Red Sox's East lead down to 2½ after Gagne's collapse
A CLOSER LOOK
• Summary: Eric Gagne blew a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning and the Red Sox fell to the Blue Jays 4-3.
• Figure this: Gagne gave up two hits, three walks and three earned runs after retiring the first two batters of the inning.
• Quotable: "I don't know how to put it into words. It's just very frustrating." -- Gagne
• Hero: Russ Adams drove in the go-ahead run with a two-run double.
• Hunt for October: Boston has lost three straight and had its lead in the AL East cut to 2½ games over New York after the Yankees' 12-0 victory over the Orioles.
- LA continues to tank, losing 2 yesterday in a doubleheader in Colorado. It looks like it's going to be Arizona and San Diego battling it out for the NL West. And the West loser battling it out with Philly for the Wild Card. I hate the city, but I love the team. Openly going for the Phillies, who win in 14 innings last night. And a Rod Barajas sighting!
A CLOSER LOOK
• Summary: Pinch-hitter Rod Barajas singled home the tiebreaking run with two outs in the 14th inning and Jayson Werth added a two-run triple to help Philadelphia win its sixth straight and maintain its surge toward the postseason.
• Champs fading: The Cardinals have lost 12 of their last 13 games to fall a season-worst 10 games below .500.
• Hunt for October: The Phillies moved within 1½ games of the Mets in the NL East and remained 1½ behind the Padres in the wild-card race.
• Figure this: Ryan Howard went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts and two walks, going hitless for the first time in 15 career games against the Cardinals.
• Quotable: "It's huge because you never want to play 5 hours and come up on the losing end, use up a whole bullpen and use up pretty much everybody on the bench. To come away with a win, I hope it lifts us up even higher." -- Phillies' Clay Condrey, who earned the save
- And the Cubs and Brewers continue to trade 1st place back and forth, while the Cardinals fade back in oblivion, having lost 10 of 12 to eliminate themselves. Cubs lose, Brewers win. Milf back in 1st for at least a day.
Harang beats Zambrano again as Reds drop Cubs
A CLOSER LOOK
• Summary: Aaron Harang improved to 3-0 against Carlos Zambrano this season and the Reds beat the Cubs to drop Chicago into a first-place tie with Milwaukee.
• Hero: Harang held the Cubs hitless for the first 3 2/3 to improve to 16-4 on the season.
• Unsung hero: Edwin Encarnacion homered and had three hits in the win.
• Goat: Zambrano also has 16 wins, but he's got 13 losses to go with them.
• Quotable: "If Milwaukee wins every game the rest of the way, they're going to win, plain and simple. We said we need to win series and that's what we need to do." -- Cubs manager Lou Piniella
- Brewers roll back into tie for first but lose Sheets to injury
A CLOSER LOOK
• Summary: Brewers ace Ben Sheets departed after just one inning with a left leg injury, but Milwaukee still beat Houston 9-1 to move back into a tie for first in the NL Central.
• Injury update: Sheets left with tightness in his left hamstring after giving up a run in the first. Team officials said Sheets would be evaluated on Wednesday.
• Hero: Claudio Vargas pitched four shutout innings in relief of Sheets.
• Unsung heroes: Johnny Estrada hit a grand slam while Ryan Braun, Geoff Jenkins and Rickie Weeks also homered for Milwaukee.
• Hunt for October: The Brewers are once again tied atop the Central standings with the Cubs after Chicago lost to Cincinnati 5-2.
- Nebraska News/Notes
- Players/coaches defend D-Coordinator Kevin Cosgrove.
Husker players, coaches stand by Cosgrove
By BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star
Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007 - 12:24:31 am CDT
You know they’re angry when they call him Cosgrove.
It’s like when your mother called you by your first and middle names.
When it’s good, it’s Coz.
When it’s bad, it’s Cosgrove.
Right now, they call him Cosgrove.
Kevin Cosgrove has thick skin. That’s what his nose tackle Ndamukong Suh says.
Coz is a fighter. That’s what almost anyone who knows him says.
Coz is not listening to the criticism. That’s what he says.
