PINELLAS COUNTY -- Textbooks are history - at least they soon will be at Clearwater High School.
The school will provide every student with electronic reading devices beginning in the fall. The students, all 2,100 of them, will receive Amazon Kindles next year to replace traditional textbooks.
Part of the motivating factor was a yearly survey of students, staff and community members that called for the need to integrate more technology into the classroom - and Kindles were the best option.
The electronic readers will allow students to access more than 1,000 books, access the Internet and lighten their backpack loads.
More Information
Clearwater High Kindle
What is a Kindle and how does it work?
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"I think this is very cool,' said Clearwater High junior Bennie Niles. "You can pull up any novel that you really want and having to take this to school instead of a book is very useful."
Clearwater High principal Keith Mastorides is equally excited.
"It holds about 1500 books,' Mastorides said. "Technology wise, it does quite a bit, so the kids that have difficulty with fluency, it could read to them, if the don't understand a word, there's a dictionary built into it. It also has whisper technology, so many of our students for the first time will be able to have internet at home."
Students Bennie Niles (left) and Emma Loucks check out their electronic readers.
Despite the cost, Mastorides said the Kindles will actually save the school money in the long run.
The devices, which weigh less than a pound, run about $259, not counting the cost of electronic texts, which are far less than the $70 to $90 textbook costs.
History and Sociology teacher Kath Biddle said the devices are the future of learning.
"They can access books to read about world leaders and different events in history and they can research it,' she said. "And I think it will make things a lot easier as far as students having access to research."
Clearwater junior Emma Loucks said the devices will make things simpler for students.
"It will really help us because it makes things a lot easier,' Loucks said. "It puts all the resources that we need to do homework or assignments or projects into one single thing."
School leaders are tapping the technology and textbook budgets to pay for the Kindles. Mastorides said the school is still negotiating prices for the devices.
He said even if the devices are not Kindles, all students will have an e-reader and textbooks will be gone in the fall.
Apparently the goverment wants you to think obama met with the president of Iran.... take a look above at the nice photo shop.... keep believin the hype folks.
Buccaneers veteran Earnest Graham said that he is the starting fullback at this time, and his goal is to make the Pro Bowl as a fullback. Tampa Bay rookie CB Myron Lewis is still day-to-day with abdominal injury. Plus notes from Bucs DE Kyle Moore and WR Sammie Stroughter in this OTA notebook.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers veteran Earnest Graham is running with his position change from halfback to fullback. Graham is fully recovered from a toe injury that ended his 2009 season prematurely and is practicing fully during the Bucs' OTAs (organized team activities). On Tuesday Graham said he is running with the first-team offense at fullback over second-year pro Chris Pressley and rookie Rendrick Taylor.
"Right now I'm a starter at fullback. As long as I'm on the field I'm good," said Graham.
Not only has Graham embraced his position change, but he also has lofty goals for what he can achieve at his new spot.
"I'm shooting to be a Pro Bowl fullback," said Graham. "I really believe every time I catch the ball in the flat it can be a first down. I think I can break a few [tackles]. I'm focusing on being a fullback and catching 60 passes. I think I can really do that. Once Josh [Freeman] gets really comfortable and I'm running routes outside the backfield. I think we can do some damage out there."
Graham came close to making 60 catches in a season three years ago when he was the Buccaneers starting tailback. In 2007 Graham caught 49 passes for 324 yards while starting 10 games. Graham was Tampa Bay's workhorse back that season when he ran for 898 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and 10 touchdowns on 222 attempts. That year was the last time the Bucs went to the playoffs.
In 2008 Graham was splitting carries with running back Warrick Dunn before an ankle injury ended Graham's season with six games to go. That season Graham averaged 4.3 yards per carry and totaled 563 yards on 132 carries with four touchdowns. He also caught 23 passes for 174 yards. While Graham is the current starter at fullback, he is still learning the offense as a running back. The double duty doesn't present any problems for Graham.
