[NFL] Strahan Retires/T.O. to Be Drug Tested More Often

Lil Pun · Jun 9, 2008

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3433557

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Strahan retired Monday after a 15-year NFL career with the New York Giants that was capped by a Super Bowl title four months ago.

The 36-year-old Strahan, the NFL's active leader in sacks, informed the front office in the morning without telling his coaches and teammates.

"I'm just finding out about it; let me get organized," coach Tom Coughlin said after a team workout.

Strahan is walking away from a $4 million salary for the final year of his contract. He has long said he wants a job in television.

The Giants had been talking to him about a possible upgrade to his contract, but the numbers apparently didn't work.

The team offered to increase the base salary by $1 million if he reached a certain sack level -- possibly six, a source told ESPN.com's John Clayton. Strahan was hoping to get a base salary increase close to the $8.1 million Jason Taylor of the Dolphins is scheduled to make this fall.

Strahan's retirement was first reported by Foxsports.com

"It was important that my teammates knew which way I was going before they got on the field to start the work to defend our title," Strahan told the Web site. "It's time. I'm done."

Strahan seriously considered retirement before the start of last season, missing almost all of training camp while coming to a decision.

He returned days before the season, anchoring a defensive line that was instrumental in hounding New England quarterback Tom Brady in New York's stunning Super Bowl 17-14 victory over the previously unbeaten Patriots.

"I knew it was going to [eventually] happen," quarterback Eli Manning said. "He had a tremendous career. If that is the case, he picked a great season to go out on."

Fellow Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora was told of the retirement as he walked to the locker room after practice.

"I talked to Mike last week and he told me he was still unsure," Umenyiora said. "He was really, really thinking about it, but I didn't think he was going to do it today."

Strahan was the Giants' leader in the locker room. He taught the young defensive ends how to play the position. He was also a gym rat, spending as much time working out as the youngest free agent trying to win a roster spot.

"It's a very, very sad day for me personally," Umenyiora said. "I loved him like a brother. You put in 15 strong years in the NFL, man that is something in this day and age is impossible to do."

Last season, Strahan was outstanding. He started 15 of 16 games, had 46 tackles and nine sacks.

"I am very happy for him," said receiver Amani Toomer, who played 12 seasons with Strahan. "I think he is going to find a way on his feet. I just wish him the best."

A second-round pick in the 1993 draft, Strahan is the Giants' career sacks leader with 141½. Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor had the old mark of 132½, although that total does not include 9½ the linebacker had as a rookie in 1981, the year before sacks became an official statistic.

Strahan set the single-season mark of 22½ sacks in 2001, getting the last one in the final game of the season when Brett Favre mysteriously fell late in the game, and No. 92 got credit for the sack. Favre announced his retirement shortly after the Giants' Super Bowl win.

Justin Tuck is the leading candidate to move into Strahan's starting spot.

"The guy has had a great career, 15 years, a first ballot Hall of Famer," he said. "I'm not surprised, just how he did it. I thought he was more of a news conference guy, you know, the whole world watching."

Umenyiora felt Strahan was playing so well he would return this season.

"He retired at the top of his game," he said. "A lot of us don't get the chance to do that."
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http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3433973

On the same day the Dallas Cowboys announced that wide receiver Terrell Owens had agreed to a contract extension with $13 million in guaranteed money, Owens was in New York meeting with NFL officials after being placed in the league's "reasonable cause" testing program for performance-enhancing drugs, sources told ESPN.

Owens was placed in the program because he missed day-of telephone calls to set up random tests, the sources said. A player that misses a test can be subject to disciplinary action, but because Owens had a "plausible" explanation, league administrators decided he would not be suspended or fined.

Instead, Owens can now be randomly tested for performance enhancers up to a maximum of 24 annual screenings, and these additional screenings can be required, if the NFL chooses to do so, for the remainder of his NFL career.

An NFL spokesman said the league would have no comment because of the confidentiality restrictions of the program. Cowboys officials had no immediate comment. Owens' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was unavailable for comment, but his partner and brother, Jason Rosenhaus, said: "We're not allowed to comment on anything pertaining to that topic."

After receiving a letter from the NFL informing him of the action, Owens met with NFL officials on the morning of June 3 because he was in the New York area. Owens has since passed a test for performance enhancers, the sources said. The sources added that Owens has never had a positive test for any illegal substance.

