Curtis Martin's speech full of candor and inspiration

Posted by Mike Florio on August 4, 2012, 10:29 PM EDT

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As it often does, the Pro Football Hall of Fame saved the best for last.

Running back Curtis Martin, fourth on the all-time rushing list, entered Canton the right way, with a stirring, heartfelt, notes-free speech that was inspiring, moving, and entertaining.

Martin explained that he wasn’t a football fan.  After then-Patriots coach Bill Parcells called Martin to advise the former Pitt Panther that he’d been selected in the third round of the 1995 draft, Martin said, “Oh my gosh, I don’t want to play football.”

Martin said that his pastor at the time put the situation in perspective.  “Curtis, look at it this way,” LeRoy Joseph told Martin.  “Maybe football is just something God is giving you to do all those wonderful things that you say you want to do for other people.”

The man who went on to play for the Patriots and Jets explained that he decided in that moment he would embrace the game.  Martin also said that, on Friday of this week, he finally became a fan of football after hearing 93-year-old Bills owner Ralph Wilson speak passionately about the sport — and after spending time with current and former Hall of Famers.

Only a portion of his words related to football.  Martin shared details about his difficult upbringing, from examples of physical and mental abuse inflicted by his late father on Martin’s mother to an instance in which a man held a gun to Martin’s head, pulling the trigger seven times without the bullet coming out.  And when the man pulled the trigger when the gun wasn’t pointed at Martin’s head, the bullet emerged.

Martin eventually made a deal with God, pledging to live the right way and do whatever God wants from Martin if Martin makes it past 21 years of age.  Now 39, Martin said, “God has upheld his end of the bargain and I’m gonna spend the rest of my life trying to uphold my end of the bargain.”

Martin upheld his end of the bargain on Saturday night, with the kind of candor that can persuade others in difficult situations to not give up — or to resolve to find a way to make things better.

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Roethlisberger injures ankle, waits for Todd Haley meltdown

Posted by Mike Florio on August 4, 2012, 9:56 PM EDT

AP

We’d hate to see how many injuries Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would have if he weren’t wearing a red jersey in practice.

Already suffering (so he claims) from a partially torn rotator cuff in his shoulder, Roethlisberger sprained his left ankle at practice on Saturday after being stepped on by a defensive lineman, according to USAToday.com.

It’s the same ankle he injured during the 2011 season against the Browns.

Roethlisberger limped off the field.  He later had it wrapped in an icepack.

The quarterback also addressed his relationship with offensive coordinator Todd Haley, which has yet to turn frosty.

“We’re just kind of waiting for it,” Roethlisberger said regarding a potential explosion from the former Chiefs head coach and Cardinals offensive coordinator.  “Todd’s the only guy to ever make Kurt Warner cuss.”

Roethlisberger and Haley seem to be working well together, so far.

“I think our relationship is growing and I can see where Todd’s vision of us is headed,” Roethlisberger said.  “It’s all about winning.  You have to put aside egos and put aside wanting to run the ball, wanting to throw the ball to just win and that’s what we both want to do.”

As long as the Steelers win, there won’t be any trouble between Roethlisberger and Haley.  If they don’t, that’s when things could get ugly.

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Robert Gallery calls it quits

Posted by Michael David Smith on August 4, 2012, 6:00 PM EDT

AP

Robert Gallery, who entered the NFL hyped as the league’s next great left tackle but never became much more than a pretty good guard, has decided to call it a career after eight seasons.

The Patriots, who signed Gallery in March, announced his retirement today.

Coming out of Iowa in the 2004 NFL draft, Gallery was viewed as a sure thing. He had won the Outland Trophy as college football’s best lineman and was widely regarded as a can’t-miss prospect and a franchise left tackle who could be penciled in for several Pro Bowls over the course of his career. But it never worked out that way. Gallery often struggled with faster pass rushers, and after three years the Raiders decided he was a liability protecting the quarterback’s blind side and moved him to guard.