"Not really. I play both and special teams," said Graham. "I've done it before. I'm naturally kind of a fullback, but can play both positions. It isn't a big adjustment for me to play fullback. I did it my first couple of years here."
The 5-foot-9, 225-pound Graham played in 13 games in 2009. Entering the season Graham and running back Derrick Ward were projected to be the Buccaneers leading running backs. Former first-round pick Carnell ‘Cadillac' Williams was coming back from his second devastating knee injury in as many seasons. Williams (5-11, 217) surprised many with his performance in training camp and went on to be the Bucs starting running back and leading rusher in 2009. Williams totaled 823 yards with four touchdowns and averaged 3.9 yards per carry.
Graham, 30, had 14 carries for 66 yards last season and had 14 receptions for 109 yards. Many projected the Florida-product Graham to be behind Pressley on the depth chart because Pressley has been a fullback throughout college and his first year in the NFL. Plus Pressley impressed the Bucs coaching staff with his ability to pick up the offense, and he showed a powerful punch as a lead blocker. Pressley was signed off the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad during the 2009 season, and played in seven games for Tampa Bay with three starts. With Graham learning both positions, Pressley (5-11, 260) and Graham could form a powerful duo in short-yardage and goal line situations.
"I'm sure it is going to work itself out. Derrick is like 235, so we're going to have a power formation in there," said Graham. "Whenever Pressley is on the field it is a power formation because all of our backs can run with power."
With Williams, Ward, and Graham Tampa Bay has three very accomplished running backs. Last year the Bucs had a hard time getting many carries for Ward and Graham. Last year Ward ran for 409 yards on 114 carries with one touchdown and averaged 3.6 yards per carry. He also caught 20 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Ward and Graham combined for 128 carries while Williams had 211 carries last season. Graham said due to quality of his teammates it could work to have so many accomplished backs playing together but not getting the same amount of carries.
"It can because of the type of guys we have," said Graham. "The way I came up I kind of understand things. When I came here Thomas Jones was here, and Mike Pittman, and [Mike] Alstott. It is like that everywhere if you look at other rosters. I grew up pretty special because we have a lot of humble guys. I love blocking for Cadillac. I truly, truly do. For me it is winning. Now its' my seventh year. It is winning."
LEWIS IS STILL DAY-TO-DAY
Buccaneers third-round pick Myron Lewis is still day-to-day with an abdominal strain. Lewis is projected to be a prime competitor for Tampa Bay's nickel cornerback as a rookie. The Vanderbilt product was limited during the Bucs rookie mini-camp and first set of OTAs with the injury. Lewis was held out of Tuesday's OTA, but expects to be back soon.
"I'm feeling good. Its' a slow process and we're taking the time to get it right," said Lewis. "We don't want to over stress the issue. I'm relaxing and making sure I get back to 100 percent. I'll be ready to go (soon). I'm waiting on their call. I'm taking it slow. I feel good. It's a day-to-day."
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Second-year wide receiver Sammie Stroughter talked about the noticeable maturation in Freeman from a year ago when the two were rookie roommates.
"A ton, a lot. It is crazy how much you can see that," said Stroughter. "The way he verbalizes himself, and his body language on the field. He's taking command. Last year you could see it, but now you see the sun shine brighter. He's going in there with a smile and having fun. It is not as much pressure. Its' his show, the faster he believes that the sky is the limit."
QUOTE OF THE DAY II
Buccaneers defensive end Kyle Moore on the improvement of the Bucs defense in OTAs this year compared to last year.
"The defense is clicking all the way right now," said Moore. "Our linebackers are getting the calls down to us. We are picking up our coverages the right way. We aren't having a lot of busts either on our defense, so its' pretty good."
Brazil is crazy... i mean... i love spanish girls.... i really need to move there... just a bunch of thick girls goin nuts... these people really think this dance is where its at right now??? girls are off the chain.
With anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death approaching, it seems as if the inheritance that his three children will receive has been revealed.
