In Ft. Lauderdale, Omar Kelly reports no Dolphins player who "hasn't already stated his disappointment with the franchise's direction has flat out asked -- or had his representatives ask -- to be traded following Sunday's debacle," in which the team lost 59-10 to the Ravens. This "doesn't mean there aren't a handful of players inside Miami's locker room who don't want to ... play somewhere else." The Dolphins' front office is "still holding a yard sale," and the "purge will continue as the framework of this franchise gets stripped down to the studs" (South Florida SUN SENTINEL, 9/10).
MOVING UP: In Toronto, Doug Smith notes the Raptors promoted Data Analyst Brittni Donaldson to an assistant role on coach Nick Nurse's staff, joining a "growing list of NBA teams with women as assistants on their staff." Donaldson's promotion "just keeps with the Raptors' progressiveness in getting women into what might have been untraditional roles at one time." Women in the Raptors' front office already include VP/Basketball Operations & Player Development Teresa Resch, Player Development Manager Shelby Weaver and Dir of Communications Jennifer Quinn (TORONTO STAR, 9/10).
NEW KID IN TOWN: In Houston, Brian Smith noted the "most powerful voice" in the Texans organization outside of Chair & CEO Cal McNair and coach Bill O'Brien is Exec VP/Team Development Jack Easterby. In just five months, he has "brought many involved with Houston's NFL team closer together, but has also left others within the Texans questioning his intentions and wondering how in the world a former chaplain and character coach gained this much pro football power, this fast." Some have "criticized Easterby's hands-on approach and worried about the carte-blanche card he's been given," while others have "quickly taken to Easterby's unique personal style and the push for change" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 9/8).
