NFL Capsules: Houston Texans, clinic team on concussion effort
HOUSTON — The Houston Texans are partnering with a neurological institute to help raise awareness about concussions.
Quarterback Matt Schaub was on hand Wednesday as the initiative between the Methodist Concussion Center in Houston and the Texans was announced. The pairing will include outreach programs aimed at trainers, coaches and parents of youth and school-aged athletes.
Schaub, who suffered a concussion in 2007, says it is "vital" to educate students and parents about the dangers of concussions and how to diagnose and treat them.
Earlier this week, the NFL said it was donating $1 million for the study of brain injuries to Boston University School of Medicine.
Taylor committed to Jets, wants to create ‘havoc’
NEW YORK — Jason Taylor had an uneasy feeling when he visited the New York Jets’ training facility two weeks ago.
There was green and white everywhere, and this was the team the former Miami Dolphins star despised for so long. And among Jets fans, the feeling was mutual.
"It’s a little surreal," Taylor said after signing a two-year deal with the Jets on Wednesday. "To be honest, really on my first visit, walking into the building, kind of feeling like you’re walking into somewhat enemy territory, it was different."
Taylor said he’s over the awkwardness now, and committed to being a member of the Jets’ top-ranked defense.
"Well, it is pretty ironic where we find ourselves right now," he said.
The NFL’s active sacks leader spent 12 of his 13 seasons in Miami, and was hoping for an offer from the Dolphins that never came. After vacationing in Costa Rica last weekend, he decided to join the Jets.
"This is where I’m supposed to be right now," Taylor said. "I’m here for one reason, and I’m here to play football the best that I can and help this team win a Super Bowl. If that happens here, people in Hollywood spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to end a movie, or people try to figure out how to end a book. What better ending is it than to win the Super Bowl?
"To do it here, it would be pretty ironic, but it would be awesome."
New York could pay Taylor only $1.75 million in base salary this season, the same amount that unrestricted free agent kicker Jay Feely signed for with Arizona. The deal includes a large roster bonus for the second year, so Taylor is basically playing for a one-season run with the Jets.
"Things didn’t work out where I could stay in Miami," he said. "I’m proud to be where I am now and look forward to creating some havoc for the Jets and winning some ballgames and winning some fans over here."
That might take some time — or a few well-timed sacks. He was long a part of one of the NFL’s most intense rivalries, and had a contentious relationship with fans in New York. Taylor called them ignorant and classless, and said their "J-E-T-S!" chant was "dumb."
Now, he’s saying all the right things.
"We had a good time with it and we went at it a lot of times and it added some fuel to the fire," Taylor said. "Me being up here may or may not add more fuel to the fire, but as far as the Jets fans are concerned, I’m one of you guys now."
He made sure to check out the regular-season schedule when it was released Tuesday night, and knows he might get a negative reception in Miami when the Jets play there Sept. 26.
"Look, I played a long time in Miami, so those fans and a lot of people associated with that city will always hold a special place in my heart." Taylor said. "It’s like when you’re dating a girl for so long and you guys break up. They still hold a place in your heart.
"At the same time, it’s time for a new chapter."
During a 30-minute news conference Tuesday night at his foundation’s offices in Weston, Fla., Taylor said the Dolphins offered him an extension last November, but withdrew the proposal before the season ended. He said Miami made no offer since and gave him no reason for the lack of interest in a new deal. Taylor said he had a meeting scheduled last week with coach Tony Sparano, but the Dolphins canceled it.
Fearing he might not get any other offers, Taylor decided to sign with the Jets. He knows some will question his motives and desire.
"I can’t really concern myself with that," he said. "I’ve kind of had a chip on my shoulder all my career. I’ve always been doubted. I’ve always been told I was too small, I was too pretty, I was too this. ... I’m 35 years old and people think I can’t do it anymore because I’m too old and maybe I’m washed up and can’t get to the quarterback anymore, so the chips keep growing. The fire’s still burning, trust me. It’s burning hot."
Taylor said his surgically repaired right shoulder is feeling good and he expects to be 100 percent for training camp in August. Meanwhile, he’ll participate in offseason workouts.
Taylor also said he’s looking forward to going back to a pass-rushing role in Rex Ryan’s 3-4 defensive scheme and add to his 127½ career sacks.
"I know people like to say I’m old," Taylor said, "but I like to think I have the potential still to ring up some good numbers and make some good plays and some game-changing plays. That’s what I’m here for."