According to News Of The World, Prince, 13, Paris, 12, and Blanket, 8, will each receive $33-million dollars.
Knowing well that his children would have to endure vultures and skeptical characters out to befriend them for their fortune, the kids can’t get full access to control their father’s estate and money until around 40.
Dont yall hate when girls who are obviously lesbians like alicia keys go and marry ugly ass dudes to try and throw you off???
Swizz Beatz has finally paid up on the nearly 350 stacks worth of back child support he owed ex-wife Mashonda. Pop the hood for details on that and his excitement over homewreckin’ fiancee Alicia Keys’ gut full of Swizzy
Now that her BabyBeak-bump is too big to hide and his divorce is final, Swizzy is happy to run his yap about how happy he and Homewreckin’ Keys are:
“I’m super-excited,” Swizz said from St. Tropez. “People are calling me from Dubai and Japan. We haven’t set a wedding date, but we will. We’re just letting everything flow.” Meanwhile, he’s made peace with ex-wife Mashonda. Her lawyer, Bernard Clair, confirms that she’s now received Swizz’s check for $334,000 in child support.
Glad he finally paid them bills! But damn Swizzy, four babies and four baby mamas??? Hope he’s got it like that, cuz it would be a shame for Mashonda to have to put that azz on blast again.
As Uncle Luke faced scrutiny and court appearances for the lewd language and alleged nature of his group, 2 Live Crew, his problems at home are becoming something that require more attention.
The daughter of Luke, legally Luther Campbell, who was featured on his reality show Luke's Parental Advisory, is looking to get her own 15 minutes of fame and using her dad as the catalyst with allegations that he used to brutally beat her mother.
Along with abuse, she is also stating that her father only claims 1 of his 5 children and wants his son Luther to be placed in a homeless shelter.
“He use to beat her. Beat her down till she couldn't even move and walk. At the age of 3, he kicked me and my mom out of the house. What kind of father is that?
SOOOO its bad chad johnson dont like black women?????
Chad sends black girls home on his new reality show.
The show just started filming yesterday. Now, when you watch the show it’s going to appear as if he had to narrow down 84 girls to 17! In reality 17 girls were pre-selected by the producers and flown to LA a week prior to do interviews and photo shoots for the show.
The other 67 girls on set were extras filling in. When Chad arrived on set yesterday, he saw a mixed variety of nationalities that the producers had already pre-selected…five black girls, 5 spanish girls, 6 white girls, and a girl of middle eastern decent. He seemed rather upset and acted irritated. The producer felt that that he was unhappy and after talking to them off air, Chad wanted to revise the list of the pre-selected girls. He wanted to send home all of the Black girls and replace them with some of the Caucasian and Hispanic girls who were actually extras on set.
After not having picked any Black girls to remain on the show the producers pressured him into picking at least two. Chad, in turn, chooses the two most GHETTO girls there. And by ghetto…you know the ones that cause black men to say that’s the reason they don’t date black women anymore. Bossip, it is really sad to see a man who has entirely black family, including beautiful black children would have such low regard for black women. I’ve heard stories about his preference in the past but never in a million years would I think he would make it that obvious, especially knowing that his tv show is not exactly catering to the white folks… Guess people would rather not want the reality of the situation... chad like white girls and spanish girls...
BUT THIS IS OK :) lol
The Cincinnati Bengals star recently sponsored one of his biggest fans, this little cutie Ruben St. Hilaire, Jr (who lives with his mother in a homeless shelter in New York City) to go to a special football camp.
After Ruben received an autographed jersey from Ochocinco, he wrote Chad the cutest thank you letter:
Mr. Johnson, you really make me happy. One of my goals in my future life is to be just like you when I grow up. I wonder who was your role model when you were little? I have three role model(s) in my life that’s my mom, Mr. President Barack Obama and my favorite football player Mr. Chad Johnson. To me you are the best football player in the NFL. May God bless you and your family…
After Ochocinco and Deion Sanders found out Ruben wanted to go to a football camp, Sanders donated a spot in one of his camps (normal pricetag $400-$760) to Ruben and Mr. Chad Johnson presented Ruben with the award at the recent Children Mending Hearts Gala. To top it all off, it was Ruben’s birthday, and Chad led the entire crowd in singing happy birthday.
