UFL coverage sponsored by ProFootballinsight’s 2010 Fantasy Football Segment.  Click the above photo to be re-directed to all of your Fantasy Football needs.

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Monday, July 26 – The United Football League announced today its 10-week, 20-game 2010 regular season broadcast schedule and kickoff times.

Returning broadcasters VERSUS and HDNet are joined in 2010 by the New England Sports Network (NESN), which will broadcast two of the Hartford Colonials’ home games during the upcoming fall season.  Games will also be streamed live on www.UFL-Football.com.

“We continue to make progress in bringing our games to a wider television audience through three established and innovative broadcaster partners,” said UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue.  “VERSUS and HDNet were pioneers in introducing our quality product to the nation’s sports fans in 2009 and we are delighted to partner with them again and to also welcome another strong broadcasting ally in NESN.”

VERSUS will feature eight regular season UFL games on Saturdays and one Thursday evening, beginning with the Sacramento Mountain Lions’ first home game against the Florida Tuskers at Hornet Stadium in Week 2 on Saturday, September 25 at 8pm PST / 11pm EST.  VERSUS will also broadcast the UFL Championship Game on the Thanksgiving holiday Friday, November 26 at 3pm between the top two teams in the final regular season standings at a venue to be determined.

“We look forward to the second year of the UFL on VERSUS,” said Jeff Goldberg, Vice President of Programming for the network.  “Through our telecasts, these five teams will have national exposure on the fastest growing sports cable network in the country.”

HDNet, whose Chairman Mark Cuban became a UFL investor in 2010, will broadcast ten regular season games, including the 2009 UFL Championship Game rematch between the Las Vegas Locos and Florida Tuskers at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday, September 18 at 8pm PST / 11pm EST.  The much-anticipated clash moves back 24 hours from the original UFL schedule.

“The game is fun, it’s exciting and the talent level is off the charts and we want to be a part of it,” said HDNet Chairman Mark Cuban.  “We believe last year was just the beginning and the best is yet to come from the UFL.  We are going to broadcast games in the highest quality nationwide and our priority is to grow viewership, grow the fan base and really help the UFL succeed.”

The HDNet cameras will also televise the debut of the expansion franchise Omaha Nighthawks at Rosenblatt Stadium against the Hartford Colonials at 7pm on Friday, September 24 at 7pm CST / 8pm EST.

HDNet is the independent network with unique and thought provoking content that is delivered in true high definition and is available on AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECTV, Dish Network, Insight, and Verizon FiOs.

The UFL 2010 season-opening game will now be played in Hartford, CT, when the New England Sports Network (NESN) cameras capture the hometown Colonials at home to the Sacramento Mountain Lions at 2.30pm EST on Saturday, September 18.

NESN is delivered to more than four million homes throughout the six-state New England region and nationally via DirecTV and Dish Network.  The definitive home for New England sports programming; NESN has been the top rated regional sports network in the country for six consecutive years.

“We are excited for this opportunity to help showcase the UFL,” said Joel Feld, NESN’s executive vice president and executive producer.  “We feel that the UFL is a television property that offers us great upside and is poised to grow in the coming years once fans see the entertaining and competitive football action that the league offers.”

For season ticket information, fans may visit www.UFL-Football.com/tickets.

2010 United Football League Broadcast Schedule

Wk.   Date  Game                                     Kickoff    Kickoff     Network

Fri., Nov 26    Championship Game                tbc            3:00pm    VERSUS

About The United Football League:  The UFL provides high-quality professional football during a traditional fall season while embracing innovation and fan interaction.  The UFL serves its local communities with pride and dedication, and aims to provide every fan with an exciting and memorable game experience.  The inaugural 2009 champion Las Vegas Locos will battle the Florida Tuskers, Hartford Colonials, Omaha Nighthawks and Sacramento Mountain Lions for the William Hambrecht Trophy in 2010.  The UFL is led by Commissioner Michael Huyghue and is funded by a consortium of private investors.  For season tickets, more information and to interact with passionate football fans, please visit www.UFL-Football.com.

About VERSUS: VERSUS, the fastest growing sports cable network in the country, prides itself on super-serving passionate sports fans across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD).  Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the National Hockey League (NHL), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR).  VERSUS also airs NASCAR, NBA, UFC, college football and college basketball programming.  The network is home to the best outdoor programming on television and airs original programs not available anywhere else, including The Daily Line, Sports Soup and Sports Jobs with Junior Seau.  VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

About HDNet: HDNet is the independent network with unique and thought-provoking content that appeals to men of all ages and is delivered in true high definition. HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for popular, original programming, including television’s only HD news feature programs “HDNet World Report,” and the Emmy Award winning “Dan Rather Reports,” featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather. HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring the best of Mixed Martial Arts with its Friday night series, “HDNet Fights” and live games from the recently launched United Football League.  HDNet also delivers the world’s largest and most diverse concert line-up through the HDNet Concert Series. The HDNet Concert Series features leading artists and bands including Paul McCartney, Mariah Carey, Green Day and more. HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning documentaries as part of the InFocus series. “NASA on HDNet” presents all live shuttle launches through 2010.  Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECTV, Dish Network, Insight, and Verizon FiOs.  For more information on HDNet, please visit hd.net.

About NESN: NESN is owned by the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins and is delivered to over four million homes throughout the six-state New England region and nationally via DirecTV and Dish Network.  The definitive home for New England sports programming, NESN is the television home of the Red Sox and Bruins and is the top rated regional sports network in the country. The network and its popular website, NESN.com, produce award winning content including, NESN Daily a nightly sports news and discussion program, over 100 NESN University college sporting events annually and distinctive Original NESN Entertainment (ONE) productions.

