Protesters hailing from Topeka Kansas bearing placards reading “God hates f***”, “The Pope is in Hell”, “God hates America”, and “God hates your tears” attended the funeral of Spc. Joshua Youmans, 26, who died last week due to landmine injuries incurred in Iraq as a US soldier with the 1st Battalion of the 125th Infantry.

Like the many other soldiers and marines who have been sacrificed in the war in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2004, he was accompanied to his graveside by a grieving family. He also left a widow and an infant son. Spc. Youman’s funeral Mass was held at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church in Flushing – a small quiet suburb near Flint Michigan. A bagpiper played a mournful air as his casket was brought forth from the church, while Army honor guards – some openly weeping – stood by. Sgt. Mickey Tarrance, presenting the Army at the funeral said “He is one of ours”, in tribute to the fallen soldier.

Leading six women from the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka Kansas was the daughter of church founder Fred Phelps. Elizabeth Phelps, bearing a placard proclaiming “Land of the Fags” and stick figures apparently engaged in an un-natural act, told Spero News, “God is punishing a defiant nation” … “God will not be mocked” and ”America has defied Him for the last time”.

The Westboro Baptist Church was founded by disbarred attorney and preacher Fred Phelps. While members of Westboro identify themselves as “Baptist”, they are not affiliated with any recognized Baptist church, and they are monitored as a hate group by the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Phelps’ book, The Conspiracy, co-authored by Brent Roper, is often cited by the Ku Klux Klan and the Christian Identity movement. Westboro Baptist Church opposes the US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. At the same time, Ms. Phelps used the occassion of the funeral to denounce the Catholic Church as an “international pedophile organization and nothing less than that.”

The church’s website commonly refers to Catholic churches as “kennels” where “dogs” worship. Elizabeth Phelps explained to Spero News that dogs are used as a Scriptural metaphor of “shamelessness” and she referred to recent court cases in which Catholic priests were convicted of sexual acts upon minors.

Asked how her theology squares with the Scriptural definition that “God is love”, Ms. Phelps said “God is not only love, he has many beautiful attributes. They are just and they are Him.”

The protesters from Kansas shouted raucous slogans while chanting “God hates America” to the tune of the well-known patriotic hymn “God bless America”.

One protester, apparently a teenaged woman, shouted “God hates you”, “Thank God for IEDs” (booby traps) and “Thank God for dead soldiers”. One protester had an American flag tied to her ankles and was seen to trample it. This was seen by many present as a direct provocation to the many veterans present.

As a counter-point, hundreds of local residents were joined by Patriot Guard Riders – a national organization of motorcycle enthusiasts. Wearing their characteristic black leather jackets and chaps, and patriotic and veterans’ symbols, these riders have joined with the Patriot Guards in response to Westboro Baptist’s protests, according the Michigan chapter president Bill Kaledas.

Kaledas, a former mayor of Garden City Michigan told Spero News that he was “extremely gratified and absolutely amazed by the turnout” of 300 plus members of his fraternity of patriotic bikers who turned out on a beautiful sunny day “to pay tribute to a hero”.

Kaledas also said “This is how we can salute our country” while also expressing pleasure that the counter-protest organized by the Patriot Riders was so successful.

According to the Patriot Guard Riders’ website, their mission as invited guests of the grieving families of fallen soldiers is: “ 1. Show our sincere respect for our fallen heroes, their families, and their communities. 2. Shield the mourning family and friends from interruptions created by any protestor or group of protestors. We accomplish the later through strictly legal and non-violent means.”

The many bikers whose motorcycles were festooned with American flags and military insignia bearing testimony to years of military service, were joined by elder fellow veterans representing organizations such as the Marine League, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Knights of Columbus, Vietnam Veterans of America and others. Also present was a contingent from the Ancient Order of Hibernians – an Irish Catholic patriotic organization – wearing green sport-coats while serving to keep good order. AOH member Dan Sullivan, owner of Sullivan’s Irish Corner shop in Flushing, said he was pleased with the turnout of “fellow patriots”.

Marshals for the Patriot Riders were seen asking members of the public and fellow bikers to ignore the shouts and antics of the Topeka group. “Turn your backs to ‘em”, they were heard to say.

