Post by theultimatekcchiefsfan on May 20, 2003 13:18:17 GMT -5
CBS Sportsline - 2003 spotlight brightest on Holmes, Bills brass, 18 others
2003 spotlight brightest on Holmes, Bills brass, 18 others
May 19, 2003
By Pete Prisco
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Pete your opinion!
The last time a hip (or two) got this much attention, Elvis (not Grbac) was shaking his in front of a startled Ed Sullivan.
Everyone, it seems, wants to know the status of Priest Holmes' hip injury, which, in true National Enquirer style, has his prognosis ranging from his never playing again to his suiting up the first day of training camp.
The Chiefs hope Priest Holmes can return to his galloping ways.
Problem is, this is one Priest who won't confess.
Holmes, the star running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, has avoided the media for most of this offseason, refusing to give in to the frenzy that has followed one simple question:
How in the heck is Priest Holmes doing?
The Chiefs insist their star runner will be ready for limited pad work when they open camp. Holmes might know Bo, but he isn't going to be Bo (Jackson), whose football career was cut short by a hip injury that is eerily similar to the one Holmes suffered late last season.
Holmes left that game against Denver on Dec. 14 and didn't return, cutting short his second consecutive brilliant season and ruining his chance to win back-to-back rushing titles.
He underwent arthroscopic surgery on the hip in March and has avoided the spotlight, choosing to work out in his home state of Texas. That led to the speculation he was in big trouble, but Holmes did attend the Chiefs' minicamp this month and was seen walking with only a slight limp.
Holmes made some comments to a small Arrowhead crowd, but did not address his injury specifics. He refused to talk to reporters, choosing to let the speculation continue.
Kansas City's front office and coaches are all saying the right things for him, insisting Holmes will be their feature back when the season begins. Their actions tell a different story -- the drafting of Penn State running back Larry Johnson in the first round of the April draft a hint that maybe things aren't exactly as smooth as the Chiefs would like everyone to think.
Chiefs president Carl Peterson called the Johnson pick an "insurance policy." He also used the phrase "luxury pick."
Add it all up and it makes Holmes the most intriguing story of the offseason. It also makes him the No. 1 spotlight story in the NFL in 2003.
Will he be the same back? Is his career in jeopardy? Or is it hip, hip away for Holmes?
Or is this just a frenzy created by inquiring minds who can't be satisfied with the status-quo answers from the Chiefs?
A call to Holmes' agent, Michael Todd, was not returned, which continues to fuel the speculation.
Answers. That's all we want, and something the Chiefs fans deserve to get.
If there's trouble, the Chiefs should be forthcoming. If there's not, then let this coy Priest-isn't-talking stuff pass and reassure those Fantasy maniacs that Holmes is still a deserving first-round pick.
Those fans pay Holmes' salary. Don't they at least deserve to hear the real truth about his status?
It looks like they won't know for sure until July, which is why Holmes tops our list of NFL People in the Spotlight heading into the 2003 season. Some on the list are players coming off injuries, and others are coaches whose jobs might be in jeopardy.
You've heard about Holmes. Here are 20 more beginning with a couple of guys we'll call 1 and 1A:
Tom Donahoe, Bills general manager
Gregg Williams, Bills head coach
When a team tries to change the style of its play after having so much success on offense, it might be asking for trouble. The Bills want to become a ground-control, defensive-oriented team. That's a far cry from the wide-open, pass-happy system from a year ago. The Bills were in the playoff hunt late in the season with that style but didn't accomplish enough to let the team keep playing that way. So they put much of their offseason focus on improving the defense, while letting the top speed receiver (Peerless Price), starting fullback (Larry Centers) and starting tight end (Jay Riemersma) leave. Then they drafted a running back in the first round in Willis McGahee, who won't help them this year, barring a miracle, as he battles back from major knee surgery. Donahoe is a sharp talent evaluator, but his Pittsburgh roots that say run the ball and control the clock might have gotten the best of him when he decided to revamp this team. As for Williams, he has one year left on his contract, and the team has not given him an extension. That's not a good thing.
Edgerrin James, Colts running back
It was thought that James would come back from 2001 knee surgery last season and be the same back he was before tearing up his knee. That certainly wasn't the case. James didn't pop through holes with the same power and quickness he did before the injury, and the Colts offense suffered. James managed to play and start 14 games, rushing for 989 yards on 277 carries for a 3.6 average. That's a far cry from the 4.4 he averaged in 2000 and 2001 before he tore up his knee. James has spent more time at the Colts facility this offseason, which he agreed to after the team decided to pay him some incentive money he didn't really earn last season. Nobody questions James' desire and work habits, but his being around the team more this offseason should help his progress. Being another year removed from surgery will also make him look more like the James of old, even if it's impossible for him to ever be that running back again. He can be good, perhaps even great, but never as good as he was before the knee injury.
