Archives for October 2013

2013 World Series on FOX Continues Impressive Prime Time Performance

October 28, 2013 By admin

Highest-Rated and Most-Watched Game 4 Since 2009

Series Ratings Average Up 11% from 2012

St. Louis, MO – The 2013 World Series on FOX last night continued its trend of upward ratings and wild finishes. Game 4 of the 2013 World Series posted its highest-rated and most-watched game of the series delivering a 9.4/15 national household rating and 16 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research, up 6% in rating and 3% in viewership over last year’s series clinching Game 4 (8.9/14, 15.5 million viewers). Last night’s broadcast ranks as the highest-rated and most-watched World Series Game 4 since 2009.

FOX is projected to win the night in prime time (7:00 PM -11:00 PM) among households and post its highest-rated primetime broadcast since the premiere of American Idol in January. The World Series is also projected to power FOX to its first weekly primetime victory for the broadcast season in Adults 18-49.

Through four games, the 2013 World Series on FOX is averaging an 8.4/14 national household rating and 14 million viewers, up 11% in rating and 10% in viewership over last year’s 7.6/12 and 12.7 million viewers. The network’s 10 game postseason average of 6.2/11 (10.2 million viewers) is up 15% from 2012’s 5.4/9 (8.8 million viewers) and ranks as FOX’s best postseason since 2010 (6.6/12 – 11.1 million viewers).

According to figures released by Nielsen SocialGuide, FOX was the No. 1 most social TV network on Sunday. Twitter activity for last night’s World Series Game 4 drew over 479,000 tweets from more than 227,000 unique authors. According to Facebook, World Series Game 4 generated 4.2 million interactions from 2.4 million users during the game. Massachusetts topped Missouri in generating buzz, followed by users in California, Illinois, and New York. Team buzz tilted in favor of Boston, with 60% of the comments, likes, and posts about the game related to the Red Sox.

St. Louis led all markets with a 46.7/66 followed by Boston’s 34.7/55. Providence (30.7/47), Hartford (20.2/32), Kansas City (14.2/23), Las Vegas (13.8/21), Richmond (13.4/20), Memphis (13.1/18), Fort Myers (12.9/21) and Phoenix (12.4/21) round out the top ten markets.

Coverage of Game 5 begins Monday, Oct. 28 on FOX Sports 1, with a special World Series edition of FOX Sports LIVE at 7:00 PM ET. Pregame coverage turns to FOX broadcast network at 7:30 PM ET from Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO.

Sidney Crosby And Pittsburgh Penguins Host Zdeno Chara And Boston Bruins On Wednesday Night Rivalry

October 28, 2013 By admin

Bob Costas Goes One-On-One with Sidney Crosby on Costas Tonight Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET on NBCSN

NHL Rivals Features Bruins-Penguins Tuesday
at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

NBCSN’s Game Coverage Begins with Canadiens-Rangers on Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET, Followed by Lightning-Devils on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET

NHL Live Starts One Hour Before All Games

STAMFORD, Conn. – Oct. 28, 2013 – NBC Sports Group continues its NHL regular-season coverage this week with three matchups, highlighted by a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference Finals when the Boston Bruins visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday Night Rivalry at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Coverage of Bruins-Penguins begins Tuesday with the latest episode of NHL Rivals at 10:30 p.m. ET, followed by Bob Costas’ sit-down with Penguins captain Sidney Crosby in the latest installment of Costas Tonight at 11 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Wednesday’s matchup between the Bruins and Penguins is their first meeting since Boston swept Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference Finals in June, holding the Penguins to just two goals in four games. The Penguins currently lead the Metropolitan Division, while the Bruins sit two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs for the Atlantic Division lead.

Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, analyst Eddie Olczyk and Emmy Award-winning ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call from the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.

This week’s NHL coverage on NBCSN begins tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET, when the New York Rangers host the Montreal Canadiens. Emrick and McGuire will call the live action from Madison Square Garden in New York.

NBCSN’s NHL game coverage continues on Tuesday, when the Tampa Bay Lightning visit the New Jersey Devils at 7:30 p.m. ET. Dave Strader (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (analyst) will provide live commentary from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Date	Coverage	Network	Time (ET)
Mon., October 28	NHL Live	NBCSN	6:30 p.m.
	Montreal at N.Y. Rangers	NBCSN	7:30 p.m.
Tues., October 22	NHL Live	NBCSN	6:30 p.m.
	Tampa Bay at New Jersey	NBCSN	7:30 p.m.
	NHL Rivals – Bruins/Penguins	NBCSN	10:30 p.m.
	Costas Tonight – Sidney Crosby	NBCSN	11 p.m.
Wed., October 23	NHL Rivals – Bruins/Penguins (Encore)	NBCSN	6:30 p.m.
	NHL Live	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Boston at Pittsburgh	NBCSN	8 p.m.
	Costas Tonight – Sidney Crosby (Encore)	NBCSN	11 p.m.

NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will stream all 2013-14 NHL regular season games televised on NBC and NBCSN, including this week’s Canadiens-Rangers, Lightning-Devils, and Bruins-Penguins matchups.

NHL Live, NBC Sports Group’s live NHL pre-game and post-game studio show, begins one hour before all games on NBCSN. Liam McHugh will host NHL Live with former players and analysts Mike Milbury, Keith Jones and Jeremy Roenick from the International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn.

COSTAS TONIGHT WITH SIDNEY CROSBY – 11 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Pittsburgh Penguins captain, 2009 Stanley Cup champion, and 2010 Olympic gold medalist Sidney Crosby sits down with 25-time Emmy Award-winner Bob Costas for the newest edition of Costas Tonight, to debut on Tuesday, October 29 at 11 p.m. ET on NBCSN. NBCSN will also air an encore presentation of Costas Tonight on Wednesday at 11 p.m. ET.

The interview was filmed in Suite 66 at the CONSOL Energy Center, an ice-level suite in the Penguins’ home arena which is themed to Penguins legend Mario Lemieux.

Following are excerpts from Costas’ interview with Crosby:

Crosby on his relationship with Lemieux: “He’s meant a lot. In my first year, (I) had the opportunity to live with him and learn a lot pretty early. I’m glad I had him around and had a chance to play with him…that made a big difference, especially early on.”

Crosby on overtime goal against Team USA in 2010 Vancouver Games to clinch gold medal: “Scoring an overtime-winning goal in your own country, playing for Canada, a country that’s so passionate about hockey – it’s pretty special…playing for Canada, we always know that expectations are high. But being in Canada, in the Winter Olympics, we knew we had to find a way.”

Crosby on Russian LGBT Laws and 2014 Sochi Games: “Growing up in Canada, that’s something I never even really thought about or discussed – it didn’t matter. Anyone had the opportunity to play a sport, and to go through that was something that was a learning experience for me. I never even thought that’s something that would come up.”

Crosby on his history with concussions: “I look back to the first time I came back from the concussion, and I almost overdid it. I almost hit guys more than I typically would. I went into those areas probably when I didn’t need to almost to prove to yourself that, ‘Hey, everything’s good.’”

NHL RIVALS – BRUINS-PENGUINS – TUESDAY, 10:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

NHL Rivals, which debuts this week on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, dovetails off of NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Rivalry, which Forbes dubbed “the hottest new brand in sports.” This week’s episode will feature the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Highlights include the Bruins displeasure with Pittsburgh’s switch of colors to black and gold in 1979, Penguins defenseman Ulf Samuelsson’s hit on Bruins forward Cam Neely in 1991, the Jerome Iginla sweepstakes, and last season’s Eastern Conference Finals clash.

Following are excerpts from this week’s episode of NHL Rivals.

Former Sports Illustrated hockey writer Michael Farber on Penguins changing colors to Black and Gold in 1979: “The Penguins were going to hop on the ‘City of Champions’ bandwagon, and the Bruins said, ‘Not a chance.’ They hated the idea – ‘We’re black and gold, you’re not black and gold.”

Former Bruins defenseman Ray Bourque being beaten by former Penguins forward Mario Lemieux for his first NHL goal: “I remember having a great seat watching that goal. I just followed him in and assisted on his first NHL goal.”

