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NFL Hall of Famer – Sammy Baugh
As expected, Baugh was drafted in the first round (sixth overall) of the 1937 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, the same year the team moved from Boston. He signed a one-year contract with the Redskins and received $8,000, making him the highest paid player on the team. He is credited for making the forward pass as an integral part of the offensive play in the NFL.
During his rookie season in 1937, Baugh played quarterback, defensive back, and punter, set an NFL record for completions with 91 in 218 attempts and threw for a league-high 1,127 yards. He led the Redskins to the NFL Championship game against the Chicago Bears, where he finished 17 of 33 for 335 yards and his second-half touchdown passes of 55, 78 and 33 yards gave Washington a 28–21 victory. The Redskins and Bears would meet three times in championship games between 1940 and 1943. In the 1940 Championship game, the Bears recorded the most one-sided victory in NFL history, beating Washington 73–0.
In 1942, Baugh and the Redskins won the East Conference with a 10–1 record. During the same season the Bears went 11–0 and outscored their opponents 376–84. In the 1942 Championship game, Baugh threw a touchdown pass and kept the Bears in their own territory with some strong punts, including an 85-yard quick kick, and Washington won 14–6.
The Excuses Begin for Favre
After being fined for a seemingly dirty shot when he threw a crack-back block on Houston Texan safety Eugene Wilson.
“I will be 40 years old in October and (was) weed-eating 13 days ago,” Favre said. “I wasn’t thinking about throwing blocks.”
Having only been practicing for 14 days since entering out of retirement from the NFL to join the Minnesota Vikings. Perhaps more importantly Eugene was just looking for some sort of apology from Favre.
Wilson’s agent, James Sims, commented on his thoughts after having went out to meet with Favre after their loss.
“Eugene went back out on the field after the game hoping Favre would come up to him and apologize and express some concern and that didn’t happen,” Sims said. “Eugene then was hoping Favre would send him an apology through some sort of correspondence, but that hasn’t happened, either. Eugene is still hopeful Favre will apologize to him.”
Lawyer Milloy Fills the Seahawks’ Saftey Void
With safety Lawyer Milloy signed to a one year contract, the 13-year veteran brings his experience in his NFL career including 1,586 tackles, 25 interceptions and 17 sacks.
After having reportedly rejected an offer from the Detroit Lions he had expressed a desire to finish his career with his hometown team. In a move to solidify their secondary the Seahawks wasted little time in completing the deal.
“It’s official… I’m a Seahawk! Let’s Go!!!”
Having played seven seasons with the New Englad Patriots, three with Bufflao and spending the past three with Atlanta, Milloy looks to bring a reputation as a reliable, hard hitting tackler.
An unfortunate happen stance for Russell Lewis, whom was released just a day before the Seahawks announce their deal securing Milloy. A decision which could very well be looked at as a decision based on the relationship Seattle Seahawks coach Mora’s built while both he and Milloy were in Atlanta in 2006. Regardless of the reason, after having started in every game these past three seasons, his release is still a little surprising.
NFL Hall of Famer – Lem Barney
Barney was a second round draft choice in 1967. He was named 1967’s defensive rookie of the year, and went on to be selected to seven Pro Bowls. During his time in the NFL, Barney had 56 career interceptions, and also gained over 1000 yards each returning kickoffs and punts.
In 1999, he was ranked number 97 on The Sporting News’ list of the 100 Greatest NFL Players.
Both Barney and Lions teammate Mel Farr befriended Motown star Marvin Gaye, when Gaye unsuccessfully tried out for the Detroit Lions in 1970. Barney and Farr sing background vocals on Gaye’s classic 1971 song “What’s Going On”, for which Lem earned a Gold Record. Lem Barney also had a role in the film The Black Six and appeared as himself in Paper Lion. He is now a minister.
Lemuel Joseph “Lem” Barney was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.
NFL Hall of Famer – Cliff Battles
After college, Battles got many offers from NFL teams including the New York Giants and Portsmouth Spartans, among other NFL teams. But he signed with the Boston Braves (now the Washington Redskins) in 1932, who offered him $175 per game, compared with a high of $150 from the other teams.
In 1932, Battles won the NFL’s rushing title as a rookie. He also performed well during the 1933 season and on October 8, 1933, Battles, playing for the newly-named Boston Redskins, became the first player to exceed 200 rushing yard in a game, finishing with 215 yards on 16 rushes and one touchdown against the Giants.
In 1937, the Redskins moved from Boston to Washington, D.C. and acquired quarterback Sammy Baugh. For the 1937, Baugh and Battles combined their talents just as everyone had anticipated. During their last regular-season game, Battles scored three touchdowns and the Redskins beat the New York Giants for the Eastern Division title. In the 1937 NFL Championship against the Chicago Bears a week later, Battles scored the first touchdown in a 28-21 victory that gave the Redskins their first NFL title.