Owens was warned that he risks a suspension if administrators experience a similar road block as they did when they attempted to reach him two weeks ago. On one occasion, the primary phone number Owens provided was that of Drew Rosenhaus. Subsequently, the sources said, the alternate phone number Owens provided went unanswered, except for an automated message that said: "The voice mailbox for this user is full." Owens told the league that his phone had not shown any record of its missed calls.

The testing program requires players to make themselves accessible and communicate their specific location when they are contacted for a test.

It was late in the afternoon of June 3 when Owens and the Cowboys held a news conference at the Cowboys' headquarters at Valley Ranch to announce the receiver's new three-year, $27 million contract extension with $13 million of new guaranteed money.
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justtxyank · Jun 9, 2008

Cowboy hater?

Lil Pun · Jun 9, 2008

justtxyank said:

Cowboy hater?
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Yes I am, along with many others on the board.

peleincubus · Jun 9, 2008

justtxyank said:

Cowboy hater?
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just the opposite.

i am a texans hater though

justtxyank · Jun 9, 2008

Lil Pun said:

Yes I am, along with many others on the board.
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I could tell. Only a cowboy hater would plug a negative article about the cowboys in an article about an all-time great player retiring thread...

dntrwl · Jun 9, 2008

justtxyank said:

Cowboy hater?
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Houston Rockets Fan Board?

peleincubus · Jun 9, 2008

dntrwl said:

Houston Rockets Fan Board?
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exactly so as long as your a rockets fan. you can dislike/like any other team you want (period)

Lil Pun · Jun 9, 2008

justtxyank said:

I could tell. Only a cowboy hater would plug a negative article about the cowboys in an article about an all-time great player retiring thread...
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Well instead of posting two, separate threads I just made one about some stories currently in the NFL. Sorry.

justtxyank · Jun 9, 2008

dntrwl said:

Houston Rockets Fan Board?
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Oh I have no problem with him not liking the Cowboys. I just think it's funny that Michael Strahan retiring shares a thread with TO getting drug tested...

moestavern19 · Jun 9, 2008

and now Cedric Benson's ass has been cut.

RocketMan Tex · Jun 9, 2008

Michael Strahan was the best thing to ever come out of Westbury High School.

Ever.

Ain't saying much, but still.....and I'm a Bellaire grad!

rrj_gamz · Jun 9, 2008

He played at TSU didn't he? Cool for him to go out on top, plus he can color commentate...

Owens, c'mon...that guys a player...

Pole · Jun 9, 2008

RocketMan Tex said:

Michael Strahan was the best thing to ever come out of Westbury High School.

Ever.

Ain't saying much, but still.....and I'm a Bellaire grad!
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Good Ball player, but I've gotten a lot more joy out of listening to Dave Spencer play guitar.

redefined · Jun 9, 2008

Owen has never failed a drug test so I'm not worried at all.

And speaking of the Cowboys, I am so excited about this year. I've never had such a good feeling about any team before!

moestavern19 · Jun 9, 2008

redefined said:

Owen has never failed a drug test so I'm not worried at all.

And speaking of the Cowboys, I am so excited about this year. I've never had such a good feeling about any team before!
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Get Ready for the Me.O. / Tank Williams / Qbert Jones Triple Murder trial!

Coming to a courtroom near you in 2009!

Angle02 · Jun 9, 2008

justtxyank said:

Cowboy hater?
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Noooo.... Not Lil Pun.

KePoW · Jun 9, 2008

moestavern19 said:

Get Ready for the Me.O. / Tank Williams / Qbert Jones Triple Murder trial!

Coming to a courtroom near you in 2009!
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T.O. has never had any off-field criminal problems

moestavern19 · Jun 9, 2008

KePoW said:

T.O. has never had any off-field criminal problems
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neither did OJ.

T.O. is just a slightly psychotic attention w****.

The kind that will get dragged into something he doesn't want to get dragged into with Tank and Pacman around.

It'll be just like the glory days when Mike Irvin and Nate Newton were up for 3 days straight snorting coke lines off hooker's asses.

America's Team!

Lil Pun · Jun 9, 2008

moestavern19 said:

neither did OJ.

T.O. is just a slightly psychotic attention w****.

The kind that will get dragged into something he doesn't want to get dragged into with Tank and Pacman around.

It'll be just like the glory days when Mike Irvin and Nate Newton were up for 3 days straight snorting coke lines off hooker's asses.

America's Team!
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LOL!!!!!!!

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[NFL] Strahan Retires/T.O. to Be Drug Tested More Often

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Pole Houston Rockets--Tilman Fertitta's latest mess.

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