NFL NOTEBOOK
Published 11:29 pm Friday, September 12, 2008
BRONCOS: Wide receiver Brandon Marshall pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in a drunken-driving case and avoided jail time. Marshall pleaded guilty to driving while ability-impaired and was sentenced to a year of probation. He was originally charged with driving under the influence after his arrest in October 2007. If Marshall had been convicted of a DUI, he could have faced five days up to a year in jail.
NFL: The New York Giants and Jets have canceled negotiations on stadium naming rights with a German insurance company that once had ties to the Nazis. Allianz had been seeking a deal to put its name on the stadium being built by both teams in the Meadowlands. Allianz once insured Nazi death camps and refused to pay life insurance claims to its Jewish clients — instead granting the proceeds to the Nazis.
JAGUARS: Receiver Troy Williamson missed his third straight practice and was ruled out of the team’s home opener against Buffalo. Williamson, a former first-round pick by Minnesota who was traded to Jacksonville in February, has been slowed all week because of a thigh injury. Receiver Jerry Porter (hamstring) practiced all week, but was listed as questionable against the Bills. Matt Jones (hamstring) and Dennis Northcutt (back) were probable. Northcutt sat out practice Thursday and Friday.
PATRIOTS: A Massachusetts man has pleaded guilty to charges that he sold about 300 Oxycontin pills to New England lineman Nick Kaczur. The charges against Daniel Ekasala were based on three transactions between the men in May that were secretly recorded by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Kaczur is not named in court records but has been identified as the cooperating witness by Bernard Grossberg, Ekasala’s lawyer. Grossberg says Kaczur went undercover for the federal agency after he was stopped for speeding in New York and was caught with Oxycontin pills.
RAIDERS: Oakland left tackle Kwame Harris is doubtful for Sunday’s game at Kansas City with a knee injury, possibly forcing Mario Henderson to make his first career start in the difficult environment of Arrowhead Stadium. Harris left Monday night’s game with the injury and has been unable to practice all week. Harris will work out this morning to see if his knee is healthy enough to play Sunday against the Chiefs.
COLTS: After nearly 25 years aloft, the RCA Dome’s roof will be coming down. Officials announced that the 16 large fans that keep the roof inflated will be turned off on Sept. 24. Once that happens, the fabric roof will sink into the stadium within 30 to 45 minutes. A ceremony will feature former Mayor Bill Hudnut — during whose administration the stadium was built — flipping the switch. The roof will be cut into pieces and sold as memorabilia.
REDSKINS: Washington guard Pete Kendall and New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce were each fined $5,000 by the NFL for their actions during a push-and-shove incident in the teams’ season opener. Kendall was fined for yanking Pierce’s helmet off. Pierce was fined for unnecessary roughness.
SAINTS: New Orleans’ defense will be short at least three players who started in Week 1 when New Orleans plays at Washington on Sunday. Safety Roman Harper, cornerback Randall Gay and linebacker Scott Fujita were unable to practice Friday, and coach Sean Payton said they will not play this weekend. Harper pulled his right hamstring and Gay his left hamstring during the season-opening 24-20 victory over Tampa Bay last Sunday. Fujita bruised his right knee in the first quarter of that game, but returned to make a clinching interception.
STEELERS: Pittsburgh cornerback Deshea Townsend missed practice for a third consecutive day due to a bruised heel and is not expected to play Sunday night in Cleveland. Townsend is listed as doubtful, but Steelers almost never play unless they take part in at least one practice.
TITANS: Tennessee called police Monday night for help searching for Vince Young because his therapist told coach Jeff Fisher the quarterback mentioned suicide several times before driving away from his home with a gun.
Both Fisher and Young have said what happened Monday night was overblown by the media. But the supplemental report filed Tuesday by Nashville police showed that Fisher was worried about the quarterback after the call from Young’s therapist.
“I asked him, `What made her worry about him?’ Lt. Andrea Swisher wrote. “He stated, `His mood, his emotions, he wants to quit, and he mentioned suicide several times.’ He went on to state that he left the house with a gun.”
The Nashville City Paper obtained the report through a public records request and first reported the details Friday afternoon on its Web site.
Associated Press
