NFL - Sports Rumors

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Seattle Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu was arrested Saturday and cited for driving while intoxicated.

Tatupu was arrested in Kirkland at about 2:30 Saturday morning after an officer observed his car driving at what the officer estimated was in excess of 50 mph in a 35-mph zone. Tatupu submitted to field-sobriety tests, but declined to take a portable Breathalyzer.

He was arrested, handcuffed without incident and taken to the police station. Tatupu was polite and cooperative throughout the process, according to the Kirkland Police Department. Tatupu's blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) was measured at 0.155 and 0.158, nearly double the legal limit of 0.08. That measurement was taken about two hours after Tatupu was observed driving the car.

Source: Seattle Times

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took the field Tuesday for their second set of organized team activities of the offseason. Quarterback Jeff Garcia participated in the voluntary workout, but he still is frustrated by his current contract situation.

Garcia, 38, is entering the final year of his deal with the Buccaneers. It is scheduled to pay him $2 million in base salary and also includes $2.5 million in not-likely-to-be-earned incentives. Tampa Bay's front office and Garcia's agent, Steve Baker, have had dialogue regarding a contract extension for the Pro Bowl signal caller. But according to Garcia, little progress has been made on that front.

"[The Bucs] have indicated to my agent that they'd be working something out or trying to work something out, but it's at a snail's pace it seems right now," said Garcia. "I have one year left on my contract. At the rate it's going who knows if it will actually happen before the season starts."

Garcia signed a two-year contract with the Bucs in March of 2007. He earned a $2 million base salary and received a $3 million signing bonus when he inked his contract. It is unclear what level of compensation Garcia is looking for. However, Garcia, who completed 209-of-327 (63.9 percent) of his passes for 2,440 yards and tossed 13 touchdowns and four interceptions in 13 games last season, is reportedly looking to be paid in the $7 million per year range.

Baker and Bucs general manager Bruce Allen were scheduled to discuss Garcia's contract situation on Friday, but Garcia said the Bucs canceled that scheduled conversation and a new one has not been scheduled.

Source: PewterReport

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Bill Belichick escaped further punishment and humiliation for his covert SpyGate operation when Matt Walsh came up empty in his dud of a meeting Tuesday with Roger Goodell. Still, Belichick's reputation, integrity and credibility all suffered irreparable damage over the last nine months according to New York Daily News columnist Gary Myers.

Goodell's long-awaited get-together with Walsh lasted three hours and 15 minutes in his Park Avenue office. The good news for Belichick is Goodell basically declared the end of SpyGate. Walsh failed to produce any incriminating evidence in his effort to bring down his former boss beyond what Goodell already had in his pocket. And Goodell is out of witnesses, which is sure to infuriate Sen. Arlen Specter, the self-appointed conscience of the NFL.

Even so, Goodell, who didn't distinguish himself in this mess either, basically called Belichick a liar Tuesday. Goodell said that Walsh, the former Pats video assistant, told him he knew when he taped opposing defensive signals "that he had to be careful that nobody discovered what he was doing, that he was very cautious about when he did it, who was watching." That directly contradicts Belichick's assertion that he misinterpreted the rules and that he didn't think he was breaking the rules. Belichick has claimed that he believed he was allowed to tape as long as the information was not used in the same game.

Source: New York Daily News

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If rumors are too be believed, Jessica Simpson and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo are no longer dating. According to TheseBootsAreMadeforStalking.com, the football player spent a rowdy weekend in Chicago with several college friends where he allegedly admitted that he and Simpson had ended their relationship.

"He told us they broke up and that was that. We're guys so we didn't talk about it much," a friend of Romo's told the blog.

Meanwhile, the Cowboy spent his time "surrounded by girls," an eyewitness who saw the group at a nightclub in the Windy City, said. Another source added, "He zeroed in on one blonde all night. That blonde wasn't Jessica Simpson."

Source: Thesebootsaremakeforstalking.com

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One of the questions heading into Baltimore Ravens minicamp was the pecking order of the wide receivers. But Derrick Mason, Demetrius Williams and Mark Clayton aren't battling against each other. They are teaming up in pursuit of a common goal. If this unit plays up to expectations, there is a possibility the Ravens could use three wide receivers as their primary formation according to the Baltimore Sun.

