Football Digest articles from March 2002

Football Digest archives from March 2002

They're not louts--they're NFL scouts. (Kickoff).
March 1, 2002... Is THERE A MORE THANKLESS job in the NFL than that of a scout? These guys rank right up there with officiating crews on the prestige ladder: The only time they ever get noticed is when they screw up. Whenever a Kurt Warner or a Jeff Garcia...

Fun with the run. (The Fans Speak Out).
March 1, 2002... Your article on all the great running backs in the NFL today was right on the money ["Their Cups Runneth Over," February 2002]. The article was both entertaining and informative, and I agree that this is a golden age for running backs. My only...

Class act. (The Fans Speak Out).
March 1, 2002... I'm glad you guys saw fit to do your "Interview" with Panthers quarterback Chris Weinke [February 2002]. Yes, he had a very difficult 2001 season, but he handled it with class and dignity. And his struggles this season will only make him a...

Still standing. (The Fans Speak Out).
March 1, 2002... Everyone who thought Jerry Rice was washed up should apologize right now. He proved to be a great pickup for the Raiders this year. Is he the same player he was 10 years ago with the 49ers? No. But he doesn't have to be. Rice still is good...

Shrinking Giants. (The Fans Speak Out).
March 1, 2002... As a longtime fan of the Giants, I was sickened by how poorly they played this season. I can't believe this is the same team that went to the Super Bowl in 2000. Their offense was a joke, and they didn't seem to have any of the chemistry that...

A season to forget. (The Fans Speak Out).
March 1, 2002... What happened to Eddie George this season? Last season he was one of the best running backs in football, but in 2001 he looked like he had aged about 10 years. I know running backs get beaten up and don't always last that long in the NFL, but...

Franchise snapshot: Pittsburgh Steelers.
March 1, 2002... * Quarterback Kordell Stewart's hobbies include shooting pool and playing the drums. * Former safety Darren Perry stubbed the little toe on his right foot while getting into bed on Halloween night 1995 and missed the ensuing game. *...

A plot twist in a storybook career. (Uncovering the Past).
March 1, 2002... NFL CAREERS DONT always work out the way they're supposed to. For proof, look no further than what's happened to Drew Bledsoe. Prior to his second NFL season in 1994, Bledsoe appeared on our cover [October], with the words: "Drew Bledsoe...

The stat sheet: NFL rookies.
March 1, 2002... $6,750 The amount of money Jim Brown's 1957 Rookie of the Year trophy fetched at a Leland's auction in New York in 1996. 1,808 The number of yards Eric Dickerson rushed for in 1983, the most ever by a first-year player. 388...

Gathering steam: there is no end in sight for the Jets running back, who seems to get better with age. (Interview: Curtis Martin).
March 1, 2002... CURTIS MARTIN IS A WINNER. Even if he never wears a Super Bowl ring, the guy is a winner. Martin burst into the NFL in 1995 as a third-round draft pick of the New England Patriots. A native of Pittsburgh, he was redshirted in his senior...

Upward mobility: the amazing Tom Brady headlines our list of players who had breakout seasons in 2001. (Cover Story).
March 1, 2002... IN THIS CRAZY LEAGUE WE CALL the NFL, sometimes all you need is a chance. Of course, those windows of opportunity are few and far between. If Drew Bledsoe hadn't suffered a catastrophic injury in Week 2, for instance, Tom Brady still would...

Receiving his due: after being overlooked in the draft, Chris Chambers ultimately outdid all the wideouts who had been taken before him. (Offensive Rookie Of The Year).
March 1, 2002... CHRIS CHAMBERS SAT AND watched receiver after receiver have his name called at the NFL draft last April. Chambers shook his head as David Terrell, Koren Robinson, Rod Gardner, Santana Moss, Freddie Mitchell, and Reggie Wayne were picked. ...

Man of steel: Pittsburgh fans haven't laid eyes on a linebacker as gifted as Kendrell Bell since Jack Lambert in the glory days of the '70s. (Defensive Rookie Of The Year).
March 1, 2002... JACK HAM KNOWS LINEBACKERS the way Donald Trump knows casinos. Better, really, because Trump was never a casino. Ham, the Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker with four Super Bowl rings, has seen only one other rookie linebacker as...

Fast learners: the speedy players--like Washington's Rod Gardner--were the ones who made their presence felt immediately. (All-Rookie Team).
March 1, 2002... TRUE TO THEIR NATURE, THE speedy players made the quickest impression as rookies this season. Some of the sprinters, such as wide receivers Rod Gardner and Chris Chambers, took a few games to find their stride. Others, like LaDainian Tomlinson...

The gift of gab: Shannon Sharpe has caught more passes than any tight end in NFL history--and he'd love to tell you all about it.
March 1, 2002... SHANNON SHARPE IS WIDE-open. Always. Like the play he made on his 663rd career reception in November against the Browns, when he caught an Elvis Grbac pass and ran 29 yards into the Cleveland secondary, breaking the all-time record for...

The dream team: sure, it's just a fantasy, but if we were putting together the perfect franchise, here's how each position would look.
March 1, 2002... YOU SETTLE INTO YOUR plush executive chair and hoist your feet comfortably onto your mahogany desk. Then your secretary comes charging into your office. "The NFL commissioner just called!" she says excitedly. "He said that we've been granted an...

The legacy lives: the 49ers have defied all odds by keeping their stellar quarterback tradition going for more than two decades.
March 1, 2002... JEFF GARCIA'S SAN Francisco 49ers were down by eight points late in the fourth quarter against the Panthers in November at Carolina. That was fine with the latest in a long line of Pro Bowl-caliber 49ers quarterbacks. Displaying the cool...

Head games: we faced some difficult decisions this year, starting with our quarterback, David Carr. (Football Digest's 2001 All-American Team).
March 1, 2002... CONSIDER SOME OF THE talent that didn't make the 2001 FOOTBALL DIGEST All-America Team and you can see how tough it was to pick the squad. We dissed Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch, for heaven's sake. How wrong is that? But when you...

NFL directory. (Names and Numbers).
March 1, 2002... NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 410 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 (212) 450-2000 ARIZONA CARDINALS PO Box 888 Phoenix, AZ 85001 (602) 379-0101 Dave McGinnis, head coach Sun Devil Stadium 72,273 capacity, grass ATLANTA...

2001 pro bowl teams. (Names and Numbers).
March 1, 2002... AFC OFFENSE Wide receivers: Tim Brown, Raiders; Marvin Harrison, Colts; Jimmy Smith, Jaguars; Rod Smith, Broncos. Tackles: Walter Jones, Seahawks; Lincoln Kennedy, Raiders; Jonathan Ogden, Ravens. Guards: Ruben Brown, Bills;...

AFC-NFC Pro Bowl results. (Names and Numbers).
March 1, 2002... AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Results Year Winner Score Site Att. 2001 AFC 38-17 Honolulu 50,128 2000 NFC 51-31 Honolulu 50,112 1999 AFC 23-10 ...

Individual pro bowl records. (Names and Numbers).
March 1, 2002... Individual Pro Bowl Records SERVICE Most games 12 Randall McDaniel, Minnesota-Tampa Bay 11 Reggie White, Philadelphia-Green Bay 10 Lawrence Taylor, N.Y. Giants Ronnie Lott, San Francisco-L.A. Raiders...

Quick quiz.
March 1, 2002... 1. New Orleans Saints running back Picky Williams has rushed for 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons. True or false: Before Williams, George Rogers was the last Saints player to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. 2. Which team...