Here ya go Bluez. This ought to "make your day" - Duff... I will need more Kool-Aid than you can supply if this happens!!!!
John Gruden laughed out loud at the idea of the Browns drafting another quarterback up high. He strongly endorsed 2012 Round 1 pick Brandon Weeden. Asked during a conference call today what quarterback the Browns might be wise to draft, the ESPN quarterback guru said: ?Are we saying the Browns are gonna change quarterbacks again? Ha ha ha ha.? It?s not that Gruden doesn?t like any of the passers who will be available to the Browns next week. In fact, he loves Ryan Nassib and declares that the former Syracuse passer can soar in the new age of QBs. Yet, Gruden made it sound as if the Browns would be fools to think about a seventh opening-day QB in as many years when they already have Weeden. ?There have been lot of quarterbacks come through Cleveland,? he said. ?It would be great if Weeden could solidify himself and be outstanding. ?I really like Brandon Weeden. He fits (offensive coordinator) Norv Turner?s scheme. He?s a great downfield passer. Hopefully, he can get some wide receivers who can get open down the field.? Gruden said the Browns are in luck in holding the No. 6 overall pick, in that they could use an edge rusher or a cornerback, with superb prospects available. Gruden alluded to his time as head coach of the Raiders ? current Browns general manager Michael Lombardi was in Oakland at that time. ?Al Davis always used to ask me, ?Do you want a pass rusher or a cornerback,? ? Gruden said. ?I?d say, ?Who?s better? If the cornerback is Deion Sanders, give me the corner.? ? Gruden sees big potential for two cornerbacks in this draft. The first he mentioned was Florida State?s Xavier Rhodes, not Alabama?s Dee Milliner. Milliner is widely seen as the top corner prospect. ?Xavier Rhodes has the size you?re looking for, and he can run,?? Gruden said. ?You need those physical traits at corner. And forget size. You?ve got to have those long arms. ?With Dee Milliner, because of his background with Nick Saban, you see the high hands. You see a corner who can play man and find the ball in a blind spot. Those two appeal to me.? Gruden said edge rusher Barkevious Mingo of LSU would do well for the Browns. ?He?s one of my favorite players in this draft,? Gruden said. ?He could be an every-down force. I can see him dropping in coverage. (As a rusher), he has an electrifying inside move. He has a huge upside. ?I?m not saying the Browns will take one of those guys, but ... to have Milliner playing on the other side of Haden.? We?ll find out next week if Lombardi shares any of the visions of his former Raiders ?teammate.?
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents on Monday locked down the headquarters of Pilot Flying J, the truck stop business owned by the family of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and his brother, Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam. FBI spokesman Marshall Stone told The Associated Press that the move was part of an ongoing investigation, but he would not provide additional details. FBI and IRS agents were expected to remain in the building into the evening, he said. The FBI was keeping all traffic away from the company property, and Knoxville police patrol cars and officers could be seen outside the headquarters. "Any details that would be released to the public would not be available for some time," Stone said. The company doesn't know why FBI officials closed the headquarters but is cooperating with authorities, spokeswoman Lauren Christ said in a statement. Pilot Flying J retail operations remain open, she said. Jimmy Haslam stepped down as company CEO after buying the Browns from previous owner Randy Lerner in a $1 billion deal in August. He was previously a minority owner of the rival Pittsburgh Steelers but sold that. Pilot then brought in John Compton, who had been with PepsiCo Inc. for 30 years and its president for less than a year, to replace Haslam as CEO. In February, Pilot announced Jimmy Haslam was returning as Pilot CEO and Compton would become a consultant. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league was aware of the investigation but had no other information or comment. Bill Haslam has no position with the company but still has an unspecified holding in it, according to his limited financial disclosures. David Smith, a spokesman for the governor, said Haslam was "aware of the situation in Knoxville today" but declined to comment further. He referred further questions to Pilot. During the 2010 governor's race, Bill Haslam refused to divulge how much money he earned from Pilot, the family-founded chain with annual revenues of $20 billion. He argued that releasing his Pilot earnings would reveal personal information about the income of family members not running for office, and proprietary information about the privately held company. Since being elected governor, Haslam has also kept his Pilot holdings outside of a blind trust he has created for other investments. The Haslam brothers are supporters of the University of Tennessee, where their father, Jim Haslam, played tackle on the 1951 national championship football team under Gen. Robert R. Neyland, who built the Volunteers into a football powerhouse. The elder Haslam founded the Pilot Corp. in 1958 with a single gas station in Gate City, Va. He credits his sons with expanding the chain from mostly gas stations and convenience stores to a "travel center" concept featuring branded fast food service. Bill Haslam was president of the company until he was elected mayor of Knoxville in 2003. The company bought Flying J for $1.8 billion, closing the deal in 2010, and says it now has more than 600 interstate travel centers and 25,000 employees. In 2009, Pilot settled a price gouging lawsuit brought by the Tennessee attorney general and paid fines in Georgia and Kentucky. Haslam said during the 2010 campaign that the pricing problems were quickly addressed and new software was created to avoid a repeat of what occurred in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in 2008. "I promise you that for a company that's based on 52 years of community service and low prices we would never do anything intentionally to put that at risk," Haslam said in an October 2010 debate.
