Ukiah Daily Journal from Ukiah, California • Page 7

THE UKIAH DAILY JOURNAL SPORTS TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2006 7 Roman fuming at Packers Newest Niner has harsh words for former team By GREG BEACHAM The Associated Press SANTA CLARA Mark Roman won't forget the way the Green Bay Packers treated him. The veteran safety participated in his first practice Monday since signing a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. After two years as a starter in Green Bay, he was cut by the Packers on Thursday, just one day before the club opened training camp and more than four months after he requested his release. Though Roman quickly found a new NFL home, he kjiew he was fortunate to do so on such short notice and his discontent with the Packers before his release is nothing compared to his feelings now. "They handled the situation bad, the way they did it, and not letting me go to camp," Roman said.

"I wish they had handled it differently." Roman said the Packers were hesitant to give him permission to talk to other teams after Green Bay signed safety Marquand Manuel as a free agent in the offseason. Roman, who started 31 games for Green Bay over the last two seasons, became disenchanted when the team made that move, asking for his release in March and then skipping some offsea- son workouts. But Roman is happy to be in San Francisco, where he'll compete for a starting job with his third team in four seasons. The 49ers are woefully thin in the secondary, with no proven NFL starter to play next to Tony Parrish at safety. "I just saw an opportunity for me to contribute over here," Roman said.

"This is an opportunity. It's a challenge, and I like a challenge. The weather isn't bad, either, coming from Green Bay." Packers general manager Ted Thompson said the club held' onto Roman until it was comfortable there were plenty of strong contenders to take Roman's job. Roman made just two interceptions in two seasons with Green Bay. Roman spent Monday learning the terminology in the defense coached by Mike Nolan and coordinator Billy Davis.

The defense is dissimilar to the Packers' scheme, but bears similarities to the defense he played in Cincinnati during his first four NFL seasons. Roman already lias checked the 49ers' schedule, and he acknowledged he'll have a bit of special motivation when the Packers visit Candlestick Park on Dec. 10. "I always have motivation," Roman said. "It's a challenge, because I don't want to be giving in to anything." I'hoto Safety Mark Roman signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers over the weekend and participated in his first practice Monday.

LA Dodgers acquire SS Lugo The Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. The Los Angeles Dodgers obtained Julio Lugo from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for two minor leaguers on Monday. Lugo, who can become a free agent after this season, is hitting .308 with 12 homers, 27 RBIs and 18 stolen bases in 73 games. He joins a Dodgers team that began the day last in the bunched-up NL West, but only five games behind first- place San Diego.

"I'm very excited," Lugo said before leaving Tropicana Field. "It's a different atmosphere over there when you're playing for something. Hopefully, we go all the way through October and the World Series." The Dodgers have revamped their infield recently, partly because of Lugo injuries to first baseman Nomar Garciaparra and second baseman Jeff Kent. They acquired Wilson Betemit from Atlanta on Friday night for infielder Willy Aybar and reliever Danys Baez, then shipped Gold Glove infielder Cesar Izturis to the Chicago Cubs on Monday for four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux. "Lugo is more of an offensive player, probably a better runner (than Izturis)," Los Angeles general manager Ned Colletti said.

"We needed the offense, with Kent and Nomar out." Tampa Bay receives third baseman Joel Guzman and outfielder Sergio Pedroza. Guzman, whom the Devil Rays believe can become a big hitter, was sent to Triple-A Durham. Pedroza will join Class-A Visalia. The Devil Rays will also recall infielders B.J. Upton, the team's top draft pick in 2002, and Ben Zbbrist from Triple-A Durham.

Both will join the team on Tuesday. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said Upton will replace injured Ty Wigginton (broken left hand) at third base, while Zobrist will start at shortstop. Lugo and the Devil Rays discussed a contract extension, but couldn't reach an agreement. "I love it here, I really wanted to stay," Lugo said. "I tried to get everything done.

I'm not disappointed because I know both of the sides tried. I respect that." Guzman, 21, had a .297 batting average with 11 homers and 55 RBIs in 85 games this season at Triple-A Las Vegas. He will benefit from some playing time at first base for Durham this season. "We feel we got a piece to the puzzle here that could be very, very significant for us going forward," Devil Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg said. Pedroza, 22, hit .281 with 21 homers and 75 RBIs at Class-A Columbus this season before being promoted to high-A Vero Beach.

NFL Back in the saddle Raiders assistant makes journey from Idaho to NFL sideline By JOSH DUBOW The Associated Press APA Art Shell went to an unusual place to find his offensive coordinator. He didn't raid a coach from the trendy college team or Super Bowl participant. He brought his old friend Tom Walsh back from a bed and breakfast in Idaho. Walsh was out of the NFL for 11 seasons before Shell hired him to be the Oakland Raiders' new offensive coordinator in February. Much has changed since Walsh was last in the NFL in 1994.

The players are bigger and faster and new strategies are now in vogue. But Walsh says the essence of the game is still the same. "There's a couple few wrinkles that change Walsh said. "It's like serving chicken. I mean, one day it's fried, one day it's grilled and the next day it's chicken marsala, and the next day it's something else.

But it's still chicken. They still got 11 guys out there. It's just a matter of the philosophies of the coaches. You go from there." Walsh was an assistant with the Raiders from 1982-94, coaching quarterbacks before becoming offensive coordinator under Shell. He was fired along with Shell following the 1994 season.

