Edwards Sounds Off

The following was taken from an article from the June 2, 2007 edition of the Kansas City Star regarding Donnie Edwards and his reuniting in KC.  The only parts posted are those regarding the San Diego Chargers, to read the rest of the article, click the link.

Jason King, The Kansas City Star: Edwards signed with San Diego, and his career continued to blossom. He earned a spot in the Pro Bowl after his first season with the Chargers and averaged 154 tackles during 2003-2005.

Last season Edwards helped San Diego to an NFL-best 14-2 regular-season record. But things ended in turmoil after coach Marty Schottenheimer was fired following a playoff loss to Indianapolis.

Edwards remains loyal to Schottenheimer, who was also his coach in Kansas City. Edwards said the termination hardly came as a surprise.

“Not at all,” Edwards said. “If you could’ve been a fly on the wall and sat and watched and listened to everything that happened there the past couple of years … it was a dysfunctional environment for everyone involved. It was very difficult.”

“But that’s in the past. Everyone has moved on. Our defensive coordinator (Wade Phillips) went on to a head-coaching job, Marty Schottenheimer is playing golf and I’m in Kansas City. It’s worked out well for everyone.”

Acee: Chargers Team Report

Kevin Acee, for SportingNews.com: WR Vincent Jackson needs to become a go-getter. Improved in his second year, he still is not the type of receiver who will go up and win a jump ball. If he is to be the next Terrell Owens (on-field performance only) as he believes he can be, he must develop that ability. He should be capable of such physicality because he is the team’s best blocking receiver and has the size to intimidate any defensive back. He also has good hands, as shown by his clutch catches in 2006. . . . Cletis Gordon is a No. 5 cornerback. And while his shiftiness and explosiveness make him an ideal kick returner, the Chargers have plenty of those, too. Just in his second year, he is affordable and under the team’s control through at least ’08. But his roster spot is in jeopardy because the team has an abundance of linebackers and just simply might not need him. He would have a better chance to contribute regularly elsewhere.

SCOUTING REPORT: OG Mike Goff is not the fastest or most agile player on the offensive line. He is, in fact, by far the oldest starter and least athletic one on the front. But the crafty right guard is an excellent pass protector and can still pull when necessary. Goff’s contract runs out after next year, and the team is thinking about grooming RT Shane Olivea to take his place, but Goff could delay those plans if he continues to be as consistent as he has been the past three seasons.

IMPACT NEWCOMER: The Chargers’ only newcomers are rookies, and none of them will start. All the first-day picks will likely be big special teams contributors, and first-round pick Craig Davis could be the main punt returner. He also has the best shot to play the most from scrimmage if his speed and hands are complemented by the ability to learn and apply at this level.

Kevin Acee covers the Chargers for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Inside Dish: Cooper and Wilhelm

Dennis Dillon, SportingNews.com: Matt Wilhelm and Stephen Cooper are trying to fill two big holes in the middle of the Chargers’ defense left by the departures of ILBs Donnie Edwards and Randall Godfrey. Wilhelm and Cooper have several characteristics the Chargers like: youth, athleticism, intelligence and instincts. Both players earned their stripes primarily as special teams players last year, though Wilhelm did a decent job in coverage in the team’s nickel and dime packages. . . .

Harris hopes that life doesn’t imitate art

The Bears perspective of the commercial LT shot. And we here at O&S are pretty sure, even without sources, that Philip Rivers was the one doing most of the trash talking.

Larry Mayer, ChicagoBears.com: Tommie Harris wasn’t too happy with the latest role he played as a member of the Bears defense.

The two-time Pro Bowler was recently at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego taping a Nike commercial that features Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson darting and dashing through Chicago tacklers en route to a spectacular touchdown on a screen pass.

“It was good being out there, but I wasn’t too enthused with the role they had me playing,” Harris said. “I was getting run over. Well, not me actually, but they had LaDainian looking like a superstar, which he is, but not against our defense.”

The Bears were chosen for the commercial evidently because they open the season Sept. 9 in San Diego. In the spot, Tomlinson catches a screen pass and proceeds to spin around one defender, high-step into the open field and knock a safety’s helmet off with a stiff-arm before reaching the end zone.

“Lovie [Smith] is going to be pretty disappointed when he sees the commercial,” Harris predicted.

In addition to Tomlinson, Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates also were on hand to tape the commercial.

“They talked all day about what they were going to do to us [Sept. 9], how they were going to kick our butts,” Harris said. “But it’s going to be a lot different [than the commercial].

“I’m looking forward to seeing him do that screen against us.”

Harris and Tomlinson are good friends, having grown up about 60 miles apart in Texas.

“He’s a great guy,” Harris said. “He’s a fun guy. He’s laidback. He doesn’t say much. He’s a perfectionist; that’s what makes him so great. He had his arm around [acclaimed director] Michael Mann, telling him, ‘I wouldn’t do that.'”

All-Pro Football 2K8

The following is an entry from Darren Rovell’s blog on CNBC.com. 

Darren Rovell, CNBC.com: Madden Competitor
OK, I lied. Nothing really competes with Electronic Arts’ Madden football franchise. Definitely now by virtue of the fact that Electronic Arts has the exclusive right to make an NFL game. But it has been interesting to watch how competing game companies have tried to get around it.

All-Pro Football 2K8

With behind-the-scenes game play getting more popular, I was really impressed by Midway Games’ Blitz franchise last year and they were smart to position it as the renegade game the league doesn’t want you to see. This year’s entry comes from Take Two’s 2K Sports. If their Web site is accurate, and I’m assuming it is, they’ve signed the biggest former players to the game called All-Pro Football 2K8. Jerry Rice, John Elway and Barry Sanders will be on the cover and the game will feature virtual images of Johnny Unitas, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders and more than 230 others.

Before I move on, let me just say that I’m absolutely shocked that John Elway of all people agreed to be in this game. The guy has enough money and I’m not sure it makes sense to go up against the NFL like this. Then again, cash is cash. Some of the more interesting names on the list of players you can apparently play with include O.J. Simpson, Mike Golic, Brian Bosworth and Korey Stringer. The game will also feature a unique soundtrack with the work of people I guess I should know including Z-Trip, Slug From Atmosphere, Aceyalone and Casual. The game will be out later this year on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 and will cost $59.95, which is actually the same price EA is charging for Madden on both those consoles.

First ‘NFL Broadcast Boot Camp’ kicks off

Roman Oben will be attending the NFL Broadcast Boot Camp.

NFL.com: Twenty current and former NFL players including All-Stars Mitch Berger, Bertrand Berry, Sammy Knight, Takeo Spikes and Bob Whitfield will take part in the first-ever NFL Broadcast Boot Camp at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, it was announced.

The program, which runs from June 18-21, is being directed by the NFL Broadcasting Department and will cover a wide range of sports topics with instructors from all of the NFL’s broadcasting partners — CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC, NFL Network, Sirius Satellite Radio, Westwood One Radio, plus local radio and TV. It will include hands-on work in areas including tape study, editing, show preparation, radio production, control room operation, studio preparation, production meetings, field reporting and game preparation. Each player also will tape segments as a studio and game analyst and will take part in a networking session with television executives.