“You know what? I can’t look at that,” he said after Tuesday’s practice. “I just got to try to do the best job I can possibly do. If I read what was out there — and believe me guys, I haven’t — or got on the chat lines or anything like that, it would drive me crazy. I have to stay focused at the task at hand.”
Cosgrove has been coaching football for 27 years. You don’t coach 27 years without hearing someone say you stink once or twice.
They’ve said that more than once or twice about him this week.
It sounds like a pretty fun gig being Nebraska’s defensive coordinator. Then you run into a Saturday like the past one.
Southern Cal made Nebraska’s defense look silly in a 49-31 loss. One thing Nebraskans can’t stand is having their football team look silly.
It wasn’t so much that the No. 1 team beat Nebraska. That was kind of expected. It was the way the Trojans ran over, through and around the Huskers for 313 yards with a national TV audience watching.
The Trojans averaged 8.2 yards per carry. No Husker defense before had allowed such a statistic.
Before you could say Pete Carroll, there was a firecosgrove.com Web site on the Internet.
There were Fire Cosgrove e-mails, blogs, dinner table rants.
Shawn from St. Louis titled his e-mail to the Journal Star “Blackh(o)le Defense!!!!”
Went the e-mail: “The Blackshirt designation should be stripped and reserved for only bygone days of dominating headcrushing bloodthirsty speed demons who pounded 1st quarter hopelessness into their victims. Blackshirt D???? Are you kidding me??? More like Blackhole D, you run into the middle of it and shoot out the other side at the speed of light! Damn Cosgrove and his milk toast tactics!!!!”
Fans still compare Cosgrove to Bo Pelini, who, in his one year here in 2003, had Nebraska ranked No. 11 nationally in total defense.
Cosgrove’s defenses since taking over in 2004 have ranked 56th, 26th and 56th in that category. His current unit ranks 45th in total defense.
His defenses in his last five years as defensive coordinator at Wisconsin, from 1999 to 2003, ranked 15th, 79th, 58th, 63rd and 43rd.
Spout all the numbers you want. Cortney Grixby doesn’t care. He’ll tell you Coz can coach. The blame is going to the wrong place, the senior cornerback said.
“Somebody has to put the blame on somebody. I guess this week it was Coach Coz,” Grixby said. “(But) for anybody to be putting it on the coaches, it’s dead wrong. Because they don’t coach us that, and that’s not the kind of coaches we have.”
Support from players is nice. Support from Husker head coach Bill Callahan is better.
Callahan coached with Cosgrove at Wisconsin and hand-picked him to be his defensive coordinator when he took the Nebraska job.
They’re more than just fellow coaches. They’re friends.
What’s a friend say after a bad day?
“He’s hurt. He’s down,” Callahan said. “I tell him to keep his head up. He’s got my full support. He’ll do a great job this week as he hits the practice field … It just hurts. When you have a performance you didn’t expect — that you never even think could happen — it hurts.”
How do you try to make football hurt go away?
You go full pads on Tuesday for the first time since fall camp.
You pit the No. 1s against the No. 1s and have them knock each other around.
You let everyone know that the possibility of personnel changes exists.
You put the entire team together in the film room — something you rarely do — and don’t turn the horror flick off until you’ve honestly assessed every play.
The film session started at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Usually the Huskers segregate into position units to watch game film. Not this time.
As Husker junior receiver Todd Peterson said: “Usually when we watch it together, it’s not a good sign.”
Peterson remembered the last time the Huskers watched game film as a team. It was two years ago, after that 40-15 loss at Kansas.
“We watch every play,” Peterson said. “Coach will be like, ‘Coz, what was the call? What was this guy’s responsibility?’ Or ‘Wats (offensive coordinator Shawn Watson), What was the play call?’ Just go through and point out the mistakes.”
Peterson said it did not end until 5:30 or 6. Probably the toughest film he’s had to watch since he’s been at Nebraska.
Cosgrove said he’s watched the film three times. He doesn’t even want to give you a number on how many tackles were missed. “There were enough of them” is a good enough answer.
The coaches and players simply explained the performance as lacking execution, fundamentals.
“There was concern going into film study,” Callahan said. “But after the film study, I came away encouraged that it’s correctable. There were a lot of areas where we’re a player off or a technique off.
