Nfl Today

LYLE ALZADO used to be a rough, tough -- emphasis on tough, by his own admission and boast -- defensive end with the NFL Raiders. Today, having "used a certain steroid" in trying for a comeback with the Raiders last year, he has an inoperable brain tumor. That sounds a loud alarm bell.Alzado's belief that the steroid brought on the tumor has some medical backing. Dr. Forest Tennant, the NFL's former drug adviser, told the Associated Press: "Anabolic steroids depress the immune system and lymphocytes.

NEW YORK -- Despite losing NFL TV rights to the Fox Network, CBS will keep its hand in the game next season by continuing "The NFL Today" pre-game show.CBS yesterday confirmed its decision to do an hour-long version (noon-1 p.m. EST) of the popular show, which previously ran a half-hour. CBS Broadcast Group president Howard Stringer announced the plan during a closed-door meeting Monday night with CBS affiliates attending a three-day session at the La Costa resort in Carlsbad, Calif.CBS's decision opens the door to a few questions, such as who will appear on the show?

Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens' vice president of player personnel who stocked the team's record-setting defense with six first-round draft picks, received a three-year contract extension during the regular season. Ravens owner Art Modell confirmed the extension yesterday, four days before facing the Denver Broncos in the first playoff game in Baltimore in 23 years. "He's a Hall of Famer on the field and off the field," Modell said. "He's like a son to me, and I love him dearly. I've seen what he can do with a franchise."

Baltimore's CFL franchise heads back to court today in its long-standing fight for a name.Team owner Jim Speros will ask Judge William Nickerson, of the U.S. District Court in Baltimore, to schedule a speedy trial in the pre-emptive suit Speros filed shortly after announcing his choice of a nickname.The team, which wants to call itself the Baltimore CFL Colts, has so far been blocked by the NFL and its Indianapolis Colts, nee Baltimore Colts. The NFL claims the use of the name is likely to confuse fans and siphon away buyers of Colts merchandise.

Stop me if you've heard this one: It appears that the Orioles have a new television deal.The long-awaited, much-debated, leaving-us-jaded contract apparently is for three years. As previously indicated, games will be split among Home Team Sports and channels 13 and 54.There has been no announcement of the deal, but people in and around broadcasting are saying that a TV schedule is out, being shown to potential advertisers. According to the schedule, Channel 13 carries 32 games, Channel 54 gets 40 and HTS telecasts 78. Under the terms of the major leagues' new national TV contract, that total of 150 is the maximum allowed local broadcasters.

The Ravens 2013 preseason schedule is highlighted by a prime-time home game against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday, Aug. 22 at M&T Bank Stadium, the NFL announced today. That game, which will be the third of four preseason games for the Super Bowl XLVII champions, will start at 8 p.m. and be televised by ESPN. The Ravens will open up the preseason against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. The exact date and time of the game has yet to be announced. In Week Two of the preseason, the Ravens will host the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, Aug. 15 at M&T Bank Stadium.

Wouldn't it be great to borrow Merlin Olsen's voice every once in a while? The calm, reassuring tones of the CBS pro football analyst certainly could come in handy."

An open letter to Comcast chairman Brian Roberts: Dear Mr. Roberts, Congratulations on buying Home Team Sports the other day. In case you didn't already know it, you picked up a pretty decent television property, and in this day and age, when people like sludge peddler, er, wrestling chief Vince McMahon, are pushing into the mainstream, there's something to be said for respectable. The thing is, not so long ago, HTS used to be more than pretty decent. It was something special, the envy of regional sports channels nationwide (and that includes those puffed-up New York stations like Madison Square Garden and Fox Sports New York)

COLLEGES Ex-Raven Sharpe selected for Division II Hall of Fame Former Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe will become the 25th inductee into the Division II Football Hall of Fame on Dec. 11 in Florence, Ala. Sharpe played flanker at Savannah (Ga.) State from 1986 to 1989, setting school records as a senior with 1,312 receiving yards, 21.5 yards per catch and 18 touchdowns. He won two Super Bowl championships with the Denver Broncos and one with the Ravens, and now is an analyst for "NFL Today" on CBS. SOCCER: Eddie Dines scored with less than three minutes left in regulation, and Loyola (6-6-2, 3-0-1)

Had it not been for the opportunity to play in the 1959 NFL championship game for the Baltimore Colts, the future of Jerry Richardson, rookie wide receiver wearing jersey No. 87, would be impossible to foretell.Richardson took the $4,674.44 that went to players on the winning Colts team and, as the first matter of personal business, paid off his taxes. Then he bought stock in "Overnight Transportation" and cashed in to the extent of $2,800 two years later -- which he invested in a hamburger business called Spartan Foods.