Lovie ready to get to work with Bears

Since leading the Bears to the Super Bowl after the 2006 season, coach Lovie Smith hasn't been able to guide his team to the playoffs in the last three seasons.

But after a busy offseason, during which the Bears made significant changes to their coaching staff and roster, the usually even-keeled Smith seemed eager to jump right to training camp in Bourbonnais after the final voluntary workout Wednesday at Halas Hall.

Smith is going to take a break, ducking out of town for a couple of planned family vacations. Before leaving, though, he conducted a wide-ranging interview with the Sun-Times.

Q: You've just completed your offseason workout program. How do you feel about your football team?

A: I feel very good about the team that we have. First of all, you ask the guys to show up every day for work, even though it's voluntary, to try to get better and improve our club.

Guys have been dedicated in the weight room and learning the new offense. They've just gotten into the mental part of the game.

We've seen them come to work like they're getting ready to play that week. I think you can get a lot done in the offseason, and we have. We've improved from Day 1 to now.

Q: You won the NFC in 2006. How special can this team be?

A: Some of our better teams were judged on how they finished. Us, right now, I'm just looking at the feeling we had back then and how we shape up. And I think this team shapes up well.

Again, we have to let it all play out. But up until this point, we're pleased with where we are and the potential of this team.

Q: Anything that makes you feel more confident about this particular team?

A: I think we've tried to improve our team at every position, and I think you can make a case that we have improved at just about every position. So you have to feel good about where we are.

Q: You made a lot of changes to your coaching staff. Is teaching a point of emphasis?

A: If you're on the staff, you have to be that way.

We want stern teachers. Normally, people want to listen to the teacher because they think the teacher can help them. And our coaches can, and they've helped them quite a bit. And the guys have let themselves be coached.

Q: Do you personally feel any extra pressure, given all the talk about you being on the hot seat this season?

My mentality ... going into every football season [is] you have high hopes to do well, and that's what we have for our football team. It's as simple as that.

You want to go into the football season with the best possible group you can, and that's what I think we have. It's not what I think we have -- that's what we have.

As far as my position, I'm just one of the guys around. There's no more pressure or anything like that, except for us to do well and put a good football team on the field. I've had that pressure every year I've been a coach, from junior high to high school to college to now.

There's a feel that we have. For us, there's a sense of urgency because we can't wait to go to this next phase to see how good we can be as a football team.

Q: There was concern about quarterback Jay Cutler and offensive coordinator Mike Martz getting along. But they've spent a lot of time together this offseason. What do you think about their relationship?

Perception and how things get out there. How do we even get to that point, I wonder? Because Mike and Jay didn't even know each other.

I knew Mike, and I knew Jay. I thought it would be an excellent fit.

I heard Mike was our third or fourth choice. We offered the job to one person, Mike Martz. I've known Mike Martz for a long time. I knew what he brought to the table as an offensive mind.

Q: Cutler mentioned that he's going to spend most of July here. How do you feel about that?

Jay is one of those football guys that wants to be around it always. Most quarterbacks are. But he's a football junkie. Sometimes when things are new for you, you just want to keep learning about it, and now he's had a chance to really digest some of it. ... You can gain so much ground between now and when you come back together.

Some of the guys will get their bodies in tip-top shape. Some, their minds. Hopefully, it'll be a little bit of both.

But a guy like Jay, a quarterback, that's what he needs to do. He's planning to have a great year.

Q: Has he talked with cheap Kurt Warner jersey and other quarterbacks? Do you want him to do so?

I don't know, but of course I want him to talk to cheap Kurt Warner jersey . He's one of the all-time great quarterbacks and all-time great men to be around. I'm sure eventually they will, but now is the time to make contact with people like that.

Jay is going to want to talk to all of the people and get as much knowledge from people in the system. That's how it works.

