Football tragedy

Just saw this story about the death of a Daytona Beach player in a World Indoor Football League game. The guy literally died on the field after a head-to-head hit. Can you imagine what it must feel like for the guy who threw the block? How hard will it be for him to play with the same intensity now?

No word on whether the Mick ever slept over at Jeter's house ...

For all those who enjoy tracking the daily drama that is the New York Yankees, take a look at this Derek Jeter baseball card and check out the two unusual faces:

1. In the background, our fearless leader W is waving as he walks through the crowd.
2. In the dugout, Mickey Mantle is grabbing a bat.

Thanks to The Fiancee's Brother for forwarding me the story about the card, which apparently won't be much more valuable than any other card of the Captain, despite the odd additions.

Of course, if Mantle actually were in the dugout with these Yankees it's not hard to imagine what he'd think of Carl Pavano's oafishness, George Steinbrenner's man-behind-the-curtain routine and A-Rod's myriad issues ...

The Chosen One

Jack Del Rio gives the football to Byron Leftwich on Thursday afternoon and it is really just another way of saying that he is putting his own job in Leftwich's hands. Now he needs Leftwich to run and pass the Jaguars into the postseason.

Here's the thing to know about Del Rio's decision: it really wasn't much of a decision at all. Giving Leftwich the nod merely confirms that the Jaguars a) had little hope of making a trade for another QB; b) have a significant financial stake in Leftwich; and c) are well-aware of what the story in 2007 is going to be about.

As much as he might like to dismiss it as a media fabrication, Del Rio is that story. There aren't too many people who get to keep a head coaching job for four years without winning a playoff game and that is exactly where this head coach is right now. Five would be too much. Del Rio has to win now.

It all starts with the quarterback. Leftwich had a falling-out with Del Rio last season, a disagreement over how Leftwich's injured ankle was handled and how serious the situation was portrayed. Things were said, communications were missed, people were offended. At the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Del Rio says he's spoken to Leftwich to clear the air and admits that "we could have handled things better." No kidding. Alienating any player, let alone your biggest star, is never a good approach. Now Del Rio can only hope the bridge wasn't burned so badly that he can't walk over it without tumbling.

If it isn't, if Leftwich is healthy and willing and able, then he can deliver. For all that David Garrard was, he was never clutch enough, never complete enough to drive a team all the way. He was a flash of lightning instead of a long, powerful, rolling thunder, and this year the Jags are in need of something more sustained. Leftwich can be that.

"Really, we feel like it's a position of strength," Del Rio says of the QB position and it's hard to imagine him doing it with a straight face. Nothing is a position of strength with the Jags now, least of all the head coach. On Thursday he took a step, made it known that 2007 could be Leftwich's year. We know better. We know that in the end it will be Del Rio's year more than anybody else's.

Hope is made of wood and leather

I know this is a "football city" but anyone who likes sports has, on some level, felt the hope that arrives with spring training each year.

Beginnings are filled with optimism. There is something reassuring about a new season beginning again, particularly one which will be there - day after day after day - for the next six months.

When I was a beat writer covering the Yankees, I dreaded spring training because it meant six weeks away from home. Yet even then, it was hard not to appreciate the inherent energy that comes with pitchers and catchers, groundballs and the first few rounds of batting practice. There is romanticism in all of it.

Baseball is filled with intriguing storylines this year, starting with Barry Bonds' near-certain ascent to the highest peak in the record book. He is 22 home runs away from passing Hank Aaron and when he does it will be one of the largest debates in sports history. Then there's the never-ending sagas with the Red Sox and Yankees, not to mention the first season in over a decade that the Atlanta Braves won't be defending a division title.

Here is the true magic of baseball: Spring is barely here yet summer seems feels like it's already upon us.

Tiny Tim

The initial reaction to hearing former NBA star Tim Hardaway's comments about homosexuals is one of complete shock. Not so much that a person would feel such hatred towards gays (because it's hardly surprising that such sentiments still exist) but rather that a public figure would be stupid enough to make such hateful statements knowing he'd be crucified afterward.