Aw how sweet! It would be even sweeter if Chad would buy Ruben’s mom a crib though right?
"It's sad y'all believe anything y'all hear & see on the internet.. Especially from someone as credible as Kat Stacks *Smh*"
With the recent slapping of Kat Stacks drawing unnecessary attention and creating accusations, Fabolous has stepped forward to clear the air on his involvement in the incident.
Although the man behind the assault, reported to be Fab's brother Paul Cain, the Brooklyn rapper continues to keep himself away from such instances of n**ger f*ckery.
"Why would I SEND a DUDE to smack a GIRL?? But I know who sent someone to smack her... KARMA!! #RealSh*t."
A new movie documenting the life of Tupac Shakur is set to be made later this year.
Antoine Fuqua, the famed director of “Training Day", is confirming that his next film will be a biopic on the late rap legend.
Fuqua broke the news to Digital Spy and says that he'll be working alongside James G. Robinson, the chairman of Morgan Creek productions to make the movie in the fall.
“It looks like we're doing Tupac Shakur's movie next in September, that's what I've been starting up and working on now. I've been working on that for a while with Morgan Creek and Jim Robinson. I just got the greenlight from him and we're going in September. I've just started to prep that."
While the movie has yet to be cast Fuqua tells Digital Spy that he'd like to give the role of Tupac to an unknown actor, even possibly finding the leading role in the streets.
"That's the goal, I want to discover someone new," he explained. "I want to discover a lot of new people if I can. Obviously I'm going to have to put some people in it that you know, just because actors have different skills. I want to go to the streets and find him anywhere he might be in the world."
Mack Maine decided to clear his name and remove himself from the filth that is Kat Stacks. Details when you…
In the Memorial day issue of Ozone Magazine, Mack reveals that “he doesn’t know that ho”:
Do you want to speak on the whole Kat Stacks fiasco from an insider’s perspective?
I’m a true boss so I never really paid it attention or gave feedback. I just kinda laughed it off and continued getting money. I’m gonna go on record and say, let her do what she do and enjoy her 3 seconds of fame. I never met shorty. I never saw her face to face. I really wanna thank her because she showed me who’s who [in my life]. People came at me like, “I know you didn’t do that.” It’s like, do you believe everything you hear? I’m not worried about the fans believing the media, but it’s the people that really know you who chastise you without even asking you, like, “You out there sleeping with these types of chicks?”
So the situation had people close to you assuming things about you that weren’t true?
Anybody who really knows me should know that [Kat Stacks] doesn’t even look like the type of woman I like. People that really know me know I don’t deal with B.S. If you get on our tour bus and I don’t feel your vibe, I’ll politely ask you to leave. If she’s not smiling, or vibing with us, or she’s texting on the phone – which could mean she’s trying to set somebody up – I pay attention to stuff like that. With that woman’s attitude, she couldn’t last around me five minutes. I don’t know why anybody would think I’d be involved with her. I’m a very exclusive dude and I don’t like to share. The whole story doesn’t fit me. I’m not mad at her, though. People like her just need attention. I was just disappointed in the people that I know who were trying to attack my character.
Celebrity Rehab is all set to add another star to its cast — “Bone Thugs-N-Harmony” rapper Bizzy Bone. We’re told Bizzy – real name Byron McCane — wants to seek treatment for an addiction to marijuana and alcohol.
As we’ve previously reported, the producers behind the VH1reality show starring Dr. Drew have been on a mission to lock down a cast — and fast … or else the show could be in danger. If the show survives — Bizzy could join Tila Tequila and Jason Wahler inside the rehab facility.
