NFL Shocker: Fiedler Released by Bucs

You don't always know what lights were on after the power goes out (as it often does up here on our dirt road). As I found out this morning, every light in the house was on (at least it seemed that way) when it went dark here a little after 10 last night. I mention that because when the power came back on at a couple minutes after 5 this morning, it looked and sounded (the TV was blaring) like Times Square. Falling back asleep didn't seem to be in the program, so I turned on the computer and got a shock. (Not literally -- thankfully.)

Popping up on the screen this morning was the news that Jay Fiedler had been cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His surgically repaired shoulder never allowed him to practice with the team and with rookie Bruce Gradkowski performing well as the No. 3 QB, the team decided to keep him and Tim Rattay as backups to starter Chris Simms. Luke McCown is also in the picture as he rehabs from a knee injury.

The Tampa Tribune story about Fiedler's release begins this way: "The Jay Fiedler experiment is over." ... But the kicker is the next line: "At least for now." The story goes on to note that the former Dartmouth QB knows the system, and suggests that he might be just a phone call away should he be needed. Green Alert Take: Fiedler has been like a cat with nine lives since making the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 1994. If he gets his shoulder ready to go, he'll be on someone's roster before the season is over.

While Fiedler knows his fate, former Dartmouth tight end Casey Cramer is awaiting his. He'll likely find it out shortly after the Carolina Panthers play the Pittsburgh Steelers in their preseason finale tonight according to the Charlotte Observer. The story notes, as others have, that Cramer has become a favorite of the coaches with his hard-nosed play, but that he's in a difficult numbers game in the Carolina backfield. ...

Speaking of Cramer, a subscriber sent along this note a few days back: "Someone who had a front row seat in one of the end zones for the Panthers' preseason game against Miami had a very large (probably done on a bedsheet) banner that read, 'THIS IS CRAMER COUNTRY, GO #49.' "

Among the other Ivy Leaguers on the bubble is former Columbia tight end Wade Fletcher, who is hoping to make the Giants' roster. The New York Times writes: "Fletcher’s story holds less of the what-will-become-of-him concern than of others who did not finish college or never imagined life without professional football. He is a Columbia graduate with a political science degree. He had an internship this past off-season with Smith Barney." ... That's not a bad endorsement for playing in the Ivy League.

The web site I-AA.org posted its conference picks and, like so many others, tapped Dartmouth for seventh in the Ivies, ahead of only Columbia. Harvard's Clifton Dawson was the choice as the conference's offensive player of the year and Brown's Zak DeOssie as the defensive player of the year. Here's how I-AA.org sees it:

1. Harvard
2. Brown
3. Princeton
4. Penn
5. Yale
6. Cornell
7. Dartmouth
8. Columbia

New Hampshire is the pick in the Atlantic 10 with Colgate second (behind Lafayette) and Holy Cross fourth in the Patriot League.

This morning's Boston Globe takes Dartmouth down another notch with the Big Green pegged for the basement in its Ivy League capsules. Of Dartmouth, the Globe writes: "With 400 yards total, the Big Green (as a team) wouldn't have cracked the league's top 10 (individuals) in rushing last season."

Here's how the Globe sees the racing shaking out:

1. Penn
2. Yale
3. Harvard
4. Brown
5. Cornell
6. Princeton
7. Columbia
8. Dartmouth

The Globe also has a story about Harvard quarterback Chris Pizzotti, pressed into action by the suspension of starter Liam O'Hagan for the first five games.

The Globe, to the surprise of no one, picks UNH first in the Atlantic 10 North race. Here's a laugh: The capsules for each team include Key New Englanders. Not considered one of them, apparently, is All-World wide receiver David Ball of Orange, Vt. Hmmm. For a lot of people in this part of New England that's less of a slam on Ball and more of a confirmation of something many think: Vermont (and western New Hampshire) aren't really on the Globe's radar.

A Daily Pennsylvanian writer does a good job with this story about the challenge facing the Penn football team a year after the suicide of player Kyle Ambrogi.

The Boston paper also has a profile of Holy Cross corner Casey Gough, who might just be the best in the Patriot Leage at his position.

When Holy Cross and Georgetown open against each other this weekend, it will be a reunion of sorts for the head coaches. The Georgetown Voice notes that, "The Hoyas will be protecting the ball from a team coached by Tom Gilmore, a good friend and formerly a fellow coach with (new Georgetown coach Kevin) Kelly at Dartmouth."

The Ricky Santos story has been done and done again, but it's always a compelling read. The star UNH quarterback (who wasn't even in the press guide two years ago when he burst on the national scene) is profiled here by CSTV.

Double-sessions today and there will be practice stories posted after each, so be sure to stop by Green Alert in early afternoon to see how the morning went. The second story will go up tonight, hopefully by nine.

And finally ... the Hanover High School field hockey team opened the season with a 7-2 win yesterday, making the varsity debut of a certain freshman who played a good part of the game a very happy one.