Some bikers lofted a huge blue tarpaulin in front of the protesters while also serving as a human barrier to shield the mourners from the protesters’ placards that many of those present deemed “obscene” and “un-American”.

One of the marshals was seen consoling a sobbing woman who had approached the demonstrators.

Others who approached the protesters were kept back and told they would have to remain calm or they would be turned over to the waiting police.

Local and state police were on hand to keep the peace, but appeared largely un-necessary due to the good order encouraged by the patriotic bikers.

Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm, a Catholic, was present at the funeral and was seen emerging from the church at the end of Mass. Before the funeral cortege left the church, the protestors were seen leaving under police escort. According to reports, the protestors were escorted to an awaiting airliner at the local airport.

Coverage by the media of the Westboro Baptist protests has been heavy. Last week, the protesters launched a similar appearance at the funeral of Army private Alan A Mors in nearby Flint Township. At today’s event, TV news crews were evident, as were budding high school news reporters. In recent days, even the BBC interviewed the national president of the Patriot Riders for its World Service radio news service.
Journalism students from Kearsley High School of Flint were also on hand. Student David Ruzicka of Flint said that the Topeka demonstrators protest was “pointless, because people are here to mourn a loss.” Pointing to a banner hanging from a nearby house Ruzicka said he could agree with its message ““Faith without love is nothing” – 1 Corinthians’.

according to www.speroforum.com

Before training camp even starts comes word that the injury-wracked unit from a year ago already has a major concern.  Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger reports Osi Umenyiora has dealt with hip pain all offseason and visited a specialist a month ago.

That specialist — the same doctor A-Rod and Ed Reed used — recommended surgery and initially set an appointment.  The team, Umenyiora, and the doctor all eventually agreed to “pass on surgery for now” because the injury won’t grow worse by playing on it.

Yeah, so maybe it’s a good idea that Umenyiora comes off the bench this year after all.

according to msnbc.com

Now, ESPN.com’s Tim Graham reports that the interest is “minimal.”

Maybe 20 percent is a synonym for minimal.  (We doubt it.)  Or maybe the interest had dropped from 20 percent earlier in the day to a much lower level now.

Or maybe it’s just the smell of ESPN-on-ESPN crime in the late morning/early afternoon.

Meanwhile, ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini lays out five reasons for the Jets to avoid T.O. like a dead fish on hot asphalt.

Cimini thinks that Owens’ personality would damage “an already unsettled chemistry” in the locker room, that the move would add more pressure to quarterback Mark Sanchez, that T.O.’s presence would make training camp even more of a circus, that it would send the wrong message to the three young players who want new contracts, and that Owens is in decline.

Even if Owens is in decline, he would be an upgrade over Jerricho Cotchery for the first quarter of the season, while Santonio Holmes serves a suspension.  But we agree that T.O.’s presence would create a potential mess.

That said, we also think that coach Rex Ryan believes he can keep the three-ring circus from causing the tent to implode.

Favre said that six months ago, after the Vikings lost the NFC Championship, he firmly believed he was finished playing football.

“I can remember walking off that podium with Deanna and my family thinking, ‘I’m done,’” Favre said. “I mean, my heart . . . it was broken.”

But after an offseason of rest and relaxation, followed by ankle surgery and rehabilitation, Favre now says he doesn’t see any reason he should quit any time soon.

” You gotta quit sometime,” Favre said. “Then again, maybe I will be doing this when I’m 50 years old, who knows?”

Who knows, indeed. But Favre sure doesn’t sound like a man who’s going to retire any time soon.

according to msnbc.com

Cotton has died, reportedly after surgery to repair a torn Achilles’ tendon.  Following last week’s outpatient procedure, he returned to the hospital because he was having trouble breathing.  Doctors placed him into a medically-induced coma to assess the situation.

“From what I’m told, when he came out of the coma, he had a series of strokes back to back,” Cotton’s younger cousin, Kenyon Allen, told the Bossier (La.) Press-Tribune, via Aaron Wilson of NFP.  “He had been on life support the entire time he was in the hospital.”

Cotton, 36, played two years for the Ravens, in 1997 and 1998.

