Top NFL Offensive Lineman Encourages High Schoolers To Play Multiple Sports

Take it from Jake Long: Top tips for young athletes from an NFL star

By Bill Vilona
Years before Jake Long ascended to NFL stardom with the Miami Dolphins, he played three positions on his high school football team and excelled in three sports.
Take it from Jake: There doesn't necessarily have to be a singular focus for young athletes.
Whenever someone asks about whether to play and enjoy different sports, Long can speak from his own experience.
For full article:  http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011106290329

Titan CB Cortland Finnegan Aides Cancer Patient

Milton grad, Titans' Cortland Finnegan shows caring side

Written by

Bill Vilona

The soft side of Cortland Finnegan often gets obscured by his feisty, on-field reputation in the NFL.
But Finnegan, a Milton High graduate and mercurial cornerback for the Tennessee Titans, showed his alter ego in aiding, inspiring a Nashville high school player battling cancer.
Kelsey Towns, a volleyball player at Nashville's Father Ryan High, is fighting a rare form of cancer that resulted in surgery a year ago to remove part of her right thigh.

For Full Article from the Pensacola News Journal go to:  http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011106290332

Faneca Has Strong Case For Hall of Fame

Former LSU great and Houston native Alan Faneca recently announced his retirement from an illustrious NFL career that included 9 Pro Bowl appearances.  Offensive Guards are not frequent Hall of Fame inductees, but Faneca's candidacy is about as strong as they come according to ESPN blogger Jason Vida:

  

Alan Faneca has a case for Canton

By Jason Vida

Faneca

There seems to be little rush to open the doors of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to guards -- only Randall McDaniel and Bruce Matthews have a bust among guards to play in the NFL over the past 15 years -- but after announcing his retirement Tuesday, Alan Faneca faces five years of scrutiny on what looks like an impressive Canton resume.

 

For full article go too: 
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/19619/alan-faneca-has-a-case-for-canton

IS BREES ON THE ROAD TO CANTON?

ESPN'S NFC South Blogger Pat Yasinskas argues that Drew Brees isn't quite Hall of Fame material yet.

Drew Brees closing in on Hall of Fame
By Pat Yasinskas

He already has thrown for 7,000 more yards than Terry Bradshaw, completed one fewer touchdown pass than George Blanda and won one more Super Bowl championship than Jim Kelly and Fran Tarkenton combined.

So they already should be carving Drew Brees from the shoulders up in Canton, Ohio, right? The quarterback of the New Orleans Saints could retire tomorrow and waltz straight to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in five years, correct?

For the full article go to:  http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/21713/drew-brees-closing-in-on-hall-of-fame

Favre hosting 7 on 7 Camp at USM

Brett Favre was recently back at his Alma Mater to host the "Brett Favre 7 on 7 at the Rock"  football camp to raise money for his Favre 4 Hope Foundation.  Here is a link to the Associated Press article on NFL.Com:  http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8205130c/article/favre-enjoying-postnfl-life-hasnt-decided-next-move?module=HP_headlines

Landry a no show for Redskins Workouts

Former LSU Safety and Hahnville Alum LaRon Landry has yet to participate in any of the Redskins player workouts.

Trent Williams, LaRon Landry skip workout again

By Mike Jones

Second-year left tackle Trent Williams and safety LaRon Landry are among the key players who have yet to attend one of the Redskins players’ informal group workout sessions.
Williams has been training in Houston this offseason. And Landry has been training in Phoenix. Neither attended the April or May workouts.

For rest of story go to:   http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/post/trent-williams-laron-landry-skip-workout-again/2011/06/14/AGKXIiUH_blog.html

Vilma Overrated According To ESPN Writer

JBy Matt Williamson
Scouts Inc.
Jonathan Vilma is a good player, but I consider him an overrated player. I recognize his competitiveness and leadership skills, which put him in the cross hairs of my Pressure Point series. He must help the Saints' defense to improve in 2011 if the team is going to make a run at the Super Bowl.


I expect the Saints' defense to be improved by leaps and bounds from a year ago, but I am not certain that Vilma is a major reason for any improvement.