Perhaps the most ominous aspect of Monday?s raid by FBI and IRS officials on the headquarters of Pilot Flying J, the company run by ? and the self-proclaimed ?first love? of ? Browns owner Jimmy Haslam comes from the decision of the federal authorities to provide no information at all about the situation. ?Any details that would be released to the public would not be available for some time,? FBI spokesman Marshall Stone told the Associated Press in the aftermath of the lock down of the building. It came swiftly, with the apparent goal of ensuring that no evidence would be modified or destroyed. This tactic suggests suspicion that the targets of the investigation knew that they were doing something that was illegal or close to it. Overall, the decision to swoop in and seize evidence implies that authorities were able to persuade a judge that probable cause exists to believe that one or more crimes have been committed. Though the precise nature of the suspected crimes isn?t clear, the presence of the IRS points to potential violations of the federal tax laws, possibly arising from the manner in which this privately-owned billion-dollar business was keeping its books. Price-gouging claims in the wake of Hurricane Ike may have landed the company on the IRS radar; matters of this nature also may come to light after disgruntled and/or conscientious employees blow the whistle. For now, it appears that nothing more will be said by the feds until the time comes to issue indictments, if Monday?s raid yielded the evidence that authorities believed they would find. None of this means that the charges will extend to the top of the organization, but it?s safe to say that the FBI and IRS will start at the bottom and work their way as high as the evidence will take them. Absent some sort of a truck-stop omert?, there?s really no limit as to where this could go.
WTF??? what is next ? this is total garbage . haven't we as a fan base been through enough the last 18 years ? it's not good when the Feds get involved and then say nothing . will we have a new owner ? will we still have a football team ? Dixie Mafia ?
Certainly does not look good. Sort of explains that strange 180 Haslam did when he first joined as the Browns' owner, relinquishing his CEO role and then abruptly went back a mere six months later as CEO. It does take a little of the burden off of him, but certainly could damage the Pilot/Flying J brand enough to cause huge losses. Of course, if he was aware of any wrong-doing before the Feds, he's cooked. If he has to take a leave of absence, I would guess the NFL would assume ownership of the Browns until a new owner could be found? The management staff hired by Haslam (Banner on down) would most likely stay in place. Oh man, could you imagine?!
The NFL will unveil the 2013 regular-season schedule on Thursday night. The NFL universe awaits with bated breath for the 8 p.m. release show. So far, all we know is that the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens will open the season on the road in the league's kickoff game thanks to a conflict with the Orioles.
i hate all things Rats with a passion but to open on the road because baseball wont give in is just plain stupid ..football is Americas game not baseball. i hope the stands are empty for the game that night ..serves them right ! the smart play would have been to play the O'S game during the day & let the Rats open at home that night ..win win for both franchises me thinks .