At his new position he carved out a solid second act to his career, but he struggled to stay healthy and eventually parted ways with the Raiders after the 2010 season. He played 2011 with the Seahawks and, after signing this year with the Patriots, said he thought New England was the right place for him to finish a career that he admitted had been less than ideal. As it turned out, he finished up his career earlier than expected. Robert Gallery is done in the NFL.

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Titans center Eugene Amano suffers season ending tricep tear

Posted by Michael David Smith on August 4, 2012, 4:34 PM EDT

AP

The Tennessee Titans have lost a starter on their offensive line to a training camp injury.

Eugene Amano, a center who started all 16 games last season and was slated to start again this season, is out for the season with a torn triceps, coach Mike Munchak confirmed today.

The Titans searched in free agency for potential improvements over Amano at the center position, but after their attempts to sign Jeff Saturday, Scott Wells and Chris Myers failed, they figured they would have Amano back this season. Instead, they need to scramble.

Kevin Matthews, who was listed as second behind Amano on the Titans’ depth chart, is currently being held out because of post-concussion symptoms. That leaves Fernando Velasco, a third-year player who has just three starts in his NFL career, to move over to the starting center spot.

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Vontaze Burfict looking good in Cincinnati

Posted by Michael David Smith on August 4, 2012, 12:46 PM EDT

AP

In the months leading up to the draft, no player saw his stock fall further than former Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who had once been viewed in some circles as a potential first-round draft pick, but who ended up not getting drafted at all. The Bengals may end up benefiting from Burfict’s slide.

After Cincinnati signed Burfict as an undrafted free agent, he proclaimed himself a steal, and Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said there was no down side to signing him. The up side is that Burfict has the talent to be a solid NFL linebacker, and Albert Breer of NFL Network reports that Burfict has done plenty to change the negative perceptions of him so far in training camp.

Burfict, who showed up to the Scouting Combine out of shape, has lost weight and looked good on the practice field, and he hasn’t been a problem child off the field, either.

All undrafted rookies have an uphill climb to make the 53-man roster, but Burfict has a good chance of doing it. And proving that he never should have been labeled a non-draftable kid.

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Chris Johnson looking like CJ2k again

Posted by Evan Silva on August 4, 2012, 9:49 AM EDT

AP

Titans running back Chris Johnson is coming off the worst season of his NFL career. In 2011, Johnson set career lows in rushing yards, yards per carry, and touchdowns. Everyone seemed to have their own explanation for Johnson’s struggles over the course of the year. Johnson didn’t look like the player he once was.

But Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on Friday’s Inside Training Camp Live that Johnson appears to have rediscovered past elite form so far in camp. While running backs are difficult to evaluate accurately before full-contact football activities, Rapoport says the early signs are promising for the player once nicknamed “CJ2K.”

Morris Claiborne to undergo MRI

Posted by Mike Florio on August 3, 2012, 10:48 PM EDT

AP

A wrist injury wiped out his offseason program, and now a knee injury could plague his preseason preparations.

Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne, the sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft, will undergo an MRI on a sore knee, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.

Claiborne suffered the injury Wednesday, took Thursday off, and didn’t feel right on Friday.

“He had a little twinge there in his knee and our trainers thought it would be best to give him the afternoon off,” Cowboys owner/G.M. Jerry Jones said. “At this time we are not concerned.”

The results of the MRI could change that tune, quickly.

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Saturday morning one-liners

Posted by Mike Florio on August 4, 2012, 7:50 AM EDT

AP

So why didn’t WR/QB Brad Smith make an impact for the Bills in 2011?  “There was a lot going on, one of those crazy things where you come in, you don’t know anybody, don’t know the system, and you have to adjust,” Smith said.

Saturday’s scrimmage could help answer several questions for the Dolphins, especially at the quarterback position.

Jets RB Bilal Powell wants more playing timein his second NFL season.  (At least he didn’t say he’s the second-best receiver on the team.)

Patriots owner Robert Kraft has invited new Browns owner Jimmy Haslam to come to New England and learn the business of owning a football team.

The Ravens are hosting a free practice at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday.

Introduced as the new Browns owner on August 3, Jimmy Haslam first met former owner Randy Lerner on July 2.

