned if Baltimore can ever get them at home, but that's not guaranteed either since the Steelers play them well in Baltimore.

Dunleavy Awarded $13 Million From Clippers

An arbitrator has awarded former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy $13 million. Dunleavy also served as the team's general manager during his tenure.

In a move typical of the Clippers and owner Donald Sterling, the Clippers stopped paying Dunleavy after they fired him last March. He had been owed $6.75 million on the contract, $1.35 million for the remainder of the 2009-10 season and $5.4 million for the season just completed.

Finally Sterling gets his comeuppance. After years of being notoriously cheap, he gets told to cough up $13 million. Of course this isn't the first time that Sterling quit paying an employee. He had a similar suit against former coach Bill Fitch, saying he hadn't been trying to get another job. He also had a wrongful termination suit, filed by former GM Elgin Baylor, rejected by a Los Angeles jury. Is he an NBA owner or Scrooge McDuck.

Dunleavy's attorney, Miles Clement seemed happy with the outcome of the case. "It was a good day", said Clements. Ice Cube couldnt've said it better.

Of course the firm handling the case for the Clippers didn't seem too enthused with the decision.

"We do not agree with the arbitrator's decision," said Clippers general counsel Robert H. Platt, a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. "We intend to review the decision carefully and explore the team's various options."


The Clippers and Sterling need to get over it and pony up that $13 million to Dunleavy.
    

Ex-Buckeyes Have Doubts About Pryor Being NFL Ready

Terrelle Pryor has limited his options for his future since he spurned the Canadian Football League and the UFL for that matter. There are some who think he can make it in the NFL like Jon Gruden and some who don't like Mel Kiper Jr.

There are two former Ohio St. Buckeyes that feel Pryor isn't ready for the bright lights of the NFL. Chris Spielman and former Buckeye quarterback Greg Frey seem to fall in the camp of those who think Pryor could be a failure.

"I would be surprised if somebody took him before the fifth round in a supplemental draft," said ESPN college football analyst Chris Spielman, a former All-American linebacker at Ohio State who played 10 years in the NFL, including eight with the Lions. "That's the obvious statement that you're not ready to play (but) you'll maybe have an opportunity to grow into the job. Right now, he's not close. That's not to say he can't get there, but right now he's not ready to play at all in the NFL."


"The big question I think everybody wants to know is: Can he play in the NFL? Yes. But there's got to be some growth, certainly, from a fundamental standpoint and a maturity standpoint," Frey said.
"From what I can see of the NFL game there are a lot of progression-type reads where you have to see the whole field. And that takes a special quarterback."

If anyone would know it would be Frey. Considering he tried and failed to make it in the NFL.

I always say all someone needs is a chance. Pryor will get that chance, with who, I don't know. He plans on entering the NFL's supplemental draft and there will be a team that will take a flyer on a guy who was MVP in two BCS bowl games.

 

Nate Robinson Needs To Learn How To Use A Toilet

Oklahoma City Thunder reserve guard Nate Robinson is one of my favorite players in the NBA. Don't ask me why because even I don't know. I do like Robinson because he's a little guy, feisty, and likes to fight.

Well, Robinson found himself in a bit of trouble recently for urinating in public. 

WHITE PLAINS — NBA point guard Nate Robinson made quite a splash on Main Street early Friday when police said he was spotted urinating on the sidewalk outside the City Center.



The 5-foot-9 member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who has also played for the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, was arrested shortly before 2 a.m. after cops said he was seen doing his business outside the Barnes & Noble store at 230 Main St.


He was taken Police Headquarters where he was issued a ticket charging him with a public urination violation. Robinson was released on $100 bail and is due in City Court on June 22. The violation normally carries a $50 fine. Police said he gave a Seattle, Wash., address.

I have a sick sense of humor so I find this funny. Damn funny. You would think that Robinson would mix in a toilet or something. I know it was late at night and all but he could at least went behind a dumpster. With his short stature he would've been pretty hard to spot.

Trooper Taylor Gets A Presidential Chest Bump

Auburn's Trooper Taylor had to be the most visible wide receivers coach of all time. Seriously, he got just as much face time as Cam Newton. I swear that he was the glory hound, not Newton.

Taylor got a little more face on Auburn's visit to the White House to visit President Barack Obama. Him and the prez engaged in a little chest bump.



Hopefully this will be the last time I see him taking up any valuble camera time from one of the players.

West Virginia's Stewart To Be Bought Out?

There has been some high drama at West Virginia in the past week. Starting with coach in waiting Dana Holgorsen's alleged alcohol related run-ins to coach Bill Stewart and his wife starting a smear campaign on Holgorsen.

The next twist in this story is a report on Sportingnews.com saying that Stewart may be getting a buyout and Holgorsen getting bumped to head coach. This story hasn't been confirmed or denied.

Athletic director Oliver Luck was asked if there was a buyout on the horizon and Luck replied “I can’t comment” in a text to Sporting News.

This is certainly one of the more bizarre stories of the college football offseason, next to Ohio State's problems. Luck is a rock in a hard place. He can't keep Stewart around, especially after pretty much showing him the door after this season has ended. And if the allegations of Holgorsen's activities are even half true, he really can't keep him around either.

How would the players respond to a coach trying to discipline them for off-field problems, wen he has some skeletons of his own?



 

Carson Palmer May Not Be Welcome Anymore

After his brother came out and called him a former teammate, another Cincinnati Bengals player called out Carson Palmer. This time it was Adam "Pacman" Jones' turn.

“If Carson don’t want to be here, damn him, period, point blank. I love the city of Cincinnati,” Jones told Eric Schmoldt of 102.3 in Denver via SportsRadioInterviews.com. “His little brother is here working out, which is a good sign. But if you don’t want to be here, I don’t want you here. I want some guys that want to play and want to win, period, point blank and that’s the end of that discussion.”

Jones echoes the smae sentiment as Tank Johnson and Cedric Benson. Strange that the three players that have been troublemakers in the past are basically telling Carson Palmer he isn't welcome anymore. Another thing is that none of them are guaranteed to be there when the lockout ends.