 |
ANDRE TIPPETT Stiff competition |
Football notes
Former Patriots linebacker Andre Tippett was part of the final group under consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year, but he didn't make the cut. Will this year be different?
By next weekend, Tippett will know his fate. Hall of Fame voters are scheduled to meet Saturday in Phoenix, their mission to narrow a list of 15 modern-era candidates and two senior candidates to a minimum of four inductees or a maximum of seven.
Building off the momentum he generated last year, Tippett already has some influential voters bolstering his candidacy.
"I am one of his staunchest advocates," said Dave Goldberg, one of the lead NFL reporters for the Associated Press. "I think Andre has a shot this year. The best thing for him was last year, in his first year as a finalist, how he was received favorably and a lot of people spoke well of him."
Peter King of Sports Illustrated was one voter who vouched for Tippett's induction last year. He plans to do so again this year.
"I'm solidly in Andre Tippett's corner, and I will vocally support him during the meeting," King said. "I've always thought the guys who played on losing teams in their career get short shrift in Hall of Fame consideration. This is a classic example.
"When Tippett played, he was a strong-side linebacker - ask [the Giants'] Carl Banks how tough it was to get sacks from the strong side, with a tight end in your face all the time - and in most seasons was the primary focus of the opposing game plan. To have been consistently outstanding for a decade, and to have averaged 10 sacks a year with what he faced every week is worthy of my Hall vote."
The group of finalists includes two first-year-eligible players in cornerback Darrell Green and wide receiver Cris Carter. Tippett is one of 12 other modern-era players, along with defensive ends Fred Dean and Richard Dent; linebackers Randy Gradishar and Derrick Thomas; guards Russ Grimm, Bob Kuechenberg, and Randall McDaniel; punter Ray Guy; wide receivers Art Monk and Andre Reed; and offensive tackle Gary Zimmerman. Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue is also under consideration.
The Senior Committee nominees are Marshall Goldberg and Emmitt Thomas.
When ESPN's John Clayton assesses the field, he sees a logjam that could hurt Tippett.
"He has a legitimate candidacy, but the problem is he fits into the same slot that has not been able to advance in the last 4-5 years, which is the pass rusher, going against the Derrick Thomases, the Fred Deans, and we're all locked at the position," Clayton said. "Those guys have been knocking each other out. I think it would be a great vote this year if we can get two pass rushers in there."
Paul Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated echoed those thoughts.
"Andre Tippett is in a very tough spot, because the hardest competition in that room comes from the pass rushers, you've got lots of great ones in there," he said. "I'd be surprised if he made it, but I wouldn't say it's impossible. I never thought Roger Wehrli would get in, and he did last year.
"Me, I'm voting for Andre because I'm an old [AFC] guy and saw him twice a year. I think his problem will be with the NFC guys, who might not tune in to him."
Houston Chronicle reporter John McClain said Tippett's candidacy is strengthened by the feeling that "if not for Lawrence Taylor, he would have been the premier linebacker in the league in the 1980s. As it was, he wasn't too far behind."
McClain believes Tippett will ultimately be inducted, but he's not sure it will be this year.
"He has to continue to be patient," he said. "His time will come."
The feeling among some voters is that if there is one slam dunk candidate this year, it's Green.
As for Tippett, who earned five Pro Bowl berths and is the Patriots' all-time sack leader with 100, the consensus is that it could go either way.
"I have a lot of positive feelings about him, strong sentiments, but to be honest I'm on the fence right now," said Jarrett Bell of USA Today.
"I think his biggest competition is Derrick Thomas. I can't say right now if I'd definitely vote [for him]. Sometimes you get in that room and hear convincing arguments, so you try to go in with an open mind."
Goldberg, who used to cover politics, added that the Hall of Fame voting process has a bit of the "political scene" attached to it.
"I don't know if he'll get in," Goldberg said of Tippett, "but I think he's moving up the board."
Bracing for labor pains
Don't look now, but there is a dark cloud moving closer toward the NFL when it comes to the collective bargaining agreement. Expect the topic to generate significant attention late this week at the Super Bowl.
In November, owners can opt out of the current CBA, making 2009 the last year with a salary cap. That would make 2010 an uncapped year, and NFL Players Association director Gene Upshaw has maintained that if things ever reached that point, players would never go back to a salary cap again.
Owners are expected to opt out in November, and Broncos owner Pat Bowlen offered some telling remarks to the Rocky Mountain News earlier this month, saying: "Cash is an issue in the NFL. I think it's really common knowledge our last labor agreement is not our smartest move. I'm talking about just the league in general, collectively, 32 teams, can't live with this deal."
From the perspective of players, the feeling is that another labor battle is brewing.
"There seems to be pretty good consensus that the owners are going to write us our letter by November and opt out of the CBA," said Redskins guard Pete Kendall, a former player representative with the Jets. "If they do, I'm sure we'll have a plan. I know we've already talked about it as a board of representatives, and I know we'll be prepared."
Upshaw is scheduled to hold his annual "state of the union" press conference this week at the Super Bowl, and the potential labor battle will be a top issue, along with benefits for retired players. Kendall said the union will be thinking long-range on the labor issue.
"We will have to look a little bit down the road as to who will be sitting across the table from whoever it is the NFL sends, as our leadership is getting older," he said.
Troy Vincent currently serves as president of the Players Association, but elections for his successor are scheduled for mid-March at the annual meeting of player representatives. That figures to be a key vote with the labor battle on the horizon.
Coordinators may be leading the league in turnovers
Head coaching changes often generate the most significant offseason buzz, and that has again been the case this year, with Atlanta, Baltimore, Miami, and Washington all undergoing a changing of the top guard. But not to be overlooked is the sweeping number of coordinator changes that have been made as well.
