Emanuel takes snaps in Dolphins' practice

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 27, 2000

DAVIE -- The Miami Dolphins' new offense is expected to include plenty of wrinkles. But veteran wide receiver Bert Emanuel at quarterback?

Emanuel, an All-Southwest Conference quarterback at Rice who has thrown just one pass in the NFL -- and none during two seasons with Tampa Bay before his release in April -- took a few snaps at training camp Wednesday.

Coach Dave Wannstedt played coy when asked about lining up No. 87 under center.

"Under center? When did that happen?" Wannstedt said. He then added, "We're experimenting with a lot of different looks and a lot of different guys."

The Dolphins' new offensive coordinator, Chan Gailey, was with Pittsburgh when Kordell Stewart enjoyed his greatest success there shuffling between quarterback, receiver and running back.

The Dolphins, who will hold four joint practices with the Bucs Friday and Saturday at Orlando, will consider whether to use Emanuel on occasion at quarterback, especially in short-yardage situations.

"This is probably more of an experiment thing -- seeing what we like," Wannstedt said. "We'll pull out what we believe might fit and carry it through the season."

Kendra calls it quits

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Former Florida State fullback Dan Kendra retired, three months after signing with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted rookie.

Kendra, a 6-foot-2, 255-pound converted quarterback, rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries during 11 games with the Seminoles last season. He also caught seven passes for 31 yards and two touchdowns.

An All-America high school quarterback in Pennsylvania, Kendra was redshirted in 1995 and was a backup to Thad Busby from 1996-97.

While at FSU, Kendra was best-known for his eccentricities -- he owned an alligator and ate ostrich meat -- and carefree attitude -- he owned a motorcycle and took tacklers head-on. Heposed for a publicity photo in a tattered jersey and painted green like the comic book hero Hulk and once burst blood vessels in his eyes setting a school record in the weight room. Kendra said he was trying to make a firecracker and that it "malfunctioned."

Kendra missed the 1998 season after tearing a ligament in his right knee during a spring intrasquad scrimmage. While bored with recuperation, he was at the center of an embarrassing incident in which he mixed household products with steak sauce, creating an explosion that sent him to a Tallahassee hospital for treatment of superficial cuts and prompted an inquiry by local law enforcement. He was cleared of wrongdoing.

Police finish Lane case

CHARLOTTE -- The shooting death of former Carolina Panther Fred Lane three weeks ago moved one step closer to resolution as homicide investigators turned over their findings to prosecutors.

But it was not clear when authorities would decide whether to file charges against Deidra Lane, who police say shot and killed her husband during a domestic dispute July 6.

"There's a lot of material for the district attorney's office to cover," homicide investigator Sgt. Quint McMurray said.

He said police presented the case, which includes photographs, interviews and a coroner's report, without offering an opinion on the circumstances surrounding Fred Lane's death.

"We will review it as we do with any case," said Gentry Caudill, a Mecklenburg County prosecutor. "But I can't speculate on a time frame."

Fred Lane, who was 24, was found dead just inside his southeast Mecklenburg home near unpacked luggage. Police said he was shot in the chest and in the head at close range about an hour after arriving from Nashville, Tenn.

Police said Deidra Lane used a shotgun.

Fred Lane's friends and relatives said the couple, married in 1998, had been having financial problems.

Henderson Hill, an attorney for Deidra Lane, 25, was notified of the development but declined to comment through his staff.

More TV choices

NEW YORK -- Fans will get more of a choice of which games to watch on television this season.

The league said it changed its policy for the 2000 season, allowing Fox or CBS to show a second game when the local team is at home. Previously, the network that had the local team's home game couldn't show another game in that market that Sunday.

The change is part of a one-year experiment approved by the NFL's Broadcast Committee.

Under the old system, viewers in Pittsburgh on Sept. 3 would have seen the 1 p.m. Baltimore at Pittsburgh game on CBS and the 4 p.m. Philadelphia at Dallas game on Fox.

Under the new system, if the Steelers game is sold out 72 hours in advance, CBS also will show the New York Jets-Green Bay Packers game at 4 p.m., opposite the Eagles-Cowboys game.

The broadcast committee also voted to allow the TV networks to attach a lightweight camera to the bill of the umpire's hat in nine nationally televised preseason games.

The "Umpirecams" were used by Fox during its telecast of the NFL Europe's World Bowl game.

If the experiment works, the league will consider using the UmpireCams during the regular season.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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