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06/23/2009 - Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FACTS & FIGURES: Division - West. 2008 Record - 10-8. Playoff Result: Lost, 36-26, to Montreal in division final. Stadium - Commonwealth Stadium. Capacity - 60,081. Colors - Green, gold, black and white
Despite boasting a winning record last season, the Eskimos finished last in the CFL Western Division standings at 10-8. That mark was still good enough for a spot in the playoffs, where they defeated Winnipeg in the division semifinals before losing out to Montreal in the East finals.
This season brings a different look for the Green and Gold, as Richie Hall takes over the head coaching reigns for Danny Maciocia, who moved into the role of General Manager and Director of Football Operations. Hall brings with him a proven defensive scheme that will surely have Edmonton competing for its first Grey Cup since 2005.
At quarterback, Ricky Ray will once again be in charge of running the Eskimos and he brings experience to the table. In 2008, Ray completed nearly 70 percent of his pass attempts with 26 touchdowns and 17 picks. He also added five scores on the ground in what was a highly successful season. Ray, along with backup Jason Maas, will feel the heat from rookies Jared Zabransky (Boise State) and Lester Ricard (Tulane), both of whom had terrific collegiate careers.
Helping to take some of the pressure off Ray this season will be a backfield with intriguing options. Canadian Calvin McCarty proved he belonged in his first full season in 2008, rushing for 490 yards and four touchdowns and catching 70 passes for 583 yards and another score. He will be accompanied by free agent Jesse Lumsden, who logged 1,797 yards and nine touchdowns in four seasons with Hamilton. Newcomers Ciatrick Fason and Arkee Whitlock add more depth to this suddenly talented backfield.
Opening holes for those explosive backs shouldn't be a problem, as the Eskimos return a wealth of experience up front. Patrick Kabongo, a West Division All- Star, highlights the group and he will be accompanied by Gord Hinse, who was the 11th overall pick in the 2009 Draft.
While the rest of the offense is talented, it is the receiving corps that makes the attack so dangerous. Kamau Peterson has emerged as one of the more explosive wideouts in the league, having racked up two straight 1,000-yard campaigns and a 101-catch season in 2008. He was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian in 2008. Veteran Fred Stamps churned out 751 receiving yards and six touchdowns a year ago and he will help fill the void left by the departure of Kelly Campbell (1,223 yards, seven TDs).
On the defensive side, Dario Romero anchors the line and the 300-pound tackle had 30 stops and six sacks in being named a 2008 West Division All-Star. Newcomers Greg Peach and Shaun Richardson have impressed during camp and are a couple of players that could make an immediate impact.
In the middle, Edmonton will need to find a replacement for Shannon Garrett, who retired after a highly successful 14-year career in the CFL. Former Roughrider Maurice Lloyd will help fill the void left by Garrett and he is coming off a 74-tackle, five-sack campaign. Lloyd, though, will be pushed by rookie Mark Restelli, who has caught the coaching staff's attention with his play. Tim St. Pierre, a 2008 CFL Draft pick, has also shown flashes of a breakout sophomore season.
In just his second season with Edmonton, Jason Gross impressed in the secondary and led the Eskimos in fumble recoveries (three) and interceptions (five). Lenny Williams (36 tackles) and Jont Buhl (50 tackles, four INTs) join Gross in what is a sound and experienced secondary.
All-Star kicker Noel Prefontaine, who made 35-of-46 field goals last season, signed a contract extension in the off-season, giving the Eskimos an edge in the kicking game. Chris Ciezki, an Edmonton native, made 24 special team tackles last season, tying for the second most in team history.
The Eskimos are the most successful CFL franchise in the modern era, winning 13 Grey Cup titles, and they have a legitimate shot of adding to that total this season. Edmonton has a good combination of talent and experience, and if the team can avoid injury and get a few breaks, there is no reason to believe it can't get the job done.
Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Finish: Second
<< Del Potro rolls in Wimbledon opener
Wimbledon, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fifth-seeded Argentine Juan Martin
del Potro was an easy first-round winner Tuesday at Wimbledon.
The 6-foot-6 del Potro blasted speedy Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-3, 6-1, 6-2
to set-up a second-rounde
<< Rolling Rockies shoot for another win over Angels
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ubaldo Jimenez goes for a fourth straight winning start as
the Colorado Rockies continue a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels
of Anaheim tonight.
Jimenez is 6-6 with a 3.73 earned run average on the season and h
<< Wang gets another try as Yanks battle Braves
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chien-Ming Wang takes another crack at his first win of the
season this evening, when the New York Yankees open a three-game series with
the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.
Wang has been absolutely miserable in his six sta
<< It's worst vs. first as Nationals host Red Sox
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A suddenly-thin rotation might mean Boston Red Sox hurler
Brad Penny isn't going anywhere. It doesn't hurt that he has been pitching
well either.
Penny and his current team kick off a three-game set with Washington tonight
Roddick, del Potro reach second round at Big W >>
Wimbledon, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two-time runner-up Andy Roddick and
fifth-seeded Argentine Juan Martin del Potro were a pair of first-round
winners Tuesday at Wimbledon.
The sixth-seeded Roddick hiccupped in the third set in an othe
2009 CFL Western Preview - British Columbia Lions >>
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FACTS & FIGURES: Division - West. 2008 Record
- 12-8. Playoff Result: Lost, 22-18, to Calgary in divison finals. Stadium -
B.C. Place. Capacity - 29,706. Colors - Orange, black and silver
Last season, had
2009 CFL Eastern Preview - Hamilton Tigercats >>
Hamilton, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FACTS & FIGURES: Division - East. 2008 Record:
3-15. Playoff Result: None. Stadium - Ivor Wynne Stadium. Capacity - 29,600.
Colors: Black and Gold
The 2008 season was one to forget for the Hamilton Tigerca
2009 CFL Eastern Preview - Montreal Alouettes >>
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FACTS & FIGURES: Division - East. 2008 Record:
11-7. Playoff Result: Lost, 22-14, to Calgary in Grey Cup Championship.
Stadium - Percival Molson Stadium. Capacity - 20,202. Colors: Red, blue,
silver, white, a
Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.
Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.
"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.
The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.
But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.
The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.
Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.
The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.
The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.
Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."
Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.
"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."
Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.
It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.
"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."
Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.
"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."
At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.
According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.
Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.
Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.
Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.
Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.
While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.
"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.
Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.
Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com
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