In all, there currently will be 19 new coordinators in 2008. Considering that there are 64 offensive/defensive coordinator positions in the league, it's eye-opening that nearly 30 percent of the spots will be turned over.
The number hit 19 yesterday with the Redskins hiring Greg Blache as defensive coordinator and could grow depending on what happens in Oakland, where owner Al Davis has apparently asked head coach Lane Kiffin to resign.
While they seldom receive the attention of head coaching changes, coordinator switches can have far-reaching implications. Former Texans general manager Charley Casserly pointed out that instability at the coordinator spots can often stunt the team-building process.
"When you change a coordinator, the first thing you look at is how it changes the system you run," said Casserly, who now works as a CBS analyst. "Then how does that impact the quarterback, and your other personnel. It can have a big effect."
Just ask the San Francisco 49ers, who in hiring Mike Martz to run their offense have their sixth offensive coordinator in six years. That instability certainly hasn't helped the development of quarterback Alex Smith, the No. 1 overall draft choice in 2005.
Etc.
Throwing his hat in the ring
When Patriots linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel were pictured on the front of the Globe sports section last Saturday wearing "Bruschi Bros." winter hats, some wondered where the hats originated. Now we have the answer. They came from Joseph Gallo, president and owner of Bruschi Brothers Inc., a construction company based in Ludlow. Gallo is a longtime Patriots season ticket-holder but he didn't name his company after the linebacker. The company was started by his father-in-law, 90-year-old Americo Bruschi, in 1946. There is no relation between the families, but Gallo decided he'd make a connection anyway by sending 11 "Bruschi Bros." hats to Patriots headquarters two weeks ago, one for each member of the defense. Unsure that Bruschi would even get the package, Gallo was surprised to see the players donning the hats two days later. "I started making them around 15 years ago and they were designed to keep our workers warm," Gallo said, noting that production predated Tedy Bruschi's arrival in New England. "I don't know what made me decide to pick red, white, and blue as the colors. Our entire family was excited to see them wearing the hats." Gallo does not sell the hats for profit.
Barber shopping?
The Cowboys have some important offseason decisions to make, specifically at running back where both Marion Barber (restricted) and Julius Jones (unrestricted) are scheduled for free agency. If the Cowboys and Barber don't strike a deal, he should be one of the hot commodities on the restricted market. Meanwhile, Jones is not expected to return after losing his starting job in the playoffs. Other top Cowboys scheduled for free agency include left tackle Flozell Adams, free safety Ken Hamlin, and defensive end Chris Canty. There have been reports in Dallas that owner Jerry Jones would like to move up in the draft to select running back Darren McFadden, but he might find that keeping key players already on the roster is money better spent.
Old college try didn't work
It's getting harder and harder to take some coaches at their word. Consider the case of Brian VanGorder, who after leaving his position as Falcons linebackers coach to become South Carolina defensive coordinator last month told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "I'm a college guy." He was for six weeks. VanGorder returned to the Falcons last week as defensive coordinator on first-year coach Mike Smith's staff.
Power rankings
The Jaguars underwent a significant front-office shuffle, with the team's director of college scouting, Gene Smith, gaining more authority while vice president of player personnel James "Shack" Harris had his clout lessened. The shakeup will also increase the power that coach Jack Del Rio has over personnel decisions, as he is more aligned with Smith than Harris. Del Rio and Harris had differing views on former quarterback Byron Leftwich - Del Rio wanted to get rid of him, Harris felt he was a keeper. Given the team's success without Leftwich, Del Rio won the power struggle.
Bills were missing the points
In hiring Turk Schonert as offensive coordinator, the Bills are hoping he'll improve an attack that ranked 30th in points per game (15.75). Schonert is promising a more aggressive attack than the Bills had in 2007 under Steve Fairchild, who left to become head coach at Colorado State. He also plans to implement more two-back packages with Marshawn Lynch and a lead fullback. "It is going to be a different offense," Schonert said. "When you struggle like we did last year and the year before, you have to change. And we will."
Extra points
Former UMass coach Jim Reid is in line to become linebackers coach with the Miami Dolphins . . . The Texans were close to adding Ray Rhodes to their defensive staff late last week . . . Receiver André Davis, who had a nine-game stint in New England in 2005, has found a home with the Texans, whose top offseason priority is to re-sign him . . . The Cowboys plan to pay receiver Terrell Owens a $3 million roster bonus due in June, which means Owens will fully realize the three-year, $25 million contract he signed with the team in 2006 . . . Strange happenings in Washington, where owner Daniel Snyder hired an offensive coordinator (Jim Zorn) before settling on a head coach. Usually the new coach would choose his own coordinator, and that would seemingly lessen the attractiveness of the top job . . . Former Northeastern offensive lineman Ryan Gibbons signed a future contract with the Jaguars for 2008 . . . Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Bill Parcells did not attend the Senior Bowl last week, instead watching from team headquarters on NFL Network . . . It was a well-deserved promotion when Bob Bicknell was elevated from assistant offensive line coach to offensive line coach with the Chiefs last week . . . The All American Football League (www.aafl.com) was scheduled to hold its first player draft yesterday, with Harvard's Frank Fernandez, UMass's Alex Miller and David Thompson, and BC's J. Survival Ross and Jazzmen Williams in the player pool.
Did you know?
Atlanta, Kansas City, and Oakland all finished 4-12 with the same strength of schedule (.516). A coin flip at the Scouting Combine in February will determine who selects third, fourth, and fifth in the draft.
Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com; material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
