Football (not soccer)

2012 NFL season starts Wednesday, Sept. 5

The NFL will kick off its season on Wednesday, Sept. 5 instead of the traditional Thursday night start
to avoid a conflict with a scheduled speech by President Barack Obama on Sept. 6 at the Democratic
National Convention.

Commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement Tuesday. The game, to be hosted by the Super
Bowl-champion New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The Giants' opponent for the opener hasn't been determined yet. The 2012 NFL schedule will be revealed
in the coming months.

According to the league, it hasn't played a game on a Wednesday since Sept. 22, 1948, when the Rams
faced the Lions.

NFL: Saints defense had 'bounty' fund

New Orleans Saints players and at least one assistant coach maintained a bounty pool of up to $50,000 the
last three seasons to reward game-ending injuries inflicted on opposing players, including Brett Favre and
Kurt Warner, the NFL said Friday. "Knockouts" were worth $1,500 and "cart-offs" $1,000, with payments
doubled or tripled for the playoffs.

The NFL said the pool amounts reached their height of $50,000 or more in 2009, the year the Saints won the
Super Bowl.

The league said between 22 and 27 defensive players were involved in the program and that it was administered
by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, with the knowledge of coach Sean Payton.

The investigation by the league's security department determined that an improper "pay for performance"
program included "bounty" payments to players for inflicting injuries on opposing players that would
result in them being removed from a game.

In some cases, the amounts pledged were both significant and directed against a specific opposing player,
according to the league's investigation. Four former Redskins players, including defensive end Phillip Daniels,
told The Washington Post that Williams had a similar system while serving as the Redskins' defensive coordinator.

Matt Bowen, who also played for Williams in Washington, said in a column for The Chicago Tribune on Friday
that he didn't regret taking part in the program.

"You do what he (Williams) wants: play tough, push the envelope and carry a swagger that every opponent sees
on tape. When you lined up against us, you knew we were coming after you. It was our gig, our plan, our way to
motivate, to extra-motivate," Bowen wrote for The Tribune.

"I wanted to be That Guy for him, playing the game with an attitude opposing players absolutely feared," Bowen
continued. "If that meant playing through the whistle or going low on a tackle, I did it.

"I don't regret any part of it. I can't. ... Your career exists in a short window, one that starts closing the moment
it opens. If making a play to impress a coach or win a game pushes that window up an inch before it slams back
down on your fingers, then you do what has to be done."

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis failed to stop the bounty program when directed to do so by team owner
Tom Benson, while Payton was aware of the allegations but did not pursue them or take steps to stop the "bounty"
program, according to the investigation's findings.

"I want to express my sincere regret and apology to the NFL, Mr. Benson, and the New Orleans Saints fans for my
participation in the 'pay for performance' program while I was with the Saints," Williams said in a statement. "It was
a terrible mistake, and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it. Instead of getting caught up in it, I should
have stopped it. I take full responsibility for my role. I am truly sorry. I have learned a hard lesson and I guarantee
that I will never participate in or allow this kind of activity to happen again."

The findings, corroborated by multiple independent sources, have been presented to commissioner Roger Goodell,
who will determine the appropriate discipline.

"It is our responsibility to protect player safety and the integrity of our game, and this type of conduct will not be
tolerated," Goodell said in a statement. "We have made significant progress in changing the culture with respect to
player safety and we are not going to relent. We have more work to do and we will do it."

I like the idea of Manning to Fitzgerald for the next 2-3 years. Would be nice to get Reggie Wayne, too.

If it's going to happen, it needs to happen in the next 10 days. Cards owe Kevin Kolb a 7 million bonus if he's still on the roster come 3/17.

Tony Dungy, Manning's former coach with the Colts who is now an NBC analyst, said Wednesday in
an interview with ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" that Manning will consider signing
anywhere except with an NFC East team, where he would have to challenge his brother Eli for a
division title and playoff spot.

"I don't think he'd want to be in direct competition for a playoff spot against the Giants," Dungy said.
He said he believes Manning can run any style of offense but that "managing the expectations will be
the biggest issue" for the quarterback.

That's a big gamble for a team to be taking, with the kind of money Manning would command.

Jets extend Mark Sanchez

The New York Jets ended months of Peyton Manning speculation Friday night with an emphatic statement,
announcing a three-year contract extension for incumbent Mark Sanchez.

The Jets made Sanchez one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL after a season in which they openly
admitted they weren't pleased with his rate of development. The timing also is curious, coming only hours
after they were eliminated from the Manning sweepstakes.

The deal includes $20.5 million in guarantees for 2012 and 2013 and $40.5 million in "new" money, bringing his
total over five years to $58.25 million, according to sources. He can make an additional $10 million in escalators.

The $58.25 million gives Sanchez the seventh-highest financial package among NFL quarterbacks, sources told
ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.