NO STD's for D-Wade

The estranged wife of Chicago native and NBA star Dwyane Wade on Thursday dropped her charge that the Miami Heat guard gave her a sexually transmitted disease.

The charge was included in a divorce filing against Wade being heard in Cook County. Wade's attorney James B. Pritikin told the Sun-Times that the accusation by Siohvaughn Wade (right) "was never true" and that his client was pleased the matter was removed from the divorce case.

Siohvaughn Wade, whom the basketball star met when they were students at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, accused Wade of infidelity and sought the names of "All of his sexual partners" during their six-year marriage.

Cook County Judge Fe Fernandez continued the case until March.

Chicago Sun Times Blog

Michael Phelps could face criminal charges

Maybe he should've said the picture was photoshopped???



SC sheriff is investigating Phelps' pot pipe photo
37 minutes ago

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina authorities in the county where Michael Phelps was spotted smoking from a marijuana pipe say they are considering a criminal charge against the Olympic superstar.

Lt. Chris Cowan said Tuesday that Richland County sheriff's investigators are gathering more information about the photo, which showed the swimmer inhaling from a marijuana pipe.

Cowan did not specify what charge was being considered and declined to discuss details of the investigation.

The photograph was first shown in a British tabloid Sunday. News of the World said the picture was taken during a November house party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina.

Phelps and his advisers did not dispute the photo's authenticity. He has issued a public apology.

Bad News for Orlando Magic... Nelson OUT

Magic's Nelson out with shoulder injury

By ANTONIO GONZALEZ – 29 minutes ago

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson could miss the rest of the season for the Orlando Magic because of a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

An MRI exam revealed the injury Tuesday, the team announced.

Nelson will decide over the next week whether he will have surgery or attempt rehabilitation. If surgery is the option, his season is likely over. If he passes on the surgery, he'll still most likely be out at least several weeks.

Nelson left the Magic's 105-95 loss to the Mavericks on Monday night in the third quarter after he was fouled by Dallas center Erick Dampier and hit the floor. Nelson came up bent over and clutching his right shoulder before heading to the locker room in pain.

The injury leaves the Southeast division-leading Magic (37-11) with a major hole.

Orlando does not have a third point guard behind backup Anthony Johnson. The Magic will likely have to sign another point guard, or covert shooting guards J.J. Reddick and Courtney Lee. Magic general manager Otis Smith had a news conference scheduled for later Tuesday.

"It's a big blow for us," center Dwight Howard said after Monday night's loss. "I'm trying not to even think about it because he had been playing so well for us. It's a sad day for us all."

Nelson was having a career season, averaging 16.7 points and 5.4 assists per game. He was selected to his first All-Star Game and was also slated to compete in the skills challenge on Feb. 14 in Phoenix.

The Magic host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.

Nelson missed five games earlier this season with a right hip injury, and Orlando managed to go 4-1 behind Johnson.

A longer stretch against significantly better competition will provide a tougher test.
"We've done it before so we'll do whatever we have to do," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said.

If the Magic can take any comfort in the loss, it's that they have time to regroup before the playoffs.

Orlando has a stranglehold on the Southeast division, beginning Tuesday with a nine-game lead over Atlanta. The Magic were three games behind Boston for the NBA's best record.

Still, Orlando's hopes for locking up home-court advantage in the East took a major hit.

"We don't change expectations at all," Lee said. "We can't say that we're losing because Jameer is out. We all have to step it up so that there's no drop off."

Annoying Kobe vs MJ talk is back...

After Kobe had a great performance vs the Knicks at MSG (the greatest scoring output in the buildings history), it didn't take long for the LA Media to anoint him not only the, "NEXT MJ," but even worse BETTER THAN MJ????

Stop it.

Even, Phil Jackson said last night that when Michael lit up the Knicks w/ his double nickel at MSG he didn't even take a 3 pt shot. And, in a society where, "the latest thing is the greatest thing." Let's remember that Michael achieved that feat after only his 5th game in his return from retirement. You know the ole number 45!?