Those are the kind of players we have. I can't say it surprises me that Jay and Devin [Hester] want to get as much knowledge from people in the system. On the defensive side of the ball, Tommie Harris has talked to Warren Sapp. Guys want to talk to players who have been in the systems that we're running and that have excelled in the system.

The Perfect 10

Usually when a coach or GM botches a draft pick, the "staying true to the board" and draft slot excuse is in play. But in fantasy football terms, it's actually a valid war room tool. For me, plotting out every pick for the first round or two sets my mind at ease on draft day. I've found that a reach at the top of the draft can send me spiraling into more reaches, resulting in chasing good money after bad. With that said, here is, step-for-step, my first round road map for each draft slot.

1) RB Adrian Peterson -- I'll take purple reign all day, You can't beat an average of nearly 1,500 yards and 13.6 touchdowns per year and now there's no Chester Taylor to take carries and third downs. Toby Gerhart might swipe a goal-line carry or two, though.

 

2) RB Chris Johnson -- Simply a matter of choice here as the former bullet-fast ECU Pirate went nuclear in '09. It's a coin-flip for the top spot.

3) RB Maurice Jones-Drew -- Finally shook off the departed Fred Taylor in a time share and hit new highs across the board including nearly 1,800 yards and 16 TDs. His ceiling remains pretty high, especially for a conservative, run-first Jaguars team.

4) RB Frank Gore -- Missed a couple games due to injury but will be complimented by a 49ers passing game ready to break out in a division with defenses lacking.

5) RB Michael Turner -- Workhorse back should bounce back. Despite injury-plagued '09, scored 10 TDs in 11 games.

6) RB Ray Rice -- Taken as high as No. 2 in multiple mock drafts I've seen (hopefully not just by 12-year old cranks on their parents' computer), I'm a little more down on him. It's hard to knock 2,000 combined yards of production, but easy to knock 7 rushing TDs and goal-line duties that likely again, won't be his.

7) WR Andre Johnson -- The best receiver available, hands down. With a (finally) healthy Matt Schaub, Johnson is just starting to scratch the surface. If Schaub can stay dialed in and a consistent running game ever takes hold, watch out.

8) QB Drew Brees -- Many mocks may have him at the start to the middle of the second round, but where else are you going to get his stat production and fantasy consistency? You don't want to risk him not being there in the second if you're picking in the late first round.

9) QB Aaron Rodgers -- See No. 8 above; either could go as high as No. 7 for me. These are value picks.

10) RB Rashard Mendenhall -- The Steelers will lean on him early while a certain QB sits out suspended. The third-year back showed what he could do by coming on last year as the lead runner once Willie Parker went out injured (again).
(+2)
Since there are a few leagues I play in with 12 teams, here's a couple of bonus slots that I'd use in a 12-team draft.

11) WR Randy Moss -- The Patriots' passing attack will still be potent, and Moss has at least one more good year left in him.

12) RB Shonn Greene -- Not crazy about him, but the potential is there for him to be a beast and this is a slot I can live with. Greene might be a revelation or might be revolting, depending on what he does in his first chance as the entrenched starter.
Notables missing: RB Steven Jackson (rookie QB, putrid team), WR Reggie Wayne (a ground rule double, but not a home run pick who's slowing down a little), WR Larry Fitzgerald (QB situation murky, second wideout downgraded with Anquan Boldin gone).

 

Chris Johnson Won't Play Under Current Contract

Chris Johnson's contract issue is becoming worse.

After breaking the single season record for yards from scrimmage, Johnson says he won't play under his current contract.

"I can't play for $550,000,'' Johnson said. "The money that I am playing for, I am getting paid less than the starting 11 (on offense) and I'm one of the lowest paid starting running backs in the league."

He also said he is planning to hold out from training camp if a new deal isn't reached. Former Titans running back Lendale White supports Johnson in this matter.

"I think Chris is willing to take it as far as he needs to take it," White said. "I can't get inside his mind and say how long he'll hold out, but obviously he is serious about this. This is his livelihood. He has to look out for himself. Believe me, he loves the Titans and the city of Nashville, but he is looking for his livelihood and his life. No one can be mad about that.''