Nonetheless, Hardaway went forward and ripped gay people. As a sports writer, I've often complained about how boring a player was or how bland a particular interview subject was; in this case, however, it's hard not to wish that Hardaway would have just shut up and stuck to the cliches.

Easy living

Jimmy Smith doesn't seem to be missing the NFL life too much, even though he admits it was a little tough to watch the games every Sunday.

I saw the former Jaguars wide receiver at his charity poker tournament last night - it benefited the American Lung Association - and he told me that he's really enjoying retirement. It's too bad, since the Jags could really use a big-play wide receiver right now and Smith - even one year removed - could probably fit the bill.

So what's your take on Jimmy Smith? Love him for what he did? Angry at how he left? Regardless of which side you fall on, there's no doubt he's one of the most important players in franchise history.

National Signing Day ...

... sounds like a day that honors deaf people.

Instead, it's about kids going to college. I wrote today about how I think the whole thing is a little over the top and promptly heard both from readers and on talk radio about how I was wrong. That's fine - disagreement is good and, as I wrote, there are some positives to the whole recruiting frenzy. I still think, however, that we're heading in the wrong direction here: At one point during my interview with scout.com's Jamie Newberg I asked him if he could see the industry starting to rate kids at an even younger age than they are now. "We mostly stick with rising seniors in football," he said. "In basketball it's different but I can't see us doing rankings for football sophomores or freshman. Then again, if people want it then I guess you never know."

To me, that's the bad part. No one knows where this craze ends. And each time it gets a little bigger, another sliver of a kid's youth gets taken away.

Peyton's Place

No, really, I really do know what I'm talking about most of the time.

OK, so I'm now 0-for-2 in making big-game predictions, but stick with me and I'll show you I can someday be as good as Peyton Manning in the clutch.

Lingering thoughts from the Super Bowl:

1. The Bears are going to have problems winning with Rex Grossman. Sure, they got to the big game with him as their QB but it seems like they did so in spite of him more than because of him. Bottom line: He put on an ugly, ugly show.

2. The best teams win when they can't use their top weapons. Anyone notice Marvin Harrison last night? Other than his horrific-looking knee-bend, there wasn't much to see from the Colts top receiver. But Indy won with Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes slogging with the ball, and Manning making shorter passes. It showed they're more of a complete team than they've been in the past.

3. Miami is supposed to be a good-weather town?

It's a guessing game

Here are some predictions courtesy of Vito Stellino and me, the Times-Union's crack staff on site for the Super Bowl:

Coin toss:
Vito: Tails
Sam: Heads

First play from scrimmage will be a:
Vito: Bears a run, Colts a pass
Sam: Bears a pass, Colts a run

MVP:
Vito: Peyton Manning
Sam: Muhsin Muhammad

Score of game:
Vito: 28-24, Colts
Sam: 31-24, Bears

From red carpet to kickoff

Still at least an hour away from kickoff but Robbie Gould looks like he's prime form - I've been watching the Bears kicker nail long field goals for the last 10 minutes.

Ten minutes, of course, is about 90 minutes less than it took me to get to the stadium on the media shuttle from a South Beach hotel. Traffic was a complete disaster, though most of it was right around the stadium (leading you to believe that an efficient system wasn't designed to keep everyone moving). Nonetheless, I know no one wants to hear complaints about someone who is at the Super Bowl, so let's turn our attention instead to more gossipy stuff.

The Fiancee joined me down here for the weekend and we hit a pair of CBS parties; on Friday, a beach bash at the Loews Hotel turned spectacular when Prince and his crew showed up and played an extended set. As good as that was, however, the best part was when Prince took a break and hung out with his crew (including the smoking-hot identical twin backup dancers) and nibbled on chips. It was like at a Sweet 16 party or something - even Prince's band needs to take a break while the DJ plays, apparently.

The next night we hit a great spot for dinner called Pacific Time (excellent sea bass) and then went to a party at the far end of South Beach. On a normal night there are two clubs operating separately (one called Prive and the other called Opium Garden) but CBS had rented out both and, in the words of The Fiancee, put on "the most decadent thing I've ever been at."

