NFL Notre Dame Football

Today the Texans announced the release of a number of players, notably including undrafted free agent, Darius Walker. Walker originally was scheduled to sign with the Bears but changed his mind and signed with the Texans. Given the competition at the running back position, maybe Walker asked to go. His agent is Drew Rosenhaus.

Walker left Notre Dame after his junior year, and maybe that decision isn't looking so good right now. Kids, stay in school.

In a surprise, the Texans signed Matt Turk as a free agent punter. Though Turk provided the best punting performance that the Rams have had at that position in a while, the Rams decided to sign with someone younger to stabilize that position. Check out his Turk's stats as they compare to Chad Stanley's. An actual camp competition at the punter position?

UPDATE: Darius Walker was resigned by the Texans after an injury to running back Chris Taylor.

Right. This is a video from the instantly infamous Brady Quinn-Bret Michael contremps (former Domer TCU OL Ryan Tucker also participates in the, um, fun). It blows my mind.



I love how Tucker is clearly used to the sort of slow hand clapping that usually is accompanied by thousands of lighters waving to and fro as something like "November Rain" gets played during the encore. Brady, well, he looks... awkward. Which is natural. If I found myself on stage being harassed to sing Poison songs by Bret Michaels I would be awkward too. I would be all like "I don't know any of these lyrics" and "why are you wearing that silly hat." This is why I don't go to Bret Michaels shows. That and several thousand other reasons.

Update: got Ryan Tucker and Ryan Harris confused; apologies.
Sorry, No Photos
Previously at FanHouse:
What Is It With Brady Quinn Photos?
Do Bloggers Hate Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn Wants to be a Macho Man
Signs You Can Expect to See at the Steelers-Browns Season Opener
Brady Quinn Loves Packages
Gay Guys Are Crazy About Brady

Amy Harcar, the photographer who worked at the wedding of Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk and Laura Quinn (the sister of Browns quarterback Brady Quinn), has removed the picture you see above from her web site. But she says her contract with Hawk and Quinn gave her the right to make the pictures publicly available:

By request of the Hawk and Quinn families the images from A.J. and Laura's wedding have been removed. All of our contracts, including the Hawk contract, reserve the right for Harcar Photography to use images for display, advertising and publication.

I'm guessing the happy couple didn't read the contract before they signed it, which is never a wise idea. But Harcar says she specifically talked to Laura Hawk after the wedding, showed her the photos she wanted to publicize, and got permission. So what was the objection? Maybe A.J. doesn't like the fact that his brother-in-law was getting all the attention.

Previously at FanHouse:
Brady Quinn Wants to be a Macho Man

Chris "Zorro" Zorich was a three-time All America defensive tackle at Notre Dame from 1987 to 1990. He was also recently selected to the College Football Hall of Fame. There's a nice paean about him written at The Hog on Sports. So, whatever happened to this classic overachiever?

After a successful college career, Zorich's NFL experience was a bit of a frustration.

Zorich's NFL career wasn't what it could have been. He was drafted in the second round by the Bears in a story straight out of a Hollywood movie. He sat a year behind Dan Hampton and Steve McMichael, played part time in 1992 and became a starter in 1993. He had 121 tackles and 7 sacks that year playing defensive tackle. He followed that up with 77 tackles and five sacks in 1994.

Then, Bears coach and resident brainiac Dave Wannstedt got the bright idea to shuffle Zorich in and out of the lineup along with a walking dung pile by the name of Carl Simpson, who couldn't carry Zorich's jock with a wheel barrow. Wannstedt bemoaned Zorich's lack of production and cut him. He was signed by the Saints, hurt his knee and was later cut by them. He hooked up with the Redskins for a year and then retired.

Luckily, there's a happy ending here:

After retiring, the guy who shouldn't have even been at Notre Dame made it into and graduated from the university's law school. He is a practicing attourney in Chicago. He also started the Zora Zorich Foundation in honor of his late mother and does a ton of charity work that goes largely unrecognized.

Looks like things worked out well enough for the big guy who was once center-stage during a pre game melee against one of the 1980's most hated teams.

Against Miami in 1988, the Irish had a big pre-game melee with the Hurricanes. I later found out that Zorich was in the middle of it and had one Miami guy trapped under a portable bleacher and was ready to kick him before some other Irish players intervened and pulled Zorich off him.

Personal story: I met Zorich once when I was maybe six or seven years old. I was dining with my family one night at a well-known Italian establishment in the Chicago suburbs when in walks Zorich. My eyes lit up and somehow my old man flagged him down as he headed towards the kitchen. Zorich was kind enough to chat with us for a few minutes and sign some autographs. I shook his giant paw of a hand and he went on his way but I always remember that moment as he was incredibly gracious and kind.

Although he faced a certain amount of criticism for his on-field ferocity (see quote above) and prop-48 status, Zorich also demonstrated his heart and intellect through his charity work and degree completion that translated into his current legal career. For anyone who followed his athletic career at Notre Dame and with the Bears, that comes as little surprise.

(H/T: SportsByBrooks)

According to Adam Schefter, the Texans have reached agreement with undrafted free agent Darius Walker. Early reports had Walker going to Chicago, but apparently that fell through. His skill set is the sort that is valued from a Denver-style offense: good vision, able to catch passes, and blocking ability. Breakaway speed, not so much. He came out of school as a junior.

To catch some game clips of Walker, check out the above YouTube from someone that obviously has a big crush on the guy. If you want to see his mad rapping skills, check out this Notre Dame pep rally YouTube.

With his ex-wife now dating the Dallas Cowboys' quarterback and his former "roommate" throwing passes for the Arizona Cardinals, former boy-bander Nick Lachey is remaining loyal to the USC Trojans, leading a long list of celebrities who will be at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Saturday when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish come to town.

Lachey will be joined on the sidelines by Sacramento Kings scion Joe Maloof (who also attended last week's game against Cal), reality television star Donald Trump, Britney Spears' father Jamie and the legendary Ricky Bobby, Will Ferrell, who will no doubt remind the players on both teams that, "if you ain't first, you're last!"

OK, Dolphins fans. 40% of you complain that Daunte Culpepper is not the answer. He holds onto the ball too long and can't read a defense.

I can't argue that.

60% of you moan that Joey Harrington is a career backup. He throws too many interceptions and, well, just flat-out sucks.

Yeah, based on this year's evidence, I can't dispute that one either.

So, there's a consensus that we need a fresh face, or, a prodigy of our own, right?

Well, if the Fins keep playing the way they are playing now, they just might get him.