Actor Dennis Hopper, whose 50-year film career spanned such classics as “Rebel Without a Cause,” “Easy Rider,” “Apocalypse Now” and “Blue Velvet” died Saturday
“Diff’rent Strokes” actor Gary Coleman fell at his home on Wednesday May 26th, hitting his head. On Friday, artistic director John Alcante confirmed he’d been placed on a respirator and was unconscious. The spokesman for the ambulance, Janet Frank later announced that the ventilator had been disconnected and Coleman actor had died at 12:05
"Say Sorry to Bow Wow," the goons said. Well, this is really sad, but the reality is somebody slapped up and punched Kat Stacks, taped it and requested an apology on behalf of Bow Wow and nobody else. HELLO! Peep it below.
Apparently, Kat Stacks is going to sue Fabolous. I don’t know all the in’s and out’s with their relationship, but apparently, she made a plea to Fab NOT to release the video of her getting beat down by a person that is allegedly Paul Cain, Fab’s bro. This all went down in Atlanta at a bar. Not sure when. After Kat was slapped once, she was slapped again and then she fell. But, you know all of this, right? Her phone was taken from her too.
Kat Stacks levied down her accusations on Twitter:
yes its true @myfabolouslife sent people today to smack me up at the bar & they stole my phone & recorded it. i dare yall to blast it."
" got my a** wooped? it was 2 n*ggas yelling @myfabolouslife & @bowwow name ... im a female u got 2 n*ggas to hit me LOL lame."
It appears that for the first time in history, Simon Cowell and the American Idol fans agree about something! According to TV Guide, Idol fans want Bret Michaels to replace Simon Cowell next season as a judge. 71 percent of their viewers say that yes, Bret Michaels should replace Simon Cowell.
Simon himself even threw an endorsement at Bret during the Idol after-party Wednesday night, according to KDVR.com.
So there we have it: the hard-hitting judge who calls it like he sees it is in agreement with Idol fans for once. Bret Michaels would make a great Idol judge, and many viewers are leaving comments to the effect that they weren’t going to watch Idol next season, but if Bret is the judge, they will. Interestingly, many viewers are also saying that Kara DioGuardia can go too…let it be Bret Michaels, Ellen and Randy Jackson.
WHAT!!!!!!??? there is no way this dude should be judging idol.... its insane... he wrote one good song...ONE! "every rose has its thorn"... Please PLEASE PLEASE dont do this.... can we please have the man that has produced 80 MILLION RECORDS!!! can we have the man who has judged harshly 5 seasons of making the band!!!!??? please please please pick diddy!!!
One day I was using my cell phone's GPS service to find the nearest Target. I was driving down the road when suddenly my cell phone piped up, "Turn right here." I looked to the right. There was no road, just a tree and some grass. I chalked it up to a GPS glitch and turned right at the next corner.
If I had been Lauren Rosenberg, however, I would have turned right at that very moment, hit the tree, suffered some cuts and minor brain damage, and then turned around and sued Verizon for the glitch in its GPS service.
Seriously.
Rosenberg, a Los Angeles California native, is suing Google because Google Maps issued directions that told her to walk down a rural highway. She started walking down the highway--which had no sidewalk or pedestrian paths--and was struck by a car. She is suing Google for her medical expenses ($100,000), as well as punitive damages. She is also suing the driver who struck her, Patrick Harwood of Park City, Utah.
On January 19, 2010, Rosenberg was apparently trying to get from 96 Daly Street, Park City, Utah, to 1710 Prospector Avenue, Park City, Utah. She looked up the walking directions using Google Maps on her Blackberry. Google Maps suggested a route that included a half-mile walk down "Deer Valley Drive," which is also known as "Utah State Route 224."
There's not much more to say--she started walking down the middle of a highway, and a car hit her. Who wouldn't have seen that one coming?
