Sponsor




Home  >  Columns   >  Blackbird Singing  >  BLACKBIRD SINGING Ozzie To Make Announcement Today

Columns

Blackbird Singing - BLACKBIRD SINGING: Ozzie To Make Announcement Today

Photo by Sabina Moran
Posted On: 2/22/07
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi
BLACKBIRD SINGING: Ozzie To Make Announcement Today BLACKBIRD SINGING: Ozzie To Make Announcement Today
SHOUT, SHOUT…LET IT ALL OUT ~ The Sun is reporting that Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome will have an announcement today, possibly about All-Pro linebacker Adalius Thomas.  If the announcement is about AD, then I might expect one regarding Jamal Lewis as well.  If AD is the subject, I would think that the team will announce that they are tagging AD.  Unless you are Stevie Wonder, why have an announcement just to say "You haven’t done nuthin'?"  Then again, AD is a unique man and the Ravens might want to give him a special send off.  If the tag is applied, Jamal’s release is probably going to be necessary to make room for the $7.2 million tag.
 
UPDATE (1:33PM): "We will continue to have negotiations with Adalius. I don't know what the market will bear out for him." That's The Oz who took a flyer on the franchise tag.  In less than 3 hours AD will be a free agent.
 
I WANT YOU TO WANT ME ~ If AD hits the open market, add the Jets to the list of prospective suitors for his services.  According to Rich Cimini of the Daily News, the Jets' current regime isn't known for chasing the big names, but they apparently think that Thomas is an exception and that his versatility would fit nicely into Eric Mangini's system.
 
BABY, BABY PLEASE LET ME HOLD YOU ~ Tom Brady and actress Bridget Moynahan will soon start their own Brady Bunch.  Moynahan and Brady parted ways a few months ago but it is now being reported that the former star of Coyote Ugly is carrying Brady’s child.  But the plot thickens…Brady has been seen globetrotting with a certain supermodel (pictured) yet his Dad Tom Sr., a devout Catholic who once studied for seven years to be a Maryknoll priest, probably isn’t keen on the idea of his grandchild being born out of wedlock.  More here on As The Brady World Turns.
 
OH, WHOA, WHOA JAMIE’S CRYIN’ ~ And she’s not alone.  Van Halen fans everywhere might be joining Jamie.  While the official website of the band still promotes excitement concerning the reported reunion tour of the band, word  now is that the tour is finished before it even started.  Would it shock anyone to hear that lingering animosity between David Lee Roth and the Van Halens is the culprit?  Michael Anthony, the band’s former bass player and Sammy Hagar are laughing somewhere.
 
DANCE, DANCE, DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY ~ That’s what Paul McCartney’s ex Heather Mills is planning on doing when ABC’s Dancing With The Stars returns on March 19.  The amputee will compete against the likes of Vincent Pastore ("Big Pussy" on The Sopranos) and Laila Ali (Muhammad’s daughter).  Here’s to one of those two whacking Mills, the money grubbing female dog.
 
YOU’VE GOT THE LOOK, YOU’VE GOT THE LOOK ~ Today the NFL Combines kick off in Indianapolis as 327 draft-eligible players will attempt to increase their value during the workouts. The breakdown of players is as follows: defensive backs (55), defensive linemen (50), linebackers (36), offensive linemen (51), quarterbacks (21), running backs/fullbacks (32), tight ends (16), wide receivers (49), kickers/punters (14), special teams (3). That is a total of 141 defensive players, 169 offensive players and 17 specialists.
 
Some have questioned the value of the combines but not ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Jr:
 
"When Peter Warrick came out of Florida State, he was a top-notch prospect," Kiper said. "Then he ran a disappointing 40 [4.56]. Now, do you red-flag the 40? Or do you just go by his productivity in college?" The Cincinnati Bengals answered “productivity” and picked Warrick fourth overall.  Guess the combine has some value then right Mel?
 
"The combine is important. Is it the end-all and be-all? No."
 
YOU’VE GOT TO ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES TO GET TO WHAT’S REAL ~ During the combines the draft-eligibles are poked and prodded from head to toe. From 40 yard dashes to shuttle drills to bench presses to broad jumps, these athletes will be examined like a crime scene.  Let's call it CSI Indianapolis.  Last year’s best in the 60 yard shuttle with a time of 10.69 seconds was Ravens’ CB Derrick Martin.
 
I GOT A POCKET FULL OF QUARTERS AND I’M HEADED TO THE ARCADE ~ That is a lyric from the original version of Pacman Fever.  The newest version, speaking of crime scenes goes like this: “I got a pocket full of dollars and I’m headed to the strip club.”  When will the Titans have their fill of Pacman Jones?
 
According to Robert Susnar the co-owner of Minxx Gentlemen’s Club where three people were shot during the NBA All-Star weekend,  Jones came and left with the shooter, a story that conflicts with that of Jones' lawyer, Worrick Robinson.  Susnar said the trouble started after 4 a.m., when Jones and his entourage returned to the club for the second time that evening. Jones allegedly tossed hundreds of $1 bills on to the stripper’s stage.  When one of the strippers started collecting the money without Jones' consent, he grabbed the stripper’s hair and slammed her head against the stage.  Vince McMahon might have been impressed but Jeff Fisher and the Titans certainly are not.  Pacman may have used up his last energizer.
 
DO YOU HEAR ME? DO YOU CARE? The Ravens do…"If we had 13 people arrested this year and we were 13-3, then I wouldn't consider it a success because I wouldn't be happy. I want to be happy because we're winning, but I also want to present a product that we can be proud of as an organization and a community." — Owner Steve Bisciotti on the goals for the Ravens.
 
GRAB THAT CASH WITH BOTH HANDS AND MAKE A STASH ~ Some are making a hero out of Peyton Manning for restructuring his contract to create cap space for the Colts.  DON’T!  Manning was scheduled to receive a $10 million roster bonus in March but agreed to convert the option to a signing bonus of $10 million.  The move allows the Colts to spread the $10 million over the remaining 4 years of Manning's contract for purposes of the cap.  The roster bonus would have hit the cap all at one time.  The difference for Manning?  Can you say 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other?
 
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE ~ Well maybe not in Chicago!  The Bears’ head coach Lovie Smith is the lowest paid head coach in the league.  Atlanta’s Bobby Petrino who has no NFL head coaching experience will be paid $4.5 million/per.  That should be the starting point for Smith but apparently it isn’t.  "We're not close, we're not encouraged and based on where talks have gone recently, Lovie will be a free agent after next season," Smith's agent, Frank Bauer, said. "It would take an unforeseen breakthrough for this to get done. And we are being more than reasonable in this market."
 
This is bad news for the Bears and the league.
 
No one asked me, but the most likely destination for Smith if he does move on in 2008 is Cleveland.  From Chicago to Cleveland?  Now that’s a penthouse to the outhouse tale for sure…

Post your comment

Your Name:
Your Email:
Your Comment:
There are no comments. be the first to post a comment.


«Go back to the previous page.
Posted On: 2/22/07
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi

Polls

From the following list who will have the most sacks in 2012?


Twitter

Check us out on Twitter
  • 5/18/12: Why Foster, McCoy and Rice are equals and should be paid accordingly: http://t.co/Q1R93XNe

View all tweets & follow us!

Got Poker Face?

E-News

Sign up for Email Alerts and get the best deals and news in your inbox.



Copyright © 2012 24x7 Network, LLC, All Rights Reserved
Website Design by D3Corp Ocean City Maryland