USA Today Resdkin Report

[BigSKINBauer]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/footb...skins/home.htm

Inside Slant
Sean Taylor's court case is heading to trial after the Redskins safety and co-defendant Charles Caughman each rejected plea bargain offers from the state attorney's office on July 12 in separate proceedings in Miami.
Although Taylor's trial is scheduled for Sept. 12, the day after the Redskins open the season against the visiting Chicago Bears, the state could opt to consolidate the cases now that Caughman won't be a witness for the prosecution. If the cases are consolidated, then the trial would be set for Oct. 3, Caughman's date. The Redskins play host to Seattle in their third game of the year the previous day.

However, Taylor's attorney, Edward Carhart, will likely ask the court to continue the trial until the offseason so that his client doesn't miss any paychecks. NFL players receive all of their salaries during the 17-week regular season. A state attorney's source said that his office doesn't generally dispute continuance requests.

After rejecting the plea bargain of three years in state prison, the mandatory minimum for his felony assault charge, Taylor faces a maximum of 16 years if convicted. Taylor, 22, could also be sentenced to up to a year in county jail if convicted of the misdemeanor charge of simple battery. Carhart, noting that Taylor passed a lie detector test, maintains that his client is innocent. Carhart also wasn't surprised that Caughman rejected the plea bargain.

Caughman's attorney, Evan Hoffman, said the 19-year-old did the right thing by risking a more severe sentence — a maximum of 15 years — if convicted of his felony assault charge.

"For the sake of taking the easy way out, we're not going to break any laws," Hoffman said. "We're steadfast on Charles' innocence. Charles is a pawn that the state has been trying to use to get the top dog in this case, which is Sean. The state pursued the most severe charge possible in hopes of getting Charles to plead to a lesser charge. That didn't happen. Now that we've seen the state's cards it will be interesting to see where its case goes from here."

Hoffman is mystified about the failure of Miami-Dade police to test the alleged victims for gunpowder residue after shots were fired at Taylor's car and at a friend's house during the June 1 incident in which the safety is accused of brandishing a firearm and Caughman of wielding a baseball bat. Hoffman said the state has no evidence that either man possessed a weapon during the incident which began when Taylor claimed that two of his all-terrain vehicles were stolen.

Taylor skipped the Redskins' entire offseason program until being excused from last month's minicamp to attend to his legal affairs. The fifth pick in the 2004 draft hasn't spoken to the media — except briefly after two court appearances — since being arrested for driving under the influence last October. However, Carhart and running back Clinton Portis, a teammate at the University of Miami and in Washington, expect Taylor to report on time for training camp on July 31. Taylor won't face any NFL sanctions unless he is convicted.

CAMP CALENDAR: July 31 — Players report to Redskin Park; Aug. 1 — Camp opens; Aug. 6 — Scrimmage at Baltimore, noon; Aug. 11 — Last day camp is open to public; Aug. 30 — Camp closes

NOTES, QUOTES

—After nine NFL seasons with three teams, Walt Harris has seen enough that he didn't flinch when the Redskins took fellow cornerback Carlos Rogers with the ninth selection in April's draft.

"I had a pretty good idea that they were going to take a cornerback because they had lost a great cornerback in Fred (Smoot, who signed with the Vikings in March)," Harris said. "I've never worried about who they bring in. I just go out and take care of my business. Except for last year when I was coming back from that injury (a career-threatening XX), I've always been a starter. This year isn't any different. I look at it like it's my job until they take it away."

Harris turns 31 in August, but he doesn't feel old.

"I had a chance to learn the defense last year (while playing nickel back behind Smoot and Shawn Springs) and I've had an entire offseason where I was working instead of rehabbing," Harris said. "I'm healthy and I'm ready to go."

Which is more than Rogers can say. The rookie is about to come off crutches and out of a walking boot and into a hard-bottom shoe for two weeks. So the former Auburn star won't have been truly on his feet and able to run for more than a month as camp begins on Aug. 1. That only enhances Harris' chances of at least opening the season as the starter.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We feel like Walt is a legit starter and always has been. Last year the reason he was playing nickel was because we had real good corners (Shawn Springs and Fred Smoot) and also because he was coming back from injury. That is going to be a real interesting thing there while those guys (Harris and top draft pick Carlos Rogers) compete at corner." — Redskins coach Joe Gibbs on veteran Walt Harris, who will try to fend off a challenge from Rogers to fill the vacancy caused by Smoot's departure for Minnesota as a free agent.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

UNIT BY UNIT ANALYSIS

QUARTERBACKS: Starter — Patrick Ramsey. Backups — Mark Brunell, Jason Campbell.

RUNNING BACKS: Starter — Clinton Portis, Backups — Ladell Betts, Nehemiah Broughton, Rock Cartwright.

TIGHT ENDS: Starters — Chris Cooley, Robert Royal. Backups — Mike Sellers, Manuel White.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — Santana Moss, David Patten. Backups — Taylor Jacobs, James Thrash, Darnerien McCants, Kevin Dyson, Antonio Brown.

OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters — Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, Jon Jansen.

DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters — Renaldo Wynn, Brandon Noble, Cornelius Griffin, Phillip Daniels. Backups — Demetric Evans, Joe Salave'a, Ryan Boschetti, Ron Warner.

LINEBACKERS: Starters — LaVar Arrington, Micheal Barrow, Marcus Washington. Backups — Lemar Marshall, Warrick Holdman, Chris Clemons, Brian Allen, Clifton Smith, Khary Campbell, Robert McCune, Jared Newberry.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — Shawn Springs, Matt Bowen, Sean Taylor, Walt Harris. Backups — Garnell Wilds, Ryan Clark, Andre Lott, Carlos Rogers, Pierson Prioleau, Artrell Hawkins, Tony Dixon.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Kickers — John Hall, Jeff Chandler. Punters: Tom Tupa, Andy Groom. Snapper — Ethan Albright. Kick returns — Betts and Thrash. Punt returns: A. Brown and Moss.

[BigSKINBauer]

Same old same old but hey its the boringest time of the year, just 3 more weeks!

Things are looking UP for Taylor and he will get off knock on wood (knock, knock, knock)
i like that walt is ready and is confident

Also the report has barrow listed as starter, i am sure that is speculation but it is a good sign.

BY THE WAY: Did anyone hear T.O's coments on the Espy's about how McNabb runs the eagles as if it was his decision to give him a pay raise? Dumb SOB

[TheMalcolmConnection]

I've been out of town for a while now and haven't been up on any news. TO GOT A PAY RAISE?!?!?!?

[FRPLG]

where did you hear this?

[mooby]

lol t.o. said at the espy awards that mcnabb was running the team, and mcnabb decides who gets a pay raise or whatever.

[BigSKINBauer]

My fault let me rephrase

TO wants a new contract and he said that McNabb runs around acting like it is McNabb's decision whether or not to give him a new contract


Here is allittle from an iggle fan page spelled igglephans.com sad isn't it

http://igglephans.com/ go to topic #141034

5......4........3.......2..........1........blasto ff. The McNabb Owens thing blows up at the ESPYs. If what they were saying on WIP this morning is true, T.O. is most likely done in this town. Damn.

(Paraphrase) T.O., "Ask McNabb. He runs the program." when asked about what was going on in Philly. And McNabb was NOT in a good mood as the show progressed. Sounds like some major shit went down. Will have to wait and see what is said about it all and if what was reported was accurate.

Oh, well, the trolls are going to have a field day. Fully expect Foreskin and Vagiant weenies to be in here in force within the coming days if all this proves out.

[BigSKINBauer]

i didn't see the context but i heard about it briefly, if someone else knows exactly what happened they can say.
I heard that Don looked PPPPISSEd

by the way them philly fan sites are cruel, making fun of the skins and taylor
i hate them fans from philthy, they are the worst

look at this, i tried to be nice, i was hoping not to get kicked but i am starting not to care
http://www.concretefield.com/forum/index.php?topic=15312.140

[Jamaican'Skin]

Don't let it get to you. They are single minded, and pissed about never winning a Super Bowl. They can only hope that Taylor gets convicted, so in their minds, we will have another disappointing season. I have no problems with them hating on us, they're supposed to. Let 'em keep on keeping on

[TheMalcolmConnection]

I sincerely hate Eagles fans more than Cowboys. I hate the Cowboys team more, but their fans are "somewhat" civil. Moreso than Eagles fans. They are just stupid jackasses.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Wow, BigSkinsBauer, you're holding your own over there. They are most definitely jackasses. How are Skins fans bandwagon jumpers?! Most dedicated fans in the entire NFL. I'm not even saying this from bias either.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

- Todd Pinkston will continue his shaking down of Redskin DBs for lunch money.
- The Eagles will play 2 home games against the Redskins...again.
- Jim Johnson will serve Filet-o-Blitz to the Redskins.

That's a quote from over there. They are TERRIFIED of Taylor too. I can't believe the ignorance. I'm normally a level-headed guy. That's SERIOUSLY pissing me off reading that shit over there.

[BigSKINBauer]

yah i'm about to say that pinkston is hoping Taylor goes to jail

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Whoever wrote the above quote was a COMPLETE dumbass. How in the HELL do they think that Pinkston lit up the Skins? You've GOT to be kidding me.

[BigSKINBauer]

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

Whoever wrote the above quote was a COMPLETE dumbass. How in the HELL do they think that Pinkston lit up the Skins? You've GOT to be kidding me.

Like i said, half of them are bandwagoners theat don't know anything about football. They will see they will see. I hate philthy fans more than dallas fans also, but i hate the cowboys more than the eagles, philthy is just allittle high on its own supply

[TheMalcolmConnection]

I just want to SPLIT one with the Eagles this year for my own satisfaction. You could never talk shit to them about it, cause they'd bring up past events. Just for my very own satisfaction.