Football Digest articles from March 2003

Football Digest archives from March 2003

Rushing into oblivion. (Kickoff).
March 1, 2003... ONCE AGAIN, THERE IS NO POST-season for Corey Dillon. No national stage, no bright lights, no cheering crowds--nothing. Just another eerily quiet January spent at home. You'd expect something different for one of the greatest running backs...

King Emmitt. (The Fans Speak Out).
March 1, 2003... I read your article on Emmitt Smith ["Kickoff," January 2003]. I loved it! Emmitt Smith is the best because he proved it. Keep on doing good work. Jordan Barrow Via e-mail I just wanted to take a minute and e-mail you to say what I...

From Alabama with love. (The Fans Speak Out).
March 1, 2003... I would like to be the first to congratulate coach Dennis Franchione on his new job at Texas A&M. I don't want to reward him for his years of struggling through the college ranks in pursuit of his dream job, but rather for his achievement of...

Still more hometown heroes. (The Fans Speak Out).
March 1, 2003... Steve Young snubbed again ["Hometown Heroes," December 2002]! The most prolific all-around quarterback of all time should have been your quarterback for the 49ers' all-time team. Apparently, he will never get the respect he deserves. He is...

Coming up big. (The Fans Speak Out).
March 1, 2003... I enjoyed your story "Little Big Men" [January 2003], but I was shocked to see that you left out Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward. Ward is just 6'0" and 200 pounds, and he played incredibly well all year. For a receiver on a...

The stat sheet: Darrell Green.
March 1, 2003... 2002 The final season of the 42-year-old Green's NFL career. The cornerback came into the NFL with the Washington Redskins in 1983. 20 The number of seasons Green spent with the Skins, tying the NFL record for the most seasons...

How about good? (Uncovering the Past).
March 1, 2003... TRENT DILFERS SIX-YEAR TENURE with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers couldn't be termed a happy one. Seemingly from day one, he was the object of ridicule, the quintessence of boneheaded play in the eyes of the fans. Perhaps part of that stemmed...

The one bear with some bite: despite being on an offense that struggled mightily in 2002, the Bears wideout continued to stake out a spot among the game's elite. (Interview: Marty Booker).
March 1, 2003... THE CHICAGO BEARS WERE ONE of the NFLs most disappointing teams this season, but don't point the finger at Marty Booker. The hard-nosed wide receiver did everything he could to keep things moving in the right direction. Both Booker and the...

"It's a hellhole": the end has come for the Vet, one of the toughest and most infamous stadiums in the history of the NFL.
March 1, 2003... IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A TOWN hall than the Taj Mahal. Turn a gigantic cookie-cutter upside down and fill it with 66,000 bodies, and you have the Goodyear Blimp shot of Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. What made it possibly the most reviled...

Making the grade: the Class of '02 had impressive depth--especially at quarterback with promising players like Joey Harrington. (All-Rookie Team).
March 1, 2003... QUARTERBACKS ACTUALLY played--lots of them. Running backs and wide receivers were abundant. So were offensive linemen. On defense, plenty of linemen and safeties made an impact. Yes, the 2002 rookie crop was filled with playmakers...

Destiny's child: the flamboyant Broncos running back never doubted that he would be a star in the NFL. (Offensive Rookie of the Year: Clinton Portis).
March 1, 2003... LAST SUMMER, WHEN THE DENVER BRONCOS opened their training camp, coach Mike Shanahan had his assistants call for the starters to move from the sideline and onto the practice field. The group of running backs was, to say the least, impressive:...

"I can be one of the great ones": the Panthers defensive end certainly took a giant step in that direction this season. (Defensive Rookie of the Year: Julius Peppers).
March 1, 2003... THE CAROLINA PANTHERS HOPED they had something extraordinary when they drafted defensive end Julius Peppers with the No. 2 pick overall in the 2002 NFL draft. They talked Peppers up to the fans and media, trying to sell him as the future of the...

The invisible men: it's time to close the sad chapter on America's woeful ignorance of the vital yet underappreciated guard position.
March 1, 2003... THE GUARD NEVER GETS HIS due. Every down he checks the defensive alignment, makes a lightning-fast decision that will determine the play's ultimate outcome, fires off the ball the second it's snapped, and wrestles an oversized opponent while...

A golden era: with veterans like Rich Gannon putting up otherworldly passing numbers and youngsters like Michael Vick stepping to the forefront, the quarterback position is flourishing. (Cover Story).
March 1, 2003... REMEMBER ALL THE NEGATIVISM about quarterbacks in the NFL just a couple of years ago? With superstars like Dan Marino, John Elway, Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, and Steve Young winding down and leaving the game, the thought was that there was no...

Joe Perry: a game in 1957 sticks out for the saddest of reasons: Tony Morabito, the beloved owner of the 49ers, died in the stands that day. (The Game I'll Never Forget).
March 1, 2003... WHENEVER I'M ASKED ABOUT the most memorable game of my career, I think back to October 27, 1957. Our team, the San Francisco 49ers, was playing the Chicago Bears at home at Kezar Stadium, and all of the sudden we heard this big commotion in the...

Prime-time players: the following superstars--led by Iowa's Brad Banks --had pivotal roles in making this a season to remember. (2002 All-America Team).
March 1, 2003... THE 2002 COLLEGE FOOTBALL season ended on the most dramatic note possible: Ohio State stunned heavily favored Miami in double-overtime of the Fiesta Bowl to capture the national championship. It was the greatest championship-deciding game ever...

2002 pro bowl teams. (Names and Numbers).
March 1, 2003... NFC OFFENSE Wide receivers: Terrell Owens, 49ers; Randy Moss, Vikings; Marty Booker, Bears; Joe Horn, Saints. Tackles: Orlando Pace, Rams; Walter Jones, Seahawks; Tra Thomas, Eagles. Guards: Marco Rivera, Packers; Jermane...

All-time super bowl records. (Names and Numbers).
March 1, 2003... All-Time Super Bowl Records INDIVIDUAL RECORDS SERVICE Most games played, career 6 Mike Lodish, Buffalo, 1991-94; Denver, 1998-99 5 Mary Fleming, Green Bay, 1967-68; Miami, 1972-74 5 Larry Cole, Dallas, 1971-72,...

Quick quiz.
March 1, 2003... 1. True or false: Prior to Priest Holmes in 2001 and '02, Christian Okoye was the last Kansas City Chiefs running back to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. 2. Which one of these players holds the Pittsburgh Steelers'...