"It's not a possibility. It will happen," Mason said yesterday as the Ravens wrapped up their only mandatory minicamp of the offseason. "But I guess it all depends on who we're playing and what we're trying to do in a game. Using three wides is not far-fetched with the three guys that we have."

Whether it was injuries or just coach Brian Billick's scheme last season, the Ravens rarely spread out defenses. Of the Ravens' 557 passes thrown last season, only 39 percent came in a three-wide alignment. New offensive coordinator Cam Cameron wants to be unpredictable and will change up the formations as well as the personnel groupings. But he told the receivers their play will influence the direction of the offense

Source: Baltimore Sun

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As expected, disgruntled New York Jets tight end Chris Baker didn't participate Monday in the team's first voluntary practice at Hofstra. The sessions run through mid-June, culminating in a full-squad minicamp according to the New York Daily News.

Baker is boycotting the offseason program because he feels the Jets reneged on a promise to renegotiate his contract. Baker, coming off his best season, is entering the third year of a four-year, $6.6 million contract.

He's upset because recently signed backup Bubba Franks is making the same amount on a one-year deal. Baker also will make less than rookie tight end Dustin Keller, a first-round pick. Keller hasn't signed yet but figures to receive a five-year deal for about $2.3 million per. Baker, who has asked to be traded, can't be fined by the Jets unless he misses the mandatory minicamp next month.

Source: New York Daily News

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Past contract disputes involving Terrell Owens have led to holdouts, public disputes and sidewalk sit-ups. Going into the final year of a three-year, $25 million deal, Owens hopes his days in Dallas aren't dwindling. But even if they are, he says the unrest created as he shot his way out of San Francisco and Philadelphia should not be expected this time around.

"For sure, I definitely want to end my career with the Dallas Cowboys, and go into the Hall of Fame as a Dallas Cowboy," said Owens, who was also promoting his Wednesday appearance on the MyNetworkTV sitcom Under One Roof. "I'm going to let God fight that battle for me. There was a situation where the contract didn't work out in Philly. With this, I'm going to let it play out and not try to be a distraction. I'll let it take care of itself. I'm a firm believer that things will work out for the best."

Owens said he's been at Valley Ranch for Tuesday and Thursday teaching session, while doing the bulk of his off-season work with his personal trainers in Miami. He plans to be part of the club's organized team activities (OTAs) that begin next week.

Source: Dallas Morning News

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In the first year of offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski's system, the Cleveland Browns jumped from 31st in total offense to eighth. Their 402 points were the third-most in franchise history. Last year's Browns outscored the best season of the Brian Sipe-era Browns by 43 points. In the past 30 years, only the 1987 Browns of the Bernie Kosar era were more prolific. That team would have scored 434 points over 16 games if not for four games interrupted by the players strike.

So what do these Browns do for an encore? Chudzinski sees a lot of room for improvement. The 2008 season unofficially kicks off Tuesday with the start of 12 organized team activities (OTAs).

Starting games quicker and finishing the long season better are two obvious goals as the OTAs begin. Chudzinski thinks familiarity with the system will breed better starts to games. The dropoff in production last year in the final month, he believes, had something to do with inclement weather but also with a dropoff in basic techniques caused by fatigue. Chudzinski believes a breakdown in fundamentals hurt the offense in the running and passing games. He wants the offense to be more physical in the running game and better at gaining yards after a catch.

Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer

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Get your popcorn ready: Terrell Owens is coming to prime time Wednesday night. As an actor.

T.O. will make his sitcom acting debut on the MyNetworkTV show "Under One Roof" as the long-lost brother of the show's star, Flavor Flav . Owens tries convincing Flav and sitcom sibling Kelly Perine they're all brothers in hopes of getting them to invest in his Web site.

"I see dollar signs," Owens said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I'm trying to kind of smooth my way into the family, but Flav is not buying it. It's a lot of funny dialogue. It was a good time. If I'm going to really consider doing acting after football, this a great start to let me get my feet wet. For trying to become an A-lister, I think I'm on the bottom of the pile. I'm a D-lister."

Source: Associated Press

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