Former Boston Bruin Lyndon Byers on Ulf Samuelsson hit on Cam Neely: “If I ever saw Ulf Samuelsson now, I don’t know if I’d punch him out. But I know that if we had bumped into each other in the summer after that playoff series, there would have been some lumping going on.”

In addition to its NHL coverage, NBCSN will present live college hockey coverage this Friday with a Hockey East showdown, when Boston College hosts Northeastern at 8 p.m. ET. Dave Goucher (play-by-play) and Ken Hodge (analyst) will have the call from Kelley Rink in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA

NBC Sports Live Extra, All NBCSN games will be live streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

Games airing on:

NBC will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra;
NBCSN will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

In addition to its coverage of the opening week of the NHL’s 2013-14 regular season, NBC Sports Group will present comprehensive pre-game and post-game coverage, the NHL Winter Classic, the NHL Stadium Series, and new shoulder programming.

2013-14 REGULAR-SEASON COVERAGE ON NBC & NBCSN

NBC Sports Group will deliver coverage of 103 NHL regular-season games during the 2013-14 season, featuring 13 games on NBC and 90 games on NBCSN. All games will be streamed live via NBC Sports Live Extra. Click here for more information on NBC Sports Group’s comprehensive NHL coverage this season.

NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS

NBC Sports Regional Networks, which serve top NHL markets such as Boston (Bruins), Philadelphia (Flyers), Washington D.C. (Capitals), Chicago (Blackhawks) and the Bay Area (Sharks), will air more than 300 live NHL games and surround the 2013-14 NHL season with in-depth news, analysis and original programming on the teams that matter most.

NBC SPORTS GROUP’S DIGITAL AND SOCIAL NHL COVERAGE

NBC Sports Group will continue to provide hockey fans with up-to-the-minute news, video, and information on the NHL and hockey from around the world via its digital and social properties, including NBCSports.com, Twitter and Facebook. Click here for more information on NBC Sports Group’s Digital and Social NHL coverage.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

Quotes From Week 8 Editions of NFL Network’s ‘NFL GameDay Highlights’ & ‘NFL GameDay Final’ — Highlighted by Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders on Cowboys WR Dez Bryant’s behavior

October 28, 2013 By admin

Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, and Willie McGinest on Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant’s behavior on the sideline during the Cowboys loss to the Detroit Lions:

Video:

· From NFL GameDay Highlights: http://on.nfl.com/1g5KVGB

· From NFL GameDay Final: http://on.nfl.com/1eYKP0r

Michael Irvin:

“I talked people in Dez’s camp and people with the Cowboys’ camp and the way they see this, it is passion on the sideline. Guys are telling me that [Dez Bryant and Tony Romo] guys were embracing on the bus ride and going to the plane talking about it. [People on the bus were] talking to Dez about it, [saying] ‘We don’t have any problem with it. We just want to make sure that the passion is directed in the right way.’ You have to know how to address that kind of passion.”

“He doesn’t have a problem with Jason Witten, he doesn’t have a problem with Tony Romo. He wants the football.”

“For years we talked about people on the sideline of the Dallas Cowboys having no passion, no leadership and it seems like they don’t care. Now we get a guy with maybe a little too much passion and he doesn’t know how to exactly display it in front of a TV audience, but now we are going to go and say, ‘Get rid of all the passion you have?’ No, it is absolutely crazy.”

· “I truly will talk to Dez about this. You can’t go after the quarterback. I have never gone after Troy [Aikman]. Search all you want, you will never find tape of me going after Troy. I am going to talk to Dez about this same thing. Get everyone else going, but you walk quietly up to Tony and say ‘What is going on buddy? Can you get me the ball a little bit better tonight?’ and talk to him and a little bit better. I will address that with him.”

On Dez Bryant’s personality:

“I would much rather hold you back than have to push you out.”

On if the incident will be an issue moving forward:

· “As long as this was [an isolated incident] and not something lingering. That is the difference. This is not going to linger.”

Deion Sanders:

· “He is the only guy on that team that plays with that kind of passion. The only guy. There is a way to channel it, but I love the passion. There is nothing wrong with what he did.”

· “At certain times he shows immaturity. [However,] you can’t want the passion, mental toughness, and aggressiveness on the field but not want it off the field. I guarantee you he is yelling about the way his team is performing… and ball distribution. You can’t ask for his passion and intensity in certain areas of the game but not really want it when it is really going down.”

· “Dez Bryant is the best player on the Cowboys, so let’s [remember that.]”

· “We don’t give receivers and running backs enough credit [about knowing] the game. When you line up, you know where that ball is supposed to go when you are looking at the defense. If that ball is not coming to you when you know it is supposed to be coming to you, oh, we have a problem. It is OK for the quarterback to get on everybody, but not the receiver?”

On if Dez Bryant’s sideline behavior will be an issue moving forward:

· “No, none whatsoever.”

· I feel like he is the only guy in the city of Dallas that Cowboy fans can identify with. He is really the only guy that plays with that type of passion and intensity. I love Sean Lee, I love what he brings to the table, but offensively, he is the only guy that you have.”

Willie McGinest:

· “It was a little excessive, but necessary. There have been some issues when guys haven’t been as passionate or showed emotion.”

· “There are some correct ways to do it. [There is urgency,] when you are looking at that clock and time is winding down and you know you need to make a play… I don’t think it was all about him getting the ball, it was about them making plays. When Terrance Williams made that long touchdown, he was cheering for him on the sidelines.”

· “I don’t know what transpired between [Williams touchdown] and the end of the game. Maybe it was another mishap, another play that was missed. He didn’t handle it 100% the right way, but there is nothing wrong with that. It is football. You can’t expect everybody to act nice and quiet and walk on eggshells. Players don’t act like that. I have lost it a couple of times on the sidelines. You have to gather yourself and get ready to play. I think Jason Witten was telling him, ‘We still have a little time to go. Get yourself together so we can go out and try to win this football game.’”

Other Quotes from NFL GameDay Highlights & NFL GameDay Final

– “You know a team is good when they have to [play a certain way] and they can do it. They had to run the football, because they couldn’t throw the football today and they got it done. Just an all-around performance by this Patriots team. I continue to be impressed by the coaching staff, the job they are doing. [It is] just unbelievable to watch them win games.” – LaDainian Tomlinson on the New England Patriots who are 6-2 despite a number of injuries and perceived offensive struggles

– “Kudos to the New England Patriots for finding a way to grind it out. This is not just some schematically better team. This team has heart, they are fighting and they are finding a way to grind it out.” – Michael Irvin on the 6-2 New England Patriots

– “Calvin Johnson separated himself from every receiver in the game [with today’s performance.]” – Deion Sanders on Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson who had 14 receptions for 329 yards and a touchdown vs. the Dallas Cowboys

– “Calvin Johnson is the best receiver in the league and he showed it.” – Michael Irvin on Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson who had 14 receptions for 329 yards and a touchdown vs. the Dallas Cowboys

– “The Raiders are balling. I am starting to believe in the Raiders a little bit.” – Deion Sanders on the Oakland Raiders who are 3-4 but have won two of their last three games

On NFL.com the following video clips from NFL GameDay Highlights & NFL GameDay Final are available for viewing:

Is it time for the Eagles to slow down? – Should the Philadelphia Eagles slow down their offense? Find out what the NFL GameDay Final analysts think about head coach Chip Kelly’s offense:

http://on.nfl.com/1gUbmAE

Calvin Johnson talks about record performance – Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson goes one-on-one with Stacey Dales:

http://on.nfl.com/19LUlCb

He’s a beast: Calvin Johnson – Michael Irvin talks about Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson’s impressive performance against the Dallas Cowboys:

http://on.nfl.com/1eYHxuc

Reaction to the Patriots win – The New England Patriots improved to 6-2 with a victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. The NFL GameDay Final analysts break it down:

http://on.nfl.com/1eYKA5w

NOTES & QUOTES FROM “FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA” – WEEK 8

October 28, 2013 By admin

“If I was in that position, I would take a little less money and continue to play with one of the greatest quarterbacks of our generation. He was better off staying in Green Bay.” – Hines Ward on Greg Jennings

“I have never come to a game and still been trying to memorize the receivers who were going to play in the game. Rodgers has to take it by himself and make something happen.” – Cris Collinsworth

“I can’t remember him looking this bad.” – Rodney Harrison on Tom Brady

“I’ve seen this from Dez before. He’s got to be under control.” – Dungy on Dez Bryant

NEW YORK – Oct. 27, 2013 – Following are the highlights for Football Night in America, the most-watched pre-game show in sports. Bob Costas opened the show live from inside Mall of America Field in Minneapolis, Minn., where the Vikings are hosting the Green Bay Packers. Costas was joined on site by Al Michaels (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), and two-time Super Bowl winner Hines Ward.

Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from famous Studio 8H at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios in New York City. He is joined by Super Bowl winning head coach Tony Dungy; two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison; Peter King of Sports Illustrated; Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on NBCSports.com and NBCSN; and Scott Pioli, the former NFL Executive of the Year and newest addition to the NBC NFL team. Alex Flanagan reported from Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo., on the Redskins-Broncos game.

Costas interviewed Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former teammate, Vikings wide receiver Greg Jennings.

Following are highlights from Football Night in America:

ON PACKERS

Collinsworth on Packers: “I have never come to a game and still been trying to memorize the receivers who were going to play in the game. You have got Jordy Nelson. Jarrett Boykin, who had a great game last week, but prior to last week had six career catches. Andrew Quarless, who has four catches in the last two years. And the other two tight ends, Brandon Bostick and Jake Stoneburner, have never caught a ball. The other two receivers, Myles White and Chris Harper, had never played until last week. This is one of those times that Aaron Rodgers has to take it by himself and, with Jordy Nelson, make something happen.”

ON VIKINGS

Ward on Greg Jennings: “It’s hard for me to feel sorry for Greg Jennings. He made the decision to come to Minnesota and face his former team two times a year. If I was in that position, I would want to be relevant. I would take a little less money and continue to play with one of the greatest quarterbacks of our generation. With Aaron Rodgers, you always have the opportunity to win a Super Bowl and you are going to be in the playoffs. For Greg Jennings, there are no more Old Spice commercials coming his way here in Minnesota. He was better off staying in Green Bay.”

Dungy on Vikings and Adrian Peterson: “They can’t do what they did last week and only give him the ball 12 times. No matter who the quarterback is, and how many guys are in the box, you have to give it to Peterson. They have to give him the ball tonight. It doesn’t matter who the quarterback is, I’m starting with Adrian Peterson.”

ON PATRIOTS

Harrison on Brady: “I can’t remember him looking this bad. He talked about feeling good physically, but he can’t feel good about this offense. He has been under constant pressure and duress, and just does not look comfortable in there.”

Dungy: “It was defense and the running game today. That’s how they might have to play for a while, until Brady gets that hand healthy.”

Dungy: “The Patriots are going to be fine. They play situational football enough where they are going to win the division.”

Florio: “Officially, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady does not have a hand injury. Unofficially, his hand was noticeably swollen during Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. Afterward, he said he’s fine. He will play next weekend.”

ON COWBOYS

Harrison on Dez Bryant: “I love his emotion. I love his energy. He’s one of the best wide receivers in the game. Part of being a pro is being able to handle your emotions in critical moments of the game. Jason Witten was telling him, ‘we have got 12 seconds left, we still have a chance to win this game.’ He just has to control himself.”

Dungy on Bryant: “I had some passionate guys. You have got to channel it the right way. And they need to help Dez channel it the right way. I’ve seen this from Dez before. He’s got to be under control.”

ON CHIEFS

Harrison: “This team showed me mental toughness today. In the fourth quarter of the last two weeks, they have been winning football games.”

ON FALCONS

Dungy: “I really think it is over. I thought getting Steven Jackson back might help them, but they would have to throw 60 times a day. They just don’t look like a good football team.”

Harrison: “When you look at the Falcons and all of the injuries, I think it’s just too much for them to overcome. They have no vertical threats. Steven Jackson came back, but he still looks injured. And their offensive line is not good.”

ON SAINTS

Dungy: “Watch out for New Orleans. They had one slip up in New England, otherwise they would be undefeated. They are battling for that first round home field advantage.”

ON JETS

Harrison: “That was really disappointing watching the Jets. After beating the Patriots, to come back and lose the way they lost today, that was very disappointing.”

ON EAGLES

Harrison: “The high powered Eagles couldn’t score one touchdown against the Giants, one of the worst defenses in the league. I couldn’t believe it.”

King on Michael Vick: “Vick had missed two weeks before playing against the New York Giants today. He restrained his hamstring today. He said that he had heard it pop. He’s probably going to miss more than two weeks now.”

ON DOLPHINS

King on Mike Pouncey: “Sports Illustrated has reported tonight that the Massachusetts State Police served Dolphins Center, Mike Pouncey, a grand jury subpoena after Miami’s game in Foxborough on Sunday. A source with knowledge on the investigation said the subpoena involves Aaron Hernandez, Pouncey’s teammate at the University of Florida. Indications are that police are focusing on Hernandez’s potential involvement in interstate gun trafficking. Now to be clear, a grand jury subpoena does not mean Pouncey has been charged with a crime. Rather, law enforcement officials regard him as a material witness that could advance their case against Hernandez.”

ON LONDON

King: “I was told this weekend that one of the options the NFL will consider is not moving a team to London full-time in the next few years, but rather playing a full slate of games, maybe up to eight games. They would sell season tickets, but games would be spread among all the teams in the league.”

Florio: “One of the options does remain putting a team in London. On Saturday, Commissioner Roger Goodell said he’d like to have a team both in London and in Los Angeles. But, that would happen by the relocation of an existing team. I am told there are no plans to expand the NFL, somebody would be moving into each market.”

INTERVIEW: Below are excerpts from Costas’ interviews with Rodgers and Jennings.

AARON RODGERS WITH BOB COSTAS

On one of the young receivers on the team calling him sir: “It’s a reminder of how old I’m getting. You feel a little bit older. The prime years for a quarterback are in his 30’s, but people are starting to look at me as the old guy on the team.”

On having the lowest interception rate in NFL history: “I have a strong desire to not let those other guys get their hands on the ball. I have a responsibility as a quarterback. I touch the ball every play. I would like to be perfect, but more than anything I don’t want to turn the ball over. I want to end each drive with a kick.”

On the comments Greg Jennings made about Rodgers and the Packers: “None of that stuff factors in to my preparation process. I don’t have time to think about those things. They don’t bother me.”

On filming the State Farm “Da Bears” commercial with George Wendt and Robert Smigel: “We had a blast doing that. It was fun to work with those two guys. I really enjoyed it. I still have some slobber on my neck from George.”

Aaron Rodgers sits down with Bob Costas:

http://www.nbcsports.com/football/nfl/rodgers-had-blast-filming-da-bears-commercial

GREG JENNINGS WITH BOB COSTAS

On his comments about Aaron Rodgers and the Packers: “When it came to Aaron, I was jabbing at him. With me calling him No. 12, and not calling him Aaron Rodgers, it went too far. What I regret most is how it continued to go. The brain washing comments were taken out of proportion a little bit.”

On his current relationship with Rodgers and the Packers: “He is a great quarterback and a really good person. Sometimes you get thrown into a situation, and everyone expects even more of you. They pull on you a lot more, and you start to distance yourself. I’m not at odds at all. I still talk to a lot of guys over there. Aaron and I never really talked off the field anyway.”

On Rodgers being fueled by Jennings comments: “He is not the only one who is fueled by things. Everything fuels me. The fact that we are 1-5 fuels me. It gives me that much more of an edge to go out there and make plays for my team.”

