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NFL: Urlacher considering test free-agent waters (The SportsXchange)

Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said in a radio interview Friday he is considering testing the free-agent market after this season.

 

Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler (Shutdown Corner)

Former NFL kicker Mike Vanderjagt, who cut a controversial swath through a nine-year NFL career, is in trouble again. The first kicker in NFL history to go through an entire season without missing a field goal or extra point (he did that in 2003), Vanderjagt is better known for two incidents related to the postseason. In the 2005 playoffs, he missed a 41-yard field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers with seconds left in the game -- not only would the successful try have tied the game at 21, but Vanderjagt threw his helmet to the ground in frustration after the spectacular duck-hook and incurred a 15-yard penalty for his trouble. And after the Colts were eliminated from the 2002 postseason, Vanderjagt criticized head coach Tony Dungy and quarterback Peyton Manning, which led Manning to call Vanderjagt "our idiot kicker who got liquored up" when asked about it at the Pro Bowl. In that interview , Vanderjagt said that Dungy was too mild-mannered, preferring a more volatile approach. "I think you need a guy that is going to get in somebody's face when they're not performing well enough," the kicker said. Apparently, Vanderjagt has taken that philosophy into his post-football life, with very disturbing results. According to the Naples (Florida) Daily News, Vanderjagt, now a coach and school parent at Charter Middle School in Marco Island ( not to mention the owner of a local pizza joint ), allegedly assaulted a student who brought back a very painful memory. [On March 12], Police responded to a call from Mark Albanese, dean of students at the school, who reported an adult male grabbed a student by the throat. Since the incident happened at the end of day, the student involved and witnesses had gone home. Police investigated the following day, talking to students at the scene and to Vanderjagt. One student was taunting Vanderjagt by yelling "wide left, wide left" through a rolled-up poster board that acted as a megaphone, according to a Marco police report. "During his career, he missed a very important field goal attempt during a playoff game," the report stated. Vanderjagt, a school parent and volunteer, was walking through the parking lot when he overheard the comments. One student alleged Vanderjagt walked up to him, grabbed him by the throat and started cursing at him, according to the police report. Another student corroborated his story. Vanderjagt, for his part, claimed that he was just holding the student in place while he gave the kid a good talking-to. Hmmm ... didn't Bob Knight used to use that one? As it turns out, a group of kids at the school had been taunting Vanderjagt with the "Wide left" burn for months (which proves one thing -- these kids need a better education, as the kick in question went wide right), and he had reached the point where enough was enough. On May 14, local police said that no charges would be filed, leaving the matter in the hands of the school board.

 

2012 impact rookies (National Football Post)

Which first-year players will step in right away and produce?

 

Former Colts kicker may lose job over alleged incident with student (The SportsXchange)

Former NFL kicker Mike Vanderjagt may lose his job as a part-time middle school football coach after an alleged confrontation with a student.

 

Rashard Mendenhall: Not Ruling Out Return for Season Opener (Rotowire.com)

Update: Mendenhall impressed onlookers while running and cutting on the side during OTA practices, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

 

2012 NFL Thursday Night Schedule (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

The 2012 Thursday night football schedule has quite a few exciting games, with many of them consisting of division rivalries. The way that the Thursday night games play out could shape the divisional races, possibly bringing NFL fans a very exciting docket.

 

Rookie Steelers LB Spence finding his way (The Associated Press)

PITTSBURGH (AP) Sean Spence walked toward his locker during his first day as a Pittsburgh Steeler last month, saw the number hanging from the hook and couldn't quite believe it.

 

NFL roundup: Giants' Nicks suffers broken foot (The SportsXchange)

New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during Wednesday morning's organized team activity.

 

Vegas has spoken, NFL season win totals are live (National Football Post)

Four picks to keep an eye on this summer as we approach the start of the 2012 season.

 

Steelers' Harrison praises Vilma lawsuit (The SportsXchange)

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison says that regardless of the outcome, all NFL players stand to benefit from Jonathan Vilma's defamation lawsuit against Roger Goodell.