Pro football players can be motivated by emotion, revenge, fear, criticism, contempt, money and flashlights.
When the undefeated New York Jets returned from their week off after beating ex-teammate Keyshawn Johnson and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, each player found a gift at his seat: a small, white plastic flashlight with the green team logo printed on one side.
After Johnson referred to himself as a star and former Jets teammate/rival Wayne Chrebet as a mere flashlight, Jets coach Al Groh had a lightbulb go off in his head. Chrebet had caught the winning touchdown pass in the final minute, and Groh mentioned how a team of flashlights could be a powerful source. He is not letting the analogy burn out.
During the week’s first team meeting to get ready for Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh, Groh turned down the lights and had each team unit, one after another, focus the flashlights on the screen in front of the room.
“As each group flashed its light on the screen, the light got brighter,” defensive lineman Ernie Logan said. “It was to show that if each group does its job, the team will be successful.”
Most players saw the light.
“What I got out of it is there are no stars per se on this team, that the team is all just one star,” tight end Fred Baxter said. “The flashlight symbolized the star. Everybody had a role and we all make up that one star.”
“It was pretty creative,” Pro Bowl center Kevin Mawae said. “It’s something guys can draw on to help them realize that one person doesn’t make a team. Guys can relate to it because of all the hype that came with that comment.”
Ultimate coach Vince Lombardi, who emphasized the basics, once held up a football as a prop and informed his Green Bay Packers: “This, gentlemen, is a football.”
Receiver Max McGee yelled from the back of the room: “Slow down, coach, you’re going too fast.”
Ditka unpaid: According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Saints owner Tom Benson has stopped payment on Mike Ditka’s three-year, $7.5 million contract, claiming the fired coach is violating terms of their agreement by not reporting current income.
Benson reportedly stopped twice-monthly payments of approximately $104,000 in August. Ditka was fired after Benson signed him to a contract paying $2.5 million for each of the 2000, 2001 and 2002 seasons.
“I know what the problem is,” Ditka told the newspaper. “The problem is his lawyer, Stanley Rosenberg. He has found some clause in the contract that is a bunch of bull. If that’s what they’re all about, then fine. I was there the day I got fired and I heard what [Benson] said.”
Rosenberg said Ditka is required to provide periodic reports on his outside income, which Ditka said was “under $500,000” from CBS and approximately $20,000 per speaking engagement. Rosenberg said the contract allows the Saints to “offset against all payments any and all income [Ditka] earns.”
“Look, I didn’t ask for the three-year extension,” Ditka said. “[Benson] gave it to me. Ask anybody. Do you think I ever read one page of the contract, including the total? No. That’s not my nature. But I do trust people and when I find out that people are not to be trusted, then what am I supposed to do? Admire them? No, I don’t do that.”
Bay watch: The San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders play their first Battle of the Bay since 1979. When they played five times between 1982 and 1994, the Raiders were in Los Angeles.
There are ties. 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia had a 1998 tryout with the Raiders, who signed Andre Ware instead. The two coaches, the 49ers’ Steve Mariucci and the Raiders’ Jon Gruden, served on Mike Holmgren’s Green Bay staff. Gruden’s father, Jim, is a 49ers scout. When the teams played a 1999 exhibition in Oakland, Mariucci said: “We had enough beers poured on us and batteries upside the head and all those sorts of things.”
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Still, there isn’t much of a rivalry. Gruden said he will talk to his father, but “we’ll talk about my three boys. Everything else is off-limits.”
Oakland center Barret Robbins said: “When you think about a rivalry, you think about ill will, and we have so much ill will with Denver and Kansas City and San Diego it’s hard to say we have ill will for [San Francisco].”
Hoge-podge of opinion: Former Bears running back Merril Hoge apparently helped motivate Minnesota receiver Randy Moss last week by saying on his ESPN show that he noticed Moss loafing on 34 of 60 plays he broke down. Moss had seven catches for 168 yards and three touchdowns against Detroit.
The Vikings are home to the Tampa Bay Bucs on Monday night, and here’s what Hoge says about Tampa Bay quarterback Shaun King: “Shaun King has really been horrible the last two weeks. Horrible just from the standpoint of missing elementary throws, things he should complete. It’s a real dilemma for the Bucs, and if he doesn’t play well early Monday night, [coach] Tony Dungy might have to sit him down.”