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Settlement appears likely in lawsuit vs. Bush
SAN DIEGO — Reggie Bush apparently has reached an out-of-court settlement with a fledgling sports marketer who is trying to recoup nearly $300,000 in cash and gifts the star running back and his family allegedly accepted while he was playing at the University of Southern California.
Depositions involving the two former marketers who wooed Bush while he was at USC have been called off, attorney Brian Watkins told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Asked if Bush was still scheduled to be deposed on Friday, Watkins said: "I have no comment."
Settlement documents could be filed in court within days.
A settlement could stymie the NCAA and Pacific-10 Conference investigators, who are trying to determine whether Bush and his parents took improper benefits. Bush has not met with NCAA and Pac-10 investigators, and has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
If Bush is found retroactively ineligible, he could lose his 2005 Heisman Trophy.
If the NCAA determines that USC violated rules, the football program could have to forfeit victories from those seasons — when the Trojans won a national championship and lost in the BCS title game against Texas — and face additional penalties.
Watkins represents Lloyd Lake in his lawsuit against Bush.
Lake’s scheduled deposition Monday did not occur, said Watkins, who declined to provide a reason.
Lake’s former partner, Michael Michaels, was scheduled to be deposed Wednesday.
"It will not go through," Watkins said.
A call to Bush’s attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, was not immediately returned.
Lake and Michaels were trying to attract Bush as a client for their marketing firm, New Era. Bush did not sign with New Era.
Michaels owned a San Diego-area house where Bush’s parents allegedly lived rent-free. Michaels reached an out-of-court settlement with Bush’s family in April 2007 that included a confidentiality agreement.
In late December, Bush lost his bid to go to confidential arbitration to settle Lake’s lawsuit.
Referring to Michaels’ settlement with Bush, Watkins told the AP last week: "Basically Reggie Bush bought his silence for $300,000, so he was unable to speak to the media, and, of course, cooperate with the NCAA."
Watkins tried to take Bush’s deposition in February 2008, but said the running back didn’t show up.
A few weeks earlier, Watkins and Lake walked out of a deposition, saying that a bodyguard for Bush’s attorney at the time, David Cornwell, opened his jacket to expose a pistol.
Yahoo! Sports first reported news of a settlement in the Lake case.
-- Bernie Wilson
Michael McCaskey to retire as Bears chairman
CHICAGO — Chicago Bears chairman Michael McCaskey announced his retirement after the 2010 season on Wednesday and said the family of founder George Halas has no plans to sell the storied team.
"We intend for our family to own the Bears as long as you care to think about it," Michael McCaskey said at a news conference in suburban Lake Forest. He will turn over chairman duties to his brother, George McCaskey, who has been directing Bears ticket operations.
Virginia McCaskey, the team’s owner, is 87 and still the secretary of the board of directors.
"My mom and I are both in good health, but you never know what’s coming next. We lost Walter Payton and that certainly affected me," Michael McCaskey said. "Walter said it very well. He said tomorrow’s not promised to anyone, so you just don’t know what’s coming ahead."
A grandson of Halas, the 66-year-old McCaskey taught at Harvard Business School and operated a Boston consulting company before joining the Bears.
He served as team president from 1983-1999, a stint that included the Bears’ only Super Bowl victory following the 1985 season with Mike Ditka coaching a team that included Payton, quarterback Jim McMahon and a defense led by Mike Singletary. McCaskey is also the man who fired Ditka after the 1992 season.
One of Michael McCaskey’s roughest moments came in 1999 when the team botched the hiring of Dave McGinnis as head coach.
The team issued a press release and called a news conference to introduce McGinnis, who was livid because no agreement had been reached. Trying to put it quickly behind them, the Bears then turned to Dick Jauron as head coach.
Not long after the incident, Virginia McCaskey made the decision to boot her son upstairs and promote Ted Phillips, who was the team’s director of finance. Phillips is still the team’s president and CEO.
"It’s disappointing to foul up like that and to cause grief for other people whom you admire," Michael McCaskey said at the time.
George McCaskey said his top priority as chairman is to represent the owners in league matters.
"Our entire family supports the notion of being the owners of the Chicago Bears for as long as possible," George McCaskey said.
-- Rick Gano
Ex-NFL star arrested for alleged drunken driving
LOS ANGELES — Former NFL running back Corey Dillon was arrested Wednesday for investigation of driving under the influence in Southern California, deputies said.