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Unlike the rest of ProFootballinsight’s 2010 Fantasy Football position breakdowns, I will give you Kicker advise versus providing a Top 10 ranking followed by comprehensive insight into other impact players.

Every year In every draft, especially where alcohol is involved, some fantasy team owner will draft a highly touted Kicker off of a team where they have a projected high powered offense in the 7^th,, 8^th or 9^th round.  This lone draft pick starts a whirlwind of drafted kickers over the next several rounds.  AVOID FALLING INTO THIS TRAP!

Look at recent history.  In 2007, because of the strength of the New England Patriots offense, Stephen Gostkowski was considered a top 5 Kicker, and was drafted in the above spoken rounds throughout the fantasy world.  Gostkowski killed fantasy owners because all the Patriots did in 2007 was score touchdowns.  Even in their six plus touchdown games, Gostkowski fell into the bottom portion of Kickers in fantasy scoring for that week because he only had six extra points, or six fantasy points to speak of.

Meanwhile, the Titans in 2007 had an offense that was not viewed as a high powered offense.  Their Kicker, Rob Bironas was either sitting on every fantasy owners bench or was on waivers when in week 7 he had eight field goals one game.  The points varied for Bironas from league to league, but with the distance bonus factored in, was good for 30 fantasy points, and was in the top 10 among all fantasy players regardless of position for that specific week.

There are several Rob Bironas’s that come along every year.  The disparity from the top scoring Kicker to the lowest fantasy scoring Kicker who starts is not worth forcing yourself into a draft pick where you can grab players who can make a far bigger impact in your league.  A Kicker should not be drafted over a starting NFL Quarterback, period.  If there is a starting Running Back, a top 10 Defense, a Top 20 Tight End, a standout offensive flex position available, let the Kicker go.

If you are in a smaller league where you do not have a deep bench, or you do not have more than 10 teams participating, a Kicker can and should be your very last pick.  If you are in a deeper league of 10 or more teams and you carry a large bench of nine or more players, count how many Kickers have been drafted.  When you reach the number of 18 to 20, realistically look at drafting a kicker on your next pick.  If you league carries a trend of holding a back up Kicker on your roster, draft them back to back.

With the fact that the Kicker should and will be the weakest position on your team, watch the waiver wire each week.  Look for injuries to elite Kickers on good offenses and grab their backup.  Kickers are shuffled on fantasy teams all of the time and do not rate being taken in the first 12 rounds, unless you only have 12 players on your roster.

Let ProFootballinsight guide you in all of your Fantasy Football needs.  For all of ProFootballinsight’s Fantasy Content, click this link.

Below are other related 2010 NFL Fantasy Football articles;

2010 Fantasy Football Draft Day Sleepers and Steals

2010 Top 10 Fantasy Football Quarterbacks

2010 Top 10 Fantasy Football Running Backs

2010 Top 10 Fantasy Football Wide Recievers

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Kurt Fraschetti / ProFootballinsight.net

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**Photo Credit- Icon Sports Media

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers signed four draft picks today from this year’s NFL Draft, including wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, linebacker Stevenson Sylvester, running back Jonathan Dwyer and wide receiver Antonio Brown. Financial terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

Sanders, pictured above (5-11, 180), out of SMU, was the Steelers’ third round pick (82^nd overall) in the Draft and finished as the Mustangs’ career leader in receptions (235), touchdown receptions (34) and receiving yards (3,791). He was a first-team all-Conference USA selection last year as a senior after posting 98 catches for 1,339 yards and seven touchdowns. Sanders ranked sixth in the NCAA with 103 receiving yards per game in 2009.

One of three linebackers selected in this year’s Draft by the Steelers, Sylvester (6-2, 231) was the team’s third of three selections in the fifth round (166^th overall). A first-team all-MWC selection for Utah, he was a two-year captain and the defensive MVP of the 2009 Poinsettia Bowl. Sylvester started all 13 games last year and finished with a team-best 81 tackles.

Dwyer (5-11, 229) was the Steelers first of two sixth-round picks (188^th overall) in this year’s NFL Draft out of Georgia Tech. A first-team all-ACC selection his final two seasons, he earned the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year award as a sophomore in 2008 after leading the team with 1,395 rushing yards on 200 carries while earning All-America status. Last year as a junior, he matched his rushing total from the previous year with 1,395 yards on 235 attempts, the fourth-best rushing total in school history. Dwyer added 14 touchdowns in 2009.

Brown (5-10, 186) was Pittsburgh’s second of two sixth-round selections (195^th overall) in this year’s Draft. He finished his career as Central Michigan’s all-time leader in receptions (305), which ranked second in MAC history. As a junior in 2009, Brown was named the conference’s Special Teams Player of the Year for the second straight season and earned first-team all-MAC honors as both a receiver and punt returner. He caught a school-record 110 passes for 1,198 yards and nine touchdowns last year.

With today’s signings, the Steelers now have six of their 10 draft picks under contract. Linebacker Thaddeus Gibson and defensive tackle Doug Worthington signed last week.

The Steelers made additional roster moves by releasing seven free agents, including wide receiver Jason Chery, kicker Piotr Czech, linebacker Derrick Doggett, punter Adam Graessle, nose tackle Cordarrow Thompson, center Bradley Vierling and cornerback Trae Williams.

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– JACKSONVILLE, FL – Wednesday, June 2, 2010 – The United Football League teams preparing for the 2010 season each added 12 players to their respective rosters through the 2010 Player Draft on Wednesday, June 2.

