What's the Frequency, Kenneth?

Final Score New England Patriots 38 San Diego Chargers 14

That's how the headline should read but I'm sure the potential frequency scandal will push the Patriots victory off the front page and dominate sports radio this week.

Goodell Defends Punishment of Patriots

“I’ve notified the Patriots that if there’s information that I’ve not been made aware of, or if it’s inconsistent with what I’ve been told, I will revisit” the decision, he told Bob Costas on NBC’s “Football Night in America,” which preceded last night’s San Diego-New England game.

He said the league was monitoring all the radio frequencies assigned to teams to determine if they were being used properly. NBC showed a crew of frequency coordinators working behind the Patriots’ desk last night.

~NY Times, Richard Sandomir, 9/17/07

Prior to the game, ESPN sideline reporter Andrea Kramer reported that Tomlinson said that the Chargers would beat the Patriots nine out of ten times. LT might want to revise his math as the Chargers are now winless in their last two games versus New England.

Tomlinson has a history of sounding off on the Patriots:

"When you go to the middle of our field, when you start doing the dance that Shawne Merriman is known for, that's disrespectful to me. And I can't sit there and watch that. And so, yeah, I was very upset. And just the fact that they showed no class at all. Absolutely no class. And maybe that comes from their head coach. So you know, there you have it."

"When you go to the middle of our field and start doing the dance Shawne Merriman is known for, that is disrespectful. They showed no class and maybe that comes from the head coach."
~ESPN, 1/17/07

LT latter back pedaled:

"I still think Hobbs was wrong, but when I sit back and think about it, I don't think Bill has any control over how his players act. He can tell them all day long, 'Guys, let's act like we've been there before,' like Marty (Schottenheimer) does to us, but guys can always do whatever they want to do."

Tomlinson now wishes he hadn't invoked Belichick's name
~USA Today, 2/7/07

L.T., Belichick in harmony at Pro Bowl
AP, 2007

“Obviously, the head coach is the leader of the team, but he can’t control what his players do,” Tomlinson said this morning after accepting the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award along with Drew Brees. “A lot of times, in the heat of the battle or right after the game, you kind of say things sometimes that you want to take back.

Apparently, LT wasn't over it:

"So it really doesn't surprise me that they're trying to gain an edge any way they can."

“I think the Patriots actually live by the saying, ‘If you’re not cheatin, you’re not trying,’ ” Tomlinson told reporters with a hearty laugh in San Diego yesterday. “I mean, I think that’s the way they live off that statement. You keep hearing the different stories of people complaining about stuff that they do. So I’m not surprised.”
~Boston Herald, 9/11/07

Here are LaDainian Tomlinson's 2007 year to date stats:

9/9/07 vs. the Giants
17 rushing attempts for 25 yards, with a long of 10 yards and one touchdown, LT also threw for one touchdown

9/16/07 vs. the Patriots
18 rushing yards for 43 yards, with a long of 11 yards and no touchdowns

Those totals equate to a 1.9 yards per carry average, which is two and a half yards less than his career average. While I'm sure he'll right the ship and return to form perhaps LT should focus on his game . . .

Another country heard from:

Steelers' Ward suspected Patriots spying
Alan Robinson, AP
9/12/07

"Oh, they knew," Ward said Wednesday. "They were calling our stuff out. They knew, especially that first championship game here at Heinz Field. They knew a lot of our calls. There's no question some of their players were calling out some of our stuff."

"You would hope that, during their run, when they were winning all their (three) Super Bowls, all that stuff wasn't going on," Ward said. "You look back in the past, and we played them in the championship games, and you kind of wonder. It seemed like they were a step ahead of us at all times . . ."

Ward might also want to focus on his game and sense of fair play. After two games he has eight receptions for 106 yards and one touchdown. He was recently fined $5000 by the NFL for a late hit on Browns cornerback Daven Holly. Holly was knocked unconscious as a result of the hit and missed a day of practice.

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In other NFL news, Browns quarterback Derek Anderson threw for 328 yards and five touchdowns in Cleveland's 51-45 upset of the Cincinnati Bengals. The speculation last week was that Anderson was suppose to keep Brady Quinn's seat warm, while he prepared to step into the starting role. Was Andersson's performance a one hit wonder or is there a Drew Brees/Philip Rivers situation developing in the Forest City?

Anderson, a Baltimore Ravens cast off, was starting his fourth game in two years after replacing former Cleveland starter Charlie Frye.

The September 10th issue of Sports Illustrated listed Frye as a Hot player. Here's the quote:

He's in! Cleveland QB - and birthday boy, as he turned 26 last week - won a three-way battle for the starting job and gets to face the Steelers on Sunday. "Obviously," said the third-year Brown, "I'm excited."

After going four for ten for 34 yards and one interception in the Browns opener against the Steelers, Frye was benched in the second half and later traded to the Seattle Seahawks for a third round draft choice. Ouch!

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Remains to be seen

The Saints have stumbled out of the gate. They are 0-2, heading into week three. Will last season's feel good story be able to turn it around?