Please, spare us from the annoying rhetoric. Kobe has never shot 50% from the field in a season let alone for a career. He also, NEVER faced the type of defenses Jordan did. Please... Pretty Please... Kobe is great. Let him just be Kobe.

Unfortunately, as the LA media obsesses with it's superstars inferiority complex. Now, we have to read about their delusions.

From LA Times:

The hardest person to shop for is the guy or gal who has everything.

Similarly, the hardest sports column to write in L.A. is the one on Kobe Bryant.

What are you gonna say?

I mean, what was the last good article you saw that wasn't some dumb rehash about him and Shaq?

Well, here's what I say.

Kobe has grown up.

He's now a terrific teammate.

He's giving to fans, great with the press and tremendously charitable and generous in the community.

Remember the large family in Covina who recently experienced that horrific shooting tragedy, the Ortegas? Do you know who quietly and without any publicity at all gave the surviving family members money to try to make their lives just a little better? Kobe did.

On the court, he's made a pact with the part of his personality that once WAS too self absorbed; he now trusts, encourages, mentors and inspires the other Lakers he goes to work with every day. He isn't impelled to shoot all the time, even though he could.

He lets his mad skills do the talking, like scoring 61 points Monday night, a new record for Madison Square Garden, unmistakably using the show-stopping performance on Broadway to send an importantly timed message to both Laker fans and to the rest of the league, including the Celtics and Cavaliers: the Lakers aren't gonna give up just because Andrew Bynum went down again.

In the Olympics, Kobe graciously allowed such American teammates as Dwyane Wade to think THEY were the stars, until it came time to actually win the gold medal in the gold-medal game. Then who did they turn to? Who do you think?

Kobe Bean Bryant has been one of the nation's most polarizing athletes since he came into the NBA at age 17. Love him or hate him, but hardly anyone ever has no opinion.

His one big mistake in Colorado, followed by the ugly divorce from Shaq, made it easy for the haters, gave them plenty of ammunition, and they happily loaded up, some still firing to this day.

But today, it all seems so old, so 2004, so tired, past-tense and out of touch. So childish.

At 30, in full bloom as the basketball player with the greatest skill set ever -- yes, greater even than Michael Jordan's -- it's time to applaud Kobe for what he is today: The consummate professional, the Black Mamba and -- sorry, Kyra Sedgwick -- the real, true and ultimate Closer.

To L.A. fans, especially the ones who've hated Kobe Bryant, I simply say this: Sit back and enjoy the show. It won't be here forever. Because in your lifetime and maybe two or three more, you're not going to see another one even remotely close to the one you're watching right now.

--Ted Green

Ted Green formerly covered the Lakers for the L.A. Times. He is currently senior sports producer for KTLA Prime News.

David Samson doesn't get it...

This is what I came across when reading the Sun-Sentinel's Marlins Blog (Courtesy of beat writer Juan Rodriguez).

As one of the fans posted in the comments section...

"I guess they should continue to expect no one to attend the games then."

Well said. I say fans can't get excited when year to year they have no idea who's going to be on their squad. New Stadium or NOT.

Marlins to retain business model in new stadium
> Posted by Juan C. Rodriguez at 3:51:55 PM

A new retractable roof stadium will keep out the rain and blistering sun, but it won't necessarily keep players in the organization any longer.

Marlins President David Samson reiterated during a media luncheon Monday that the Marlins will not change their philosophy when it comes to multi-year contracts. Increased revenue from the new ballpark will translate into higher payroll, but that doesn't mean they'll start locking up young players left and right.

"Long-term deals are tough," he said. "You have to be right. And you know deals within the arbitration system will not change whether we’re in a new ballpark or not. We will never do that. You’re never supposed to say never, but I can unequivocally tell you we will never do that. Our view is players should earn what they get paid prior to being a free agent and arbitration is the perfect measure for that."