With the first selection of the 2010 UFL Draft, head coach of the expansion Omaha Nighthawks head coach Jeff Jagodzinski selected defensive end Dewayne White, a former second round NFL Draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of Louisville.  The Nighthawks then added a second defensive end in ten-year NFL veteran Chike Okeafor with the first pick of the second round.

“I am really excited about the guys that we’ve picked and feel that we are putting together a good team of youth and experience,” said coach Jagodzinski.  “These are guys that can make a difference and rush the passer in the case of Dewayne and Chike.”

In the third round, the Nighthawks selected a former first round NFL Draft pick in offensive tackle Shawn Andrews, who was taken 16th overall in 2004 by the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Nighthawks earned the first selection in the opening six rounds by virtue of being an expansion team and were followed in order by the Hartford Colonials (0-6 in 2009 as the New York Sentinels), Sacramento Mountain Lions (2-4 in 2009 as the California Redwoods), Florida Tuskers (6-0 in 2009, losing Championship Game finalists) and Las Vegas Locos   (4-2 in 2009, UFL Premiere Season Champions).  Rounds seven through 12 followed a waiver wire selection system.

With the second overall selection, first year Hartford Colonials head coach Chris Palmer selected a local favorite in Connecticut running back Andre Dixon, who earned Second Team All-Big East honors both his sophomore and senior years.  His 33 carries for 126 yards and a touchdown in the 2009 Papajohn.com Bowl earned him the game MVP title.

Coach Palmer explained: “He went down to Danbury for our tryouts and had an excellent workout and I was very pleased with what I saw.  I talked to the people at UConn and they told me he was a guy who caught the ball extremely well.  You don’t see that on film because they don’t throw ball that much.  He has great hands.

“We selected players who had attended all three of our workouts in Berlin, Danbury and Virginia, which shows just how worthwhile those tryouts are.”

With his first round pick, Sacramento Mountain Lions head coach Dennis Green selected quarterback Justin Goltz, who was in training camp with the Detroit Lions in 2009 having been a three-year starter at Occidental.

“He came to two of our camps and was very impressive,” said Green.  “He was a two-sport athlete in college and is a big tall guy with a really strong arm.

“We needed a couple of things and drafted two big offensive linemen in Tavita Thompson and Carl Spitale so that worked out for us.  We got two good cornerbacks in Tim Clark and Willie Glasper, who both have exceptional speed.  We feel very excited about the 52 players we have.”

Jay Gruden and the Florida Tuskers selected a pair of linebackers with the fourth and ninth picks overall in Weston Dacus from Arkansas and Arnold Harrison, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“We are excited,” said Gruden.  “Dacus is an athletic linebacker who was with Kansas City and everyone I spoke to there had positive things to say about him.  We need to get more speed and athleticism at the linebacker spot and these are two players who will have an immediate impact.  Harrison was a big time player at Georgia and can play all three linebacker positions.”

The reigning UFL champion Las Vegas Locos made two defensive selections with the final picks of the first two rounds in linebacker Dominic Payne and cornerback Michael Ray Garvin.

“We thought Dominic was a tremendous athlete who will give us a lot of versatility,” said Locos head coach Jim Fassel.  “Michael Ray was the fastest guy I have ever seen run a 40.  He is lightning fast and quick and he has a great attitude.  He went to same high school as my son Mike and was a teammate of one of our linebackers, Brian Toal, so we had him in for a workout.  At one time he was the leading kickoff returner in NCAA.

“Overall from the draft, we thought we needed a guy here and there to round out the team.  We weren’t depleted and we did a lot of research and most every one of the players we picked we had worked out.  It is down to the character of a player and his attitude.  We need a mix of pros with leadership qualities and young developing players.”

The Omaha Nighthawks spent the 60th and final pick overall on former Denver Broncos and New York Jets safety Nick Ferguson.  The former Georgia Tech star also won a World Bowl ring with the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe.

The drafted players will join players already protected by their 2009 clubs, or selected in the expansion draft by the Nighthawks, taking each team’s provisional roster to the maximum of 52 allowed.  From June 3 onwards, teams may increase that number to 70 players who can participate in forthcoming Mini Camps.

Players selected in the draft shall remain on each team’s Reserved Unsigned List until formally added to the roster by virtue of a negotiated contract.  Each team’s roster will be released next week as they prepare to enter mini camps.

• 20 protected players
• 20 additional unsigned free agents
• 12 drafted players

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Browns Player Quotes 6-3-10

(Gocong, Hardesty, McCoy, McDonald, Pashos, Wallace)

Chris Gocong

(On getting a fresh start with a new team)- “I’ve always wanted to play in a 3-4 and playing with Rob (Ryan), it’s a cool thing.  I’ve only been in OTAs about three weeks and still, it’s like a breath of fresh air.  He’s so fresh and he keeps it so open to the players that it’s fun.”

(On what he hopes to achieve here)- “I have my own numbers in mind, but right now I am just learning the defense and being able to do whatever I can, wherever I can. It doesn’t matter if it’s inside or outside.”

Montario Hardesty

(On if he thinks the starting running back job is up for grabs)- “That right there is not my decision.  For me, I have to just come out here and just work hard and just continue to show what I can do on the field and I think if I continue to do that then a role for myself on the team will come from doing that.”

(On if he has expectations of having a significant role as a rookie)- “No, like I said this is just OTAs, we’ve got minicamp, we’ve got training camp.  I’ve never done that before so I’m not really sure what to expect. I know I’m going to come out and push myself hard every day and we will see what comes from that come season time.”

