ASHBURN, Va. - Laveranues Coles believes Florida State turned its back on him in his time of need. And the Washington Redskins receiver let the nation know it during Thursday night's NFL season opener against the Jets.
When it was time for the televised player introductions, Coles discarded the usual response - name and college - refusing to acknowledge he once was a Seminole.
Instead, the 25-year-old introduced himself as, "Laveranues Coles, (Jacksonville) Ribault High School."
"It's not that I hate FSU," he said Friday. "I felt like they abandoned me. I just don't have any ties to them. ... They told me I wasn't a part of the organization. If I wasn't part of the organization then, don't tell me I'm part of it now."
Coles was kicked off the Seminoles in 1999 after he and teammate Peter Warrick were caught accepting a $391 discount on clothing from a Dillards sales clerk in Tallahassee. They were charged with felonies, but coach Bobby Bowden dismissed Coles from the team and kept Warrick, a Heisman candidate, opting to give him a two-game suspension.
Coles pleaded to a reduced charge, left school, and spent the next few months worried that his career was ruined.
"They cut me loose when I needed them most," said Coles, who lingered until the third round of the 2000 draft and was taken 78th overall by the Jets, the 13th receiver chosen. Warrick was a first-round pick, taken fourth overall by the Bengals.
"I thought I would be able to use their helmet to play in the (college) all-star games; they told me I couldn't."
To this day, Coles doesn't say "Florida State" when anyone asks where he went to school.
"If I did say anything, I'd say "FSU.' That can go for anything - Fayetteville State," he said.
MILLOY TAMPERING?: Safety Lawyer Milloy, who signed with the Bills last week, told SI.com that Washington made him an offer before he was released by the Patriots - a claim the Redskins denied. Milloy said his agent, Carl Poston, "called some teams to see who would want me" before he was cut Tuesday, and added: "The Redskins gave us a bigger offer than the Patriots." That would be a violation of the NFL's tampering rules. Redskins spokesman Karl Swanson called the report "absurd. The first contact we had was from our owner to (New England owner) Bob Kraft once we heard Milloy was released," Swanson said. "The next contact was the offer we filed. We heard about it on the (waiver) wire like everyone else." Buffalo coach Gregg Williams said Milloy's status for today will be a game-time decision.
PRESEASON DOWNSIZING?: Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said he is seriously considering authorizing the league to study the feasibility of adding two regular-season games to the current 16-game schedule and reducing the number of preseason games. The proposal would be made at a league meeting in Chicago in late October, with the 2005 season the earliest target for change. Tagliabue began talking about such a study last spring with the league's competition committee co-chair, Tampa Bay general manager Rich McKay.
CHIEFS: The terms of the contract running back Priest Holmes agreed to Wednesday: seven-year deal worth up to $35-million, with $10-million in signing bonuses and guaranteed money.
DOLPHINS: Offensive tackle Greg Jerman was activated from the practice squad and tight end Marco Battaglia was released. Battaglia was signed to a one-year, $655,000 contract in the offseason. The team did not say why he was released. Dolphins officials did not return phone messages Saturday.
FALCONS: "I don't know when I'm going to be back, and I was so excited about this season," said quarterback Michael Vick, who broke his leg in a preseason game Aug. 16. "It's tough, man. I'm still depressed." Team orthopedist Andrew Bishop removed Vick's fiberglass cast Wednesday, placing Vick in a removable, walking cast. The earliest he could return is Oct. 5 against Minnesota, but he indicated that Week 6 at St. Louis or Week 7 against New Orleans seems more likely.
JAGUARS: A businessman charged in a drug conspiracy told authorities he sold or gave marijuana to two defensive tackles and a player with the Texans, according to a police report obtained by the Florida Times-Union. Don Brown Jr. told police about his dealings with players Marcus Stroud and John Henderson and Texans running back Stacey Mack after his June 18 arrest in a drug bust, according to the report. The police report said Brown told Drug Enforcement Administration agents that Stroud and Mack "have purchased marijuana from him in the past." Brown said "that he has also given marijuana to Henderson in the past," the report said. None of the players has been charged and all deny any illegal dealings with Brown. Brown was charged with trying to buy 10 kilograms of cocaine from undercover police and using his auto accessories shop as a front. He has pleaded not guilty. Stroud, Henderson and teammate Kiwaukee Thomas were among the witnesses who testified in Jacksonville last week before a federal grand jury in Brown's case. Mack was subpoenaed to testify but was not called. Tim McGee, agent for Henderson and Mack, said Friday that Brown's statements were false.
PACKERS: Defensive end Jamal Reynolds, the ex-Florida State star, has played in just 16 of a possible 35 games and is stuck behind Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila on the team's depth chart. But while he may never make the impact expected from being the 10th overall selection in the 2001 draft, the Packers think he has potential to eventually become a regular contributor. "He's had some good rushes at times, but you just want to see more consistency," said coach Mike Sherman, who wants Reynolds to improve his run defense.
