Titans Have Their Share of Off-the-Field Problems

Jeff Fisher probably has gone through a case of aspirin during the off-season.

The Titans’ coach has had to deal with one off-the-field headache after another in 2005. The most recent came when top draft pick Adam “Pacman” Jones surrendered to police Wednesday on charges of assault and felony vandalism following a nightclub fight.

Jones’ agent, Michael Huyghue, wants people to believe Jones is being picked on because he is a celebrity, saying, “There are certain individuals out there who are opportunists, who prey on professional athletes for financial gain, and unfortunately, this is one of those incidents.”

But the Titans must think there is something substantial to the matter. In a statement, the team said Jones “is going to have to conduct himself responsibly in all aspects of his life on a consistent basis.”

They have reason to be concerned about the sixth overall pick out of West Virginia.

Club owner Robert Gaddy said in a court appearance that Jones hit him and broke his necklace after Gaddy asked three of Jones’ friends to leave the club. Gaddy told police Jones’ friends “were smoking drugs.”

In April, Georgia authorities investigated a report that Jones was involved in a nightclub fight near Atlanta, but no charges were filed.

His was just the latest mess Fisher and the Titans have had on their minds. Three other Titans have gotten into trouble during the off-season: receiver Tyrone Calico, left tackle Brad Hopkins and safety Tank Williams.

Former Titan cornerback Samari Rolle also was arrested on a domestic violence charge in February, while he was still with the team. Rolle signed with Baltimore after the Titans cut him in a salary-cap move.

Calico, in his third season with the Titans, was cited for public indecency for having sex with a woman in his sport utility vehicle. Hopkins pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife, and Williams was charged with driving under the influence.

Though there always are a few players who get into trouble every year, the Titans have had more than their share in just a few months. They cannot afford to have early troubles with Jones, in whom the Titans will invest not only money but the future of their secondary.

Add this to everything else the rebuilding Titans have gone through -- surgery for quarterback Steve McNair, hiring Norm Chow to replace offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, cutting high-priced veterans in a salary-cap purge -- and this year hasn’t started too well for Tennessee.

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Israel now can boast about a flag football champion. A team of mostly Orthodox Jewish women won the Flag Oceane tournament last week, qualifying for the European Federation of American Football Championships.

The victory marked the first time an Israeli team has won an international flag football tournament. The team, with women ranging in age from 14 to 26, was organized in October 2003 after referee Steve Leibowitz noticed a group of high school girls watching a game at which he was working.

Leibowitz, president and founder of American Football in Israel, asked them if they wanted to form a women’s team. They agreed.

The women on the team are largely Israeli-born children of Jewish immigrants and are highly religious. They wear shorts and T-shirts over or under their traditional garb, and some wear specially designed skirts for modesty.

They also ensured there were no games on Saturday at the Flag Oceane so they could observe the Sabbath.

Over 100 teams traveled to Le Havre, France, for the Flag Oceane -- the largest and most important open tournament in Europe. The Israeli team beat Pygargues, France, 33-32 in overtime to advance to the EFAF championships, Sept. 16-18 in Helsinki, Finland.

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Any idea how it feels to be an FBI agent? Ask Houston Texans’ long snapper Bryan Pittman.

Several Texans visited the FBI Firearms Training Center near Houston earlier this week, hoping to spend a few hours with the agents and express gratitude for their service. Pittman, who owns two guns, took a few shots on the shooting range.

“I didn’t do as well as I should have,” Pittman told the Texans’ Web site. “That was my first time shooting an assault rifle. I was kind of nervous being in front of the FBI team.”

Steve McKinney, Chad Stanley, Seth Wand, Jarrod Baxter, Fred Weary and Todd Washington joined Pittman at the center.

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The San Diego Chargers will retire receiver Lance Alworth’s number during a halftime ceremony Nov. 20.

Alworth, the first American Football League player inducted into the Hall of Fame, is still one of the most popular athletes in San Diego history. His No. 19 joins Dan Fouts’ No. 14 as the only two retired numbers in the team’s 46-year history. Fouts’ number was retired in 1988.

“Lance Alworth played a significant role in the initial success of the Chargers and the American Football League,” said team president and CEO Dean Spanos. “His play on the field became a trademark for this team and an entire league. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor.”