Since then, Walsh was head coach for two seasons at Idaho State and worked as director of operations and head coach of a minor league franchise in Mobile, Ala. He has been out of football since 1999. Walsh, who also was the mayor in Swan Valley, Idaho, said he stayed close to the game through some announcing gigs and talking with college coaches who brought their staffs to the Hansen Guest Ranch. Walsh and Shell kept in touch since being fired and Shell had promised his buddy that he would have a job as an NFL offensive coordinator again as soon as Shell got a second chance as head coach. So soon after Shell was hired to replace Norv Turner in February, one of his first calls was to Walsh.

"Because he knows the system that I love," Shell said. "He knows this system, and he know show to implement it. We had been talking for the last few years about football, and if this came about, it was a natural for me." Walsh says his system isn't fancy. It's an offense that dates back to Al Davis' days as an assistant to Sid Gillman with the Chargers more than four decades ago. It's about power running, deep-strike passing and being more physical than the opponent.

Instead of trying to outscheme the defense, Walsh wants to keep it simple and have his players impose their will on the other team. "It allows us to play football," quarterback Aaron Brooks said. "We're not being controlled by a coach who says, 'I need you to do this, that and the Every receiver out there is a primary target. As a quarterback, that's what you want because you have options." Full Service Precious Metals Jewelry Coins 468-0640 "Since 1980" 303 'A' Talmage Ukiah MENDO-LAKE OFFICE PRODUCTS Tsoffice 873 11th St Lakeport 263-8786 203 Main St Ukiah 462-8786 per copy Up to 100 Copies With Coupon Coupon Expires 03-31-06 Willlts 459-6879 Continued from Page 6 Urlacher. Mike Brown and Brian Gricse one morning practice olT.

"Night is great for us. I love it." Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz said. "I think we just canceled it just to be safe. There's been a lot of bad I wouldn't call them accidents but bad things that have happened in the heat. So we're not taking any chances." The heat also caused some problems at the Indianapolis Colts' first practice.

Linebacker Keitli O'Ncil. a four-year veteran, spent about 25 minutes in a cooling tent, then left practice before the Colts finished their final drill. Colts coach Tony Dungy said O'Neil probably would have returned if the practice lasted longer. With the heat index approaching triple digits, everyone was paying attention to the thermometer. "I think players have taken it very seriously ever since, God rest his soul, the tragic death of Korey Stringer," two- time MVP Peyton Manning said.

"So guys try to be smart about it." Manning said the Colts chart weight loss in correlation to the amount of Gatorade they drink approximately two bottles of Gatorade for each pound lost. "We had a lot of coaches out there sweating profusely, and that's when 1 know it's hot," Dungy said. "We look more breaks and longer breaks, that's really about all you can do." The Titans pushed their afternoon practice back four hours so it could be held under the lights. A heat advisory issued for much of Tennessee was set to expire by then. Florida native Travis Taylor is familiar with Sunshine State heat, but the warmth of Minnesota has already gotten to him.

"I thought this was supposed to be Minnesota?" the Vikings wide receiver said of the state's icy reputation. After temperatures rose into the upper 90s on Sunday, the Vikings were bracing for 100-degree predictions for Monday's first full-squad practice. "Heat is probably the story today," coach Brad Childress said. "You have to be mindful of the heat." Pro Bowler Darren Sharper arrived at camp with a freshly shaven head, a new look for the image-conscious safety. "Actually I'm just getting old," Sharper joked.

"When I saw that it was going to be 100 degrees here, 1 thought I'd shave it off and it would maybe cool me off a little bit." Falcons Wide receiver Brian Finneran is out for the season after tearing up his left knee in practice. Finneran, one of quarterback Michael Vick's favorite targets, went down during a workout Sunday night as he practiced a one-on-one drill with rookie cornerback Jimmy Williams. An MRI confirmed that Finneran tore the anterior cruciate ligament, in addition to sustaining cartilage damage and a slight displacement of the knee cap. He will undergo surgery later this week. The loss of Finneran was a serious blow to the Falcons' hopes of bolstering an offense that ranked 27th in yards passing last season.

As a backup, he led Atlanta wideouts with 60 catches for 611 yards. The Falcons placed Finneran on injured reserve and signed long snapper Boone Stutz, who was cut by Tampa Bay a couple of weeks ago. Browns Cornerback Daylon McCutcheon and right offensive tackle Ryan Tucker, two of Cleveland's steadiest players the past few seasons, will both undergo knee surgery in hopes of being ready for the season opener. McCutcheon, the only player left from the club's 1999 draft class, will have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Wednesday. Tucker, too, will have a procedure to clean up torn cartilage in his left knee.

The operations come less than '3 week after center LeCharles Bentley suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice. Giants Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey was dazed after a collision with safety Will Demps late in the evening practice. Shockey was reaching for a pass by Eli Manning during a two-minute drill when Demps appeared to hit him in the helmet. A stunned Shockey fell to the grass and stayed down for about a minute. He returned to the huddle and ran the final two plays of the practice, but he slammed his helmet to the ground after the last play.

Shockey later walked off the field with trainer Byron Hansen. He held his head a couple of times on the way to the locker room and then gingerly walked down the stairs to the room. Rams A four-day training camp holdout earned Tye Hill extra scrutiny on his first day of practice. Instead of easing their first-round pick into the mix Monday, Hill was given plenty of action with the second unit at cornerback. He also saw time as a gunner on special teams, and tried, unsuccessfully, to cover Torry COUNTRY COWBC 4:00 p.m.

8:00 For information call: TAYLOR'S TAVERN 485-8108.