News Story - Idaho State Journal

Cottrell out as Chargers' defensive coordinator

SAN DIEGO -- Norv Turner, of all people, came up with the San Diego Chargers' hardest hit in weeks when he fired defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell on Tuesday.

Cottrell was sacked by the head coach in large part because his defense couldn't get to opposing quarterbacks, the most glaring shortcoming for a unit that has had little spark since losing star outside linebacker Shawne Merriman to season-ending knee surgery after the first game.

Cottrell was replaced by inside linebackers coach Ron Rivera, a Super Bowl winner with the Chicago Bears in 1985. Rivera will have the bye week to figure out why the Chargers (3-5) have underperformed.

"Probably the things that we have needed to improve in are the same things that affected us in Week Two and so on," Turner said. "The same things have been an issue throughout the first eight games, at different times."

Smith, Woodson, Sharpe among Pro Hall candidates

CANTON, Ohio -- Defensive end Bruce Smith, defensive back Rod Woodson and tight end Shannon Sharpe are among first-year candidates for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The list includes 110 players, seven coaches and 16 contributors, including former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and longtime team owners Bud Adams, Jerry Jones, Art Modell and Ralph Wilson.

Hall of Fame selectors will choose 25 candidates who will be announced later this month as semifinalists. The field will then be narrowed to 15 by a mail ballot. The inductees will be selected from among those 15 and the two senior nominees previously announced, Bob Hayes and Claude Humphrey. They were selected in August by a senior selection committee.

Hasselbeck still not cleared to play for Seahawks

SEATTLE -- Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said Tuesday a doctor has not cleared him to play because of a leg problem stemming from bulging disk in his back.

Hasselbeck told KIRO Radio he does not need surgery. He said he failed tests in Los Angeles and was unable to walk on his heels. He says there's no pain in his back or right leg, just a "dead leg" feeling.

"Just got a weakness in my leg," he said. "Because of the disk issue in my back that nerve is shutting off the muscles that are supposed to work in your leg."

He plans to keep working on strength and conditioning and is confident he'll get better.

Witten could play with broken rib against Giants

IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys tight end Jason Witten has a broken rib but could play anyway Sunday against the New York Giants.

Witten tried to return after injuring his ribs last weekend against Tampa Bay, but he eventually sat out most of the second half. He could wear added protection against the Giants, according to a posting Tuesday on the team's Web site.

Tomlin defends using LB as emergency snapper

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin vigorously defended his decision to use Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison as an emergency long snapper, a move that may have cost the team its key game against the Giants on Sunday.

Tomlin denied Tuesday the team didn't have an emergency snapper ready after Greg Warren tore a knee ligament, saying two linebackers -- Harrison and James Farrior -- practiced the specialist's role.

"James snaps at least once a week, every week since I've been here," Tomlin said of Harrison, a Pro Bowl starter and team MVP last season. "In practice and training camp is one thing. Inside stadiums and in the fourth quarter of a football game against the defending world champions is another thing. ... If I had to do it all over again, I'd do the same thing. I'd hope for a different outcome, but I'd do it again."

Lane Kiffin interested in UW job

SEATTLE -- Ex-Raiders coach Lane Kiffin has expressed interest in the opening at the University of Washington just hours after the school announced Tyrone Willingham will not return next season.

"The University of Washington is a great job, one that I'm sure a lot of people have an interest in," Kiffin told The Associated Press while watching Monday Night Football at his home in the Bay Area.

It came open for 2009 on Monday afternoon when Washington announced Willingham's dismissal, effective at the end of this season.

Kiffin spent six years as an assistant in the Pac-10 with Southern California, the last two as the Trojans' offensive coordinator, before becoming the Raiders coach in January 2007.

Vikes await possible punishment for Williams stars

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Whether or not Vikings stars Kevin Williams and Pat Williams get suspended for reportedly testing positive for a weight-loss diuretic has yet to be confirmed by the NFL.

But the league's policy on anabolic steroids and related substances is quite clear.

Here's an excerpt: "The use of so-called 'blocking' or 'masking' agents is prohibited by this policy. These include diuretics or water pills, which have been used in the past by some players to reach an assigned weight. ... Players are responsible for what is in their bodies."

This document was originally published online on Wednesday, October 29, 2008

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