The big problem with reconstructing his contract is the 30 percent rule. This means that Johnson's salary in 2010 can't be 30 percent higher than his salary in 2009. According to ESPN.com, the highest raise in salary he could get is $405,000. Tennessee would most likely have to offer a hefty guaranteed bonus in order to make Johnson happy and also satisfy the rule.

There is also 30 day rule where if Johnson doesn't report to the Titans within 30 days of Tennessee's first regular season game, he would lose a year credit towards free agency.

Johnson stated his frustration saying, "Anybody would be frustrated when they should be the top paid player and they are just making $550,000. Anybody would be frustrated, but at the end of the day it is a business thing. And I really understand first-hand the business part of the NFL jerseys."

It's a very difficult situation for both sides here. The best option would be to copy what the San Francisco 49ers and Patrick Willis worked out with his contract. Willis signed a 5 year, $50 million contract that effectively worked around the 30 percent rule while also keeping Willis happy.

Titans QB Vince Young Issued Assault Citation

The Dallas Police Department issued Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young  a Class C assault citation for his role in a Sunday morning altercation at a Dallas strip club that left one person injured.

Officials said they reviewed a tape of the incident and interviewed witnesses before issuing the citation, which is punishable by a fine of up to $500. Police said no one will be arrested.

The altercation allegedly broke out after words were exchanged in a back office at Club Onyx on 10557 Wire Way near Interstate 35E in Northwest Dallas.

The video shows Young in a back office talking to a manager. Another man in the office makes a derogatory "Horns down" hand sign in reference to the University of Texas, Young's alma mater, and says something to the quarterback.

Young is then seen talking to the manager for a few more moments before charging after the man who made the hand signal. A fight involving multiple people then breaks out.

The first call to police came at about 3:38 a.m. and reported "two black males fighting in the parking lot."

Club security made a second call to police at 4:06 a.m., and an ambulance was called at about 5:30 a.m., though the offense report shows that no medical attention was needed. Police believe Young left the scene before officers arrived, a DPD official said.

In a statement released Sunday afternoon, a spokesman with the Tennessee Titans acknowledged the situation and said they were in contact with Young, who is entering his fifth season with the organization.

"We are aware of the report about Vince Young ," spokesman Robbie Bohren said. "The organization has been in touch with Vince and we will continue to gather addition information."

Fantasy Impact:
 
Young turned a corner on the field last season, saving Tennessee's season after Kerry Collins  was benched, but the Titans can't be happy about this development. It's way too soon to speculate on the ramifications of this, but NFL commissioner Roger Goddell has been cracking down on players who are involved in off-the-field incidents. Young, currently at 17 in our rankings, is a fantasy backup in most leagues. This may end up having little to no impact on Young's fantasy stock, but owners should monitor the situation and see what happens.

 

OTAs coming to a close for Cardinals

 TEMPE, Ariz. - Organized Team Activities are coming to a close, meaning there will be a substantial amount of time before the Cardinals take the field together as a team again.

But, even with training camp being months away, Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt says the last few weeks of practice could not have gone much better.

"It's been very good, a lot of fun these last few weeks," he said. "I hate the fact that it's coming to an end."

Whisenhunt has not held back in his praise of the participation from the team and the tempo the players have practiced at, and Wednesday said he could see an improvement on the field.

"We've come a long way, especially from the aspect of team chemistry," he said. "These guys have worked very hard for a long time; they've been working at it for 12, 13 weeks straight now.

"That's a pretty long stretch, and to get the kind of production that we've gotten out of the OTAs as well as the attendance has been very good."

Whisenhunt said he thinks the effort and attention to detail the team displayed will help as they head into training camp, and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said it will be important for the team to sustain what they learned the last few weeks.