So what about Hanley Ramirez, who signed a six-year, $70 million contract last season before he entered his arbitration eligibility. Samson said the difference there was that the Marlins were able to buy out three free agent seasons. When Ramirez signed, President of Baseball Operations Larry Beinfest said the Marlins would not have done the deal for fewer years.

Basically, the Marlins won't considering signing a player to a contract that only covers the arbitration years. You won't see any Evan Longoria-type six-year, $18.5 million deals here. The Indians popularized the strategy of locking up young players early and several teams have followed suit.

The Marlins' way has some merit. Guys on one-year deals playing for their next contract certainly don't lack motivation. The Marlins, like most teams, can't overcome multi-million dollar mistakes like the Yankees, so it's only natural they use extreme caution when considering a multi-year signing.

Here's the drawback: When you have a superstar player on your hands like Miguel Cabrera or Ryan Howard, the salaries explode in the arbitration system to the point where keeping them into their free agent years while maintaining payroll flexibility becomes considerably less viable. Howard could get $18 million from the Phillies as a second-time, arbitration eligibile player this season.

The team takes a risk signing a player early, but the player also takes less money for the security than he would have earned going year to year. As some of the Marlins top players enter and/or continue through the arbitration process, should be interesting to see who if any receive the Hanley treatment.

Bynum out 8-12 weeks for Lakers

Well, this means you can count on whomever wins the EAST to win the NBA title again.

Maybe, Kobe was right about Bynum or he can come up w/a new video?



Bynum out 8 to 12 weeks for ligament tear

NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum will miss eight to 12 weeks after tearing the medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Bynum was hurt in the first quarter of Saturday night's win at Memphis. Kobe Bryant drove to the basket, missed the shot and crashed into Bynum's right leg. Bynum immediately grabbed his knee.

Bynum is the Lakers' third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder, averaging 14.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.

The 7-0, 285-pound Bynum's injury brought back bad memories of last season for the Lakers. He went down in mid-January and was expected to be sidelined 8 to 12 weeks after bruising a bone in his knee and briefly dislocating his kneecap.

Instead, he missed the final 46 games of the season, as the Lakers lost in the NBA finals. He underwent arthroscopic surgery May 21 to remove cartilage debris and smooth some rough spots on the underside of his kneecap.

"This is a team that went to the finals last year that we put on the floor, so they're confident in what they can do," coach Phil Jackson said at the Lakers' shootaround Monday afternoon, before they announced the severity of the injury. "We know we're going to miss his presence, his rebounding ability. But this is a very capable team."

The injury came as the 21-year-old seemed to be taking a major step forward in his fourth NBA season. In the five games before he was hurt, he was averaging 26.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks and shooting 65.3 percent from the field.

"It changes our team, and the rhythm that we're playing with," Bryant said at the shootaround. "Obviously we found a great rhythm there with him in the lineup, particularly the last week or so. So we're going to have to make some adjustments."

Bryant insisted the Lakers could still win a title without Bynum.

"There are teams that lost in the finals that go back and win the next year," he said. "I think having Andrew in the lineup makes us a dominant team. With him out of the lineup, we're still a great team. You put him in the mix, it takes us to another level."

Bonds took Steroids...SHOCKER!

Why the federal government is wasting it's time, effort & money to let us know that Barry Bonds took steroids is beyond me...

WHO CARES?!

Here's the Story from the New York Times.

Urine Samples Said to Link Bonds to Use of Steroids


By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT
Published: January 28, 2009
Federal prosecutors preparing for Barry Bonds’s perjury trial are said to have evidence that links Bonds to the use of performance-enhancing drugs other than the “cream” and the “clear,” the designer substances that have become synonymous with the Bonds case.


A person who has reviewed the evidence said that the authorities detected anabolic steroids in urine samples linked to Bonds that they gathered in connection with their investigation. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The evidence could be significant because questions have been raised about whether the “clear,” which like the “cream” was created to avoid detection in drug tests, was technically a steroid under federal law when Bonds testified before a federal grand jury in November 2003.