Greg Jennings sits down with Bob Costas:

http://www.nbcsports.com/football/nfl/jennings-not-odds-all-rodgers

–FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA–

NFL TODAY talks head coaching

October 28, 2013 By admin

NEWS, NOTES & QUOTES FROM CBS SPORTS’ “THE NFL TODAY” WITH JAMES BROWN, DAN MARINO, SHANNON SHARPE,

BILL COWHER AND BOOMER ESIASON

AND

“THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW” WITH ADAM SCHEIN, AMY TRASK, BART SCOTT,

STEVE BEUERLEIN AND BRANDON TIERNEY FOR WEEK 8 ON OCTOBER 27

► QUICK HITS

(Discussion on Tampa Bay Head Coach Greg Schiano’s rocky season and why college coaches have such a hard time adjusting to NFL)

Click to view: http://cbsprt.co/HpwCh0

BILL COWHER: On my staffs, I always liked guys with NFL experience because they understood the grind that it takes, and the commitment that it takes at that level.

DAN MARINO: Greg Schiano, you look at him and the team doesn’t trust him because of what he’s done with Freeman and some of the other players on that team. They’ve traded guys away. But for me, it’s about communication. You said, guys that had experience in the NFL, that’s key especially with head coaches and assistant coaches.

SHANNON SHARPE: It’s a tough situation for Greg Schiano, but he brought a lot of this on himself.

BOOMER ESIASON: They also have other issues. They have the MRSA issue in that locker room which has made a lot of guys uncomfortable about the way the team has handled it. They also had the Josh Freeman issue where they should have made the decision in the off-season that he was not the guy moving forward. So that thing ended ugly. And the bottom line for all of this is they haven’t won a game. When you are not winning a game and you have no shows in that stadium, you’re going to have a perception problem. Right now coach Schiano has that – a major perception problem.

(On Jets and Head Coach Rex Ryan)

COWHER: We’ve watched Rex Ryan in my opinion grow as a coach from year four to five. He admittedly said he had to take a different approach publicly about certain things. I love where he’s at. I loved last weekend after that game he said, ‘Wow, it’s great that we won that game.’ He wasn’t boastful. He knew he was fortunate to win that game. I love where he’s at. And I think other owners should look at coaches and see that they can grow on the job and still be good coaches and give them time to experience the things they need to experience like Ron Rivera. Because we fire coaches way too quickly in this business and don’t give them a chance to grow as coaches.

MARINO: You look at Rex Ryan, what I think was impressive about him is he did this with Mark Sanchez who was a rookie quarterback. So for five years. Then he went to two AFC Championship games. Now he’s got another rookie quarterback and he’s winning with Geno Smith. There are a lot of guys that have a quarterback like Tom Brady, in New England for 10, 12 years. He’s doing this with two rookie quarterbacks. That’s impressive.

(On 4-3 New York Jets)

SHARPE: The Jets are doing this with a rookie quarterback in Geno Smith. They traded their best defensive player in Darrelle Revis. Rex Ryan has that defense. You talk about a defense. They play defense as well as anybody in the National Football League. No great receivers, no tight ends to speak of on the offensive side of the football. How Rex Ryan has gotten this team to be 4-3 with a rookie quarterback and that offense is beyond me.

(On expanding game day rosters)

COWHER: With all the safety precautions we’ve had, we’ve seen a lot of injuries the last few weeks, a lot of guys going out early in games and not returning. I think it’s time we need to continue to talk about expanding the game‑day roster, moving the game day roster maybe to 50. I think every team right now is activating only seven offensive linemen and the quality of the game is going to suffer. When an injury happens, there is a trickle-down effect where players are having to play more plays and more injuries can occur. It’s a CBA issue, but something that has to be addressed.

(On Pittsburgh and Ben Roethlisberger and AFC North race)

SHARPE: I’m going to talk about another guy that has had some questions the past couple of weeks, Ben Roethlisberger. I think he’s answered those questions. He has taken care of the football. Le’Veon Bell has given them the running attack you said they needed. And what they’ve done is allowed themselves to get back into this AFC North race. I don’t think the Bengals are going to run away with this quite yet. The Steelers might have something to say about that.

►THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW (TOPS) NOTES

(On Tampa Bay Head Coach Greg Schiano)

Click to view: http://cbsprt.co/18ridaz

STEVE BEUERLEIN: This started the first game (against) the Giants. The game was over and (Greg Schiano) made his team go after the football (when the Giants were in victory formation). That’s when he started losing that team. (The players) had to do it because they had to do what the head coach said at that point. But if he told them to do it today, they wouldn’t do it. He’s lost that team. (Schiano being fired) is inevitable.

BART SCOTT: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. With (Darrelle) Revis saying, ‘I’m not sure if he’s lost the locker room,’ that’s a way of saying ‘Yes… But I make too much money to say what I really want to say.’ (Schiano) is out of here.

(On Washington’s Brandon Meriweather fine)

Click to view: http://cbsprt.co/18rAJ2A

BEUERLEIN: You’re talking to a guy who came into the league in 1987. It was a different game back then. What (Brandon) Meriweather is doing now was perfectly legal back when I was playing the game. He would be glorified for making hits like that and feared because that’s the way football was played. But by the rules of the game today, he is crossing the line and he has to get that message or he won’t be in the League.

AMY TRASK: I like the process the League and the Players Association have in place for this. The hearing officer on appeals of this nature, in this case it was Ted Cottrell, is jointly appointed by the League and by the Players Association. That’s an important factor. I also think it’s important that the hearing officer be a football man; someone who has either played the game or coached the game or both. In this instance Ted Cottrell is a football man… therefore we have to trust that after hearing all of the evidence he made the right decision… Now is that decision going to have a deterrent effect on Brandon Meriweather? I don’t know the answer to that. I don’t know Brandon Meriweather personally. Different people are deterred by different punishments. I don’t know if it will have a deterrent effect but I do think the process in place is a good process and a fair process.

* * * * *

Follow CBS Sports on Twitter: @CBSSportsGang, @NFLonCBS and @TOPSonCBS

Bradshaw: The NFL Should Have a Team in Los Angeles

October 28, 2013 By admin

FOX NFL SUNDAY NOTES – 10/27/13

Bradshaw: The NFL Should Have a Team in Los Angeles

Glazer Reports on Peyton Manning’s Ankle Injury

Johnson: Giants Need to Hold On To Nicks

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Co-Host and Analyst Terry Bradshaw said he wishes the NFL would focus on bringing a team to Los Angeles, rather than on playing games internationally: “This is the eighth game the NFL has played in London, spreading the international brand. And for the life of me, I don’t understand why we’re not spreading a little love out here to Los Angeles. Do you realize it has been 19 years since we last had a team here in the Los Angeles area? Why the NFL isn’t putting all their efforts into bringing a team out here – and don’t forget, the largest game in the history of the Super Bowl was in Los Angeles. The very first Super Bowl was in Los Angeles, and personally, my last Super Bowl was in Los Angeles. It seems to me like the powers ought to get together and give a little thought to bringing in an NFL team. Howie’s Raiders’ economic struggles up in Oakland, the Rams’ stadium issues in St. Louis – viable alternatives to come back to the second-biggest city in this great country of ours, the United States.

Analyst Howie Long added: “Personally, I’m hopeful they stay in Oakland, but economically it’s tough.”

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NFL Insider Jay Glazer shed light on the ankle injury that kept Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning out of practice one day this week: “He didn’t hurt it in the game against the Colts, he actually hurt it originally against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and if you guessed right ankle or left ankle, you’d be correct on both instances. He actually injured both those ankles. This week they wisely gave him a day off, and it was huge news. They want to make sure the ankles were healed up. And he’s much better today for our FOX game than he was a week ago.”

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Glazer gave his take on this week’s trade deadline: “The biggest name on that list right now is Jared Allen, the Pro Bowl defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings. He is a free agent after the year, likely gone. If he leaves, they’ll get about a third-round compensatory pick for him. If I’m a team out there looking for a d-end, you call the Minnesota Vikings and you can get a guy like Jared Allen.”

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Analyst Jimmy Johnson weighed in on action around the trade deadline, and said that the New York Giants should look to keep Hakeem Nicks:

“In the past, Hakeem Nicks has proven he’s a talented young game-breaker for Eli Manning, and you don’t give up players that win games. Get his contract done. Keep him.”