In their last two losses, Bucs receiver Keyshawn Johnson had one catch for one yard against the Jets and six catches for 42 yards at Washington.
“Keyshawn has been open,” Hoge said. “King has missed Keyshawn on a lot of opportunities.”
Johnson agrees.
“We are a better team than this, we’re all better football players than this,” he said. “This is a nightmare. What was I brought here for if they were going to use me this way?”
Spy watch: When Redskins owner Daniel Snyder decided to charge admission for fans to watch training camp, there was no way he could keep opposing scouts from attending. Cowboys scout Larry Dixon spent 35 days there. After the Cowboys upset Washington 27-21 in Week 3, Dallas coach Dave Campo mentioned Dixon’s contribution.
The Eagles play the Redskins this week and Eagles scout Bobby DePaul, a former Redskins assistant under Joe Gibbs, also made several trips to the Skins’ training camp.
“We just wanted to let them know we were there and not to make any mistakes,” DePaul said. “Familiarity is a big thing for an opposing team. The more familiar you are with the guys you’re playing against, the better off you are, the more your confidence grows. The end result is we’re very familiar with this football team. The unknown always makes you uneasy. There are no unknowns here. We know this team very well.”
Revenge of the unwanted: Sunday is payback time. Miami running back Thurman Thomas gets to play against his old Buffalo Bills. Tennessee receiver Carl Pickens gets to play his old Cincinnati Bengals if his sore leg allows. Philadelphia kick returner/running back Brian Mitchell gets to play against his old Redskins.
Thomas is upset Bills owner Ralph Wilson didn’t call when Thomas was released for salary-cap reasons. Wilson said he thought the letter he wrote would suffice. Pickens blasted the Bengals for retaining coach Bruce Coslet after last season. Coslet quit after only three games this year, so Pickens won’t face him.
Mitchell signed with the Eagles just so he could play the Redskins twice a year.
“There’s only two people who are going to say I’m finished–myself and God,” Mitchell said. “I don’t think that [Dan] Snyder or [player personnel boss] Vinnie Cerrato are God. When I left I told myself, `I’m going to prove them wrong. I’m going to show them I’ve still got it.'”
Mitchell had a 72-yard punt return for a TD against New Orleans two weeks ago and an 89-yard kickoff return for a TD last week against Atlanta.
“I still feel I can take every one to the house,” Mitchell said. “In football you need that. If you don’t believe in you, who will?”
Washington receiver Albert Connell said the Skins miss Mitchell, replaced by Deion Sanders.
“The big loss is Brian Mitchell,” Connell said. “Brian has the biggest mouth in the world but he got his point across.”
DON PIERSON’S NFL RANKINGS
1. Rams–They get a week off to catch their breath.
2. Colts–Must keep winning in toughest division.
3. Titans–Air McNair gets off ground; look out below.
4. Vikings–Daunte stays undaunted and undefeated.
5. Jets–This can’t last much longer. Or can it?
6. Dolphins–Thurman Thomas gets to greet old team.
7. Buccaneers–At Minnesota facing third loss in row.
8. Jaguars–Going down and wondering what’s going on.
9. Ravens–Prime-time chance for big win in Jacksonville.
10. Bills–Must improve 0-2 division start in Miami.
11. Raiders–Crossing Bay Bridge for West Coast rumble.
12. Lions–Trying to shake rap as worst 3-2 team.
13. Redskins–Finally showing sure signs of moving up.
14. Chiefs–Get week off to prepare for Raiders, then Rams.
15. Giants–Fading fast against good opposition.
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16. Eagles–McNabb getting better every outing.
17. Broncos–Chargers should help cure what’s ailing them.
18. Seahawks–Brock Huard takes over for Jon Kitna.
19. Falcons–Already scrambling to salvage season.
20. 49ers–On a two-game roll but still looking up.
21. Packers–Devastated by Bears, must go to Detroit.
22. Cowboys–Need week off after improvement on road.
23. Patriots–The best 1-4 team in football this week.
24. BEARS–A must win against Saints or else.
25. Browns–After two wins, reality returns to schedule.
26. Steelers–Surprised Jaguars and probably themselves.
27. Saints–The No. 1 defense? So much for defense.
28. Panthers–They are 0-2 at home and fearing disaster.
29. Cardinals–If they can’t beat the Browns, they’re done.
30. Chargers–Jim Harbaugh to the rescue as Leaf withers.
31. Bengals–A new coach can’t change old ways.