Cotton is survived by two sons, age 13 and 9.  Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and teammates.

according to msnbc.com

It only took a few steps into the team’s weight room on a random offseason afternoon.

“There were more than 40 guys in that building working out,” Dansby said. “That showed me their commitment to winning. This organization is doing whatever it needs to do. That’s what sold me, to be honest.”

Here’s what might sell others on Miami this season: To bolster its roster, the Dolphins gave two players (Dansby and wide receiver Brandon Marshall) a combined $93 million ($46 million guaranteed) over the next five years.

It’s a huge investment from a team that’s picky about its spending. But as the AFC East continues to be one of the most intense battlegrounds in the NFL, it also was an investment that should keep the Dolphins well within the hunt.

What’s new

Offense: No offensive unit was criticized more during the last two seasons than the wideouts. And now, no unit has higher expectations. The Dolphins’ passing game is expected to make a huge leap, primarily as a result of the Marshall acquisition. Marshall should provide the aggressive punch and yards-after-catch the Dolphins have lacked.

Marshall’s presence also gives young quarterback Chad Henne the opportunity to flourish. Coordinator Dan Henning still can find ways to make Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams effective on the ground, but he’ll have more flexibility with play-calling with Marshall in the mix.

Defense: This unit struggled considerably last season, ranking 25th in the league in points allowed. As a result, coach Tony Sparano fired coordinator Paul Pasqualoni and lured Mike Nolan away from Denver to replace him. But it’s going to take more than a coaching change to get this unit back on track.

Expect some differences in philosophy, including a step away from the pure 3-4 defense that Miami has run in the past. Instead, look for the front line to penetrate more gaps, allowing the team to benefit from its athleticism.

With Jason Ferguson suspended for the first eight games, end Randy Starks will shift inside to play nose tackle and rookie end Jared Odrick is expected to start from Day 1. Miami gave one of the most lucrative defensive deals in NFL history to Dansby, a good all-around player who is supposed to make the players around him better.

Breakout player
Brian Hartline, WR. Hartline was a rookie on a struggling passing team, but that didn’t keep him from showing his potential early. He was responsible for four of the team’s six biggest pass plays, and his growth should continue with Marshall the focus of opponents’ coverage schemes.

“I think seeing Hartline (in games as a rookie) is going to help a lot going forward because you are not sitting there worried about not having enough evidence on what he can do. Now, can we improve it? Sure, we can improve some of these things.” — Coach Tony Sparano

Opponent’s view
The Dolphins have become known across the league as a tough team with an innovative coaching staff, which causes opponents to be very diligent about their film study during the week prior to a game. Their ability to master the Wildcat offense was particularly impressive, but now it’s time for them to take another step. …

“They need to become a more multidimensional team on offense, capable of scoring more points, especially if the defense plays anything like it did last season when it gave up all of those points. It’s obvious they realize this, since they added wide receiver Brandon Marshall. With Marshall, they’re close to becoming the real deal. …

“And think about it: If Ronnie Brown was able to be as productive as he was when the Dolphins didn’t have a passing game, imagine what he’s capable of doing when a defense isn’t stuffing everybody they’ve got into the box. Marshall makes this whole team better.”

Bottom line

When the Dolphins finished 11-5 in ‘08, it caused many to wonder whether Miami was destined for huge things long before anyone expected. Those with a more realistic understanding knew it wouldn’t be that easy. But just because the Dolphins struggled at times last season, it doesn’t mean they are off track.

Now that the front office has invested serious dough in a playmaker like Marshall, it seems clear the Dolphins believe the initial phases of the team’s development is complete. Some major holes remain on defense, but as young players continue to grow Miami should begin to get back to being more like the team of ‘08 than last season’s inconsistent bunch.

according to sportingnews.com

As training camp approaches and with every team in the valley of 0-0 and having a one-in-four chance (in theory) of winning the division and hosting a playoff game, optimism causes many fans to believe that their quarterback can — and will — not only survive but even thrive.

In some cities, the handwriting is already on the wall, plain to see for anyone who cares to notice. Let’s look at where the powers-that-be should pull the trigger now instead of later on benching their starting quarterbacks.