Colt McCoy

(On how OTAs are going)-  “It’s going real well.  There’s a lot of stuff, a lot of install.  Just staying in my study book, studying with Jake (Delhomme) and Seneca (Wallace) and Ratty (Brett Ratliff) and those guys. Just really trying to understand what’s going on and the reps that I get, make them productive and keep moving on from practice to practice so it’s been going really well and I’m excited.”

(On if the lights seem to be coming on more and more)- “They do, they do.  We’re still installing some stuff, but I’m starting to get more comfortable with everything and just getting adjusted to the speed of the game, the way the game’s played, the new rules in the NFL compared to the college rules and just really soaking it all in.”

(On if the NFL is anything different that what he thought it would be)- “Not at all, it’s football.  Once you get the playbook down and you get comfortable with what you’re doing, the calls, the adjustments, then it’s playing football like you were when you were a little kid. I’m just working to get to that point.”

Brandon McDonald

(On playing hard no matter his place in the lineup)- “I’m just a guy that wants to take advantage of my opportunities.  This game is not promised, you can be in one year and out the next.  I’m just trying to make the best of my opportunities right now.”

(On adding players in the secondary during the offseason)- “I don’t see it as negative.  Like I said, I see that as a positive for this team and this secondary.  It was obvious that we needed help.  I think they made some great additions by bringing in Sheldon (Brown) and Joe (Haden) and the rest of the guys that they brought in.  I think we had a good offseason program, a good draft and guys are really out here working right now trying to get better.”

(On finishing the season on a four-game winning streak last year)- “I just think that it made everybody feel like we are not giving up.  Regardless of what the record is or how bad the year has been, we are going to fight until the end, and that’s what we did.  It gave us a lot of momentum leaving out of that year and coming into this next year.”

Tony Pashos

(On winning a starting job)- “Initially it’s a step process, one step at a time.  I’m trying to learn the plays, the way to do things around here, the guys around me, schemes and whatnot.  Down the road that takes care of itself, but initially I have got to learn to play in this system.”

Seneca Wallace

(On what he has shown Coach Mangini so far)- “It’s all new to me.  This is a different type of offense than what I’m used to.  I’m still growing every day, trying to get better and understand this offense.  I get hard on myself because I always want things to be perfect and I know that coming into a new system, it’s going to take awhile.  I think I showed him that I can lead the team, I can make all of the throws and obviously I’ll continue playing when things break down and make some good plays.”

(On the biggest difference coming to a new team)- “It’s probably the terminology.  I’ve been used to a west coast offense type system for seven years.  You come to a (new) system and it’s like you have got to all of a sudden learn Spanish overnight.  It’s tough trying to work with that and obviously, it’s an east coast type, New England type of offense and that’s different.  You just have got to put some of those things and group them together.  Some things that I had on the west coast, I will try and carry it over here too.”

(On adjusting his style of play in a new offense)- “I think I have got to adjust to them.  I’m new here obviously and I’ve got to adjust to what they are doing.  Right now, I’ve got to understand what they want.  As we progress, then I can start turning my game into what I do and bring it to what they do.  It’s kind of tough, but you have got to understand the system first before you start trying to create things.”

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Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini press conference 5-27-10

(Opening statement)- “Good morning everybody.  Today, what we are doing is, we are in our second round of installs, so today is our third down day.  What I like about this progression is you go through the first set, first and second down, third down, red zone and review.  Then you have your second set and you get the majority of your install is in place after this round.  What we are trying to do is give them all of the information.  It’s not as much time as we would get necessarily during training camp, but it is a nice amount of time, a nice amount of reps and it’s an introduction for a lot of guys who haven’t been here with it.  The rookies, the free agents, this is their first exposure and chance to understand it.  Then you come back in mandatory mini-camp, you hit it at a faster pace, but it’s the same information so that’s their second round of hearing it. Ideally, some more sticks at that point and then you go into training camp and you start the process over again and hopefully what you are getting is a lot of review and you can start at a higher point.  But, there is some consistency with how they are given the offense and defense and special teams and how it’s practiced.  That routine ideally will lead to greater retention.

“I think there have been some guys having a really good camp.  I thought so far Brian Robiskie has had an outstanding camp. He’s showed up quite a bit.  I think the quarterbacks are doing a really nice job with what we are asking them to do.  Ben Watson has been doing a really nice job with the things that we are asking him to do.  Really there are a lot of guys that I have been happy with, especially when you consider that it is a new environment.  It is a lot of new material, but it has been fun to watch the progression as we go.  They guys that have been out, are still out.  Robaire (Smith) is not here, he had some things that he had to take care of and I talked to him.  Jerome (Harrison) is not here, he had some things that he had to take care of.  I talked to him, it’s nothing that’s related to his contract or anything like that.  I expect him to be back next week.  In terms of the restricted guys, there’s really no update along those lines.”

(On if Harrison has been at the facility)- “Yes, he was here.  At the start of this week, he came in.  He was here on the field.  He hasn’t signed his tender, but there’s another way they can do it.  I think it’s a waiver.  You would have to talk to Matt (Thomas) and Tom (Heckert) about the exact document, but he is allowed to practice and participate and he had been the previous two days.”

(On the improvement of Robiskie)- “I think it’s a lot like quite a few of the younger guys.  It’s not, ‘Where am I?  What am I doing?’  It’s, ‘I remember this.  I remember the technique that I have to do.’  You can start to develop it more and you can start to play faster because you’re not thinking and processing, so that helps.  He’s running good routes and made some big plays pretty much every day.  David Veikune has gotten a lot of reps working inside.  I think he has looked better as well.  All of those guys have shown some really positive things early on.  We have a long way to go, but it is encouraging to see.”