"It's important for us to try to keep the cohesiveness that we worked on all week and throughout the OTAs and mini-camp and we've got to continue to make progress."

One player both Whisenhunt and Larry Fitzgeraldsaid has made significant progress is quarterback Matt Leinart. Leinart is expected to take over for the retired Kurt Warner, but has yet to prove that he is capable of being an effective NFL quarterback.

Whisenhunt said the quarterback showed up at the team's training facility at 6:30 a.m. every day for months preparing, studying and doing his workout before practicing.

"I have to give him credit," he said. "His dedication has been very good."

Fitzgerald said he has seen Leinart progress over the course of the off-season.

"He's getting better every single day and that's all you can ask for," Fitzgerald said. "Matt doesn't have to go out there and do anything spectacular, he has a lot of great talent around him; we're all going to work together to make his job as easy as possible."

Isaac Bruce to Retire as a Ram: Honoring One of the Greatest WRs Ever

Last night, the San Francisco 49ers traded Isaac Bruce to the St. Louis Rams to give the 37-year-old wide receiver an opportunity to retire with his original franchise. According to Rams spokesman Casey Pearce, no players or draft picks were involved in the deal.

Both Bruce and the Rams will hold a final news conference on Wednesday night, which will be the end of what is a surefire Hall of Fame career.

In his 16-year career, including 14 seasons with the Rams, Bruce dominated his opponents. He currently holds team records in nearly every statistical receiving category, both in the regular season and the playoffs.

Moreover, in my opinion, he's firmly established himself amongst the top-five receivers of all-time. His 1,024 receptions rank fifth all-time, while his 15,208 receiving yards rank second only to Jerry Rice.

His last two years with the 49ers were rather impressive for a player his age. In 2008, he was the team's top receiver, catching 61 passes for 835 yards. 2009, on the other hand, was his worst year ever, primarily because he was inactive for a majority of the season due to injury.

Of course, this didn't hamper Bruce's desire to help his team improve. Instead, he gave a different type of contribution to the team, and arguably a more valuable one. Bruce reportedly spent an inordinate amount of time mentoring San Francisco's young players.

He realized it was time to hang up the cleats, so he decided to step aside and pass down the torch to Michael Crabtree. Personally, I admired this trait, because it displayed the wisdom and unselfishness that he demonstrated throughout his career.

"Everything that he did while he was here, the professionalism, the work ethic, the candor, everything about him…it drew all of our receivers to him," 49ers coach Mike Singletary said.

Now, with a Super Bowl ring on his finger and four Pro Bowl selections under his belt, Bruce can feel comfortable retiring, knowing he accomplished everything that most players can only dream of.

Looking back, the brightest spot of his career was probably during his glory days with the "Greatest Show on Turf." He was an essential ingredient in their two Super Bowl appearances in 2000 and 2001.

In fact, in Super Bowl XXXIV against the Tennessee Titans, he caught the winning touchdown pass from Kurt Warner.

However, I believe that Bruce will be most remembered for his ability to play the game with the utmost respect, passion, and overall character. His intangibles remind me much of Andre Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald, who stay relatively quiet and allow their game to speak for itself.

The manner in which he left the field will definitely be a memorable one. In Week 17, his teammates persuaded Coach Singletary to allow Bruce on the field one last time.

Coincidentally, it was a game against the St. Louis Rams, which made it even more special. He played one snap, and instead of making a flamboyant exit, he simply walked off the field, proud, with his head held high.

Even though he was never the biggest or fastest person on the field, he used his remarkable instincts, precise route running, and reliable hands to become one of the most feared receivers ever to step onto the gridiron.

When I first started watching football, I remember Isaac Bruce shredding defenses and making big-time plays. In fact, the first game I actually watched was Super Bowl XXXIV, where Bruce made that spectacular game-winning grab.

Ever since, I have loved watching him play, as he is one of my favorite receivers of all-time.