“I’m not trying to deflect any criticism or blame to the players. I want to be very clear about that. I accept full responsibility in that regard. It still falls on my shoulders. I do accept that. We have some things to clean up.”
Husker sophomore safety Larry Asante said the intensity was soaring at Tuesday’s practice. “Had to be a 10,” he rated the effort.
Three days removed, Asante was still emotional as he spoke about Saturday’s game.
“I felt sick to my gut, sick to my gut after that game,” he said. “Sitting there Sunday after the game, there was really nothing you could do about it. We had a sick feeling in our stomach Saturday night, Sunday, Monday …”
To finally practice Tuesday was a relief.
The criticism of Cosgrove, he said, will only serve as more inspiration for this defense to get better.
“Me and Coach are real close,” he said. “Whatever Coach says, I’m going to do it.”
It didn’t seem to be lip service.
Minutes after practice, Asante saw Cosgrove walking by and motioned for him to come over.
He whispered some words, then gave a hug.
“Coach Coz is like my pops. He’s like my dad,” Asante said. “I’m closer to him than any other coach on the coaching staff. If I have any problems, that’s the man I go to.”
- The run defense has problems. Big time problems.
Published Wednesday | September 19, 2007
NU Football: Run-defense numbers prove alarming
BY DIRK CHATELAIN
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Is there any more damaging football weakness? After Southern California's offense hammered the Blackshirts into submission Saturday, a startling stat sheet revealed the damage.
In the first three quarters, USC ran 25 times for 278 yards, an average of 11.1 yards per rush.
Actually, Nebraska was worse than those numbers indicate. Nine of those 25 plays came inside NU's 10-yard line, when the Huskers stacked the box. They gained just 15 yards.
The other 16 carries — when USC had room to run — produced an incredible 263 yards. That's 16.4 yards per rush.
A thorough video review of the game revealed glaring inadequacies throughout the defensive lineup.
It's not a stretch to say the NU defensive front was manhandled one-on-one. Three of the players up front who played significant minutes touched a Trojan running back a combined two times in these 16 plays.
The soft front four allowed USC linemen to go after NU linebackers, who appeared often to misjudge a play's direction. The linebackers funneled toward piles of linemen unable to find the ball.
In the secondary, defensive backs played passively and missed key tackles.
Sixteen plays, 263 yards, an easy USC victory.
- The Tank is on board. It just shows why there is no motivation for staying clean, SOMEONE is always there to give you a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th chance.
Cowboys put Tank in the bank
Johnson might not be available until Nov. 11
08:31 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 18, 2007
By TODD ARCHER and CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING – Tank Johnson is a Cowboy.
The Cowboys signed the suspended defensive tackle to a two-year deal Tuesday, which brings future depth to the nose tackle position but also a fair share of questions.
"I'm real excited, man," said Johnson, as he waited for a taxi to take him to the airport Tuesday afternoon. "I can move forward. It's a process I knew was going to take some time, but I'm excited to reach this point."
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, who was traveling after Johnson signed, and coach Wade Phillips were not available for comment. Johnson is believed to be only the second player to have signed as a free agent while under suspension.
Running back Mike Cloud signed with New England in 2003 but had to miss the first four games for violating the league's policy on banned substances.
Under league rules, the Cowboys had to put Johnson on the active roster for a day before he would move to the reserve/suspended list, so they waived cornerback Nate Jones. Should Jones clear waivers, he could be brought back.
The difficult question is when Johnson will be able to make his debut.
According to the NFL, Johnson, who has already served two games of an eight-game suspension for violating the league's personal-conduct policy, cannot play until Nov. 11 at the New York Giants, because that is the Cowboys' eighth game. However, the Cowboys' bye week is Oct. 28 (Week 8), and if he had remained unsigned until then, he would have been eligible to play Nov. 4 at Philadelphia.
It could all be moot if NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reduces Johnson's suspension to six games, which remains an option. When Goodell announced he was suspending Johnson on June 4, he left open the possibility of reducing the penalty, but Johnson will have to apply for reinstatement early next month.