(On what he learned about Robiskie last year)- “Tony (Grossi) a lot of it is and I know you hear me say this all of the time, but there is no one formula for these guys.  You try a lot of different things to get them to contribute as quickly as possible.  We spend a lot of time with the rookies to help do that, but it just sometimes hits at different spots.  I know we were talking about the receiver from Jacksonville when we played them who had the first two years, with I think, 16 catches.  Then came back and had last season 70-plus catches.  So a couple years there, but it started to hit.  You don’t know and I’ve seen it with a lot of players and pretty much every team I’ve been with.  You always try and get that magical combination of installs, meetings, the way to handle it and you work at it, but each person is a little different.”

(On having to add a wide receiver)- “In terms of having to go out and get somebody, I think we are open to that.  What is nice is that these guys are getting a lot of reps, they are getting a lot of chances to work the system, not just in the classroom, but on the field and I think that helps.  We are open to all different positions if it came up and made sense, but it really would have to.”

(On if there are any restricted free agents practicing besides Harrison)- “No, he’s the only one.”

(On if any of the injured players from last week will be practicing today)- “They’re all on the same program.  Nobody’s been added on right now.  I don’t think we will see them through OTAs.  Don’t anticipate it, but they are on their rehab program and it is set up with different milestones and things.  I don’t anticipate them participating right now in that aspect.  They are doing all of the other things.”

(On sticking with Veikune at inside linebacker)- “Yes, that’s what we will do, have him focus in that area.  You forget how, and I have to keep reminding myself and the coaches, it’s hard for those guys.  The young guys are going through what all of those guys went through last week.  I know when Shawn (Lauvao) was running his laps, I think you guys were there for that. Alex Mack was like, ‘Hey, I’ve been there.’  Hopefully, and what I look for from the group of second-year guys now is to help the new guys through the process.  To give them some things that they may have used to improve and they become teachers in their own right.”

(On Veikune)- “With end conversions, you don’t know necessarily where the best spot is going to be.  Sometimes those guys are better outside and that’s where they naturally fit.  A guy like Marcus Bernard, it made sense.  Sometimes guys have the flexibility to do a couple different spots.  You’re going through a trial and error to figure out, where is the best spot for him?  Where is the best spot for us?  You don’t know right away because they have never done it.  There is a lot that you have to see and they have to experience to figure out where the best spot is.”

(On the right side of the offensive line)- “George (Warhop) spends a lot of the time on the rotations, so we mix those guys.  Tony (Pashos) has played both spots, so has Floyd (Womack), so has John (St. Clair).  Shawn (Lauvao) has worked at guard primarily, so there have been a lot of different combinations over there.  That’s what you’d want to do because whoever isn’t the fifth is probably going to be the sixth.  You’d like to have the position flexibility with that group to where if one is a better guard than tackle, you plug him in at guard and the other guy moves to tackle, depending on how the injuries go or how you need them.”

(On which spot Pashos is better at)- “They’re all pretty confident guys, so they feel like they are pretty good at both.  He’s played both, he has worked at both.  He probably has worked more at tackle than he has at guard historically, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t work at both.”

(On if Lauvao has played any left guard yet)- “He hasn’t to this point.  That’s something that we will probably do in the next round. Really let him get his feet wet, let him hear the terms, let him work at a consistent spot. Then we will work him in some other spots and see how the retention goes, see how it transfers.  We wanted to give him a base first.”

(On Sheldon Brown)- “Sheldon, he’s a pro and that’s probably the highest compliment I can pay a guy.  He’s very mature in his approach, working diligently to get the information down.  He has been in one system for a long time, so he can associate things, but there is a lot of stuff that he needs to get down and it is really important for him to get it right.  I think as he continues to grow in the system and understand the system, he will work with the younger guys to help them get it right and I think he will provide some leadership in that room.”

(On if he was surprised that Brown was available through trade)- “I don’t know surprised.  Tom (Heckert) and his connections, he had a pretty good beat on what some possibilities were.  When we had the opportunity, we went with it.”

(On how the rookie class is coming along)- “They’re coming along like all of the rookie classes that I’ve been a part of.  Do you remember Steve Crosby back in the day?  He said, ‘Like a ball in tall grass: lost.’  There’s a little bit of Lost going on.  We haven’t seen that season finale here.”

(On the importance of Brown’s physical style of play)- “The criteria for evaluating any defensive back is, can they play man to man, can they play in the deep part of the field and can they tackle?  You want to have all three of those elements in order to bring somebody in.  Sometimes you hear cover corner and usually that’s a nice thing in a lot of ways, but it also means run at him.  You want the complete corner that can do all of those things and Sheldon is a good tackler and a good run support player.”

(On the idea of playing a Super Bowl in cold weather)- “I really like it.  I like it more if we are playing in it.  We are all going to be able to see how it goes in New York, but I think it’s exciting.  You have the elements and elements play such a huge part in the regular season.  They play a huge part in the postseason, depending on where the game is located.  To mix that in, I think it’s great.”

(On if he thinks cold weather locations should be in the regular rotation of sites)- “It’s a little above my pay grade, but I think it would be fun.  You add the component that you deal with all of the time into it and it can dramatically affect games.”

(On expecting early results from rookies)- “I don’t think you ever really can tell if a draft class works out for two to three years down the road or whether a player works out necessarily because it’s not defined by one year, it’s defined by a body work.  Believe me, I’ve coached a lot of guys that had to play right away that really shouldn’t have played.  Sometimes that can be detrimental too because their confidence gets shot.  I don’t think you can say it worked out or did not work out until you see the body of work over time and then you make your assessment.”