According to Rosenberg's complaint filing:
"As a direct and proximate cause of Defendant Google’s careless, reckless and negligent providing of unsafe directions, Plaintiff Lauren Rosenberg was led onto a dangerous highway, and was thereby stricken by a motor vehicle, causing her to suffer sever permanent physical, emotional, and mental injuries, including pain and suffering."
Google actually does offer up a warning about its walking directions--if you view Google Maps on a computer, it gives you the following message: "Walking directions are in beta. Use caution--This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths."
This warning does not show up in PDA's and cell phones, however. I suppose Google figured that people who are smart enough to use Blackberries are probably also smart enough to not walk directly into the middle of traffic.
For the record, when I look up driving directions from my current city (San Francisco, California) to the city I grew up in (Tokyo, Japan), Google Maps suggests I kayak across the Pacific Ocean (with a rest stop in Hawaii, of course).
I can't wait until Ms. Rosenberg tries to travel overseas ("The plaintiff was unaware that attempting to kayak 5,100 miles is an unreasonable endeavor").
The Magic Season is unfortunately over :( now it is time for all out bucs coverage!
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!!!????
Buccaneers Quarterback Situation
TOPIC 1: FREEMAN'S BALL SECURITY
Much has been made about Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback Josh Freeman and his need to avoid interception and his accuracy. That isn't the only route that Freeman needs to get better with his ball security.
Last season Freeman had 10 fumbles, but he recovered eight of them. I think that experience will help him understand the urgency, and the severity of what a fumble does to a football team. You don't have to be a professional to realize that you aren't supposed to fumble the ball. It can be attributed to a number of things.
On a play you are thinking about a lot of different things, and ball security isn't necessarily the number one thing to think about, but in the NFL it is the number one priority. In the NFL, experience will be ingrained in him, and he will be forced to hold onto the ball.
Whether you're throwing it to the other team or putting it on the ground, that is the easiest way to lose a football game. Every coach says it before and after a game. I believe experience will help him to reduce the interceptions and fumbles.
Before I've spoken about how I wish that Freeman would hold the football more in the center of the ball. For his hand size he holds the ball too much near the end of it. That makes the ball less stable in your hand. That is not the absolute cause of any particular fumble, but it just causes you to have a looser handle of the football. The further you go holding the ball towards the end the less stable it will be. I think he should move up another notch on the thread and that would give him a more secure hold of the ball that would help a few things, specifically ball security.
Having two hands on the ball is something that I train all youth quarterbacks to do at America's Best Quarterback. Sometimes pro quarterbacks get a little bit lazy on it. I think that Freeman fell into that and he could improve that as well.
TOPIC 2: JOHNSON'S POTENTIAL
I like Bucs backup quarterback Josh Johnson a lot. I don't think that he's ever going to get the chance to be the starting quarterback where a team is handed to him like Freeman. Whether that is on merit or not, I just don't think he'll ever get that chance, so I think he's going to be a spot player and a potential long-reliever to go with a baseball analogy.
I wrote to Mark Dominik and Raheem Morris last season to let them know what I saw when watching Josh Johnson. He has a great whip. He really rips the ball better than any quarterback that they had going into camp last year, including Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich.
A mechanical issue that Johnson does do is put the ball back behind his head and neck so far that he doesn't get around some times so his long ball is not going to be what he wants it to be, and have the results that he wants. The front end of the ball is going to stay up a lot and it is not going to turn over as it should. Regularly that causes the longer ball to float.
That also has to do with proper release points. His strength is when he throws short and hard. On some passes he throws the ball harder than he probably should because he is more comfortable with the results when he snaps the ball hard. When he releases it high to loft in a longer pass he leaves the front of the ball short and up and that causes it to float and become more variable as it goes downfield.
That issue with downfield accuracy is in line with things I've read in some Pewter Insider stories where sources with the Bucs question Johnson's abilities as a natural passer, and the potential to throw the different types of passes. I don't ever expect Johnson to be a great long ball thrower, but he still has the ability to throw some good balls down the field and it is just about the consistency.