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Analyst Michael Strahan said they key for the Giants to win today against Philadelphia is to pressure Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury: “If you’re the Giants, you know he’s not healthy. I would pressure Michael Vick. Make him run. Do everything you can to make him feel uncomfortable, and then hopefully you get a young Matt Barkley in the game. That’s going to be a key to the Giants, but you have to watch out because the safety valve for the Eagles is McCoy, who’s the leading rusher in the NFL.”

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Johnson looked back at Thursday night’s game between the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and said Tampa Bay would have a winning record if Cam Newton was the team’s quarterback: “This was a perfect example of why this is a quarterback-driven league. You look at Carolina – the first winning record under Cam Newton, and it’s all because Cam Newton’s playing team football, he’s utilizing a strong defense, he’s converting on third down, he’s scoring touchdowns. On the other side, you look at Tampa’s roster – they’ve got a lot of talented players, but they’re struggling. Greg Schiano’s going to take a lot of the blame, and deservedly so, but if Cam Newton was playing for Tampa Bay, they’d have a winning record, and they wouldn’t be 0-7.”

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Long weighed in on Mike Shanahan’s return to Denver as the head coach of the Washington Redskins and said Broncos fans should give Shanahan a standing ovation: “Mike Shanahan deserves a standing ovation up in Denver. You’re talking about a guy who won back-to-back championships for a team and a city that had been to the Super Bowl three times and had nothing but despair. He’s not only going back to face the team that he coached in two Super Bowls, but a team that has been built by the quarterback who led him to those two Super Bowl victories.”

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Strahan said Reggie Wayne’s season-ending ACL tear hurts Indianapolis not only from a game standpoint, but also because the team loses an important veteran presence: “That’s a big loss for their team, because not only was he their leading receiver last year, Reggie Wayne was their leading receiver so far this year. He’s a veteran who’s been there, the guy that can guide Andrew Luck. So, it’s not only important on the field to have Reggie Wayne, it’s important to have Reggie Wayne off the field, to keep the young guys in line and keep them on the right path, and they lose that. They need a guy like [Darrius] Heyward-Bey – who just came in who Reggie Wayne was mentoring – you need guys like that to step up.

“It’s going to be very tough for him to come back. At his age, that position, he can come back, he can play, but I don’t know if he will ever be as effective as he was before the injury.”

Hopkins Defeats Murat, Retails Title And Breaks Record As Oldest Fighter To Defend A World Championship

October 28, 2013 By admin

IBF LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION BERNARD“THE ALIEN” HOPKINS DEFEATS KARO MURAT, RETAINS TITLE AND BREAKS HIS RECORD AS THE OLDEST FIGHTER TO DEFEND A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin Retains WBO Middleweight World Championship with Controversial Stoppage Of “King” Gabriel Rosado; Heavyweight Sensation Deontey Wilder Remains Undefeated And Registers Thirtieth Knockout

Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Telecast Will Replay Sunday Morning

At 9 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME^® and Tuesday, October 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on

SHOWTIME EXTREME^®

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PHOTOS

Photo Credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

ATLANTIC CITY (October 27, 2013) — IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KO’s) became the oldest fighter in history to defend a world title, breaking his own record by defeating European challenger Karo Murat (25-2-1, 15 KO’s). The 48-year-old “Executioner” turned “Alien” out-worked and out-brawled his 30-year-old challenger and won via clear unanimous decision in front of his hometown crowd at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The fight, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Caesars Atlantic City, headlined an entertaining three-fight SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event.

Hopkins appeared to start the night slow, but Hopkins’ combinations, speed and power grew each round. By the seventh, Hopkins and Murat exchanged wild power shots in spurts for the rest of the bout. Amidst these exchanges, Hopkins used his signature defense, angles and gamesmanship to mentally and physically deflate Murat. The judges scored the fight 117-110 and 119-108, twice for the champion.

“Richard Schaefer said we needed to be crowd pleasers,” said Hopkins, the oldest champion in sports history. “The crowd wanted to see skill and blood so I had some blood to give them. I am an entertainer and this is what people want to see… He was a game number one contender.”

When asked by SHOWTIME ringside reporter Jim Gray if Murat brought out the best in him, Hopkins answered, “Not really, but he didn’t bring out the worst either.”

Regarding the slow start, Hopkins said, “That was the plan. That was the bone on the string so that the dog could follow him into a dark alley and then realize someone was waiting on him. And that dog was me.”

Hopkins continued, “He throws pretty good punches and he is no one to sleep on. He is going to give some light heavyweights a bit of a problem.”

When Gray asked Hopkins how he stays in such phenomenal shape at age 48, Hopkins replied, “I’m a freaking alien.”

Gray then spoke to Murat who said, “Bernard is a good boxer and I lost concentration due to the two cuts which came by head butts. I know that when I am in good shape I can beat him, however, the cuts disturbed me.”

In the co-main event Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (30-0, 21 KO’s) remained undefeated and retained his WBO Middleweight title by defeating “King” Gabriel Rosado via technical knockout. The fight was stopped at 40 seconds of the tenth round by the referee on the advice of the doctor due to a deep cut on Rosado’s left eyelid.

Quillin came out of the gate as the more confident and powerful of the two, dropping Rosado in the second. But by the fourth, Rosado found rhythm and confidence of his own. Rosado pressed forward and took the momentum away for virtually the rest of the fight.

But Quillin was counterpunching and keeping each round close. In the ninth, with less than a minute left, Quillin landed a snap jab that sliced open Rosado’s eyelid which began to pour blood.

In between rounds, the ringside physician cleared the challenger for the tenth. But referee Allan Huggins soon called for another look at which point the ringside physician changed course and advised Huggins to halt the fight.

Said Quillin after the fight, “I’m not a judge. I’m not an elected official. I did what I had to do as a fighter and I respect the call. The referees and doctors ringside did what they had to do to make sure the fighters are safe.

“I never expect an easy payday or an easy fight. I work hard every time for each fight… When you dedicate to win a title you need to give that person a sense of being able to achieve what they want. I am a world champion and I work hard. He has never been a champion and he doesn’t know.

“I’m ready for anybody. I am a fighter and I worry about fighting. If it is a rematch, then I don’t care. I work hard to be in this ring and I work hard to defend my title against anybody. I don’t care if it is against my own mother.”

Of the stoppage, Rosado told Gray, “I felt like that was B.S. This is a championship fight. We were going into the championship rounds. This was a competitive fight. I never complained about a cut. When the doctor saw my eye, I told him that I could see. It was not giving me any problems up to that point.

“I noticed if I backed him up with a jab that I was hurting him and I was doing that. But then the doctor called me over and stopped the fight. This is boxing. What about Gatti-Ward? They didn’t stop that fight. Corrales-Castillo. We are warriors.

“I never even complained that I couldn’t see. Of course I want a rematch. This is the story of my life. I’m the real Rocky Balboa.”

In the opening bout of the evening, Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (30-0, 30 KO’s) remained undefeated with a stunning fourth-round knockout over Nicolai “Stone Man” Firtha (21-11-1, 8 KO’s). It was only the third time that the promising young heavyweight from Tuscaloosa, Ala., has ever been into the fourth round. To date, he has a remarkable 17 first-round knockouts and is looking to move into a championship fight.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, featuring another historic performance by Hopkins, will replay Sunday at 9 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME and Tuesday, October 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME. It will be availabe on SHOWTIME On Demand beginning October 27.

Results from tonight’s SHOWTIME EXTREME televised preliminary bouts:

Dominic Wade (13-0, 10 KO’s) defeated Roberto Ventura (15-8, 14 KO’s) via technical knockout at 2:08 of round 1.

Braulio Santos (11-1, 10 KO’s) defeated David Clark (6-3, 4 KO’s) via technical knockout at 1:49 of round 1.

Zachary Ochoa (5-0, 3 KO’s) defeated Michael Doyle (2-6, 1 KO’) via unanimous decision.

