Horse Tracks - 5/11/10

Working Toward His Dream - DenverBroncos.com
On April 24, Ben Garland was sitting in his dorm at the Air Force Academy, having just passed inspection. He made sure his shirts were folded exactly 10 by 10, his bed was made perfectly with 45-degree angles, his room was spotless and he was wearing his uniform correctly.

Fields has Houston court date on Friday - The Denver Post
Broncos nose tackle Ronald Fields must return to Houston on Friday for a court appearance after his arrest there last weekend.

Cushing's award up for grabs - The Denver Post
Three days after the NFL suspended Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing, the defensive rookie of the year last season, for four games in 2010 for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, The Associated Press announced Monday it would allow broadcasters and writers to recast their votes for the award.

D.C. football team turns to female coach - The Denver Post
The new head coach at Calvin Coolidge Senior High in Washington D.C. beat out more than 15 other applicants — including two former NFL players, several Pop Warner coaches and a retired Army brigadier general — for the job.

Report: 49ers, Davis discussing deal; TE wants $40M over five years
The San Francisco 49ers rewarded their Pro Bowl linebacker, Patrick Willis, with a five-year, $50 million contract extension last week. Their Pro Bowl tight end could be next.

Cowboys, Rams exchange ex-first-round picks Carpenter, Barron
The Cowboys and Rams swapped underachieving former first-round draft picks Monday, with offensive tackle Alex Barron going to Dallas and linebacker Bobby Carpenter headed for St. Louis.

Wyche: Atogwe won’t sign tender with Rams "
Oshiomogho Atogwe is one of the more interesting names among restricted free agents. He was extended the low tender offer by the Rams, giving the team only the right of first refusal on its starting strong safety. From the outset, it was a situation we knew would reach a conclusion about now.

Saints aim for Meachem's training-camp return following toe surgery
Saints wide receiver Robert Meachem had surgery Monday to fix torn cartilage on the second toe of his left foot, and coach Sean Payton told NewOrleans.com that he hopes the 2007 first-round draft pick can return "by the first week or so" of training camp in late July.

Payton knows allegations present questions, but he's mum on suit
Sean Payton calmly took questions Saturday about a lawsuit against the New Orleans Saints, saying he "appreciated" the interest in a case that alleges an attempt to cover up prescription drug thefts at team headquarters.

Enshrinement " Presenters for Class of 2010
lmost immediately after receiving the good news of their election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, each member of the new Class of Enshrinees turn their attention to who they will ask to serve as their presenter at the annual enshrinement ceremony in Canton, Ohio. The presenters chosen by this year’s enshrinees – Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Dick LeBeau, Floyd Little, John Randle, Jerry Rice, and Emmitt Smith – include two family members, two coaches, two NFL club owners and a former owner.

Bengals officially sign 'Pacman' Jones, Wilson for secondary depth
The Cincinnati Bengals officially announced the signings of free-agent cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones and safety Gibril Wilson on Monday.

History shows expectations for rookie defensive tackles are too high
As many coaches say, things always start up front on defense. That theme definitely carried through during the draft.

Gailey believes Bills can pull off Dolphins-type turnaround
It's only spring, and the Buffalo Bills' 2010 season is already being written off as a disaster.

Roundup: McNabb wants to use TE more "
Are we looking at a monster bounce back season for Redskins TE Chris Cooley? New QB Donovan McNabb told reporters (via the Dallas Morning News) that he envisions going to his tight end a lot more this season.

Albert Haynesworth's Washington Redskins 'mates call him out - ESPN
"There is no room for negotiation at 4-12," defensive end Phillip Daniels told The Washington Post, making reference to the team's record in 2009. "I'm here, [London] Fletcher's here, everybody's here," Daniels added. "He's got to understand that. We need him to come here, be here and show these young guys that the veterans have bought in and that we want to win games."

Rex Ryan: New York Jets plan on winning the next Super Bowl - ESPN New York
Already in mid-season form, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan predicted big things Monday for his team in 2010. His bold remarks came in response to a quote from New England quarterback Tom Brady, who praised the Jets' blockbuster offseason and indicated the AFC East won't be a walkover for the defending-champion Patriots.

Donovan McNabb responds to WR DeSean Jackson's comments - ESPN
DeSean Jackson is the latest receiver to belittle McNabb's contributions to the Philadelphia Eagles, telling The Sporting News he was "very happy with the decision" by the Eagles to trade McNabb to the Washington Redskins last month.

Lions sign safety C.C. Brown - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
Brown might get a chance to start next to safety Louis Delmas(notes) and likely will help on special teams. He started seven games and played in 16 last year for the New York Giants.

Jets' Ryan challenges Jenkins, Woody to slim down - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The husky New York Jets coach, who underwent lap-band surgery two months ago, began a contest Monday with defensive tackle Kris Jenkins(notes) and offensive tackle Damien Woody(notes) to see who can lose the most weight by July 30—the day before the team reports for camp in Cortland.