It was that testimony, in which Bonds denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs, that led to his indictment on perjury charges in 2007. A trial on those charges is set to begin March 2.

When Bonds testified, he said he took the “cream” and the “clear” but did not believe they were performance-enhancing drugs. Specifically, Bonds said that he thought the “cream” was a rubbing balm for arthritis and that the “clear” was flaxseed oil.

Asked directly before the grand jury if he took steroids, Bonds said no.

“Do you feel comfortable as you sit here today saying you have never taken steroids?” Bonds was asked by a federal prosecutor.

“I feel very comfortable, very comfortable,” Bonds said.

The urine-sample evidence could also have implications for another statement Bonds made before the grand jury, in which he denied ever being injected with any substances by his former trainer, Greg Anderson. Bonds said he never received injections from anyone other than his doctors. Most steroids are administered through injections.

Meanwhile, the authorities continued their efforts Wednesday to gain Anderson’s testimony about Bonds’s suspected use of banned substances. Early Wednesday morning, 20 federal agents raided the home of Anderson’s mother-in-law, according to one of Anderson’s lawyers, Mark Geragos.

Bonds was indicted in November 2007, and the authorities have since targeted Anderson’s mother-in-law, Madeline Gestas, and Anderson’s wife, Nicole Gestas, in an effort to put more pressure on Anderson to testify. The authorities have focused on the finances of Madeline Gestas, a California businesswoman who has been the subject of tax liens. Nicole Gestas is also under investigation in connection with her own finances.

Anderson has spent more than a year in jail for refusing to testify before a federal grand jury that was hearing evidence about whether Bonds committed perjury. Anderson also served three months in prison after he pleaded guilty in 2005 to distributing steroids and to money-laundering.

“Even the Mafia spares the women and children,” Geragos said in a telephone interview in discussing Wednesday’s raid. “The government is obsessed with trying to get Greg to testify about Barry, but he never will.”

The raid came a week after the prosecutors who are overseeing Bonds’s perjury case subpoenaed Anderson to testify at the trial. Geragos said that the prosecutors faxed him a letter on Monday asking whether Anderson was prepared to testify.

If Anderson is called to testify and refuses, it could create a scene in which Anderson is taken away by federal officers and again jailed for contempt of court.

Allen Ruby, a lawyer for Bonds, did not return a phone call seeking comment. An official for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California declined to comment.

A Sad Day in the Radio Business.

Many great & hardworking people were let go today across the country by Clear Channel. I worked in some capacity for the company for 8 + years. I hosted locally & nationally for them. I met some of the greatest people I've ever worked with there at one of my many stops within the company. 940 WRFX or 610 - WIOD in Miami, Fox Sports Radio as the host of their overnight show for 3 years and most recently as a weekend host after I left the overnight job to do a full time show in Miami again.

Today, I was one of the 1850 employees let go. I'm very fortunate that I have plenty of work available to me w/ my daily show at the top station in Miami. Unfortunately, not everyone is in the same position. It's a sad day in the radio world today after what has transpired. Though, I'll look back at the memories quite fondly. I wish the best for all who were casualties of the Clear Channel layoffs.

Here are some good links related to the situation. Via SportsByBrooks and the Houston Chronicle.

Sports Radio Shakeup


CC lays off 1850

Best,

JS

Steel City Going for 6

The Steelers will attempt to be the first team in the NFL to reach 6 Super Bowl victories. Pittsburgh defeated Baltimore in the AFC Championship game at Heinz Field.

Thoughts & Prayers go out to Willis McGahee of the Ravens (Hurricanes) after taking a vicious hit from Ryan Clark.

The Ravens said he had "significant neck pain" but movement in his arms and legs. McGahee caught a pass and took two steps before Clark stopped him with a helmet-to-helmet hit. McGahee's neck snapped back and he immediately dropped to the ground. He lay motionless for several minutes before being lifted onto a stretcher and taken away on a cart. McGahee clasped hands with teammate Ed Reed before he was taken off the field. The play occurred with 3:29 left in Pittsburgh's 23-14 victory.