The SHOWTIME EXTREME undercard bouts will re-air on Wednesday, October 30 at 11 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

Hopkins vs. Murat was a 12-round bout for Hopkins’ IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship, presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Caesars Atlantic City and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event WBO Middleweight Champion Peter Quillin put his title on the line against Gabriel Rosado in a 12-round bout. Plus, opening the tripleheader, WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder faced Nicolai Firtha in a 10-round showdown. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast began live at 9 p.m. ET/PT and was available in Spanish on secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts aired live on SHOWTIME EXTREME^® at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

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ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown Notes and Quotes: Week Eight

October 28, 2013 By admin

ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown host Chris Berman and analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson and Keyshawn Johnson previewed today’s NFL action with insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter. Some excerpts from today’s show:

On the New England Patriots’ offense – are you concerned?

Jackson: “Yeah, I’m concerned. You look at the bigger picture. Number one, he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer, multiple Super Bowl winner. Any conversation about best quarterback ever, Tom Brady is going to be included. So we preface things by saying that. I don’t know of any elite quarterback who is more affected by getting hit than is Tom Brady. He is on pace right now to be sacked 46 times this year and if that happens, they will not end up playing in New Jersey for a Super Bowl. It cannot happen.”

Ditka: “How do you get better protection? Get a running game, use some play-action. That will help you a little bit. That’s one thing they have to do. These young receivers aren’t the problem. Their offensive line protection is the biggest problem right now.”

Johnson: “When you look at Tom Brady and the way he’s playing and you go back to those three championships – he’s not playing any different than those three championships. The difference is, he’s a little older, he’s, you know, he’s more mature. But it’s the personnel. He doesn’t have the right personnel.”

Carter: “If you go to Tom Brady today, Tom Brady’s going to tell you though, it’s me guys. Alright. I need to be better at doing my job. Alright. He’s going to take that onus. He’s not going to put it on the offensive line. But the real problem is the wide receivers. Okay. You cannot hide from having young wide receivers. Wide receiver is one of the tougher positions to transfer from college into the pros.”

On the last unbeaten team: the Kansas City Chiefs…

Ditka: “It’s not too complicated. 2011 and ‘12 they won nine games. They’ve won seven this year. I mean, you know, Andy Reid has changed the culture there. Now I know they have good players there, but he’s made these guys understand they are good enough to be the best. And they’re playing that way.”

Carter: “Coach, this is the thing that should jump out at you and it’s no stat. It’s confidence. And from the first meeting, Boom, and you know Andy well – from the first meeting he had with this football team, he sat ‘em down and told ‘em collectively in this room, we have a lot of people that have achieved a lot of individual success. But what I’m askin’ you, and I’m tellin’ you, I’m not here for rebuilding. I don’t rebuild. My battery’s charged up. I’m ready to go. What I want you guys to think about is, sacrifice your individual success for team success.”

On Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson…

Carter: “Calvin Johnson – we have never seen anyone in the history of the NFL with the size and speed and what he does. Now Dez (Bryant) gets a lot of the coverages like Calvin, but he can’t stretch the field like Calvin. Calvin also plays in the slot. Right now, it’s not even close. Alright. Everyone else is fighting for second, third and fourth. But the best receiver in the National Football League is Calvin Johnson.”

On the Dallas Cowboys…

Carter: “What I like is the conversation in Dallas is about football. It’s not about off-the-field issues; it’s just about the football team. And that’s what it should be about.”

On NFL player safety rules…

Jackson: “It’s the profession we chose. You know that injury is a possibility. You play this game long enough, you’re gonna get hurt… Just like you get in a boxing ring, you’re gonna get knocked out eventually if you stay in there long enough.”

Ditka: “Now I know boxing you can’t go out and just jump rope and run around and be ready to play. You have to have contact. You have to spar. There is no sparring in football. There is no practice with contact. Now I’m not saying that would be the answer. What the league is trying to do is absolutely right. But what do you do? If I’m a player, Cris, I don’t know about you, I want to be hit high, I don’t want to be hit low. That’s my livelihood.”

Johnson: “And the league is doing the right thing, but eventually they’re going to run out of body parts to target… when you think about the concussions, nobody this year that I can think of has been knocked out the entire season because of concussions, but there’s a lot of guys because of knees and ankles.”

Carter: “We represent the last four decades of playing in the National Football League, and the practice rules were a lot different. The one thing we have in consistency – we believe that NFL players only get better when they practice their profession compared to going through walkthrough. And I believe that’s the biggest reason, Boom, in why the players are getting hurt.”

On quarterbacks Geno Smith and Andy Dalton: is either in more “danger” today against the other defense?

Ditka: “I think Geno is the best athlete, and I don’t care what defense is up against him. I think he’s got a better chance to adjust to any defense against him.”

Johnson: “I think Andy Dalton is in a little bit of danger because of the defensive front of the New York Jets; they sacked the quarterback 24 times this year, Boom, and we all know what they can do when they get to the quarterback.”

–30–

News & Sound Bites From Week 8 Editions of NFL Network’s ‘NFL GameDay First’ & ‘NFL GameDay Morning’

October 28, 2013 By admin

Quick Quotes from NFL GameDay First & NFL GameDay Morning

– “We know that Tom Brady and what he does works; we really don’t have that understanding for everybody else…It’s more on the receivers than it is on Tom Brady to get this right.” – Michael Irvin on the New England Patriots

– “Obviously with the record, it’s disgusting; it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. But this is my last year so I’m really enjoying myself.” – Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez on this season

– “Whenever you get that Tony Romo that is going to run around and make plays, he’s unbelievable. He’s one of the best quarterbacks in this league.” – Warren Sapp on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo

– “You just don’t do that. There are ways to measure yourself, there are ways to size a guy up – you don’t do it with your mouth, you do it with your play.” – Marshall Faulk on Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant

– “I see a common link in the way he coaches but remember back then…they had John Elway. Now they have that guy; he has Robert Griffin III.” – Doug Williams on Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan’s current offense compared to his season in Denver

***For complete quotes from ‘NFL GameDay First’ & ‘NFL GameDay Morning,’ see below***

Interview with Former Grambling State Head Coach Doug Williams on NFL GameDay First

Former Grambling State head coach and Super Bowl XXII MVP Doug Williams joined NFL Network’s NFL GameDay First as a guest analyst and discussed the situation at Grambling State:

On if he was fired for his on-field performance or for his off-field fundraising efforts:

“I would certainly think it wasn’t for my on-field performance because I had a 64 percent winning percentage and had just won a championship [in 2011]. But it was two groups that were helping the football program. Friends of Football was a group of alumni who went to Grambling – a lot of them a long time when I was there – and the Grambling Legends, who include James Harris, Willis Reed, Willie Brown, Willie Davis and Charlie Joiner and guys like that. The misunderstanding was that we were doing something illegally but we weren’t because the money went into the program. If you look at the NCAA manual, it states that [if] either you’re an affiliate or you’re outside affiliate, all you have to do is make sure you have the receipts and everything. One of the mistakes they said is I didn’t get permission, but one thing we did is we did the field. We got somebody from facilities to come and mark the servitudes which is the pipeline when you bring in heavy equipment.”

On if the president of Grambling State was specifically a problem:

“It comes from the top. All of those orders come from the top and when you write a letter to the Legends and tell the Legends that you don’t want any affiliation with them, it’s hard. The legacy that was built at Grambling, when you tell guys who built Grambling that we don’t want any affiliation with you, that’s a tough situation to be in.”

On if the poor conditions of the weight room and the long bus rides were the main issues that sparked the boycott:

“Let me be honest with you here: I was fired September 11. Nobody talked to these kids; nobody came out and talked to these kids about anything that had just [gone] on. Five weeks later, the president decided to come and talk to the kids. I think what happened, the emotion of what had taken place five or six weeks earlier came out on these young guys after a 16-hour bus ride. My thing is if you don’t go talk to the kids, we never get here. It was never addressed.”

On if he had any knowledge of or played a part in the boycott:

“No, I didn’t know the tension was mounting like that because I didn’t even know they had a meeting. At that time I was down in Zachary, [Louisiana]. My mom and my sister, we were out eating when I got a text message telling me that the players had walked out on the president…I’ll be honest with you, I never would have thought this would have come out like it did because like I said, if you don’t go talk to these kids five weeks later, we don’t have all of this.”