Bengals QB Bruce Gradkowski, a Pittsburgh native, is supporting the Reds in their head-to-head duel with the Pirates.

Officially retired Steelers RB Willie Parker would likely stick with the Buccos; “The six years of my life were the best years I ever had,” Parker said at Steelers practice on Friday.

Three Titans games sold out on the first day of individual ticket sales.

Jones-Drew who?  Jaguars RB Rashad Jennings looked good in an intra-squad scrimmage; QB Blaine Gabbert dubbed Jennings’ performance “phenomenal.”

Colts owner Jim Irsay says there’s something “SPECIAL” in the air, and that the team is “ahead” of where it was in Peyton Manning’s 3-13 rookie season.  (Given that Manning’s Colts had Marshall Faulk, Marvin Harrison, and a solid offensive line, some may wonder whether that something “SPECIAL” in the air has anything to do with burning plant leaves.)

Fourth-round rookie WR Keshawn Martin is trying to fill the void behind Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter at wideout for the Texans.

Raiders FB Owen Schmitt, who almost exclusively blocks, says he’s a “chain-mover” with the ball in his hands, which could happen more in 2012.

Even with their long-time No. 1 wideout gone, the Chargers still may have a pass-catching weapon named “Vincent.”

Despite the fairly close proximity of Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel and Kansas coach Charlie Weis, Crennel doesn’t envision the former colleagues attending any of each other’s games.

With Broncos RT Orlando Franklin cleared to return to practice after suffering a concussion on July 28, the starting offense is at 100 percent for Saturday’s scrimmage.  (That said, Franklin will be used “sparingly.”)

Giants S Will Hill has been humbled, and now he’s trying to rebuild his career.

Cowboys WR Dez Bryant has switched back from agent Drew Rosenhaus to Eugene Parker.

The Redskins are trying to reduce their number of blocked kicks by using “live” field goal periods in practice; five blocks were allowed by the team in 2011.

From the “Names That Possibly Rhyme With Pipp” file, TE Clay Harbor is getting more and more comfortable practicing with the first-team as starter Brent Celekrecovers from a knee injury.

After a rough showing in offseason workouts, training-camp competition could be bringing out the best in Lions QB Kellen Moore.

Bears DE Shea McLellin is feeling a little overwhelmed at training camp; “My head is in all different directions because I am getting advice from the players, the coaches,” McClellin said. “But I just have to focus in, do what they’re teaching me and hone in on those things.”

A Wisconsin firm will oversee the construction of the new Vikings stadium.  (What’s next?  A minority owner of the Steelers buying the Browns?)

Packers rookie DT Jerel Worthy stepped up during the Family Night scrimmage at Lambeau Field.

With injuries at the position, the Falcons have added DT Conrad Obi.

Saints QB Chase Daniel isn’t playing the Tim Tebow passive-aggressive double-speak game; Daniel flat-out says he’s trying to take Drew Brees job.

The Ronde Barber/Mark Barron friendship has rookie learning from grizzled veteran and grizzled veteran learning from rookie.

An MRI revealed that Panthers LB Thomas Davis, out since Sunday, has a calf strain and not (another) knee injury.

Cardinals QB John Skelton says there’s no animosity between him and Kevin Kolb as they prepare for round one of their preseason position battle; “We’re feeding off each other,” Skelton said.  “We’re both pushing each other both in meetings and on the field, so I think we’re both prepared for Sunday.”

Does Seahawks rookie RB Robert Turbin feel any pressure?  “Nope.  There’s no pressure.  This is what I do.  I’m a rookie, but I’m a professional football player right now, you know what I mean?  So I’ve got to do my job.

Rams rookie G Rokevius Watkins is finally on the field after showing up 16 pounds overweight.

49ers players and coaches are still pestering former Giants RB Brandon Jacobsabout the perceived bad call on what appeared to be a fumble by RB Ahmad Bradshaw in the NFC title game; “We still talk about that,” Jacobs said of coach Jim Harbaugh.  “I told him, ‘Coach, I don’t feel bad for you.’”

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