(On how he tried to develop Robiskie last year)- “I wouldn’t classify it as pushing or backing off, it’s just helping.  How can you help the development?  That’s really what you’re trying to do as a coach and a coaching staff is, how can I help this player get better?  You can’t approach each player the same way because they’re radically different.  They respond to things differently, they retain information differently.  Ideally, you have a lot of different way to help them improve and you expose them to all those different ways.  They learn what helps them the most as well and tend to focus their energy in those areas.  But, it takes some time and some experience to get to that point.”

(On Seneca Wallace)- “I think Seneca has had a really nice camp.  Obviously, he’s learning a lot of new things.  It’s a different style than Jake is, which is good because it puts some different pressures on the defense.  I don’t think you could rule out the possibility of having them both play.  Seneca gives you some flexibility to do some things, just like Jake has certain things that they do.  If you can incorporate them both in a plan that makes sense, that works, then that could be a good thing.  Then you have a guy like Josh Cribbs, he presents different problems.  Now you put Josh Cribbs and Seneca in the game together, they can present different problems.  Ideally, it’s easy for you, but hard for them.  That chews up a lot of preparation time for your opponent that they need to deal with it, you have to deal with it because it could come up and you better have good answers and you better have practiced it.  Ideally, it’s part of your routine so that it doesn’t chew up a lot of time from your perspective.”

(On the additions in the defensive backfield)- “I think one thing that’s really good is that you add competition and competition makes everybody better.  I think that’s a good thing.  It gives you some flexibility with the type of packages that you can run.  How it will unfold though, I couldn’t say definitively because I don’t understand exactly what (Joe) Haden’s strengths are going to be, what the weaknesses potentially could be.  Same thing with Sheldon, learning about him as a player.  T.J. Ward, Larry (Asante), seeing how their development works, strengths and weaknesses.  You have more information obviously than you had before because they are working with you now, but there are a lot of things that we have to see before I can give you any kind of definitive comment.”

(On Harrison working out at the facility this week)- “I think it’s good for everybody to be here.  Really, Mary Kay (Cabot), this is the second round of install and it helps the players when we go to camp.  It helps us when we go to camp because there are some new things, there are some different things.  When you come in and you’re not overwhelmed by information or you’re not thinking all the time, you’re playing and you’re acting.  It gives them the best chance to put a true picture of what they can do forward.  I think it’s valuable for everybody to be here.  Jerome and I didn’t talk about it very much.  I was happy he was here and I anticipate him being back next week.”

(On Alex Mack’s progress)- “I think that the experience that he got last year is fantastic.  To be able to start 16 games as a rookie is really hard to do, especially at that spot.  Center is often underrated in terms of how much information they have to process and how important they are to setting the whole protection, the front, the running game.  It’s critical.  He did a good job with it and I think he got better as the year went on.  Now, what you’re looking for is to avoid a sophomore slump, to build on the lessons of last season.  He’s a lot more comfortable, it’s just different.  They’re all more comfortable now.”

(On if Mack has ran any lap)- “I don’t want to black cat him here, but he has not as of yet.”

(On Mack’s previous snapping issues)- “We’d snap it early or snap it late or we’d snap it right or we’d snap it left.  He was snapping it all over the place.”

(On snapping being difficult)- “I think it’s a lot harder than it looks.  You’re a young kid and, ‘Here you go.’  It’s tough.  Nick (Mangold) was the same way.  Nick also couldn’t come until a lot later because of the graduation format, so that made it even harder on Nick as he missed a ton of time.  It’s a good thing, he was finishing college, but it was tough for him.”

(On if he has empathy for Mike Brown losing his job)- “I like Mike Brown and I sent him a text the other day.  I can relate to the things he is going through and it’s difficult.  I really hope things work out for him and I really hope things work out for the Cavs as well.  I like Danny Ferry a lot and this sometimes happens.  You just want to see ideally everyone move forward in a positive way.”

(On if there is more pressure to win a championship in Cleveland because of the title drought)- “Tougher to coach in this town?  It’s a passionate town, it’s a passionate town.  You get it though.  You understand and you appreciate it.  Believe me, you’re consumed with trying to achieve what we all want to achieve.  It would be amazing, fantastic and deserved.”

Click here for same day Cleveland Browns Player Quotes from Joshua Cribbs and more!

Be sure to check ProFootballinsight.net daily for all of your Cleveland Browns news and information.   Become a fan of ProFootballinsight on Facebook or follow fraschettik on Twitter for instant Cleveland Browns updates, notifications and more!

Kurt Fraschetti / ProFootballinsight.net

Kurt@profootballinsight.net

-Sheffield Village, Ohio-

PFI’s Kurt Fraschetti and Anderson “The Spider” Silva share a few moments prior to Silva’s press conference in Sheffield Village, Ohio on June 25th, 2010.

Yes, you heard right!  Anderson “The Spider” Silva is coming to Quaker Steak and Lube in Sheffield Village, Ohio on June 26, 2010, via CageStars!

Click here for Quaker Steak and Lube’s Website for Directions

First, lets address the featured guest, Anderson Silva.  The Spider currently holds the Ultimate Fighting Championship or UFC’s Middleweight Title Belt.  Silva currently has 26 wins to only 4 losses.  Silva is a phenomenal striker who is extremely well rounded.  Anderson, a native of Curitiba, Brazil, currently age 35, is one of the most feared, dominating forces in all of MMA.

Anderson’s appearance was made possible by CageStars promoter, Lorenzo Gentile.  Lorenzo stated that he was bringing the “Mohammed Ali of MMA” to Sheffield Village, Ohio.  Which if you follow MMA, you know that he is exactly right!  Gentile added that Anderson will make himself more than available to his fans for autographs.