The highlight for her was having her picture taken with David Spade; the highlight for me was the chocolate fountain where you could dip everything from pretzels to strawberries.

Note to self: Several DJs, great music and chocolate on a stick is always a solid combination for a memorable time.

Shaq apparently not a big Patriots fan

With parties abounding on South Beach last night, I managed to get into Shaq's bacchanal which was held at what used to be the Versace Mansion. Best part of the night (besides Pauly Shore showing up) was when The Daddy finally arrived at the party (shortly before 1 a.m.) and began moving through the packed crowd.

This wasn't easy. Shaq is a big boy and was wearing what appeared to be a six-button sport coat, a garment so big one could easily hide several small dogs inside of it. With a crew in tow, he headed towards the back of the pool-side gathering as he shook hands and greeted people along the way.

Patriots QB Tom Brady was standing right nearby me and, as Shaq moved past us, Brady reached out and touched Shaq on the arm trying to get him to stop. Shaq turned and looked at Brady quizzically, then gave him one of those "uh, hi" nods and kept walking. Brady looked sort of embarrassed and stared after him, then sheepishly turned back to his group.

No doubt it was Shaq's strongest rejection of the night.

In other news, Matt Leinart arrived wearing shoddy gray jeans and an oversized white t-shirt - it looked even scrubbier than it sounds. He spent much of the night talking with Andy Roddick (So do you like being famous? Yeah, man, do you?) while Eli Manning and the "other" Manning brother, Cooper, hung out. Reggie Miller, T.O., Michael Strahan and an ungodly amount of models were also in the house.

Biggest lesson I learned? Celebrity parties are pretty much the same as regular-people parties except that almost everyone there is taller.

He just wants your extra time ...

I need to go purify myself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka.

Seriously, it's hard to focus now - I just got back from a "press conference" in which Prince rocked the mike for 20 minutes as a preview to his performance in Sunday's half-time show. A free concert and now I have to write? No shot.

Leading up to the "press conference" there was talk that Prince wouldn't take questions because, you know, he doesn't talk. So as soon as he walks on the stage Prince begins by saying, "Contrary to popular rumor, I'd like to take a few questions" prompting most of the crowd to just stare in surprise.

Then, suddenly, someone popped up and started to ask Prince how it felt to be playing the Super Bowl and Prince immediately signaled to his band to start playing, going into a cover of "Johnny Be Good" as he laughed hysterically at fooling the gullible media.

Unfortunately Prince didn't bless us with any of his more recognizable songs (I was hoping for "Cream") but he did have two of the most beautiful back-up singers I've ever seen who danced with each other and grinded all over him; making things even better was the fact that they appeared to be identical twins (seriously, I need to change professions).

Billy Joel, who will be singing the national anthem, was Prince's opening act though he opted for the more traditional press conference (no singing) and answered a few questions. A sampling of his answers:

- On the national anthem: "It's a tough song. It's not the greatest song ever written. "America the Beautiful" is a much better song."

- On whether he'll do a new album: "I don't know. If I feel like writing an album, I'll write an album. Today I don't feel like writing an album."

- On how long his version of the anthem will be (an interesting topic because the length has been a popular proposition wager on online gambling sites): "At (Super Bowl) 23 I came in about 1:27 but I don't really (this time) - and I'm saying that because I might be betting on it."

- On what goes through his mind as he signs the anthem: "Don't forget the words."

Down goes Frazier!

With most hotels in town having a four-night minimum this week, today's the day that everyone seems to be rolling in. Radio Row is buzzing today as several former players, high-powered honchos and weirdos have hit the Convention Center floor.


Earlier, I saw Vince Papale - the guy whose story was highlighted in "Invincible" - doing an interview with an Indianapolis station, then ran across this guy (who can surely be filed under the "weirdo" category) dressed as the famous announcer Howard Cosell.


Maurice Drew is also in the house (he was up for a Rookie of the Year award) though nothing is expected to top the Billy Joel/Prince back-to-back press conferences this afternoon. I'll report back later.