FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-PRE-1       7/28/03

“NFL HOMECOMING” IN CANTON,

AMERICAN BOWL & HALL OF FAME TV GAMES

HIGHLIGHT WEEKEND

One-hundred-and-twenty players are coming home, and two teams are going overseas.

That is the tally as the NFL kicks off its opening preseason weekend -- Saturday through Monday -- by going back to its roots in Canton, Ohio while continuing to nurture the game in Tokyo, Japan.  

In the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 40th Anniversary year, all 144 living members of the Hall have been invited back to Canton, the birthplace of pro football in 1920, for an “NFL Homecoming” celebration.  The final number of attendees is expected to reach 120.  That includes such legends as DICK BUTKUS, JOE NAMATH, ALAN PAGE, GALE SAYERS and LYNN SWANN.  It is believed to be the largest gathering of Hall of Famers from any sport in one place at one time. 

It is the second such reunion in three years.  In 2000, to kick off the new century, all Hall members were invited back to Canton for “Pro Football’s Greatest Reunion.” 

“Ever since that first reunion, it seems whenever I run into a Hall of Famer, he refers to that gathering and asks, ‘When will we do that again?’” says NFL Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE, whose idea it was to stage the first reunion.  “The Hall of Fame’s 40th Anniversary is the perfect occasion to again pay tribute to the game’s greatest contributors.”

Ninty-one-year-old ACE PARKER will be the oldest Hall of Famer attending, while STEVE VAN BUREN will represent the earliest Hall class (1965).

The returnees will honor their newest peers, the Class of 2003 – MARCUS ALLEN, ELVIN BETHEA, JOE DE LAMIELLEURE, JAMES LOFTON and HANK STRAM.

“My feet still haven’t hit the ground,“ says DeLamielleure of his imminent induction.  “It’s not only for myself, it’s for my family and all the people who made it possible.  They’re the ones celebrating the most.”

DeLamielleure and his fellow classmates will have their bronze busts implanted in the Hall’s new Hall of Fame Gallery, a $1.7 million renovation that opened to the public on July 3.

The inductions will take place this year on Sunday, rather than on Saturday as in past years.  Last year, because of the amount of fans attending the induction ceremonies on the steps of the Hall of Fame, the event was moved to nearby Fawcett Stadium, the site of the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game Monday night.

And even that game will have historical significance.

When the Green Bay Packers take on the Kansas City Chiefs on ABC-TV at 8:00 PM ET, it matches the Super Bowl I

* * * * * *

“…AND, NOW, TO PRESENT THE HONOR…”

Almost as awaited as the identities of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class every year are the names of the “presenters” of those inductees on their special day.  The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2003 presenters:

* * * * * *

teams of January 15, 1967 when the Packers prevailed 35-10 in Los Angeles.  The coach of the Chiefs in that game?  New Hall of Fame inductee Stram.

The Monday night telecast, kicking off AL MICHAELS and JOHN MADDEN’s second year together, will be the debut of ABC’s new sideline reporter, LISA GUERRERO.

Added to the festivities in Canton paying respect to the game’s past is an event promising impact on its future -- the third-annual Youth Football Summit.

Fifty top high school football coaches, representing each state, will participate in the summit from Thursday, July 31 through Sunday, August 3.

In addition to the high school coaches, more than 100 youth football coaches and other supporters of youth and high school football will attend the weekend of educational seminars that are designed to support the youth coaching community.

Several football experts, including former Dallas Cowboys personnel chief GIL BRANDT, will be on hand to discuss topics vital to the continued success of youth and high school football.  Leaders in the fields of sports psychology and medicine such as sports psychologist DR. KEVIN ELKO, DR. BILL PRENTICE of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, and motivational speaker ZACHARY MINOR will address the coaches.  The NFL Youth Football Fund, created by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, will again fund the summit. 

“We have more than 1,600 players on our NFL rosters,” says Commissioner Tagliabue.  “They have one thing in common. They received guidance from high school coaches.  The Youth Football Summit is one way that we can offer our resources on an annual basis to support the quality of coaching throughout the country.”

Meanwhile, 13 time zones away, there will be a football game played on Saturday.  And this one has as many interesting facets as the “NFL Homecoming” weekend in Canton.

Tokyo, Japan is the dateline, and will it be an interesting one indeed.

It’s the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – yes, those Buccaneers who were last seen winning Super Bowl XXXVII – against the 2002 AFC East Division champion New York Jets.  It’s the first American Bowl for each team, and are they excited travelers!

“A lot of people didn’t even know the Bucs existed,” says team owner MALCOLM GLAZER.  “Well, now the whole world knows about us.”

And the whole of America can see the game Saturday early – real early – and again that evening.  The game will be played in Tokyo at 6:00 PM Japan time, the first time an American Bowl has been played in the city in primetime.  That means that Bucs and Jets fans will be able to see the game live on ESPN2 at 5:00 AM ET on Saturday.  If they can’t roll out of bed at that hour, they can watch a re-airing on ESPN at a more civil hour on Saturday night – 8:00 PM ET.

This will be the 11th American Bowl in Tokyo, the most of any international city.  Fans attending will be able to enjoy a six-hour NFL gameday experience.  Encouraged to arrive at the Tokyo Dome by mid-afternoon, they will be able to partake in an “NFL Experience” exhibit that will feature interactive activities and a tailgate party prior to the game.

