Sports

Posted on Sat, Nov. 07, 2009

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Porter aims trash talk at Brady

By Eagle staff and news services

Miami Dolphins' linebacker Joey Porter thinks that Tom Brady has an extra advantage every week because referees give him more favorable calls than any player in the league.

"No question," said Porter, the Miami Dolphins' quotable linebacker, who meets Brady's New England Patriots on Sunday. "When a guy can tell a ref when to throw a flag and he gets it and stuff like that, he got his own rules. They made the whole (rule that you) don't go at the legs because of Tom. So when he feels that someone is coming at his legs, he just points at the ref and he gets a flag. So you've got to honestly say that he got his own rules."

Porter was interviewed by Rich Eisen on the NFL Network's "NFL Total Access" show.

Earlier this week, Porter said he has a "natural hate" for the Patriots, even bringing up the infamous spying charges leveled against New England from the 2007 season. The Patriots were fined $250,000 plus a No. 1 draft pick, and head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 for videotaping signals from New York Jets coaches from the sidelines.

"Never really too much cared for New England," Porter said. "Still don't care for New England. The hate's been there for a while, especially after all the cheating they did back in the day. I can honestly say I don't agree with it, but it happened, and it's over with now."

Regarding Porter's sniping, Patriots coach Bill Belichick told his players: "That is not our fight; our fight is on the field."

"We'll do what we've always done, and that's do our talking on the field," running back Kevin Faulk, the team's longest tenured player, said Friday.

It isn't the first time Porter had criticized the Patriots. In May 2008, he told ESPN's "NFL Live": "(The Patriots) cheated, there should be an asterisk. They cheated and they got caught."

Porter spent eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before signing with Miami as a free agent prior to the 2007 season.

In a conference call with New England-based reporters earlier this week, Porter said he wouldn't engage in talking trash — at least then.

"I'm not falling for none of those little tricks,'' Porter said. "I get mad when I want to get mad. So if that's what this conversation is going to be about, about fishing, then you guys ought to come out here to Miami. We've got some good lakes to fish here.''

Roethlisberger's accuser quits casino job — The woman who filed a lawsuit accusing Ben Roethlisberger of raping her has quit her job at the Lake Tahoe hotel-casino where she claims the assault occurred in the NFL quarterback's penthouse room more than a year ago.

The woman had been working as a VIP host at Harrah's Lake Tahoe in July 2008 when she alleges the two-time Super Bowl champ for the Pittsburgh Steelers lured her to his room under false pretenses and forced himself on her. He was in town playing in a celebrity golf tournament.

Her lawyer, Cal Dunlap, said Friday she quit "because of the way Harrah's was treating her." He told The Associated Press he can't go into detail.

Dunlap said the woman took several leaves of absence for medical reasons in the months after the alleged incident, but returned to work in March and had been there since.

Harrah's officials did not immediately return a telephone call or e-mail seeking comment.

The woman filed the suit in Washoe District Court in Reno last July.

Roethlisberger's lawyers asked the state Supreme Court to overturn a ruling by a district judge denying their motion to move the trial to Douglas County, closer to Lake Tahoe. No hearing has been set for that request.

Last month, Judge Brent Adams also denied a motion to dismiss the suit. It seeks a minimum of $440,000 in damages from Roethlisberger and at least $50,000 in damages from Harrah's officials who the woman claims conspired to cover up the incident.

Roethlisberger has denied the allegations and maintains the woman acted voluntarily at all times while in his room.

Law, Broncos agree to terms— Defensive back Ty Law has agreed to terms on a deal with the Denver Broncos.

Kevin Poston, Law's agent, confirmed the news in an e-mail to The Associated Press. The agreement came after Denver's media availability and a Broncos spokesman said the team had no comment.

Law is expected to sign the deal today, pending the passing of his physical. He may even make it out to practice as the Broncos (6-1) prepare to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.

The 35-year-old Law, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, will fit right in with veterans Champ Bailey, Andre' Goodman, Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill, all in their 30s.

Law becomes the latest former New England player to reunite with Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, who spent his previous eight seasons as an assistant with the Patriots.

A first-round pick by New England in 1995, Law helped the Patriots to three Super Bowl titles. He played for the New York Jets last season and started every game for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006 and '07.