Dillon, 35, driving a red, 2010 Chevrolet Camaro with paper license plates, was stopped shortly before 4 a.m. on Mulholland Drive near Malibu after two deputies noticed a car driving slowly behind them, sheriff’s Lt. Richard Erickson said.
The deputies stopped Dillon to verify the paper plates, authorities said.
"Dillon displayed multiple symptoms of being under the influence, and he admitted to having been drinking earlier in the evening," Erickson said.
Dillon was later released on a citation to appear in court in Malibu on June 21, Erickson said. A passenger in the car was not cited.
Dillon played for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1997 to 2003 and the New England Patriots from 2004 to 2006, earning a Super Bowl ring in his first season with the Patriots.
He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in his first six seasons with the Bengals. But over the years, he earned a reputation in Cincinnati for being a selfish malcontent and troublemaker.
He lobbied to be traded to a winning team and responded in New England by rushing for a career-high and team-best 1,635 yards.
He retired in 2007, saying he wanted to leave at the top of his game.
Vikings sign veteran cornerback Lito Sheppard
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings have signed cornerback Lito Sheppard, shoring up their secondary while Cedric Griffin recovers from surgery on his left knee.
Sheppard’s deal was done Wednesday, bringing a nine-year veteran and two-time Pro Bowl pick to a group of cornerbacks including starters Griffin and Antoine Winfield and backups Benny Sapp and Asher Allen. Griffin got hurt in the NFC championship game and might not be ready for the start of the season.
Sheppard played seven seasons with Philadelphia, the first four while Vikings head coach Brad Childress was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator. Taken in the first round by the Eagles in 2002 out of Florida, Sheppard had a career-high six interceptions in 2006. He has gone to the playoffs in six of his eight seasons.
"Lito is a great guy who fits what we are looking for," Childress said. "He’s the type of person and player we value at the cornerback position."
Sheppard was let go by the New York Jets last month after one disappointing, injury-impacted season with the team. The Jets acquired him in a trade, but he started only nine games and was benched for the AFC championship game. Sheppard was bothered by quadriceps injuries and finished with 31 tackles, one interception and eight passes defended in 11 regular-season games.
Still, Sheppard has made big plays. He has returned three of his 19 career interceptions for touchdowns and was the first player in NFL history with two such returns of more than 100 yards.
Kroenke tells paper he wants Rams to stay put
ST. LOUIS — Billionaire Stan Kroenke says he wants to keep the Rams in St. Louis.
Kroenke told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he will do "everything" he can to keep the Rams in his home state of Missouri. The comments, published Wednesday, are his first since announcing he wants to buy the 60 percent of the team he doesn’t yet own.
Illinois businessman Shahid Khan is also bidding for the 60 percent stake in the Rams. Kroenke declined to comment on details of his bid and he has not returned repeated calls from The Associated Press.
The team’s majority owner and chairman, Chip Rosenbloom, told the Post-Dispatch there’s no reason to believe Kroenke isn’t committed to keeping the team in St. Louis.
Rosenbloom said in an e-mail to the AP that he couldn’t comment on details of the sales process.
Kroenke, who lives in Columbia, Mo., also owns the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche.
Bills claim tight end Matthews off waivers
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Tight end Michael Matthews has been claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills, one day after he was released by the Detroit Lions.
The fourth-year pro will be reunited with first-year Bills coach Chan Gailey, who was his head coach at Georgia Tech. Matthews broke into the league with the New York Giants in 2007 as an undrafted rookie free agent.
After playing two seasons with the Giants, he split parts of the past two years with New England and Detroit. He appeared in only three games with the Lions last season.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, Matthews has eight catches for 54 yards in 39 career games.
Boxes at Chargers stadium deemed unsafe after fall
SAN DIEGO — A California safety agency investigating the fatal fall of a San Diego Chargers employee says more than a dozen viewing boxes at Qualcomm Stadium are unsafe and need protective barriers.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health sent the safety report to the city and the Chargers. It was obtained by KGTV/Channel 10 in San Diego.
The agency was investigating the Oct. 19 fall of 66-year-old Walt Daniels, who fell more than 20 feet from a coaches booth in the press box to stadium seats below. He died at a hospital the next day.
The report says Daniels was delivering programs when he stumbled on stairs, fell down the stairwell, hit a chair and slid off a table through the opening.
The city attorney’s office says it’s reviewing the report.