How Goodell Sees the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy
“When we developed a personal conduct policy, we did it with player input. I met with well over 150 players, worked with Gene Upshaw [the NFLPA executive director who died in August 2008] to create the policy, and it was something players really wanted, for exactly the point you’re making: we’re good people; a few people are giving us a bad reputation. And I don’t think that’s right.”
“I’m proud of what our players do, both on and off the field. I think we have a bunch of great guys. It’s one of the things I hear consistently from coaches and when I spend time in the locker room: these are great young men.”
NFL Hall of Famer – Morris “Red” Badgro
In 1981, Badgro, at the age of 78, became the oldest person elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame up to that time. The 45-year span between his final game with the National Football League’s 1936 Brooklyn Dodgers and his election also was a record.
Badgro was highly regarded as a sure-tackling defender and an effective blocker on offense but he was also a talented wide receiver. In 1934, he tied for the NFL’s pass-catching crown with 16 receptions, a significant number in those defense-dominated days when most NFL teams concentrated on grind-it-out football. He also had the distinction of being the first player to score a touchdown in the NFL championship series that began in 1933.
Badgro made many other key catches that were converted into New York Giants victories, including a 15-yard reception that was a key play in a long drive for the game’s only score in a 3-0 New York divisional title win. Badgro had his big defensive moments as well. Playing against the Boston Redskins in 1935, Red blocked a punt and returned it for a go-ahead touchdown.
The Badgro saga is even more unusual in that he wasn’t even sure he wanted to play pro football and, in fact, retired after one year with the NFL’s 1927 New York Yankees to give pro baseball a try.
NFL Teams Awake to Slumping Ticket Sales
With a predicted single digit decline in ticket sales this year and already with issues to come, can Goodell make a change in thee economic times with the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers already anticipating television blackouts.
“We’ve always said we’re not immune from the economy. I think it reflects two things, what you’re seeing in Jacksonville. One is the quality of preseason games. I think our fans are sort of seeing the quality of the games aren’t up to NFL standards. So I think that’s a factor. Additionally, they are …one of the markets where we’re seeing some challenges for ticket sales coming into the 2009 season. And we’ll have other markets where we’ll have those challenges. It’s all part of the challenges we’re seeing in the economy and what our fans are going through. Our clubs have been working hard during the off-season to try to create other ways to get people into the stadium, to have policies that are a little more flexible. Hopefully, they’re going to pay dividends for us,” said Goodell.
Apparently an NFL rule requires local television blackouts if games aren’t sold out 72 hours before kickoff which may leave some hesitant to make local plans and inadvertently end up affecting local business.
“The policy is important in supporting the ability of the clubs to sell tickets and keeping our games attractive as television programming with large crowds,” NFL league spokesman, Brian McCarthy said in an e-mail.
Can Goodell Do What it Takes to Resolve the Imminent Blackout?
With the seemingly eminent possibility of a lockout with the upcoming collective bargaining agreement it seems that the NFL would have enough on its mind in trying to save face and possibly the entire setup of what is, the National Football League.
“I think everybody in the NFL wants to play,” Goodell told reporters this morning. “The owners want to play, the players want to play. It’s our job to get a deal. It’s why I keep saying a lockout is not a strategy or an objective. What we want to do is get an agreement that works for the players, the coaches and the game, allows us to continue to grow it. There’s not a lot of rhetoric that’s needed. We need to sit down at the table and try to get those issues resolved.”
Already having turned down the the collective bargaining agreement last spring, the owners are said to be determined to lockout players. However it stands at this point, Goodell is set to meet with the executive director of the NFL Players Association, DeMaurice Smith, whom is alluding to the possible future.
“the owners are taking all the steps to set up for a lockout in 2011,” said DeMaurice Smith.
Goodell Comments on Michael Vick’s Return
“The issue for Michael is to be able to deal with all of the issues in that transition back to the NFL. A lot of those issues that I’m focusing on are off the field. How is he doing with the transition? Does he have his family relocated? Does he have the right people around him, helping him make decisions? Tony Dungy has been incredibly helpful, Donovan McNabb has been helpful. I talk to Michael on a weekly basis, if not more. I’ll be meeting with him sometime in the near future. I think he’s making the right kind of progress. He’s focused on the right kind of things.”
As stated he will be reviewing Michael Vick’s progress and as an addition to the Philidelphia Eagles Goodell said the possible quarterback addition is “making the right kind of progress” and will consider full reinstatement into the NFL no later then week 6.
“A lot of those issues I’m focusing on are off the field. How is he dealing with the transition? Does he have his family relocated? Does he have the right people around him helping him make decisions?” Goodell said. “Tony Dungy’s been incredibly helpful. Donovan McNabb’s been helpful. I talk to Michael on a weekly basis, if not more. I’ll be meeting with him again sometime in the near future. … He’s focused on the right things.”
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