On if he was shocked by the boycott:

“No question. To walk out on a president? Yes [I was shocked].”

On what role he played in ending the boycott:

“On Sunday, Naquan Smith who is the leader called me…I recruited most of the kids and I was always honest and straightforward with them. When you remove somebody like that that the kids believe in, it’s a tough situation. He called me and he said, ‘Coach, what do you think we should do?’ I just flat-out said hey man, go play football. That was the end of the conversation.”

On if he will have a future role at Grambling State:

“No. I love Grambling, going to always have it dear to my heart. When you get blindsided and something like this happens to you, I don’t think it was about what I had done at Grambling as much as it might have been from a personal [standpoint] and people that were in the president’s ear.”

To view the interview with Williams, visit:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269858/What-s-wrong-at-Grambling-State

On NFL GameDay Morning, NFL Network analysts Marshall Faulk and Michael Irvin provide their thoughts on the Grambling State situation:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269872/When-is-it-all-right-to-take-a-stand

Quotes from NFL GameDay First

Every Sunday morning at 7:00 AM ET, NFL Network is first on the field with NFL GameDay First. Host Melissa Stark, co-host/analyst Sterling Sharpe, and analyst Shaun O’Hara provide the first analysis of the day’s games, while NFL Network reporters stationed across the league report from stadiums with the first on-location reports of the day. This week, Super Bowl XXII MVP Doug Williams joined as a guest analyst.

– “I see a common link in the way he coaches but remember back then they had that guy: they had John Elway. Now they have that guy; he has Robert Griffin III…The last couple of weeks he is playing the way he wanted him to play.” – Doug Williams on Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan’s current offense compared to the one he had in Denver

– “When I look at the Indianapolis Colts and what they have done this season in the way Andrew Luck is winning football games, they have much more balance on offense. But to lose your number one receiver [Reggie Wayne], it’s a blow to Andrew Luck in how opposing defenses play him.” – Shaun O’Hara on the Indianapolis Colts overcoming the loss of wide receiver Reggie Wayne for the season

– “This guy has so much confidence in what he can do…Every interview that I’ve seen coming after the draft and everything lets you know that this guy says ‘I can play’ and he has proved that he might be the quarterback that the Jets are looking for.” – Doug Williams on New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith

– “Tony is an excellent player, has been for a really long time and Tony has a real comfort level for what we are doing. Tony is playing really well right now.” – Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett on quarterback Tony Romo

– “The Carolina Panthers defense is for real. When that rush and this coverage play hand in hand, they are going to be very tough to beat if they can get this kind of production week in and week out.” – Sterling Sharpe on the keys to the Carolina Panthers’ success

‘Sunday Sitdown’ – Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Matt Ryan & Tight End Tony Gonzalez

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and tight end Tony Gonzalez sat down with NFL Network’s Steve Mariucci for an interview on NFL GameDay Morning:

On why the Falcons are 2-4 this season:

Matt Ryan: “Every game in the NFL seems to come down to five or six plays, and we were on the right end of those five or six plays a lot of the time last year. This year we haven’t been able to get on the right end of those. We’ve been really close; we just need to play a little bit better.”

On if he is enjoying this season:

Tony Gonzalez: “I guess yes and no. Obviously this isn’t what I envisioned when I decided to come back but I am enjoying the guys on the team. I got a question in the locker room about getting traded and I was like, ‘No’…Obviously with the record, it’s disgusting; it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. But this is my last year so I’m really enjoying myself.”

On if he is sure this will be his last season in the NFL:

Gonzalez: “Yeah, I’m sure.”

On if he feels more pressure with the new contract he received:

Ryan: “I don’t feel that way. I have a ton of confidence in myself, and I don’t really worry about labels or anything like that…I know what I’m capable of doing, I know what I have around me and I know it’s good enough to get the job done.”

On the mentality within the locker room:

Ryan: “That’s what breeds confidence within our locker room right now is the understanding that we haven’t done it, we’re not where we want to be but we have everything we need to go where we want to go.”

On if they believe they can salvage this season:

Gonzalez: “I still have dreams of getting to a Super Bowl this year. We’re going to keep fighting; hopefully we’re going to turn this thing around.”

To view the entire interview with Ryan and Gonzalez, visit:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269923/Sunday-Sitdown-Ryan-and-Gonzalez

Quotes from NFL GameDay Morning

NFL GameDay Morning is the most comprehensive pregame show on Sunday morning, airing at 9:00 AM ET for four hours on NFL Network and taking viewers straight up to kickoff. Host Rich Eisen joins analysts Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Warren Sapp and Michael Irvin to bring fans the latest news, injury reports, pregame analysis and game previews. Additionally, NFL Media’s national insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Media’s Mike Silver provide the latest inside information from around the league.

– “We know that Tom Brady and what he does works; we really don’t have that understanding for everybody else. One thing I’ve always said and I’ve always lived by as a receiver: it is never my quarterback’s fault. I don’t want to put it on my quarterback because I don’t want him hesitating in the next throw. Don’t worry about it, that’s on me. Certainly in this situation, it’s more on the receivers than it is on Tom Brady to get this right.” – Michael Irvin on who is more at fault for the New England Patriots’ offensive issues: Tom Brady or the wide receivers

– “You just don’t do that. There are ways to measure yourself, there are ways to size a guy up – you don’t do it with your mouth, you do it with your play.” – Marshall Faulk on Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant comparing himself with Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson

– “Whenever you get that Tony Romo that is going to run around and make plays, he’s unbelievable. He’s one of the best quarterbacks in this league.” – Warren Sapp on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo

– “Seattle can beat you any way across the board; you can go out and [be] bad in one area, but they can still win football games. When I look at the Saints, they have to beat you with Drew Brees; he has to pass the football.” – Kurt Warner on who is the best team in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks or the New Orleans Saints

– “It’s all about getting back to the basics with Frank Gore…They’re playing smash-mouth football and with that comes attitude.” – Marshall Faulk on the San Francisco 49ers’ four-game winning streak

– “This team is not the same San Francisco 49ers defensive team that we saw for so long that you couldn’t score a rushing touchdown [against]. We are not overlooking [them] – we are stating the facts…Get to beating the good teams and we will start talking about you.” – Michael Irvin on the San Francisco 49ers

– “This kid has brought a lot to this offense. His ability to break tackles [and] get the extra yards – kind of move the chains – that old Pittsburgh Steelers football is what that looked like when you watch this team.” – Marshall Faulk on Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell and his impact

– “Mario Williams, Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams need to get pressure up front. That’s how you take away Jimmy Graham from the New Orleans Saints offense.” – Warren Sapp on the Buffalo Bills defense against the New Orleans Saints offense

NFL Media’s National Insider Ian Rapoport & NFL Media’s Mike Silver

On St. Louis Rams quarterback Kellen Clemens:

Ian Rapoport: “I reached out to a Rams source on this and he actually has a great relationship with some of these young receivers because of two reasons; one, when Tavon Austin and [Stedman] Bailey stay after practice, it’s Kellen Clemens who throws to them and he also was the quarterback during their pre-draft workouts. They hope to build on that relationship.”

On the Chicago Bears overcoming injuries to quarterback Jay Cutler and linebacker Lance Briggs:

Mike Silver: “Remember, Marc Trestman does not need a big-armed quarterback like Jay Cutler necessarily to run his offense and Josh McCown may do just fine in the interim getting the ball out quickly to offensive weapons. On the defensive side with Lance Briggs out, rookie Jon Bostic will step in. Bostic ran with the ones all training camp because D.J. Williams was hurt. That will prove to be valuable experience.”

