Exercise bikes empty
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
• Though Bill Parcells did not seem too happy during Thursday's morning workout, he had to be pleased that the number of exercise bikes was down to two, with only receiver Patrick Crayton (ankle) among the missing. There had been as many as four bikes on the practice field for injured players.
• During a drill in which the quarterbacks and running backs worked on handoffs, the centers worked on shotgun snaps. In the previous two days, Andre Gurode, Al Johnson and Matt Tarullo had high, low and wide shotgun snaps.
• Kickers and punters get no respect. As punter Mat McBriar worked with kicker Shaun Suisham on his footwork, he nearly got trampled by receivers running routes on the sideline, prompting Drew Bledsoe to say: "Try and stay out of the way of the football players."
• Terence Newman was particularly sharp in the morning workouts. On consecutive plays against Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn, Newman swatted away fade passes in the end zone. During the inside run drill, he put a big shoulder into Julius Jones.
• When Marion Barber failed to run downhill or deliver a stiff-arm, he heard from Parcells. When Barber accomplished both feats a few plays later, Parcells was there to greet him at the huddle with an "attaboy."
• Linebacker Oliver Hoyte and guard D'Anthony Batiste got into a brouhaha in kickoff drills, with Batiste losing his helmet.
• There was plenty of jocularity in the one-on-one blocking drills between linemen, mostly on the defensive side. Guard Cory Procter appeared to demand to go against Jay Ratliff and was beaten soundly by Ratliff, who got into his face to make sure he knew what had just happened.
• Roy Williams' coverage skills get knocked by some, but he made a tremendous play on what would have been a touchdown pass to tight end Jason Witten from Bledsoe, swatting at Witten's arm as the ball arrived.
• Neither Drew Henson nor Matt Baker took a snap in seven-on-seven or team drills in the morning. Henson's gone four practices without those reps.
• Cornerback Jacques Reeves had a long morning. He was beaten continuously by rookie free agent Sam Hurd, which led to Parcells asking him if he would cover anybody. On the next play, Hurd scored a touchdown on a turned-around Reeves. Later, however, Reeves batted was able to bat away what would have been a touchdown pass to tight end Ryan Hannam.
• Bledsoe's first five throws during seven-on-seven drills went to rookie tight end Anthony Fasano. The first four were complete.
T.O. Watch: Rumors upset Parcells
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
Since training camp started, Bill Parcells has not wanted to be drawn into L'Affaire Terrell Owens. Here's what Parcells had to say about a story appearing on SI.com regarding a meeting he reportedly had with head athletic trainer Jim Maurer in which he demanded Owens return to practice Wednesday.
"Well, you see, that's just the B.S. that I'm trying to avoid this summer. So, that's just the kind of thing. See what happens is somebody makes something up, then I have to respond to it, and then it has a life of its own. You guys live on that stuff, so I'm telling you I am not doing it. I went to Jim Maurer? Think about it. Just think about it. Use your head. Think about it. And demanded, right? Think about that."
• Though Bill Parcells did not seem too happy during Thursday's morning workout, he had to be pleased that the number of exercise bikes was down to two, with only receiver Patrick Crayton (ankle) among the missing. There had been as many as four bikes on the practice field for injured players.
• During a drill in which the quarterbacks and running backs worked on handoffs, the centers worked on shotgun snaps. In the previous two days, Andre Gurode, Al Johnson and Matt Tarullo had high, low and wide shotgun snaps.
• Kickers and punters get no respect. As punter Mat McBriar worked with kicker Shaun Suisham on his footwork, he nearly got trampled by receivers running routes on the sideline, prompting Drew Bledsoe to say: "Try and stay out of the way of the football players."
• Terence Newman was particularly sharp in the morning workouts. On consecutive plays against Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn, Newman swatted away fade passes in the end zone. During the inside run drill, he put a big shoulder into Julius Jones.
• When Marion Barber failed to run downhill or deliver a stiff-arm, he heard from Parcells. When Barber accomplished both feats a few plays later, Parcells was there to greet him at the huddle with an "attaboy."
• Linebacker Oliver Hoyte and guard D'Anthony Batiste got into a brouhaha in kickoff drills, with Batiste losing his helmet.
• There was plenty of jocularity in the one-on-one blocking drills between linemen, mostly on the defensive side. Guard Cory Procter appeared to demand to go against Jay Ratliff and was beaten soundly by Ratliff, who got into his face to make sure he knew what had just happened.
• Roy Williams' coverage skills get knocked by some, but he made a tremendous play on what would have been a touchdown pass to tight end Jason Witten from Bledsoe, swatting at Witten's arm as the ball arrived.
• Neither Drew Henson nor Matt Baker took a snap in seven-on-seven or team drills in the morning. Henson's gone four practices without those reps.
• Cornerback Jacques Reeves had a long morning. He was beaten continuously by rookie free agent Sam Hurd, which led to Parcells asking him if he would cover anybody. On the next play, Hurd scored a touchdown on a turned-around Reeves. Later, however, Reeves batted was able to bat away what would have been a touchdown pass to tight end Ryan Hannam.
• Bledsoe's first five throws during seven-on-seven drills went to rookie tight end Anthony Fasano. The first four were complete.
T.O. Watch: Rumors upset Parcells
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
Since training camp started, Bill Parcells has not wanted to be drawn into L'Affaire Terrell Owens. Here's what Parcells had to say about a story appearing on SI.com regarding a meeting he reportedly had with head athletic trainer Jim Maurer in which he demanded Owens return to practice Wednesday.
"Well, you see, that's just the B.S. that I'm trying to avoid this summer. So, that's just the kind of thing. See what happens is somebody makes something up, then I have to respond to it, and then it has a life of its own. You guys live on that stuff, so I'm telling you I am not doing it. I went to Jim Maurer? Think about it. Just think about it. Use your head. Think about it. And demanded, right? Think about that."
posted by The Gryphon at 7:35 AM
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