Monday?s attack at the Boston Marathon has relevance to security issues for every sports league in the nation. Most immediately for the NFL, it raises questions about security in and around Radio City Music Hall for next week?s draft. ?The NFL and its clubs have operated with a very high level of security since 9/11 for all of our games and events,? NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tells PFT via email. ?For next week?s NFL Draft, we will review and enhance our already comprehensive security plans with the NYPD, Radio City and our private security partners. We will advise the public more specifically next week prior to the Draft.? The draft presents security issues both inside and outside the event. With a red-carpet arrival now part of the festivities, many people routinely line up in the vicinity of Radio City Music Hall, typically across the street on Sixth Avenue, to watch the draft picks and others enter. That said, both New York and the NFL know a thing or two about security, and I?ve got no concerns about being present at the event.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Federal agents have reportedly executed a second search warrant at the headquarters of Pilot Flying J, the company owned by Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam. The website knoxnews.com reported early this afternoon that "U.S. Attorney Bill Killian wouldn?t give specifics today or say where the warrant was served," but that the investigation was "ongoing." On Monday, federal agents descended on the Haslam family business in Knoxville in a raid the FBI described as part of an "ongoing investigation." The headquarters of Pilot Flying J, a nationwide chain of truck stops and convenience stores, was locked down for much of the day. In a statement released this afternoon, Pilot Flying J said several subpoenas also were served, though it did not disclose with whom the documents were filed. "It's not our place to be more specific,'' the release said. The release said the investigation appears "to revolve around the application of rebates to a small group of Pilot Flying J trucking company customers.'' The statement does not go into greater detail. The release said the company is cooperating with authorities, and it is conducting its own investigation. The release, in a question-and-answer format, asked: "Are the feds targeting any executives?'' The answer was simple: "Not to our knowledge.'' It also asked whether "it was necessary to conduct a 'raid?''' "That's not for us to say.'' In a statement The Plain Dealer obtained Monday night, Haslam, the Browns' owner and Pilot Flying J CEO said: "The FBI secured our headquarters today and informed us they are investigating Pilot Flying J. Earlier in the afternoon, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported on its website that the entrance to the travel center operator's headquarters was blocked, media were barred from entering the campus and employees were being escorted off the campus. A company spokeswoman told The Plain Dealer that the FBI arrived "sometime after lunch" but that no one knew why. Knoxville television station WBIR-TV reported that FBI agents refused to allow traffic to enter the headquarters grounds, wouldn't answer questions and told their reporters to leave. Pilot was founded in 1958 by Jim Haslam. His son, Jimmy, runs a business often described as one of the largest private companies in America. Gov. Bill Haslam, another son, resigned from the company to become mayor of Knoxville and is now governor of Tennessee. Jimmy Haslam had stepped down as the chief executive of Pilot Flying J soon after he bought the Browns last summer for more than $1 billion. In February, he resumed the CEO position from former PepsiCo president John Compton, saying he missed running the family business.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.: Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said Tuesday the federal government has launched a criminal investigation into rebates offered by the truck stop chain owned by his family, including his brother, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. Agents from the FBI and Internal Revenue Service raided the Pilot Flying J headquarters in Knoxville on Monday. Jimmy Haslam, who is the CEO of Pilot Flying J, held a news conference in Knoxville to confirm the investigation is criminal, rather than civil, in nature. ?We don?t know a lot. It appears to be centered on a very insufficient number of customers and the application of rebates, that rebates that were owed to the customers were not paid. We of course disagree with that,? the CEO said. Haslam said subpoenas had been issued to several members of his 23-person sales force, though he said he was unable to identify any specifically. Haslam said he had not been subpoenaed, and no one has been arrested. Bill Killian, the U.S. Attorney in Knoxville, told The Associated Press that four search warrants have been served on Pilot, but the reasons have been sealed by a federal court. FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents locked down the Pilot Flying J headquarters Monday afternoon and ordered most employees out of the building as they conducted their search well past midnight. Haslam said