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Tales From Training Camp: Was Jim Irsay's Cash Giveaway An Attempt To Curry Favor?

Colts Owner Jim Irsay over the weekend attended the team's training camp in Anderson, Ind., and handed out $100 bills to fans. ESPN's Tony Kornheiser said in the aftermath of Irsay being arrested for DUI in March with $29,000 in cash with him, the act was "not only repulsive," but it "looks like a blatant attempt to curry favor with the Indianapolis public." ESPN's Michael Wilbon said, "This is just basically him saying, 'I can do anything I want'" ("PTI," ESPN, 7/28). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote Irsay was "perhaps feeling the need to bolster his explanation for always carrying a bunch of cash" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 7/26). Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jeff Saturday, who played 13 seasons with the Colts, said of Irsay, “He’s just going through his battle. We were familiar early in my career -- Jim was very forthright that he had battled this addiction before. It's kind of reared its head again. This is the first time he’s really had any kind of situations outside with the law that had become really public knowledge. ... He's always been very generous to this community. I think he's beloved here because of what he does do for this city and this area. I think people are pulling for him to get healthy, get right" (“The Herd,” ESPN Radio, 7/28).

GET YER COLD BEER HERE! In St. Louis, Jim Thomas reported the Rams for the first time this year are "selling beer at training camp." Rams VP/Marketing & Brand Strategy Brian Killingsworth said, "It's something that we had been talking about for the last couple of years, but never really moved forward with the necessary steps." He added, "This year, we wanted to bring a new twist to training camp with beer and barbecue. We listened to what our fans said, and we did a couple of focus groups on that as well" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/28).

THAT WAS FAST
: In DC, Dan Steinberg reported fans are "trying to sell (free) Redskins practice tickets" on Craigslist. Almost "immediately after the Redskins introduced a ticket lottery for four training camp sessions ... wise fans warned that this would lead to an attempted secondary market" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 7/28). 

DESTINATION, N.Y.: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Alex Raskin reported the Giants have outfitted players "with GPS devises strapped to their backs under their uniforms." The technology can "provide the team with information such as top speed, burst and how long the player has run in terms of time and miles." Giants coach Tom Coughlin said, "We're getting all kinds of information. It's player related so we have information coming every day on every player." But Raskin noted the Giants "aren't eager to discuss the specifics of that information" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/28). 

JERRY'S WORLD: In Ft. Worth, Randy Galloway wrote Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones "remains delusional when it comes to him correctly recognizing his role in the demise of a once-proud franchise." Galloway: "Jerry Jones destroyed the Cowboys. Period." In the "midst of his ongoing football product destruction, Jones has built a mighty financial fortress." His bottom line "trumps anything in the sports world, and also repels the constant criticism of football incompetence." Jones makes "monster money by being a football failure," which is "great work if you can get it" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/28).

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