I'm sorry for not bringing you the latest Charles Grant news as it breaks as if its the Watergate scandal, but I don't think I need to add anymore fuel to this fire. This story is already overexposed enough. If you want yesterday's news flurry about the story, you can find all the same information regurgitated over and over in multiple formats by clicking here, here, here, here, here, here and here. How's that for link dumping! To sum it all up...
- Charles was at OTA's yesterday.
- He is turning himself in today.
- He will be back for OTA's Friday.
- His lawyer thinks the charges are incredibly unusual and unsubstantiated.
The newest info comes today from a Times-Pics article and a Sun Herald article.
"I don't know if it's going to end quickly or not, but there's not going to be a plea arrangement," Tolley said. "We will enter a plea of not guilty (at a later date)."
"In my view, Charles is a victim," Tolley said. "A man ran up behind him and stabbed him with a knife. Our position has not changed. Charles was not involved in the fight. Whether you can be a passive participant in a fight, I don't know. . . . We're going to wait for a judge to help us sort it out."
I think it is still too early to start speculating about this one. Check these quotes out...
Coach Payton
"We’re still gathering information. Our own security people are still gathering information and we’ll go from there." - New Orleans Saints
Jon Stinchcomb
"I don't have a clue about the details." - Times-Pic
Dane Ciolino, Loyola Law professor
"We don't know about all the evidence." - Times-Pic
Who am I to pretend I know any better? Let's all cool it for now.
And oh yeah...Will Smith wasn't at OTA's. The Times-Pic and Sun Herald both have the story.
Here is Sean Payton's quote on the matter
"He and I had a chance to visit about a month and a half ago, and you'd like to have all your players here. But it's not unusual," Saints Coach Sean Payton said. "I think you just go around the league, and each team has a player or two maybe that's unhappy with his contract. And so in the meantime our focus is on the players that are here. And we're full speed ahead." - New Orleans Saints
Also from the Times-Pic today is their review and observations from OTA's yesterday. Here is
On Jonathan Vilma
Vilma said the scheme he's mastering with the Saints is similar to that run by the Jets in his first two years in the league. Vilma said he feels ready to go full speed full time, but that would be ahead of schedule. The limited action to date is the result of an agreement he reached with Payton.
"It's been exciting, to come from rehab and the surgery and get to this point," Vilma said. "We're being cautious, of course, that's to be expected, but it looks pretty good at this point."
Here is what Big Sed had to say...
"I feel like it's been going really well," Ellis said. "I've got a couple of days in now with the older guys, and they kind of helped me along with some of the plays and stuff, and I feel like it's coming along just fine."
OBSERVATIONS: New backup quarterback Mark Brunell looked comfortable in the pocket and seems to be fitting in nicely. . . . With McKenzie out, the top three cornerbacks working with the first-team and nickel defenses were Jason David, Randall Gay and Usama Young. Veteran Jason Craft and rookie Tracy Porter worked with the second team.
Here are my own random notes from Payton's Q&A:
- Arrington and Meachem are both impressing. Sweet!
- Jammal Brown is having his best off-season. Yes!
- Jonathan Goodwin is kicking butt. Nice!
- Bobby McCray got a boo boo while working out too hard.
- Here is the injury list: Deuce McAllister - knee, Josh Bullocks - knee, Aaron Glenn - ankle, Mike McKenzie - knee, Mark Simoneau - hip, DeMario Pressley - foot, and Eric Johnson - ankle.
- Payton acknowledged possibly picking up another LB.
It seems I am the only one still talking or thinking about this one. Well, me and the NY TImes. They had a new article on the David Jacobs steroid investigation. Yesterday Jacobs handed over e-mails, canceled checks and other evidence to NFL officials. Though the names of the players Jacobs is giving up have not been released, it seems there is a good chance Lehr could be one of them.
"The documents corroborate statements Jacobs has made to investigators. He provided the names of people connected to his steroid dealings."
This will continue to unfold. The Dallas Morning News was also on this one this time.
Here is the latest on the Reggie Bush scandal at USC, from the LA Times. More disagreeing and bickering basically. Depositions will begin in June.
The judge announced that Lake would be deposed by Bush's attorneys on June 5 and 6, Bush would be deposed June 23, and LaMar Griffin, his stepfather, and mother, Denise, would give depositions shortly thereafter.
Watkins said Wednesday that he planned to serve notice to USC Coach Pete Carroll and running backs coach Todd McNair for depositions in mid-to-late June.
The judge announced that Lake would be deposed by Bush's attorneys on June 5 and 6, Bush would be deposed June 23, and LaMar Griffin, his stepfather, and mother, Denise, would give depositions shortly thereafter.
Watkins said Wednesday that he planned to serve notice to USC Coach Pete Carroll and running backs coach Todd McNair for depositions in mid-to-late June.
For those of you actually interested in football and not the off-field drama, here are the roster cut-down dates.
- 75 players - August 26th.
- 53 players - August 30th