King's Corner

TRADING E-MAIL WITH ...
Chargers linebacker Donnie Edwards

SI: Favorite nonfootball website?

Edwards: bobmarley.com.

SI: Most interesting piece of information you saw on the Internet
today?

Edwards: An online video game, Medal of Honor Allied Assault, is
coming out with an expansion pack called Spearhead.

SI: Most intriguing online purchase?

Edwards: A combat helmet worn by a U.S. World War II Third
Infantry Division captain.

SI: Nonfootball athlete you admire most?

Edwards: Jackie Robinson, for his courageous efforts in major
league baseball--and also for being a fellow UCLA Bruin.

SI: When you wake up on game day, what's going through your mind?

Edwards: What's for breakfast?

SI: Best part about being an NFL player?

Edwards: Reminding naysayers from my days growing up in San Diego
that I'm not that skinny little kid anymore.

SI: And the worst part?

Edwards: Monday morning.

SI: If you weren't a football player, what would you be doing?

Edwards: I'd be a musician in an '80s cover band.

SI: You could have dinner with anyone. Whom would you choose?

Edwards: Chris Ryan, former member of the British SAS, who was
dropped into Iraq during the gulf war. He went eight days
without food and somehow managed to get out of the country.
After what he'd gone through, I'd take him to whatever
restaurant he desired. My first question would be, "How did you
stay mentally strong enough to make it out alive?"

MATCHUP OF THE WEEK
Kansas City RB Priest Holmes versus the media capital of the
world

The defending NFL rushing champ, in New York to face the Jets, is
hardly a household name. Great guy. Good personality. No national
endorsements. "It's all right," Holmes says. "I've got my rushing
title, and nobody can ever take that away from me."

THE LIST
Best wisecracks in the wake of Broncos quarterback Brian Griese's
getting tripped on the stairs at his home by his golden
retriever, Bella, and suffering a sprained left ankle

1. "The dog stood up on his hind legs and gave him a push? You
might want to get rid of that dog, or put him in the circus, one
of the two."
--Tight end Shannon Sharpe

2. "Fortunately for the Broncos, Denver has a capable veteran
quarterback [in] Steve Beuerlein. Unfortunately for the Broncos,
Beuerlein has two Shih Tzus."
--Broncos beat writer Adam Schefter, The Denver Post

3. "That's a quarterback for you. No agility."
--Linebacker Ian Gold

4. "I protect his blind side, so I guess it's my fault he tripped
over the dog."
--Left tackle Ephraim Salaam

MY TWO CENTS

1. What makes Donovan McNabb's new contract, a 12-year deal worth
up to $115 million, so good for the Eagles is that it binds a
very good player to his team at reasonable salary-cap numbers.
Because the last three years can be voided (based on playing
time), the commitment is actually for nine years and $72 million.
The cap numbers fall between $4.9 million (in 2002) and $10
million (2010) over the nine years.

2. Packers wideout Terry Glenn, who missed practice last week
because of migraines and nausea, is already wearing out his
welcome. His teammates privately question his guts. --P.K.