America's bloodiest day
Decision due today, but players say cancel games
Advertiser News Services
While America mourned, Paul Tagliabue deliberated.
Although player representatives of all 31 teams unanimously opposed playing NFL games this weekend, Tagliabue, the league's commissioner, remained undecided yesterday.
Other major sports — from college football to baseball to boxing to golf — have postponed events following Tuesday's terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon.
Tagliabue spent yesterday talking to people around the league and, according to Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players' Association, hoping for direction from the White House.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said a decision is expected today.
If Tagliabue is looking for guidance, he need look no further than the players.
After polling all player representatives, Upshaw said he had not heard from one who wanted to play Sunday.
"I don't understand why we're here today," said New York Jet quarterback Vinny Testaverde at the team's training headquarters in Hempstead, N.Y. "I think all the games should be canceled this week."
Cincinnati Bengal offensive lineman Willie Anderson said security should be considered.
"There's a safety factor, whether it's flying or security at the stadium," Anderson said. "There's a lot of risk for having NFL teams traveling this weekend. To think about playing a game this weekend, that's kind of hard."
Oakland Raider defensive end Trace Armstrong, president of the players' association, said he had been in contact with numerous player representatives as well as league officials.
"I am very concerned about playing a football game when we still have loved ones missing," Armstrong said. "I'm leaning toward us not playing and doing what we can, even if it's just a prayer, to help the people who are suffering."
Without the cushion of an extra week this season between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl, Tagliabue could decide to wipe this weekend off the schedule and go with a 15-game season.
But where would that leave the San Diego Chargers, who, because they have a bye this weekend, would be the only team to play 16 games? One possibility would be to use winning percentage to determine playoff spots.
"My primary concern is making a proper decision about whether or not to have a game," Armstrong said. "And then we'll decide about what to do with the rest of the season."
If Tagliabue needed more input, he could listen to Atlanta Falcon coach Dan Reeves.
"It's tough to keep your mind on any kind of strategy as far as football is concerned," said Reeves, who has a friend who worked in New York's demolished World Trade Center and is among the missing. "Gosh, I'm 57 years old, and I've never come close to having anything like this happen. It's just unheard of."
SHORT SNAPS
• Cowboys: Quarterback Quincy Carter hurt the thumb on his throwing hand during practice yesterday when he banged it against a teammate's helmet while following through on a pass. X-rays were negative and the team was calling it a sprain. He's listed as day-to-day and will be re-evaluated today.
• 49ers: Safety John Keith was placed on injured reserve with a torn ligament in his left knee. The team then shuffled several players to remain under the salary cap. The 49ers waived third-string quarterback Kevin Daft and cornerback Jason Suttle before signing cornerback George McCullough, safety Al Blades and quarterback Ricky Ray.
• Patriots: An arbitrator overturned Terry Glenn's season-long suspension yesterday, allowing him to rejoin New England for its fifth game. The fourth leading receiver in team history still must complete a four-game NFL suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. His agent, James Gould, said there are no plans to appeal that now.
• Redskins: Coach Marty Schottenheimer announced yesterday that Jeff George will remain Washington's starting quarterback. Schottenheimer yanked George for Tony Banks in the third quarter of Sunday's 30-3 loss to San Diego. George threw two interceptions and fumbled two snaps.
• Saints: Defensive tackle La'Roi Glover, taken to a hospital for tests yesterday after experiencing chest pains, was cleared to return to practice tomorrow. "He was lifting today, he was benching as a matter of fact, when he felt some pain in his upper shoulder and the heart area and the trainer thought it warranted doing some tests on," coach Jim Haslett said.
• Steelers: Kick returner and backup wide receiver Will Blackwell will miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his left knee during Sunday's 21-3 loss to Jacksonville. Blackwell tore his anterior cruciate ligament when he was tackled on a kickoff in the first half.