It is truly my honor to congratulate him on a phenomenal career, and I wish him the best of luck moving forward with the rest of his life.

'Madden NFL 11' team ratings revealed

Do you believe in Matt Leinart? Neither do the producers of "Madden NFL 11" as the Arizona Cardinals overall team rating in the game has plummeted to just a 79 only one year removed from having one of the more dynamic offenses in the game (and being rated an 87). The quarterback unit of the Cardinals has also dropped to 30th in the league now that Kurt Warner has retired.

 

The plight of the Cardinals was revealed by "Madden NFL 11's" ratings czar Donny Moore in an interview with video game Web site Gamespot.com. Other numbers of note include the Super Bowl champion Saints as the top-rated team with a 92 overall, and the Vikings clocking in at 88 with a virtual Brett Favre under center. I wonder how much that number would fall if Favre retires.

 

As you ponder that (my guess is they'd drop to at least an 85), check out the ratings for the rest of the teams.

 

NFC East

 

Dallas Cowboys: 87

NY Giants: 81

Philadelphia Eagles: 80

Washington Redskins: 76

 

NFC North

 

Minnesota Vikings: 88

Green Bay Packers: 87

Chicago Bears: 77

Detroit Lions: 68

Indianapolis Colts Contract Issues

It is early in the summer and the Colts are already running into issues with players not participating in their offseason workouts and team practices. Three players have decided to sit out all team activities due to the fact that they desire new contracts. It wouldn't be much problem except that they are all Pro Bowl caliber players. Reggie Wayne, Robert Mathis and Antoine Bethea are the players that are sitting out at Colts camp.
Both Reggie Wayne and Robert Mathis have been important players on the team for several years. Antoine Bethea has climbed the ranks and asserted himself as a quality safety in this league. Wayne and Mathis each have two years remaining on their current deals while Bethea is refusing to sign the Colts one year $2.521 million offer. This is going to get sticky because Bill Polian is not planning on addressing the contracts because of the murky labor situation between the owners and the NFL Players Association. Polian has let the player's agents know that they really do not even know how to renegotiate a deal without a collective bargaining agreement being in place. While the players are sitting out now, you can bet your bottom dollar that as soon as it starts costing them paychecks they will hit the practice field.

If you want to see a regular dude get upset, tell him that a superstar football player is refusing to report to camp because he wants more money. This is usually something that a Colts fan does not have to deal with because of the veteran leadership on the team. Here is an interesting bit of information to wrap your head around. Peyton Manning is in his last year of his contract. Have you heard about him sitting out of practices? Has he made a big deal out of it in the media? This dude is a multiple time NFL MVP and is not making a peep about his contract. Owner Jim Irsay has stated that they plan on making Manning the highest paid player in the league but have not set a date to do so yet. Should Manning sit on his helmet and pout about it? No, he showed up for the fans this weekend at Lucas Oil Stadium and ran through three days of practice

If Wayne, Mathis and Bethea enjoy playing for a winning team they might need to check their egos at the door. Sure, sure they all three are great players but I don't think they have the skins on the wall to be creating a stir about their contracts. Come on fellas, you play for the Indianapolis Colts. This isn't the Raiders or the Browns. The front office has been pretty classy for several years and the players that deserve to be rewarded get what is coming to them. Don't mess up a good thing because of a contract dispute.

Falcons OL Quinn Ojinnaka suspended one game after being arrested last year

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - The NFL says Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman Quinn Ojinnaka has been suspended without pay for the season opener after being arrested last year.

Ojinnaka will miss the first regular-season game at Pittsburgh on Sept. 12. The league announced the suspension on Thursday, citing its personal conduct policy.

Police in suburban Gwinnett County said Ojinnaka was arrested in May 2009 on a simple battery charge after his wife confronted him over his contact with a female friend on the social networking site Facebook. He was accused of tossing her down some stairs and throwing her out of the house.

Ojinnaka started five games last season and is expected to be a backup on the Falcons' offensive line.