essential personnel were allowed to remain in the building to ensure the company?s nearly 500 truck stops had sufficient fuel supplies. It was unclear why the IRS was involved in the raid, he said. ?It does not involve, as best we can tell ? and I?m pretty sure we?re right ? any type of tax issue,? he said. ?So there?s no evasion of tax or federal taxes, which candidly is what your suppliers, particularly fuel suppliers, worry about.? Haslam said that the company is launching an internal investigation, and that his responsibilities as owner of the Browns won?t affected. He said he plans to travel to Cleveland this week and said ?it?s business as usual? for the Browns as they opened their voluntary minicamp Tuesday and continued to prepare for the NFL Draft, which runs April 25-27. ?We?ll be going up [to Cleveland] I believe Thursday and Friday just as planned to participate in draft preparation,? Jimmy Haslam said. ?We?ll be up there almost all of next week.? Haslam also said ?First of all I apologize, because the last thing we ever want to do is put any kind of blemish on the city of Cleveland ? which we?ve grown to love ? or the Browns,? he said. ?So I personally feel bad about that, even though I don?t think we?ve done anything wrong.? Earlier Tuesday, the Republican governor made an impromptu visit to the press suite in the legislative office complex in Nashville to discuss the raid. He said that he had not been contacted by federal authorities and that he was going to concentrate on ?being governor and doing things I can control.? Bill Haslam said he has not had an active day-to-day management role in the company in 15 years. He defended keeping his unspecified holdings in the privately owned company outside of a blind trust he established for his other investments after he was elected governor in 2010. ?The point of a blind trust is to say, I don?t know that I own that,? Haslam said. ?As I said at the time, it felt a little disingenuous to say I don?t know if I own Pilot or not.? Haslam has refused to divulge how much money he earns from his stake in Pilot, which had $29 billion in revenues in 2012. He has argued that releasing his Pilot earnings would reveal personal information about the income of family members not running for office and proprietary information. The Haslam brothers are supporters of the University of Tennessee, where their father, Jim Haslam, played tackle on the 1951 national championship football team under Gen. Robert R. Neyland, who built the Volunteers into a football powerhouse. The elder Haslam founded the Pilot Corp. in 1958 with a single gas station in Gate City, Va. He credits his sons with expanding the chain from mostly gas stations and convenience stores to a ?travel center? concept featuring branded fast food service. Bill Haslam acknowledged that the federal raids were worrisome. ?That?s a business that obviously my family is involved in, people I care a lot about,? Haslam said. ?And to say, ?Oh, it doesn?t feel like a big deal,? is wrong.? Haslam said he has communicated with Browns? brass, including CEO Joe Banner, President Alec Scheiner, coach Rob Chudzinski and General Manager Mike Lombardi. Beacon Journal sports writer Nate Ulrich contributed to this report.
Pat Summerall, an NFL player in the 1950s and 1960s who would go on to become one of the sport?s most respected broadcasters for decades, has died at the age of 82, according to the Dallas Morning News. Summerall grew up in Florida and played his college football at Arkansas, where he was a standout as an offensive and defensive end, as well as a kicker. In 1952, the Lions took him with the 45th overall pick in the NFL draft. An injury limited Summerall to just two games in his rookie season, and in 1953 the Lions traded him to the Chicago Cardinals, where he played for five years. Summerall?s final four seasons came with the Giants, where his greatest moment as a player came when he kicked the winning field goal to beat the Browns in a crucial December game despite suffering a leg injury in pre-game warmups. Summerall retired after the 1961 season and was immediately hired by CBS Sports, where he gained great fame as a play-by-play man, teamed first with Tom Brookshier and then with John Madden. Summerall and Madden stayed together after FOX out-bid CBS for NFC rights in 1994 and were a pairing until 2002. In all, Summerall and Madden worked together for 22 NFL seasons, and they?re regarded by many as the best broadcasting duo in American sports history. Known for his plainspoken, straightforward style, Summerall wanted the attention on the players, and not on himself. He?d often call a game-changing play in a manner so simple that he?d say little more than, ?Montana. Rice. Touchdown.? Those of us who grew up in the 1980s can remember a time when we?d turn on the TV on a Sunday afternoon and know, if we heard Pat Summerall?s voice, that we were getting the best game of the week. And hearing the best broadcaster in the business.
Yes he was . he had a voice for sports thats for sure . when you heard Pat & Madden you knew it was the game of the week .. RIP MR Summerall
speaking of RIP ..Looks like cBS whiped out all the message boards . RIP Orginal Dawg Pound Lounge . WTH are they doing over there ?