Ken Whisenhunt gets to coach against his old team that passed him up for another excellent young successful coach in Mike Tomlin.

It's a battle of a team with as much history as any in the league and a team who's history has generally been pathetic.

More in the 2 weeks to come.

JS

Hell has frozen over... The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl

I never thought I'd see the day the Bidwell's would hoist the NFC Championship trophy. But, it has come to fruition. It ended up being a great game as the Cards jumped out to an early 24-6 lead. The Eagles then went on a rampage in the second half scoring 3 TD's which led to 19 straight points to take a 25-24 lead. But, they didn't have enough left in the tank to finish the job. As the Cards went 14 plays, 72 yards, on a drive that ate up 7:52 and also, converted a 2 pt. conversion to give them the 32-25 lead.

The Eagles then got the ball w/ 2:53 and picked up a few first downs. Though, then Donovan McNabb (who played well) and the Eagles had 4 straight incompletions to end the game. The last was an incompletion to Kevin Curtis which could've been called for pass interference, but DB Roderick Hood was given the benefit of the doubt.

Hence the Arizona Cardinals, who played in arguably the worst division in football will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl in Tampa in 2 weeks.

JS

Divorce is NEVER a good thing

Posted on Fri, Jan. 16, 2009
D-Wade divorce takes tawdry turn

BY JOAN FLEISCHMAN
Heating up: Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade's divorce from wife Siohvaughn, his high school sweetheart. In legal papers, she alleges he abandoned his children, committed adultery, and infected her with an unspecified sexually transmitted disease. She wants the names of ''all of his sexual partners'' during their six-year marriage.
Dwyane petitioned for the divorce last May in Cook County, Ill. They wed in Chicago on May 18, 2002.

Dwyane's Windy City attorney, James Pritikin, issued a statement: ``These malicious allegations are absolutely false and we look forward to the opportunity to dispute them in court.''

Dwyane turns 27 on Saturday. He and Siohvaughn, 27, have two boys, Zaire, a first-grader who will be 7 next month, and Zion, 1. Siohvaughn moved back to Chicago with the kids last year.

Dwyane's Heat salary is $14,410,581, according to published reports. He hauls in millions more from major endorsements such as Gatorade and Converse. He has a dozen vehicles, including four Cadillacs, four Mercedes-Benzes and a Maybach, court papers say.

The All-Star has been romantically linked to actress Gabrielle Union, 36, once married to former Jacksonville Jaguar Chris Howard.

From Siohvaughn's pleading: ``Dwyane has dissipated substantial sums of marital property including . . . buying his mother a $2 million church; placing substantial sums of money in an account with another woman; providing numerous friends and family members with unfettered access to accounts with hundreds of thousands of dollars of marital funds from which they made substantial withdrawals . . .''

Meanwhile, she says, he cut her off financially.

Dwyane, named a ''Father of the Year'' in 2007 by the National Father's Day Committee, has gone ''months'' without seeing his boys, Siohvaughn says. His ''failure to spend time with them . . . has resulted in the children at times being afraid of him; in fact, Zion . . . does not recognize or know Dwyane.'' She wants sole custody, and support.

She also says she has suffered ''grievous physical, emotional and mental injury'' from the STD, diagnosed in the fall of '07. (The infection is not HIV or a ''killer thing,'' sources say.) Dwyane and his ''paramour or paramours'' are liable, she alleges.

'Dwyane must disclose the identity of all of his sexual partners during the parties' marriage,'' says her counter-petition, prepared by attorney Michael J. Berger of Chicago. Siohvaughn has another Chicago lawyer, Dorene Marcus.

Says Pritikin: ``It is sad that an obviously angry and bitter woman will go to any lengths to publicly damage Mr. Wade.''