Cowboys' OTA observations: Tony Romo sharp, Brandon Williams' power, Sam Hurd's catch

 Tashard Choice was sick and missed the workout. Victor Butler missed for personal reasons. Pat McQuistan's wife gave birth to the couple's first child.

** Bradie James was back on the field after missing Tuesday's workout. Jason Hatcher (hamstring) and Igor Olshansky (back) were practicing after sitting out Tuesday, but Hatcher might have some trouble still with the leg.

** I told you earlier I was going to look at wide receivers down the line from the top three. I must say, Titus Ryan continues to impress. I think the Cowboys viewed him as a return guy when they got him but he's pretty smooth as a receiver. Manny Johnson has been pretty good, too. Jesse Holley was only so-so. He looked a little tired and had a drop.

** Martellus Bennett had an active day. He made a nice one-handed grab of a Tony Romo pass on a shallow cross. He nearly came down with a deep corner throw from Jon Kitna but the pass just went off his fingertips.

** The prettiest catch and throw of the day belonged to Sam Hurd and Jon Kitna. During 7-on-7 drills, Kitna floated a pass just over Pat Watkins' reach, which is pretty considerable on a 6-5 frame, to a leaping Hurd down the middle of the field.

** Brandon Williams continues to impress. In the two-minute drill he had a would-be sack of Stephen McGee by getting around Will Barker and also bowled the rookie tackle to the ground a few plays later for a pressure of McGee.

** Romo scored on a keeper in the first-team's two-minute drill offering. He flung the ball in the air to celebrate. He was 7-of-9 in the two-minute drill, finding Jason Witten (three times), Marion Barber (three times) and Dez Bryant once. He took what the defense gave on the drive.

** The Cowboys are pretty much set at running back with Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice but Lonyae Miller and Herb Donaldson have a little something. They run with pretty good power and some wiggle.

** David Buehler made three of four field goal tries. He hit from 33, 39 and 40 and was wide right from 45 yards. Connor Hughes was 1 of 2, missing from 43 but nailing a 50 yarder.

** Interesting alignment of the day against a one-wide receiver set: the Cowboys went with three inside linebackers with Bradie James, Sean Lee and Jason Williams on the field and Terence Newman serving as the only cornerback.

NEW: Colts may be moving training camp back to Anderson NFL team has used Rose-Hulman facilities since 1999

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts have yet to make an official announcement concerning the site of the team's summer training camp. It appears, however, that a decision could be coming rather quickly.

There were indications Tuesday afternoon that the team would be moving back to Anderson University, which initially hosted the camp from 1984 to 1998. Players are slated to report for training camp on Aug. 1. 

Indianapolis radio station WFNI 1070 AM reported that the Colts would be making an announcement about the camp's future site sometime this week. There was also unconfirmed speculation from other sources that the team would be making an announcement Thursday in Anderson.

An agreement with corporate sponsor Tire Barn, an Anderson-based automobile tire retail sales company, is also reportedly part of the deal.

There hasn't been any confirmation from the Colts or representatives from Anderson University on a potential move. Craig Kelley, Indianapolis' vice president of public relations, said Tuesday morning that the team had hoped to announce the camp's eventual location soon.

When asked later in the day about a possible move back to Anderson, Kelley replied via e-mail that he had not heard the radio reports and that he would have nothing to say beyond his earlier comments.

Chris Williams, Anderson University's director of communications, said in an e-mail Tuesday evening that the school has not received any confirmation regarding a possible move by the Colts. Williams referred all questions to Kelley.

There have been rumors over the past several weeks that the defending AFC champions were contemplating leaving Rose-Hulman, which has been home to the Colts' preseason workouts since 1999.

The delay in determining where training camp will be has not slowed second-year head coach Jim Caldwell, though. Caldwell acknowledged Tuesday that his preseason practice plan won't change much.

"Our schedule will be the same regardless of where [training camp] is located," he said.