CageStars teamed up with Voo Doo Custom Sportbikes in bringing Silva to Lorain County, Ohio.  Voo Doo customized the Tap Out Motorcycle in addition to Anderson Silva’s motorcycle, known fittingly as “The Spider Bike.”

In addition to Silva’s appearance, CageStars will be hosting a series of MMA fights at Quaker Steak and Lube.  Gentile stated that there will be several fights, including three title fights.  For ticket information you can call 440-731-1321 or click here to pay via PayPal.

Interested in sitting ringside with Anderson Silva on June 26th at Quaker Steak and Lube?  Click here to enter the drawing.

Lorenzo’s ability to bring Anderson Silva to Quaker Steak and Lube has definitely validated CageStars as a major promoter as Silva brings both National and International interest and attention.

If you are a MMA fanatic, see you there!  If you are a casual fan or are in the beginning stages of affection towards mixed martial arts, don’t miss this once in a lifetime chance to meet a sure fire future UFC Hall of Famer!

Click this link for more on CageStars!

For more on CageStars become a fan of ProFootballinsight on Facebook or follow fraschettik on Twitter for instant notifications and article releases.

Kurt Fraschetti ProFootballinsight.net/CageStars

Kurt@ProFootballinsight.net

**Photo Credits -Chicagosmma.com / Knfilters.com

Championship Game rematch in Las Vegas highlights September 17 opening day; Hartford kicks off at home to Sacramento; Newcomer Omaha waits in the wings

– JACKSONVILLE, FL – Thursday, April 29 – The United Football League announced today its 10-week, 20-game 2010 regular season schedule, which will kick off on Friday September 17 with a repeat of the 2009 UFL Championship Game match up.

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Hartford Colonials

Las Vegas Locos

Omaha

Sacramento Mountain Lions

Home venues

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Kurt Fraschetti / ProFootballinsight.net

Kurt@profootballinsight.net

While a new tax will not be placed on the residents of the city of North Olmsted, student athletes like the interviewed, Mike Shoemaker, are left shell-shocked and speechless over this turn of events.

I made contact with Mike the day after the election results.  As one could only imagine, Mike, a 17 year old Junior heading into what should be the greatest year of his young life, his Senior year, was extremely emotional.  In a situation which Mike had no control over, and had no impact in, he is left to wonder if he will ever be able to go under center and take another snap as the starting Quarterback for the North Olmsted Eagles.

Mike did express that he was concerned for all of the student athletes at North Olmsted High School.  He stated that without sports, many students may involve themselves in activities which may land them in trouble at home or with the authorities, when under normal circumstances they would be at school related sporting activities.  Mike added that many students will miss out on scholarship opportunities that could have been awarded due to their talents at their respective sports.

It is unfortunate to watch our government and school systems deteriorate community after community as our children and young adults are victimized by mismanagement of funds and resources with respect to their growth and education.

Please continue to with the PFI’s “10 Yards” series with Mike Shoemaker, and support our student athletes in any way possible!

ProFootballinsight takes it’s “10 Yards” segment this week into the High School Football realm, focusing on North Olmsted’s returning starting Quarterback, Mike Shoemaker.

As the North Olmsted Eagles starting Quarterback last year as a Junior, Shoemaker led the Eagles to a 7 and 3 record, going 5 and 2 in division, falling just short of the High School Playoffs. Shoemaker dismantled opposing defenses primarily with his legs, but has an arm to match. Shoemaker racked up 9 touchdowns with 434 yards on 128 attempts. Through the air, Mike passed for 884 yards with 1 touchdown with 73 completions on 137 attempts.

Coming off an exiting 2009 year, ProFootballinsight goes 10 yards with Mike Shoemaker to get his outlook on the 2010 Eagles season and beyond.

PFI: Looking back on your 2009 Football Season, what was your single greatest moment?

MS:  ”Against Amherst in Week 4 last year, we were up seven zero, they battled back tying it up at sevens.  We then drove 80 yards and I took the ball in for the touchdown.  We went on to win the game 21 to 7.”

PFI: And the worst?

MS: ” The worst was against Westlake in Week 6.  Westlake went up 10 to 7 with 4 minutes left…  We needed 61 yards.  We drove 60, then I ran the ball and turned the corner to go in for the game winning touchdown…  The ball was knocked out, I fumbled and we lost the game 10 to 7.”

PFI: Are you stronger because of it?

MS:  ”Oh yeah… After that we closed out the season on a four game winning streak.  I feel that we grew as a team and I matured as a Quarterback.”

PFI: Is Football your favorite sport?

MS:  ”Yes, when ever I am out there on the field I give it my all.  I focused solely on football as this was the only sport I played, and I am looking forward to my Senior season.”

PFI: Who is your most influential person in your life?

MS:  ”It has to be my Grandpa.  He was forced to leave school after his Sophomore year because his Dad died and he had to support his family.  He raised my Mom and she turned out great!  Now we are here as a family and he has been there for me.”

PFI: What is your expectations for the 2010 season?

MS:  ”My personal goals are for me to be the Conference MVP.  As a team, I want to see us be the first Conference Champs from North Olmsted in what I believe to be 16 years.”

PFI: What would make the 2010 season a success in your eyes?

MS:  ”To see us come together as a team and above all, beat Avon Lake.  We have not beat Avon Lake in so long that….  I don’t believe anyone is old enough to tell that story.”

PFI: What is more important to you, individual statistics and accolades, or getting the “W”?

MS:  ”Getting the W by far.  I threw plenty of interceptions last year and had plenty of touchdowns.  The individual thing will play itself out but all that matters is the score at the end of the game.”