A June arrest for driving while impaired in Gilbert, Ariz., could adversely affect the chances of the suspension being shortened, but those charges were eventually dropped. If Goodell lessens the suspension to six games, then Johnson could be available Oct. 21 against Minnesota.
The Cowboys will pay Johnson a prorated base salary of $510,000 this year, depending on how many games he plays, and he will earn a $605,000 base salary in 2008 with the chance to earn more money through incentives. He is not paid during the suspension, nor do league rules allow him to be at the team's Valley Ranch facility to work out.
The Cowboys' need for Johnson became greater when starting nose tackle Jason Ferguson was lost for the season with a torn right triceps. With Jay Ratliff the starter and inexperienced Remi Ayodele as the backup, Johnson was the best alternative available. In 46 games with Chicago, Johnson had 63 tackles and nine sacks, but he has never played in a 3-4 scheme the Cowboys' use.
Before signing, Johnson, 25, met with Jerry and Stephen Jones and also had a physical. His past, which included a February stay in jail for violating probation stemming from a gun charge, is certainly an issue. Before the 2004 draft, the Cowboys removed him from their draft board because of character issues, although Chicago drafted him in the second round.
In November 2005, he was arrested for concealed possession of a handgun, and he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge and was given 18 months probation. Three months later he was charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest, but the charges were dropped.
Last December, he was arrested for possessing unlicensed weapons and charged with violating his probation. A Cook County (Ill.) judge placed him on home confinement and prevented him from driving by himself or leaving the state.
Shortly after Super Bowl XLI, Johnson pleaded guilty to violating his probation and was sentenced to 120 days in jail, and he was released May 13.
"I would say he looks at this as a chance to start over, and not everyone gets that in life," said agent Jerrold Colton, who also represents the Cowboys' Anthony Henry and Pat Watkins. "That's a special opportunity that is precious, and he must take advantage of it because there may not be a chance like that again.
"He is extremely appreciative of the Cowboys and determined to reward them for their faith in him."
In the Jones era, the Cowboys have taken their share of chances on players considered character risks, including defensive linemen Dimitrius Underwood, Alonzo Spellman, Leonardo Carson and Jermaine Brooks, with differing levels of success. Jones believes the Cowboys have one of the best player-development programs in the NFL, and consultant Calvin Hill met with Johnson on Tuesday.
"I see him being a major influence in a lot of respects," Johnson said. "He's a great guy, and I'm excited about getting a relationship with Calvin."
tarcher@dallasnews.com
and cwatkins@dallasnews.com
TANK JOHNSON TIMELINE
November 2005: Arrested outside a Chicago nightclub for possession of a handgun in his SUV. Pleads guilty to misdemeanor gun charge and sentenced to 18 months probation and 40 hours of community service.
February 2006: Charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest after threatening a police office at a nightclub in Chicago. Charges were eventually dropped.
December 2006: Lake County, Ill., police search Johnson's home in Gurnee and discover he possessed six firearms, including six assault rifles. While Johnson was at practice during the raid, Johnson's bodyguard, William Posey, was arrested for alleged possession of marijuana. Johnson was charged with violation of probation and possession of unlicensed weapons.
December 2006: Just two days after Johnson's house was raided by police, his bodyguard was shot at a Chicago bar and eventually died.
December 2006: Four days before Christmas, a judge in Chicago places Johnson on home confinement, preventing him from leaving the state for any reason.
January 2007: Johnson gets a judge to allow him to leave the state of Illinois so he can participate in the Super Bowl, which his team loses to the Indianapolis Colts.
April 2007: Johnson is sentenced to 45 days in jail after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge. It was part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.
June 2007: The NFL suspends Johnson without pay for violating the NFL's conduct policy.
June 2007: Johnson is pulled over for speeding in Gilbert, Ariz. A police officer suspects Johnson is driving impaired. Days later, the Bears cut Johnson. Blood tests reveal Johnson wasn't impaired while driving.
September 2007: Johnson passes a physical with the Cowboys and signs a two-year deal.
- Kige Ramsey gives us an in depth look at what goes on behind the scenes.
- And recaps the college football weekend.
- Picks O'the Day
Yesterday - 3-5
YTD - 152-140
1)
No comments:
Post a Comment