St. Petersburg Times Online: Business

Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

Giants upset with Palmer sideshow

Times Staff and Wire Reports
Published April 10, 2004

CHICAGO - Former Gator Jesse Palmer is not so popular with Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi.

The backup quarterback stars in ABC's The Bachelor and Accorsi said he would prefer Palmer spend more time watching game film than choosing a possible bride from 25 bachelorettes.

"I would have been much happier if he was studying tape the last six weeks instead of getting involved with this thing," Accorsi said on Sporting News Radio.

Accorsi also said he read a story that said the Giants' front office was amused by Palmer's role on the TV show.

"Not this part of the front office," he said.

BENGALS-BRONCOS TRADE: Cincinnati obtained cornerback Deltha O'Neal from Denver. The trade gives Denver Cincinnati's first-round pick, No. 17 overall, in return for the 24th slot. Cincinnati also received the Broncos' fourth round pick. The Bengals wanted to draft a cornerback. But the three best - D'Angelo Hall of Virginia Tech, Dunta Robinson of South Carolina and Chris Gamble or Ohio State - should be gone.

BROWNS: Receiver Dennis Northcutt, trying to leave since his agent failed to meet a deadline to make him a free agent, has filed a grievance. Agent Jerome Stanley claims the Browns did not bargain with Northcutt in good faith. The agent also claims the team breached Northcutt's contract.

COWBOYS: Dimitrius Underwood, a former defensive tackle, was taken to a psychiatric ward after refusing to get out of his stalled car. Police found the 27-year-old sitting in the middle of I-35 shortly before 9:30 p.m. Thursday. Police shot rounds of pepper balls at Underwood's car when he refused to get out.

FALCONS: Defensive tackle Ellis Johnson, a former Gator, will not participate in any of the three minicamps until he gets a new contract, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Johnson led all interior linemen with eight sacks last season. "He likes (Jim) Mora and wants to play for him," said David I. Levine, Johnson's agent, "if they can work out the contract."

VIKINGS: Receiver Randy Moss is back running after being hobbled three months because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported he isn't expected to miss any minicamps.

ARENA FOOTBALL: The Storm signed former Grand Rapids and Indiana fullback/linebacker Umar Muhammad and activated offensive/defensive lineman Jerome King from the practice squad. Also, the Storm placed receiver/defensive back Shea Showers and lineman Evan Pilgrim on injured reserve.

- Staff writer Frank Pastor contributed to this report.

© Copyright, St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.