Siohvaughn speaks the truth, Marcus insists. ''A person's public persona does not necessarily reflect his behavior in private,'' Marcus adds. ``Mrs. Wade is prepared to prove everything she alleges. And, medical records don't lie.''

In 2007, the Wades put their six-bedroom Pinecrest home on the market for $8.9 million. Has yet to sell. List price is now $4.599 million.

Kobe Bryant's New Business Endeavor

Well, not really. But, not a bad ad.

Thx to E! for the video.

AFC Title Game

Terrell Suggs banged up & Samari Rolle is out right? At some point Joe Flacco has to look like a rookie right? Right?

I guess I'm trying to convince myself it's a Steeler win. They are the number 1 defense for a reason. So, It's an all Pennsylvania Super Bowl.

That is until the Cards & Raven win and I look like an idiot. So, what else is new?

JS

NFC Title Game

Brian Westbrook is gimpy. So is Jon Runyon. Boldin back for Cards and all of a sudden they are playing good defense. Think this is going to be a hell of a game. It's gotta be McNabb's time... No?

I'll begrudgingly take Philly.


BTW: I hate the 3pm start.

Twitter

I started twittering or is it tweeting?

Whatever, you know what I mean.

If you don't you can join twitter and follow me at www.twitter.com/sedanoshow


Best,

JS

I've been lost I know.

A combination of being busy and at times lazy.

Hope everyone has had a HAPPY NEW YEAR thus far.

Congrats to the Gator Fans (not really)

Good Job by the Dolphins in what ended up being an exciting season.


Looking forward to more this year and I"ll try not to be so lazy in regards to this blog.

JS

Weren't invited to T.O.'s party? Well, here's what you missed. Oh & Jessica Simpson update too.

When you're Terrell Owens you have rappers perform at your private party. For the record, I went to Shaq's 35th B-Day and Ludacris was also performing for that event. Does he do barmitzvah's? Weddings? Sweet 16's?

Here's the view from behind the velvet ropes...



Ludacris Performs for T.O.



Ludacris & Common hit the stage. (Doesn't T.O. look like he's having a GREAT time? Don't be afraid to dance a little big guy)



See what you missed Tony & Jason? Maybe, that's why T.O. kept looking around during the entertainment portion of the event. Maybe, he was hoping Romo & Witten would make it to the soiree. It probably would've been a good idea for Tony to show up. Especially, when you consider his girl Jessica can't get an audience to watch any of her latest performances.

or

Maybe, they didn't show up b/c it was that time of the month (not what you think)...



Ever wondered how Jessica Simpson keeps her long locks looking so lovely? Now thanks to her stylist Ken Paves the secret is out.

“She only washes her hair about two to three times a month. I told Jess a long time ago that you should only wash your hair a few times a week, and in between, rinse it and condition it. And her hair looks fantastic all the time,” overshares Paves.

I’ve heard of two or three times a week, but a month? That just sounds gross to me. I mean not a deal breaker in bed. But, maybe it's not JUST Joe Simpson that's keeping Tony from popping the question. What do you think?

Source:MSN Entertainment

JS

Jeff Goldblum Wafers

Auburn AD Jay Jacobs gets heckled after hiring Gene Chizik

Auburn is taking a lot of HEAT over this hiring. As they should. I mean how you don't hire Turner Gill is beyond me. Sir Charles an alum agrees:

Auburn’s hire of Iowa State Coach Gene Chizik as its new football coach certainly raised some eyebrows. It also raised the ire of the former N.B.A. star Charles Barkley, who is an Auburn alum.

Barkley was not happy that Chizik, who is white and led the Cyclones to a 2-10 season this year, was hired instead of Buffalo’s Turner Gill, who is African-American and led the Bulls to the MAC title. Check out one of his comments in a story by ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach (the whole story is linked to in the previous paragraph):

“I think race was the No. 1 factor,” said Barkley, who played basketball for three seasons at Auburn during the early 1980s. “You can say it’s not about race, but you can’t compare the two resumes and say [Chizik] deserved the job. Out of all the coaches they interviewed, Chizik probably had the worst resume.”