Mike Martz, Rams coach
The Rams gave Martz a contract extension last offseason after they lost the Super Bowl to the Patriots. Was that a mistake? There is some talk the higher-ups in the organization now regret the move after last season's fall from grace. Another non-playoff year could put Martz in trouble. But with Kurt Warner back at quarterback and a rebuilt offensive line, look for Martz to put his offensive wizardry to work again. St. Louis will be back to that 1999 and 2000 version that moved the ball at will. Count on that. If for some reason things don't get back to normal, that extension might not be enough to keep Martz around, although the guess here is that he will bounce back to lead the Rams deep into the playoffs.
Dave Wannstedt, Dolphins coach
The Dolphins did everything the way they wanted to last year. They led the league in rushing and had the top-rated defense in the AFC, yet they still failed to make the playoffs after another late-season collapse. That has Wannstedt on the hot seat in Miami, where anything but a playoff berth might cost one of the league's nicest men his job. Wannstedt has stated the passing game has to go to a higher level, which also puts some pressure on offensive coordinator Norv Turner and quarterback Jay Fiedler. But there is no denying Wannstedt can't afford another non-playoff year in a city that still reveres a man named Shula.
Patrick Ramsey, Redskins quarterback
The Redskins, from owner Dan Snyder to offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, insist Ramsey doesn't have to be a star for their team to be good on offense. That might be true, but he has to show major improvement from last season's rookie year. Ramsey started five games and completed 51.5 percent of his passes. That has to go up, and it will. He has a big arm and should be better with all the improvements around him. If not, the Redskins will have wasted a whole lot of money this offseason trying to fix their offensive troubles.
Tim Couch, Browns quarterback
He came into the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 1999, the player the Browns would build their franchise around. He's now battling Kelly Holcomb to keep his starting job. Yes, that Kelly Holcomb. Couch completed 61.6 percent of his passes last season, throwing for 2,842 yards in 14 games. But he also threw 18 interceptions, which helped turn many of the Browns fans against him. Is Couch a Dan Marino-John Elway star? No. Is he good enough to take the Browns to the Super Bowl? Yes. And that's why he should be their starter again, although coach Butch Davis has said there will be a training-camp battle to decide the position. We're saying here that Couch takes the first snap on opening day.
Mike Shanahan, Broncos coach
The Teflon Coach, who gets little criticism because he has two Super Bowl rings as a head coach in his jewelry box, has his neck on the line with his decision to sign Jake Plummer to a huge contract. The feeling here is that it will be a move that pays off in a big way for the Broncos, which will again prop Shanahan up to lofty coaching status. But if for some reason it backfires, Shanahan might be taking more heat than he took when he was coaching in Oakland. Denver can be harsh on its coaches.
2003 spotlight brightest on Holmes, Bills brass, 18 others
May 19, 2003
By Pete Prisco
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Pete your opinion!
The last time a hip (or two) got this much attention, Elvis (not Grbac) was shaking his in front of a startled Ed Sullivan.
Everyone, it seems, wants to know the status of Priest Holmes' hip injury, which, in true National Enquirer style, has his prognosis ranging from his never playing again to his suiting up the first day of training camp.
The Chiefs hope Priest Holmes can return to his galloping ways.
Problem is, this is one Priest who won't confess.
Holmes, the star running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, has avoided the media for most of this offseason, refusing to give in to the frenzy that has followed one simple question:
How in the heck is Priest Holmes doing?
The Chiefs insist their star runner will be ready for limited pad work when they open camp. Holmes might know Bo, but he isn't going to be Bo (Jackson), whose football career was cut short by a hip injury that is eerily similar to the one Holmes suffered late last season.
Holmes left that game against Denver on Dec. 14 and didn't return, cutting short his second consecutive brilliant season and ruining his chance to win back-to-back rushing titles.
He underwent arthroscopic surgery on the hip in March and has avoided the spotlight, choosing to work out in his home state of Texas. That led to the speculation he was in big trouble, but Holmes did attend the Chiefs' minicamp this month and was seen walking with only a slight limp.
Holmes made some comments to a small Arrowhead crowd, but did not address his injury specifics. He refused to talk to reporters, choosing to let the speculation continue.
Kansas City's front office and coaches are all saying the right things for him, insisting Holmes will be their feature back when the season begins. Their actions tell a different story -- the drafting of Penn State running back Larry Johnson in the first round of the April draft a hint that maybe things aren't exactly as smooth as the Chiefs would like everyone to think.
Chiefs president Carl Peterson called the Johnson pick an "insurance policy." He also used the phrase "luxury pick."
Add it all up and it makes Holmes the most intriguing story of the offseason. It also makes him the No. 1 spotlight story in the NFL in 2003.
Will he be the same back? Is his career in jeopardy? Or is it hip, hip away for Holmes?
Or is this just a frenzy created by inquiring minds who can't be satisfied with the status-quo answers from the Chiefs?
A call to Holmes' agent, Michael Todd, was not returned, which continues to fuel the speculation.
Answers. That's all we want, and something the Chiefs fans deserve to get.