On NFL.com the following video clips from NFL GameDay First & NFL GameDay Morning are available for viewing:

– Week 8 Bold Predictions – The NFL GameDay Morning crew gives their Bold Predictions for Week 8:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269888/Bold-Predictions-Zero-interceptions-in-Detroit

– Mile High Return – Just one week after Peyton Manning’s emotional return to Indy, Denver fans will welcome back their Vince Lombardi, Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269903/Mile-High-return

– Washington Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan Returns to Denver – The NFL GameDay First crew takes a look at the Mike Shanahan-coached Washington Redskins and answers if they see any similarities with Shanahan’s Denver Broncos of the past:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269859/Shanahan-returns-to-Denver

– Week 8 Sunday Statements – The NFL GameDay Morning crew gives their top storylines from the Week 8 action ahead:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269862/Sunday-Statements-Run-quarterback-run

– Best Team in the NFC? – The New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks both only have one loss this season, but which team is at the top of the NFC? NFL GameDay Morning debates:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269878/Best-team-in-the-NFC

– Better Combination: Dallas Cowboys’ Tony Romo and Dez Bryant or Detroit Lions’ Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson? – Which wide receiver has better chemistry with their quarterback? NFL GameDay First discusses:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269860/Better-combination-Romo-to-Bryant-or-Stafford-to-Johnson

– San Francisco 49ers’ Turnaround – The San Francisco 49ers have won four straight after a 1-2 start to the season, but is the turnaround thanks to their offense or defense?:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269871/A-Different-Approach-49ers-turnaround

– How Teams Move Forward – Ian Rapoport and Mike Silver discuss how teams hit hardest by Week 7 injuries will move forward and continue to compete:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269897/How-teams-move-forward

– Sapp’s Dapp: Breaking Down Buffalo Bills Defensive End Mario Williams – Warren Sapp breaks down Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams and how he can play a role in an upset of the New Orleans Saints:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269916/Sapp-s-Dapp-Breaking-down-Mario-Williams

– Is Tom Brady to Blame for the New England Patriots’ Struggles? – With a struggling offense, should quarterback Tom Brady shoulder the blame for the New England Patriots’ woes? NFL GameDay Morning discusses:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000269892/Is-Brady-to-blame-for-the-Patriots-struggles

ABOUT NFL NETWORK

Launched on November 4, 2003, NFL Network is celebrating its 10^th Anniversary this season

Seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, fans turn to NFL Network to receive information and insight straight from the field, team headquarters, league offices and everywhere the NFL is making news. Launched in 2003, NFL Network gives fans unprecedented year-round inside access to all NFL events, including the Super Bowl, Playoffs, regular season, preseason, Pro Bowl, Pro Football Hall of Fame induction weekend, NFL Draft, NFL Scouting Combine, Senior Bowl, league meetings, minicamps and training camps.

Currently in more than 72 million homes, NFL Network has carriage agreements with each of the country’s largest television providers including Comcast, DirecTV, DISH Network, Cablevision, Cox, Charter, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse.

For fans on the go, all NFL Network programming is streamed live on NFL Mobile from Verizon. For more information, log on to http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the exclusive internet home of NFL Network.

– NFL MEDIA –

Week 8 Editions of NFL Network’s ‘NFL GameDay First’ & ‘NFL GameDay Morning’ — Features Doug Williams and Falcons’ Matt Ryan and Tony Gonzalez

October 25, 2013 By admin

Former Grambling Head Coach Doug Williams Sits Down with Melissa Stark to Discuss Current Situation with Grambling State Football

on ‘NFL GameDay First’

Steve Mariucci Visits with Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Matt Ryan and Tight End Tony Gonzalez on ‘NFL GameDay Morning’

‘NFL GameDay First’ at 7:00 AM ET Followed by ‘NFL GameDay Morning’ at 9:00 AM ET

Sunday is ‘GameDay’ and every week NFL Network provides 12 hours of live coverage, beginning at 7:00 AM ET with NFL GameDay First. The day continues at 9:00 AM ET with NFL GameDay Morning leading viewers into the early games. At 4:00 PM ET, NFL GameDay Scoreboard recaps the early action and at 7:30 PM ET, NFL GameDay Highlights recaps the entire afternoon. At 11:30 PM ET, NFL GameDay Final provides complete analysis on the entire football Sunday.

NFL GameDay First – Sunday at 7:00 AM ET

Host: Melissa Stark

Co-Host/Analyst: Sterling Sharpe

Analyst: Shaun O’Hara

Guest Analyst: Doug Williams

Featured this week on NFL GameDay First:

Grambling State University Situation: Doug Williams sits down with host Melissa Stark to give his first in-depth interview on the Grambling State University situation. The Tigers football team forfeited their game against Jackson State on October 19 as part of the student-athlete’s decision to boycott all team activities. More information on his appearance can be found here: http://on.nfl.com/19EJTMT
Talk to 84: Sterling Sharpe interviews Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett
Who has the Advantage: Dallas Cowboys’ Tony Romo and Dez Bryant or Detroit Lions’ Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson?
Shanahan’s Return: Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan returns to Denver where he won two Super Bowls as a head coach. What will the return trip be like for him?
Live reports:

o Albert Breer from New England for Dolphins-Patriots

o Stacey Dales from Detroit for Cowboys-Lions

NFL GameDay Morning – Sunday at 9:00 AM ET

Host: Rich Eisen

Analysts: Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Warren Sapp, Michael Irvin

NFL Media National Insider: Ian Rapoport

NFL Media Contributor: Mike Silver

Featured this week on NFL GameDay Morning:

Sunday Sitdown

o Steve Mariucci travels to Atlanta to visit with Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and tight end Tony Gonzalez

NFL Media’s national insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Media contributor Mike Silver on the latest news from around the NFL which includes injury updates and game-time decisions

Shanahan returns to Denver

o Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan’s career comes full circle as he returns to Denver – the city where he won two Super Bowl championships as head coach of the Broncos

o Current NFL Network analyst and former Broncos running back Terrell Davis and current Broncos executive vice president of football operations and former Broncos quarterback John Elway reflect on their time winning Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII for Shanahan and speculate on what Shanhan will go through coming back to Denver.

An Inside Look at the New England Patriots:

o Is there reason to be concerned about the New England Patriots based on their start to the season?

o Why is quarterback Tom Brady struggling this season?

o Is the loss of nose tackle Vince Wilfork and linebacker Jarod Mayo too much for the Patriots defense overcome

· The Ground and Pound New York Jets

o Are the New York Jets back to Rex Ryan’s original running back-centric offense?

· The Undefeated Kansas City Chiefs:

o Are the Chiefs overrated or a legitimate contender in the AFC?

o NFL Network reporter Jeff Darlington examines the Chiefs defense and why the unit has the whole team thinking Super Bowl

· Michael Silver on Injuries

o Week 7 saw a number of marquee players suffer injuries. Michael Silver provides an essay how the impact of the injuries and how teams move forward

NFL Team Debates:

o Are the New Orleans Saints the best team in the NFC?

o Can the Dallas Cowboys establish themselves as the best team in the NFC East?

· Kurt Warner on Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning:

o Kurt Warner explains why Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning might be stoppable after all

Picks for every game
Live Reports:

o Kim Jones from Philadelphia for Giants-Eagles

o Aditi Kinkhabwala from Cincinnati for Jets-Bengals

o Jeff Darlington from Kansas City for Browns-Chiefs

o Stacey Dales from Detroit for Cowboys-Lions

o Albert Breer from New England for Dolphins-Patriots

NFL GameDay Scoreboard, NFL GameDay Highlights and NFL GameDay Final Conclude Sunday Coverage

‘GameDay’ continues at 4:00 PM ET with NFL GameDay Scoreboard, with host Paul Burmeister, analysts Jamie Dukes and Darren Sharper, and Jenn Brown providing news updates from the afternoon games.

At 7:30 PM ET, Dan Hellie hosts NFL GameDay Highlights, along with Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, and NFL Network analysts LaDainian Tomlinson and Steve Mariucci.

At 11:30 PM ET, Hellie and analysts Willie McGinest, Sanders and Irvin recap all of the day’s action on NFL GameDay Final with game highlights, player and coach press conferences, post-game interviews and analysis of every game.

ABOUT NFL NETWORK

Launched on November 4, 2003, NFL Network

is celebrating its 10^th Anniversary this season

– NFL MEDIA –

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