For two players in the game, it will be their second trip to Japan this year.  Linebackers MARVIN JONES of the Jets and SHELTON QUARLES of the Bucs visited Tokyo this spring to conduct clinics for young Japanese footballers and visit several cultural attractions.

“It’s great to experience a new culture,” says Quarles. 

Each team also has a Japanese player on their roster.  Both are veterans of the NFL Europe League with the Amsterdam Admirals.  Linebacker SHINZO YAMADA is with the Buccaneers and wide receiver YOSHINOBU IMOTO with the Jets.

The Jets, from one of the world’s busiest cities, are thrilled to play in another bustling city.

“It’s an honor, it really is,” says Jets general manager TERRY BRADWAY.  “The NFL wants us to represent the league and represent New York and we’re happy to do it.”

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2

AMERICAN BOWL – TOKYO, JAPAN

NEW YORK JETS VS. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

SERIES

’02 STAT LEADERS

NOTES

TEAMS MAKE first American Bowl appearance.  Tokyo hosts its 11th AB game, most of any city.  Crowd of 112,376 attended AB ’94 in Mexico City (Hou 6, Dal 0) – largest in NFL history……JETS: Head coach HERMAN EDWARDS faces former club (Bucs Asst. Head Coach/DB Coach, 1996-00).  Became 1st Jets coach to reach playoffs in each of 1st 2 years……QB CHAD PENNINGTON led NFL with team-record 104.2 passer rating.  Threw 18 TDs vs. 0 INTs in red zone in ’02.  With 1,000 rush yards, RB CURTIS MARTIN becomes 2nd NFL player to start career with 9 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (BARRY SANDERS).  Threw game-winning TD pass to WR WAYNE CHREBET vs. Bucs on 9/24/00…… 1st Rd. pick DT DEWAYNE ROBERTSON makes NFL debut.  CB DONNIE ABRAHAM is TB’s all-time leader in INTs (31), member of Bucs from 1996-01……BUCCANEERS:  First defending SB champ to play in AB since ’99 Broncos (Sydney, Australia) ……QB BRAD JOHNSON has 51-28 (.646) record as starter, 2nd among active QBs (min. 50 starts).    RB AARON STECKER has int’l experience, starring for 2000 Scottish Claymores in NFL Europe.  WR KEYSHAWN JOHNSON spent 1996-99 with NYJ……Defense allowed 196 points in ’02, fewest in NFL & 5th-fewest since 16-game sked in ’78.  Held foes to 10 points-or-less 9 times in ’02 ……DE SIMEON RICE had 15.5 sacks last year, 2nd-highest total in club history & seeks 3rd 10-sack season in row.  LB DERRICK BROOKS named AP Defensive Player of Year.

MONDAY, AUGUST 4

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME GAME – CANTON, OHIO
GREEN BAY PACKERS VS. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

SERIES

’02 STAT LEADERS

NOTES

CLUBS MEET for first time in HOF game……Game is rematch of Super Bowl I (GB, 35-10)……Teams last played in Tokyo, Japan in ’98 American Bowl (8/1/98)……PACKERS: QB BRETT FAVRE enters 2003 on cusp of several major milestones.  Has 42,285 passing yards & needs 756 to pass HOFer DAN FOUTS for 5th all-time.  Has 115 career wins & needs 11 to pass HOFers JOE MONTANA (115) & FRAN TARKENTON (125) for 3rd all-time.  Favre has 173 consecutive starts, most ever by QB & most of any current player.  RB AHMAN GREEN seeks 4th consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season.  Part of pregame ritual involves watching “Pure Payton,” highlight film of HOFer WALTER PAYTON.  WR DONALD DRIVER posted 1,064 yards receiving in ’02, first 1,000 in club history by player drafted as low as 7th round……With 10.0 sacks, DE KABEER GBAJA-BIAMILA will become 1st Packer with 3 consecutive 10-sack seasons ……CHIEFS:  Club makes first HOF Game appearance since 1987 (vs. SF).  Team led NFL in scoring (29.1) for 1st time……QB TRENT GREEN ranked 4th in NFL with 92.6 passer rating & career-high 26 TDs in ’02.  Threw 46 passes for 20+ yards, 3rd-most in AFC.  RB PRIEST HOLMES (not expected to play – injury) named 2002 NFL Offensive Player of Year by AP, tied for 3rd-most TDs in season (21).  Led NFL with 2,287 scrimmage yards, 4th-most all-time.  TE TONY GONZALEZ led NFL TEs with 7 TDs in ’02……WR-KR-PR DANTE HALL was 3rd in AFC in PR avg. (13.4)……DE VONNIE HOLLIDAY makes KC debut vs. former team (GB, 1998-2002).  Set GB record with 5.0 sacks in game (12/22/02 vs. Buf).  DE ERIC HICKS led team w/ 9.0 sacks.  LB SHAWN BARBER makes KC debut.  LB MIKE MASLOWSKI posted club-record 164 tackles last season……NFL’s least-penalized team in ’02 (75).
 

THIS WEEK’S NFL SCHEDULE (AUGUST 2-4)
(All times ET)

Saturday, August 2
New York Jets vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers in American Bowl at Tokyo, Japan, 5:00 AM (ESPN 2). Re-airs 8:00 PM (ESPN)

Monday, August 4
Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs in AFC-NFC Pro Football Hall of Fame Game at Canton, Ohio, 8:00 PM (ABC)

NEXT WEEK’S NFL SCHEDULE (AUGUST 7-11)

(All times local)