TOPIC 3: THIRD-STRING QUARTERBACK THEORY
These upcoming OTAs will give us a good look at the derby for the third quarterback spot between Rudy Carpenter and Jevan Snead. Perhaps one of them can challenge Johnson, but right now the competition appears to be for Carpenter or Snead to make the team as the emergency quarterback.
If I were the coach that is looking at picking a third-string quarterback I would want a guy that potentially is a very good quarterback over a guy that has limited potential but might give your defense better looks on the scout team. I would want a guy that given certain situations, and through development and coaching he could be a starter in time.
That said, if I don't have that guy than you have to go with a good guy for practice that is your rep guy. He would be the type of player that can look like opposing quarterbacks. He would have skills of a mobile quarterback. Josh Johnson is the type of quarterback that I'd love to have as my third guy if I were a pro coach. He has the mobility to look like a running quarterback, and the pocket presence to look like that type of passer.
Plus, if the third-string guy is athletic he could help out even on special teams practice by just running down the field in punt coverage. The little things like that help a football team to produce good practices during the season when injuries start mounting, and normal contributors on Sundays are limited during the week.
Some teams have gotten away with not having a third quarterback on the active roster but having one on the practice squad. If you can do that it is advantage from a roster numbers standpoint, but if he's too good you worry he's going to get taken by another team.
Ultimately you still want a third quarterback that you think can develop into being a very solid pro quarterback.
First Al Davis refuses to pay Mike Shanahan the remaining money due on his contract, then he tries to do the same thing with Lane Kiffen; now he's wanting JaMarcus Russell to give back $10 million.
The Oakland Raiders have filed a grievance against former quarterback JaMarcus Russell seeking repayment of $9.55 million, the team confirmed Thursday.
The grievance is based on the contention by the Raiders that the contract was changed at one point during Russell’s three-year stint with the organization and that he’s not allowed to keep all of the money he had collected prior to his May 7 release. Russell, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft, was guaranteed $32 million as part of a six-year contract reportedly worth $68 million.
"We have filed a grievance against JaMarcus Russell and that’s all we’re going to say at this time,” Raiders attorney Jeff Birren said.
Part of the guaranteed $32 million was originally in the form of salary advances for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons. A portion of those salaries is in question, according to the grievance.
“The money in question was fully guaranteed. That is why JaMarcus was forced to hold out and miss all of training camp as a rookie,” said Eric Metz, one of Russell’s two agents. “The Raiders know that and this is our only comment.”
Remember in coach Jon Gruden’s last season in Tampa Bay when he kept saying Ruud should be included in talk about the NFL’s best middle linebackers? Gruden had a point. Ruud was making plays and seemed to be ascending as fast as any player in the league.
Ruud seemed on the verge of being a true star and the face of the franchise when Gruden left and the new regime cut ties with Derrick Brooks and a bunch of older players. But Ruud never emerged as a difference-maker last season. He produced a career-best 142 tackles last season, but can you recall him making a single big play?
Not really. But let’s not put all of the blame on Ruud. There was chaos for most of Raheem Morris’ first year as Tampa Bay’s head coach. The Bucs tried to switch to a different defense under coordinator Jim Bates, who got fired midway through the season. Tampa Bay switched back to the old Monte Kiffin defense and things got a little better at the end of the year.
The Bucs went out and drafted defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price with their first two picks. That should make Ruud the happiest guy in town. He still doesn’t have that long-term contract he’s been seeking for more than a year. But his plays no longer will start with Chris Hovan and Ryan Sims getting blown 5 yards off the ball. McCoy and Price should fill some space and keep blockers off Ruud.
That should allow him to start making the kind of plays that will get him a big contract.
It appears that for the first time in history, Simon Cowell and the American Idol fans agree about something! According to TV Guide, Idol fans want Bret Michaels to replace Simon Cowell next season as a judge. 71 percent of their viewers say that yes, Bret Michaels should replace Simon Cowell.
