NFL misc.

Hi. First of all, here's a quote from the Colts Dallas Clark about his college (Iowa) and Colts teammate Bob Sanders before his return from injury yesterday:

“You can’t coach what he does. It’s just instinct and God-given talent. The way he reacts, the way he can hit, the way he can run sideline to sideline, reading plays . . . It’s just natural to him.

Here's the article: http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=article7&news_id=4493.

Here's an article about the Bengals David Pollack's neck surgery last week: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/uga/stories/2007/01/03/0104pollack.html.

Next, some articles about Christian NFL award winners, Jets quarterback Chad Pennington and Chargers runningback LaDanian Tomlinson. First, Pennington and the Comeback Player of the Year Award: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-nflcomebackplayer&prov=ap&type=lgns.

Also, a couple of quotes about Tomlinson and the MVP and the type of person that he is:

All of those are merely numbers — impressive numbers, but just stats. Tomlinson's attributes go way beyond that as a solid citizen and a player who lets his on-field actions represent him.

"It couldn't happen to a better person, a man who is the face and the perfect representative of the National Football League," fullback Lorenzo Neal said. "He represents what every player should be."...

"One of the things that we all strive for in our chosen field, whatever that might be, is the respect of our peers," Schottenheimer said. "I think that's the most important qualities that any individual can ever possess, the ability that those that know him look at him with the respect that, 'This is a person that I admire.'

"I think with a certainty that everybody in this building and most everybody in this community probably has that sense about LaDainian Tomlinson. He is an individual who engenders the respect of everybody that he comes in contact with."

Here's the article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070104/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_nfl_mvp.

And then a quote from Tomlinson on the Offensive Player of the Year Award:

Tomlinson credits the close-knit nature of the Chargers for his outstanding year.

"Every day you go to work with these guys," he said. "They're a special group to me. I think this group I will always remember more than any other football team I've been on. We've got a unique situation that kind of reminds me of college days. That's something that you really don't get in the National Football League, because you really don't have the time to get to know guys and really spend time with them.

"On this team it's different. It seems like every guy is like a brother."

It's that brotherhood, that camaraderie and the respect for each other that L.T. cherishes more than any records.

"It's more important to me to be a better person. At the end of the day that's what people remember," Tomlinson said. "Football is a game that I obviously love to play and a lot of guys enjoy playing the game. But that's not who I am. I'm not just a football player. I'm a human being, an individual, a person. I respect other human beings and that's what it's all about, giving respect to other human beings and just really trying to have an impact on people's lives that I come across because I am in a position to do that."

Here's the article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070105/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_nfl_offensive_player.

Lastly, a great article on the friendship between a couple of Christian NFL coaches, the Chiefs Herm Edwards and Colts Tony Dungy before they coached against each other yesterday. By the way, the two of them, Bears coach Lovie Smith (another Christian), and their wives went out together for dinner together Friday night. Here's a quote from Edwards about Dungy:

"I feel like he's my big brother, and I never had a big brother," said Edwards, now Kansas City Chiefs coach. "He's helped me a lot in my life, taught me to look at things a little differently with my faith and helped me become a better man."

Here's the article: http://sports.aol.com/news/articles/_a/chiefs-colts-game-pits-old-friends/n20070104151809990010?ecid=RSS0001.