If there's trouble, the Chiefs should be forthcoming. If there's not, then let this coy Priest-isn't-talking stuff pass and reassure those Fantasy maniacs that Holmes is still a deserving first-round pick.
Those fans pay Holmes' salary. Don't they at least deserve to hear the real truth about his status?
It looks like they won't know for sure until July, which is why Holmes tops our list of NFL People in the Spotlight heading into the 2003 season. Some on the list are players coming off injuries, and others are coaches whose jobs might be in jeopardy.
You've heard about Holmes. Here are 20 more beginning with a couple of guys we'll call 1 and 1A:
Tom Donahoe, Bills general manager
Gregg Williams, Bills head coach
When a team tries to change the style of its play after having so much success on offense, it might be asking for trouble. The Bills want to become a ground-control, defensive-oriented team. That's a far cry from the wide-open, pass-happy system from a year ago. The Bills were in the playoff hunt late in the season with that style but didn't accomplish enough to let the team keep playing that way. So they put much of their offseason focus on improving the defense, while letting the top speed receiver (Peerless Price), starting fullback (Larry Centers) and starting tight end (Jay Riemersma) leave. Then they drafted a running back in the first round in Willis McGahee, who won't help them this year, barring a miracle, as he battles back from major knee surgery. Donahoe is a sharp talent evaluator, but his Pittsburgh roots that say run the ball and control the clock might have gotten the best of him when he decided to revamp this team. As for Williams, he has one year left on his contract, and the team has not given him an extension. That's not a good thing.
Edgerrin James, Colts running back
It was thought that James would come back from 2001 knee surgery last season and be the same back he was before tearing up his knee. That certainly wasn't the case. James didn't pop through holes with the same power and quickness he did before the injury, and the Colts offense suffered. James managed to play and start 14 games, rushing for 989 yards on 277 carries for a 3.6 average. That's a far cry from the 4.4 he averaged in 2000 and 2001 before he tore up his knee. James has spent more time at the Colts facility this offseason, which he agreed to after the team decided to pay him some incentive money he didn't really earn last season. Nobody questions James' desire and work habits, but his being around the team more this offseason should help his progress. Being another year removed from surgery will also make him look more like the James of old, even if it's impossible for him to ever be that running back again. He can be good, perhaps even great, but never as good as he was before the knee injury.
Mike Martz, Rams coach
The Rams gave Martz a contract extension last offseason after they lost the Super Bowl to the Patriots. Was that a mistake? There is some talk the higher-ups in the organization now regret the move after last season's fall from grace. Another non-playoff year could put Martz in trouble. But with Kurt Warner back at quarterback and a rebuilt offensive line, look for Martz to put his offensive wizardry to work again. St. Louis will be back to that 1999 and 2000 version that moved the ball at will. Count on that. If for some reason things don't get back to normal, that extension might not be enough to keep Martz around, although the guess here is that he will bounce back to lead the Rams deep into the playoffs.
Dave Wannstedt, Dolphins coach
The Dolphins did everything the way they wanted to last year. They led the league in rushing and had the top-rated defense in the AFC, yet they still failed to make the playoffs after another late-season collapse. That has Wannstedt on the hot seat in Miami, where anything but a playoff berth might cost one of the league's nicest men his job. Wannstedt has stated the passing game has to go to a higher level, which also puts some pressure on offensive coordinator Norv Turner and quarterback Jay Fiedler. But there is no denying Wannstedt can't afford another non-playoff year in a city that still reveres a man named Shula.
Patrick Ramsey, Redskins quarterback
The Redskins, from owner Dan Snyder to offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, insist Ramsey doesn't have to be a star for their team to be good on offense. That might be true, but he has to show major improvement from last season's rookie year. Ramsey started five games and completed 51.5 percent of his passes. That has to go up, and it will. He has a big arm and should be better with all the improvements around him. If not, the Redskins will have wasted a whole lot of money this offseason trying to fix their offensive troubles.
Tim Couch, Browns quarterback
He came into the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 1999, the player the Browns would build their franchise around. He's now battling Kelly Holcomb to keep his starting job. Yes, that Kelly Holcomb. Couch completed 61.6 percent of his passes last season, throwing for 2,842 yards in 14 games. But he also threw 18 interceptions, which helped turn many of the Browns fans against him. Is Couch a Dan Marino-John Elway star? No. Is he good enough to take the Browns to the Super Bowl? Yes. And that's why he should be their starter again, although coach Butch Davis has said there will be a training-camp battle to decide the position. We're saying here that Couch takes the first snap on opening day.
Mike Shanahan, Broncos coach
The Teflon Coach, who gets little criticism because he has two Super Bowl rings as a head coach in his jewelry box, has his neck on the line with his decision to sign Jake Plummer to a huge contract. The feeling here is that it will be a move that pays off in a big way for the Broncos, which will again prop Shanahan up to lofty coaching status. But if for some reason it backfires, Shanahan might be taking more heat than he took when he was coaching in Oakland. Denver can be harsh on its coaches.