PFI: What current College or NFL player to you compare your game to, and why?

MS:  ”Michael Vick.  He can throw, he runs the offense and can take off and run with the ball to get what ever yards he needs.”

PFI: Where do you see Mike Shoemaker at in 2011, 2015 and 2020?

MS:  2011  ”Hopefully going to college.  I plan on majoring in Education.  We will see if a football opportunity comes up, I would take it and run.”

2015  ”Hopefully single and living the life…. Graduated from College and heading towards a family.”

2020  ”Maybe married with kids, and if I have kids, I will be out there coaching them.”

I would like to thank Mike Shoemaker for his time and wish him great luck and success in his 2010 Football campaign and beyond. Feel free to post comments below and show your support for Mike and the rest of the North Olmsted Eagles!

Mike’s 2009 Video Highlights

Check back to this article or become a fan of ProFootballinsight on Facebook or follow fraschettik on Twitter for instant notifications on Mike’s season and much more!

Kurt Fraschetti / ProFootballinsight.net

*** Photo Credit Cleveland.com

Leading the way is 2009 United Football League Player of the Year Brooks Bollinger, who passed for a league-best 1,825 yards and 16 touchdowns in leading the Tuskers to an undefeated regular season.

Bollinger and the Tuskers will make the city of Orlando their home for all home games during the UFL’s second season in the fall of 2010.

Two of Bollinger’s favorite targets are also protected in wide receivers Marcus Maxwell, who finished second in the league with 21 receptions for 347 yards and 4 touchdowns and Jayson Foster, who snared 21 passes for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns. The team’s second-leading rusher Michael Pittman, who gained 124 yards in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl XXXVII triumph and carried the ball 77 times for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns last year, also returns.

“It is difficult to pick only 20 players when we had such a strong regular season last year,” said coach Gruden, who directed the league’s most potent offense as the Tuskers won all six games on the way to reaching the 2009 UFL Championship Game.

“In a team sport the fact that you have to narrow things down and not keep some players who have all contributed is very difficult. We did it by position and focused on the positions that are hard to fill and our top performers. They were tough decisions but somebody had to make them.”

This week the UFL is announcing a total of 60 players who have been protected by the head coaches of the Tuskers, Hartford Colonials and the yet to be named UFL team in Sacramento. The reigning champion Las Vegas Locos will unveil their protected player list during April.

As a component of its overall digital media strategy, the United Football League is announcing the protected player lists to fans first through its team Facebook sites:

http://www.facebook.com/HartfordColonials

http://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaRedwoods

http://www.facebook.com/FloridaTuskers

The Tuskers have further loaded their offensive options with former New England Patriots Super Bowl XXVI winning tight end Jermaine Wiggins and receiver Chas Gessner, who was the team’s leading receiver through the first week of the season before suffering an injury.

Defensively the Tuskers have protected leading tacklers Tim McGarigle, who had 34.5 stops a sack, interception, forced fumble and fumble recovery last season, and Odell Thurman, who posted 34 tackles, 2 sacks, an interception fumble recovery and 2 forced fumbles.

The secondary will retain a look of familiarity with Jerome Carter, who claimed two interceptions in addition to making 19.5 tackles and Fakhir Brown, who also had an interception and 18.5 tackles.

The United Football League teams will build 70-player training camp squads and eventual 52-man rosters through free agency signing, player allocation, and invitational and open tryouts.

Orlando Protected Players:

Pos
Name
College

QB
Brooks Bollinger
Wisconsin

DT
McKinley Boykin
Ole Miss

CB
Fakhir Brown
Grambling

DB
Jerome Carter
Florida State

DE
Patrick Chukwurah
Wyoming

OT
Anthony Davis
Virginia Tech

WR
Jayson Foster
Georgia Southern

WR
Chas Gessner
Brown

TE
Keith Heinrich
Sam Houston State

C
Enoka Lucas
Oregon

WR
Marcus Maxwell
Oregon

LB
Tim McGarigle
Northwestern

LB
Terrance Melton
Rice

FB
Andrew Pinnock
South Carolina

RB
Michael Pittman
Fresno State

NT
Darrion Scott
Ohio State

LB
Odell Thurman
Georgia

T
Seth Wand
NW Missouri State

TE
Jermaine Wiggins
Georgia

NT
Claude Wroten
LSU

Group and season tickets to Florida Tuskers games will go on sale in April and the team’s new uniforms will also be unveiled in the coming months. Sports fans can call 407-545-8123 for more information about the Tuskers.

Social networking Tuskers fans eager to interact with fellow fans can do so at:

http://www.facebook.com/UnitedFootballLeague

http://www.twitter.com/theUFL

http://www.twitter.com/FLTuskers

http://www.facebook.com/FloridaTuskers

About The UFL: The UFL was developed to fulfill the needs of football fans in major markets currently under served by professional football by providing a high quality traditional football league comprised of world class professional football players. The UFL will serve the communities with pride, dedication and passion, and uphold a leadership role in the development of football worldwide. The UFL will provide every fan with an affordable, accessible, exciting and entertaining game experience. The United Football League debuted in October 2009 with four teams in Las Vegas, New York, Orlando and San Francisco for its “Premiere” season. The UFL offices are in New York, N.Y. and Jacksonville, Fla. The UFL is led by Commissioner Michael Huyghue and is being funded by a consortium of private investors. For more information on the UFL and how to purchase tickets for the 2010 UFL season, please visit www.ufl-football.com.

Become a fan of ProFootballinsight on Facebook or follow fraschettik on Twitter for instant UFL notifications and more!

Kurt Fraschetti / ProFootballinsight.net

Kurt@profootballinsight.net