Jake Delhomme, Browns
Coach Eric Mangini recently said the starting job in Cleveland is Delhomme’s to lose. The sooner he does lose it, the better off the team will be.

Delhomme lost his fastball at some point during the 13 days between Week 17 of the 2008 regular season and the divisional round of the playoffs. Though the Browns regard it as an aberration, it’s unlikely that a guy would simply fall off the horse at an advanced stage of his career then find the stirrups again.

Of course, the Browns can’t simply bench Delhomme after signing him in the offseason and paying him $7 million. Maybe they just shouldn’t have signed him.

David Garrard, Jaguars
The coach doesn’t really believe in him. The owner doesn’t really believe in him. So why in the heck is Garrard the Jaguars’ starting quarterback?

Of course, Garrard might be better than Luke McCown. But even if Garrard remains at the top of the depth chart, he should be on a short leash for 2010.

In turn, the Jaguars should have found a better option in the offseason. They clearly don’t love the guy. It makes no sense to keep him around.

Kyle Orton, Broncos
The decision to trade for Brady Quinn and to draft Tim Tebow hardly represents a vote of confidence for Orton, whose contract-year performance was rewarded with only a first-round restricted free-agent tender.

So why do the Broncos insist on keeping him at the top of the depth chart? If, somehow, he plays well in 2010, it’ll be harder to move on in 2011. The better move would be to get Tebow ready and get him on the field.

If the Broncos thought enough of Tebow to trade back into Round 1 to draft him, they simply should get him on the field.

Matt Moore, Panthers
After cutting Delhomme, the Panthers handed the ball to Moore. Then the Panthers drafted a QB in Round 2 prepared to step in and play right away

So why not just give Jimmy Clausen the ball right now?

If coach John Fox wants to stick around after 2010, he must show that Clausen can be the long-term answer at quarterback.

Matt Leinart, Cardinals
A top-10 pick in ‘06, Leinart hasn’t been able to win and hold the job. Injured in ‘07 after routinely being yanked for Kurt Warner when the going got tough, Leinart surprisingly landed on the bench shortly before the ‘08 season. He then watched Warner cement his Hall of Fame credentials.

So it’s unclear why the team still has faith in Leinart. The best argument for keeping him on the field flows from the fact that the only other viable option is Derek Anderson.

The Cardinals should have aggressively pursued other options in the offseason, whether Donovan McNabb or Marc Bulger. Either way, Leinart isn’t the answer; the sooner the Cardinals figure that out, the better off they’ll be.

according to sportingnews.com

Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman told KSTP-TV sports director Joe Schmit that the Vikings were not interested in adding T.O. to their receiver mix.  (Thanks to Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune for passing along the news.)

Slightly more surprising is Minnesota’s lack of interest in guard Chester Pitts.  The former Texans guard is working out for teams in Arizona Tuesday and Minnesota was once mentioned as one of five teams interested in Pitts.  That interest has apparently waned.

according to msnbc.com

Vikings linebacker Ben Leber, for one, doesn’t like the idea.

Speaking with Mike Florio and Henry Lake on KFAN, Leber said there will be a “ton of resistance” to such a proposal.  Leber only wears thigh pads (no hip or knee pads) and said he would be “a little disgruntled” if he’s required to put on more padding.

Mike believes the league could be trying to put players between a rock and a hard place.  On one hand, they are resistant to two extra games because of safety reasons.  On the other, they don’t want to take steps towards improving their safety.

Leber was also nice enough to say he appreciates being on the PFT magazine cover, although he wishes we showed the picture a few moments later.  Leber hit Drew Brees on the play, although the Saints quarterback did get rid of the ball in time.

We also learned that Jared Allen owns the mysterious hand headed towards Brees’ crotch, which we probably should have known all along.

Jamison Hensley writes the “most likely scenario” surrounding Reed would be for him to be placed on the active/PUP list to open the season, which would knock him out of the first six games.

Keep in mind that this information was presented in a blog post about training camp, not as a breaking news story.  There’s a lot of time left before the regular season, and the Ravens will exhaust any chance to have Reed available at some point in September.

For now, there’s serious doubt whether the best player in Baltimore’s banged-up secondary will make it back to the field before that newsmaking quarterback over in Pittsburgh.

according to msnbc.com