ESPN's Christ Mortensen reports the NFL Players' Association will file suit on Thursday in fedral court in Minnesota to stop the league from suspending the three Saints and two Vikings players. The NFL Players Association wants the case in a feral court, which guarantees that it will be handled by Judge David S. Doty, a plus for the players.
Hornets beat Suns
The Hornets won their fifth of their last six games by defeating the Phoenix Suns 104-91 on Wednesday night at the Arena.
Suns point guard Steve Nash (flu) and center Shaq O'Neal (sore left knee) did not play.
With the Suns collapsing to cover Chris Paul's penetration, Peja Stojakovic spotted up for 14 third-quarter points.
The Suns wee missing two stars, but the Hornets' three stars were at their best, with Paul scoring 24 points and 15 assists, Stojakovic matching Paul with a season-high 24 points and David West grabbing a season high 14 rebounds.
The Hornets were the aggressors in seeking the ball, and when they had it they went to the line for 35 free throws, compared to the Suns' 13.
The Hornets were outscored by 10 points for 3:32 period when Paul was out of the lineup.
The Hornets had 17 offensive rebounds which led to 28 second-chance points.
The Suns have lost six straight games to the Hornets.
Atlanta Falcons
Last year was a train wreck for the Atlanta Falcons.
From Michael Vick to Bobby Petrino to all the morass in between, the Falcons' season ranked as arguably the worst for any franchise in pro sports history.
The Mike Smith came in as coach with a fresh new attitude. He told his players they were going to be hiccups, but they would get through them.
Chemistry is as important as anything in the NFL. Teams are changing players every year and the teams that can build relationships and find their identity the quickest are the ones that succeed.
If any team in the middle of a December jumble has the look of a playoff team, it's the Falcons. At this point, the surprise would be if they didn't get in.
They are 8-4. They have a rookie quarterback, Matt Ryan, who isn't prone to meltdowns. They have a team that already has won road games at Green Bay and San Diego. They have beaten two of the NFC's most physical teams, Carolina and Chicago. Their running game is second to only the Giants'. The defense gives up plays, but is improving and opportunistic. Over-all. the team is healthy at key positions and has steadily improved
from game 1 to game 12 -- which differentiates them from almost everybody in the NFC.
Falcons coach Mike Smith answers these questions:
Q: What has Jonathan Vilma done to stand out and show he's one of the top middle linebackers in the NFL?
A: He's a very impressive player, not only as a run and pass defender, but he's a very physical player. When he was coming out, we really did our due diligence in Jacksonville of looking at Jonathan. He's very intelligent. I think he has a great understanding of the defensive football and I think he's a great addition to the defense here with the Saints. I think he's one the top, if not the top middle linebacker in the NFC.
Q: When you watch him on film, is it evident that what a lot of what he does is reactionary?
A: He's a very reactionary guy. He has great instincts. He reacts to the block. It looks like he has a very good feel for what teams are doing formationally, because sometimes he's there before the ball carrier. He gets to the spot where they're trying to go. I'm very impressed with Jonathan, He’s been a big addition for the Saints defense..
Q: Are you surprised at the way your team has competed for a playoff spot this season?
A: We've played very efficiently this season. I think it's a tribute to our veteran players. We don't have a lot of veterans, but the ones that we do have done a good job of leading our younger players and mentoring them in getting them to understand what it takes to be successful in this league. To answer you question directly, not really surprised. We knew that when we went through training camp and minicamps that we felt we were building a very good nucleus of young players and we had a very close knit group as well.
A: Are you surprised that the Saints are 6-6 despite their offensive success?
Q: I think the league is so close when you start talking about win-loss records and all that, it's such a fine line between winning and losing. We''ve all had that happen here in Atlanta, just like you guys have had happen in New Orleans. Again, I think you have to keep fighting and going. Each week, you know you're in a battle. I'm very, very impressed with the weapons and the way they put their game plan together in New Olreans.The numbers they put up with the yards and the explosive plays. Anytime you have that ability to create explosives, you know they can score quickly and they've done it some situations where they've been banged up.
SOME HITHER, OTHERS YON: Even the Las Vegas line-setters are surprised at Florida being a 9 1/2-point favorite in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday in Atlanta. Alabama is No. 1 in all the polls, undefeated, but is an underdog in this game. "We were talking about that line the other morning," Mike Seba of Las Vegas Sports Consultants, which sets the line for 90 per cent of Vegas sports books. told Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post. "It's kind of unprecedented. I can't remember a time when a No. 1 team was a double-digit dog, especially on a neutral field."
It has happened at least once, in the 2001 Orange Bowl. No. 1 Oklahoma was a 10-point underdog to No. 2 Florida State, but the Sooners won 13-2.
Nick Saban's Alabama team has less hype and star power than usually goes with a No. 1 team. "That's just because they don't make ESPN highlights easily," said CBS analyst Gary Danielson.
The Tide thrive on a non-name defense that ranks No. 3 in the nation in yards allowed and points per game (11.5), and with a discipline instilled by Saban.
"This Alabama team is a sum greater than its parts," said Danielson.
On the other sideline is the reigning Heisman winner (Tim Tebow), two potential first-round picks in the next NFL draft (Percy Harvin and Brando Spikes) and a coach with a national championship ring (Saban has one, too).
The Gators have covered the point spread in seven of the eight games since losing to Ole miss, barely missing the 55-point spread in a 70-19 victory over The Citadel.
"Florida would have to be favored over anybody," said the Vegas voice, who predicted Florida as a three-point favorite over Oklahoma if they meet in the tile game. Plus, the game is in Miami."
Florida is the kind of team that can run up the score where Alabama usually wins with defense.
Will Smith, Deuce McAllister and Charles Grant have been suspended for four games by the NFL for taking an illegal substance (diet pills) according to league rules. Grant was already lost for the season by being on the injured reserve list.
What is quarterback Drew Brees' reaction to losing the three teammates?
''It was tough," said the quarterback. "I don't know the inside scoop. Obviously there was a decision that was going to be made after the hearing the testimony from everybody. but all I know is we don't have them here for the last four weeks, and they are obviously two guys that are very important to this team.?
Does Brees think there could have been a fine or some other punishment other than suspensions?
"I guess," said Brees. "With that rule, the way they kind of look at it or the stance they are taking is, is this a gray area? It's so hard. I can say knowing those guys as people, that they would never take anything where it was against the rules, that it had to be one of those situations where they took something and were not told about everything that was in it or something was kept from them, so then they tested positive. It's unfortunate."
Was Brees prepared for the suspensions?
"You always prepare yourself through the year to lose guys whether it be injury or you never say we're going to lose guys to suspension. If they're injured, they can't play for you. They're not there. I think you always prepare for certain guys to be gone, now when you're looking at 15 guys on the injured reserve list and three guys suspended, it's tough to swallow that."
How will the suspensions affect the team?
"We're not going top make any excuses because we've had young guys step in and do a great job, guys that otherwise would not have had a chance. Now we're seeing the type of players they are and how they are going to help us out the rest of the year and long term. There's no doubt that we're going to bounce back. Other guys are going to get playing time. We signed a couple of guys off the street and off the practice squad today. I'm sure you'll see them on Sunday and hopefully they'll help us."
A Minnesota judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked the NFL's suspensions of Vikings stars Kevin and Pat Williams for violating the league's anti-doping policy, but the players' status for Sunday's game remained uncertain.
The judge issued the temporary restraining order at the players' request, saying he wanted more time to hear arguments in the case. No further hearing date was set.
Hornets beat Suns