To make matters worse...

ESPN.com football writer Mark Schlabach told "Outside The Lines" today that two other SEC coaches told him, straight up, that Gill would never get the Auburn job, because he's married to a white woman. Unreal.

JS

Clinton Portis Blasts Jim Zorn

Portis rips Jim Zorn. Zorn later calls in to defend himself.

Here's the Audio vault link for WTEM-AM in Washington D.C.

ESPN 980 Audio Link


Frustrated Portis unloads on Redskins coach Zorn

The Associated Press
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
WASHINGTON: Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis unleashed a load of frustration toward rookie coach Jim Zorn on Tuesday, criticizing him for giving inconsistent messages and sarcastically calling Zorn a "genius."

Portis, in his weekly appearance on WTEM-AM radio, was still smarting from his lack of playing time in Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, when he was removed from the game after the first series of the second half.

"Either you feel like you need to sever ties with me — split ties with me — but don't sit here and throw me out like I don't pay attention, like I don't know what's going on, like I'm making mistakes, like I'm the problem," Portis said. "It is what it is, bro."

Portis, third in the NFL in rushing with 1,260 yards, had only 11 carries for 32 yards Sunday. His strong start to the season — five consecutive 120-yard games Weeks 4-8 — helped lead the Redskins to a 6-2 start, but he has barely practiced over the last few weeks because of injuries to his knee, ribs and neck. He has not missed a game but has tallied only 54 yards the last two weeks for the Redskins (7-6), who have lost four of five.

Zorn said Monday he did not use Portis for most of the second half against the Ravens because Portis' lack of practice time had finally caught up to the running back. The coach said Portis had stayed in to block too long instead of going out for a pass on some occasions in the first half.

Zorn went instead with backup Ladell Betts, whom the coach felt was in better position to handle the pass plays that quarterback Jason Campbell and the Redskins were attempting with a two-touchdown deficit.

Portis begged to differ with the coach's assessment.

"Jason on his (butt) all game long, you try to stay in and help, then it's 'Aw, you should have gone out. ... If he's over there and can't breathe and unconscious where he done got the wind knocked out of him from being sacked, then it's 'Aw you got to help out, you've got to chip,'" Portis said. "So I don't think they know what they want me to do."

Portis also denied that his lack of practice time was affecting his performance. He said he had not missed a meeting and attended every practice, even though he was unable to suit up. He noted that his inability to practice wasn't an issue while the team was playing well.

"Outside of Jim Zorn and the coaches on that team and maybe the quarterbacks, I guarantee you I know our system better than anybody else," Portis said. "I guarantee you when we go into blitz pickup, I don't miss my man. So I don't know what it is. If anybody's got a problem with me, they need to talk to me. I don't know what's going on."

Portis was almost derisive when asked if teams have figured out how to defend Zorn's offense after the team's hot start.

"We got a genius for a head coach, I don't know, so I'm sure he's on top of things," Portis said. "He's got everything figured out. All I can do is when he calls the plays is to try and execute to the best of my ability."

Portis also implied that Zorn's offense might be too complex.

"We got 25 protections, so maybe that's why the o-line's sometime confused," Portis said. "Maybe that's why I don't understand what's going on — since I don't understand what's going on."

Zorn appeared on the radio station later in the day and responded to some of Portis' remarks.

"He's a big part of our offense, and he's sitting on the bench," Zorn said. "He's going to feel like he's benched. I don't blame him for that. ... He's an every-down back, that's the way he sees himself and that's the way we see him. He needs to be on the field. I felt the same way when I played."

Zorn said he anticipated Portis practicing this week and playing as an every-down back in the upcoming game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

That was about the only point on which he and his disgruntled player agreed.

"I'm totally healthy after not playing against Baltimore," Portis said. "The thing about it, I'll be at practice tomorrow."