Q&A with Gary Stills

Gary Stills set a franchise record last season when he registered 44 special teams tackles in his first year with the Ravens, and the linebacker leads the team this season with 26. Stills’ fast motor is matched by his passion for cars.

If you weren’t playing football, what would you be doing?

I would probably have pursued something like having my own construction company or being an auto mechanic. I love cars, and I like to build things. I am a car freak. In the next couple of years, I’m going to have a car farm.

What’s your favorite car?

The [Mercedes Benz] S65 AMG. I’ve got the S550. The S65 is about $200,000. I’m [a ways] away, but, hopefully, I’ll be able to get one pretty soon. I’ve had the 55 AMG, and now I just have the S550 sedan.

What do you like about the S65?

That’s a hard-nosed car. V12, bi-turbo, MG-modified, 604 horsepower, 747 pounds of torque, and it goes about 220 [mph] with no governor.

Smackdown: Best Assistant Coach

Smackdown Results: Offense 8, Defense 7

TAMPA - The success or failure of a professional football player can often be attributed to their positional coach.

While head coaches are often overseeing the final product, assistant coaches work daily toward improving their player’s skill, ability, awareness and making a good player become great. They often do not receive praise when their unit does well, but collect all of the blame when those players struggle.

This week’s Smackdown pits Tampa Bay running backs coach Art Valero against defensive backs coach Raheem Morris to determine who is ”The Best Assistant Coach.” The winner receives some well-deserved recognition for their coaching abilities.

Raheem Morris, Defensive Backs Coach

When Morris returned to Tampa Bay this year after coaching one season Kansas State, he inherited a unit in need of an extreme makeover.

Sure, Morris had All Pro defensive back Ronde Barber and standout Brian Kelly, but he also inherited Phillip Buchanon, considered a first round draft bust, Jermaine Phillips after a disappointing season, a rookie name Tanard Jackson, and other NFL journeyman.

Instead of complaining, Morris simply made his defensive backs into arguably one of the best units for Tampa Bay this season.

Tampa Bay’s pass defense is currently ranked No.2 in the NFL, while the careers of Buchanon and Phillips have surprisingly reemerged.

Full Story: Smackdown: Best Assistant Coach - [Tampa Bay Online]

Field Makes Curry Classic

A local holiday basketball tournament staple has emerged this Christmas season with a famous name.

The first Ronald Curry Christmas Classic begins at 2 p.m. today, with games to follow at 4, 6 and 8 for three days.

The tournament features 16 boys teams, almost all from the Peninsula and Southside, competing at the Hampton University Convocation Center and Holland Hall. If the brackets hold true to form, the fireworks will culminate Friday when two of the best from the Peninsula and Southside — Bethel and Booker T. Washington — should meet in the final at 8 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

This event is an expanded version of the Bethel-Hampton Christmas Classic, which has been held in high school gyms. Ronald Curry’s entertainment company came on board this year to give the event a boost, as Curry has begun to do more events in the community in which he grew up.

Full Story: Field makes Curry classic - [DailyPress.com]

Browns Sign Vet Hamilton

The Browns have filled two vacant roster spots with defensive linemen to boost an ailing unit.

Wednesday, the team signed 13-year NFL veteran Bobby Hamilton and moved 2007 sixth-round draft pick Melila Purcell from the practice squad to the active roster.

Hamilton (6-feet-5, 285 pounds) has played in 164 NFL games with 102 starts for the Jets, Patriots and Raiders and was a part of two Pats Super Bowl championship teams with Browns head coach Romeo Crennel as his defensive coordinator.

In his career, he has made 457 tackles with 19 sacks, 28 pass breakups, 6 fumble recoveries and 2 forced fumbles.

Russell Running out of Nowhere

Steelers rookie Gary Russell doesn’t have to look far for hope, that, as an undrafted free agent running back, he can someday be an impact player in the NFL.All he has to do is take a quick look 10 feet across the locker room at Pro Bowler Willie Parker.

“You always have hope,” Russell said. “We came from a similar situation — mine might be a little worse than his — but it always gave me a clear road when I got here to show that I can still do it.”

Russell’s opportunity may come a lot sooner than he or anyone else could have expected.

Full Story: Steelers’ Russell running out of nowhere - [Pittsburgh Tribune Review]

Goal Line’s Everett Levy Wins Scouts TD Passing Title!

Everett Levy, the son of Brian Levy (and future Goal Line client) wrapped up the Scouts League TD Passing title by throwing for a season high five Touchdowns along with a 100 yard TD on an interception return in the final regular season game. In leading his team to a 40-13 victory and season record of 6-2, Everett finished the season with 20 TD Passes, 3 TD runs, 6 sacks and 3 INTs and was named to the All-Star team.

Source

Man of Steel

Shortly after Mike Tomlin was named coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers in January, he had dinner with star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

On the menu was how Tomlin, an unknown outsider, was going to win over a team that was expecting offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt or offensive line coach Russ Grimm to be tabbed as Bill Cowher’s successor.

The 35-year-old, first-time head coach chewed on what Roethlisberger had to say, and at spring minicamp he met with each player. He also debuted the “news,” a daily rundown of mistakes by Pittsburgh players that Tomlin goes over in front of the team. Among his first headliners was Roethlisberger.

The message was clear: The new coach in the Steel City didn’t have a heart of stone, but he had an iron will and nobody was going to bend it, not Roethlisberger and not the fans who had embraced Cowher for 15 years and Chuck Noll for 23 seasons before that, and been rewarded with five Super Bowl titles.

“I’ve been blessed to be around some great coaches and I have some great mentors in this business,” said Tomlin, whose big break came in 2001, when Tony Dungy hired him to be the Buccaneers’ defensive backs coach. “Everybody has a different perspective on what it is that we do, but one of the things that reverberated throughout everybody is be yourself and do it your way. That’s what I’ve done.”

Full Story: Tomlin’s style seems a good fit in Pittsburgh - [Boston Globe]

Giants will use Dockery for Ross at CB

Kevin Dockery will make his second start at cornerback for the Giants Sunday in place of rookie Aaron Ross.

That may seem like a big drop-off, given that Dockery is a below-the-radar guy in the secondary. But Dockery, a second-year undrafted free agent, has been playing plenty this season. And he’s been playing plenty in a starter’s role, because when he enters games as the nickel corner, he plays on the side instead of the slot, where the nickel usually slides in.

Ross has been the one to move inside. So Dockery, who was an emergency starter against the Jets when Ross was benched for the first half for disciplinary reasons, has had plenty of experience out on the wing.

“There’s really not a lot of adjustments to be made,” Dockery said after the Giants’ final practice of the week before facing the Bears in Chicago. “I’m not going to play out of position or anything.”

Full Story: Giants will use Dockery for Ross at CB - [Newsday.com]

Related:

• Giants turn to Dockery, Ross with injuries - [ESPN]
• A Corner Office - [New York Post]
• All eyes on Giants’ Dockery - [NorthJersey.com]