For full article go to:  http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6643953

Mobile Area NFL Players Hosting Summer Camp

Quarterback Pat White will be among the pro players at a football camp scheduled for June 23-24 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. (Associated Press/Pat Carter)
MOBILE, Alabama -- More NFL players have been added to a celebrity football camp scheduled June 23-24 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Carolina Panthers defensive back Captain Munnerlyn of Mobile and Cleveland running back Quinn Porter were previously announced. Also joining them are former Miami Dolphins quarterback Pat White of Daphne, Jets cornerback Ellis Lankster of Vigor, Panthers defensive end Eric Norwood and former Giants, Redskins and Buccaneers receiver Anthony Mix of Bay Minette.

For full article with dates and cost go to:  http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/06/football_camp_adds_more_pro_pl.html

The story of the New Orleans Saints' first player, Paige Cothren

By Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune NOLA.com

New Orleans Saints fans are famously trivial.

Paige Cothren was the first player to sign a contract with the newly formed New Orleans Saints.

They can remember the most picayune details of their club's 45-year history.
Without hesitation, they can recite fact after arcane fact. Who scored the first touchdown (John Gilliam). Who held for Tom Dempsey's famous kick (Joe Scarpati).
Even who recovered the fumble when Hakim dropped the ball (Brian Milne).
But few if any can tell you the name of the first Saint.
"Not many people knew me back then," said Paige Cothren from his home in the piney woods of Houston, Miss. "If I would have made the team it would have been better."
Before Billy Kilmer and Doug Atkins were signed and Danny Abramowicz drafted, there was Cothren, a semi-retired kicker from Ole Miss who became the first player to sign a formal contract with the Saints on Feb. 2, 1967

For Full Article Go To: http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2011/06/the_story_of_the_new_orleans_s.html

Former Alabama and NFL RB Glen Coffee, back in hometown of Fort Walton, playing in semi-pro league.

By ADAM ROSENBERG        

enlarge

FRE  (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Daily News

 

SHALIMAR — The last time Glen Coffee wore a football helmet in a game situation, it had the same San Francisco 49ers logo on the side of it that was worn by legendary players like Joe Montana, Steve Young and Jerry Rice. He played his home games at Candlestick Park and before that, wore one of the most historic uniforms in college football—the crimson and white of the University of Alabama.
On Friday, Coffee stretched and warmed up on a nondescript path of grass and dirt behind Shalimar Elementary School in preparation for today’s debut for his newest team, the Northwest Florida Falcons of the Premier South Football League. Coffee, a former star at Fort Walton Beach High School, will join his teammates for their season opener at Davidson Middle School against the Crestview Thunderbirds at 6 p.m. today.
For Coffee, his next game is a stark contrast from the bright lights of the NFL and the SEC. In August of last year, he walked away from pro football, citing a lack of passion for the game. He left behind a large contract and the fame of being a running back in the NFL, but he seemed at peace with his decision at Friday’s Falcons practice.
“I just enjoy recreational sports,” Coffee said. “I figured it would just be another fun thing to do.”
Coffee said a former high school teammate of his convinced him to join up with the Falcons, a semi-pro team based out of Fort Walton Beach. But fans shouldn’t show up to Falcons game expecting to see Coffee bowling over tacklers like when he was a 1,300-yard rusher at Alabama. Instead, they’ll see him lighting up ballcarriers as a safety/linebacker. He’ll still get to carry the ball at times, however, as he’ll also return kicks and punts.
The allure of playing defense for the first time since middle school was one of the things that drew Coffee back to the field.was a pretty nice defender,” Coffee said. “I think I could have been a better free safety than a running back, but running back was the glory position. I’m excited to be able to hit some people.”
Coffee’s return to the field shows that he still loves the game, if not the lifestyle that surrounds playing it professionally. While he insisted on discussing only his role with the Falcons and was careful not to broach the subject of why he left the NFL or how he has kept himself busy since his retirement, he did say he is still working toward his degree from Alabama by taking online classes.
And of course, as his presence on the field today shows, he still loves the game.
“A lot of people think that because I quit, I don’t like football or I have something against it,” Coffee said. “It’s not like that. As a recreational sport, I still dig it. It’s just not what I wanted to do with my life.”

Source:  http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/coffee-39922-makes-nfl.html