Today, The NFL Today had a show that it could be proud of, spending 12 minutes of its “A” block on both the Javon Belcher-Kasandra Perkins murder suicide and the Josh Brent tragedy in Dallas. James Brown, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher all had strong comments. We have the comments below as well as other topics broached by the one-hour program today.
NEWS, NOTES & QUOTES FROM CBS SPORTS’ “THE NFL TODAY” WITH JAMES BROWN, DAN MARINO, SHANNON SHARPE, BILL COWHER AND BOOMER ESIASON FOR WEEK 14 ON DECEMBER 9
ON DALLAS COWBOYS JOSH BRENT’s ARREST FOR INTOXICATION MANSLAUGHTER
JAMES BROWN ON PAST EIGHT DAYS IN NFL
JAMES BROWN: This has been a harrowing eight days in the national football league. We’ve witnessed a series of events that have cast the harsh spotlight on a pair of major societal issues. Alcohol abuse, which yesterday as we’ve talked about, needlessly claimed the life of a young Dallas Cowboy player, and domestic violence. Women typically take the lead in cause-related efforts, so this is a call to us men for more of us to get off the sidelines and become meaningfully engaged in helping to change this ugly, painful situation. Right now, three women-per-day on average are being killed by their husbands or boyfriends. This means that since Kasandra Perkins’ death last Saturday, at least 21 more women have met the same fate. Respecting and valuing women would seem to be a no-brainer. But profane language in music, the locker room or anywhere else that degrades and devalues women can contribute to attitudes and beliefs that are destructive and potentially violent. A 2006 study demonstrated that with proper coaching and leadership, teenagers can successfully change their attitudes and behaviors towards women. So why can’t more of us
grown men do that as well? Three more women will pay with their lives today, and they don’t have to. I certainly pray that we men are fed up enough or are hurt enough to want to do and say more about these critical issues. Because right now, the silence is deadly.NEW ORLEANS SAINTS ANTHONY HARGROVE LIVE, EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JAMES BROWN ON SET OF THE NFL TODAY TO DISCUSS “BOUNTY-GATE”
Excerpts from Anthony Hargrove’s live, exclusive interview with James Brown on the set of THE NFL TODAY
Click to view: http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/nfl-on-cbs/SEcroUOdoK2b
JAMES BROWN: There was never any payments at all offered for injuring an opponent?
ANTHONY HARGROVE: Never payments, nor discussions ever talking about injuring our opponents or anybody.
JB: Or players knowingly adding to a pool for the purpose of hurting the opposition?
AH: Never.
JB: So what kind of program was in place?
AH: We had a production chart.
JB: A production chart. Who’s production chart.
AH: Gregg Williams.
JB: Which effectively said what?
AH: It kept the stats. It kept practice production; how many plays you made in practice; if you had any missed assignments; tackles you made, interceptions, fumble recoveries, things along those nature.
JB: Okay, look, there is the allegation as well that you told your friend Jimmy Kennedy, with the Minnesota Vikings [at the] NFC Championship, that there was 10,000 dollars on the head of quarterback Brett Favre. Is that true?
AH: That’s a lie.
JB: What do you mean that’s a lie.
AH: That is a lie. Jimmy Kennedy and I talked at the beginning of the NFC Championship Game about our family, our friends and our times in St. Louis together.INSIDE INFORMATION WITH JASON LA CANFORA
(On possible shake up in San Diego with Head Coach and GM at end of season)
JASON LACANFORA: (Owner Dean) Spanos won’t actually formalize this until the end of the year. But it’s virtually certain that both the coach and GM will move on. Spanos believes in separation of church and state between GM and coach. You hire a GM, that GM runs the roster, and he hires the coach. I don’t think you’ll see one person come in there with all the power. Within their current front office, Ed McGuire, longtime right-hand man to Dean Spanos, he isn’t going anywhere. And Jimmy Raye, someone in their front office could be given consideration for the GM job, but it’s not a slam dunk that they would stay inside the organization.
Fox NFL Sunday’s quotage is next.
