It seems that Dallas Cowboys rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant and Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland have made amends after talking and shaking hands before the preseason finale.

Just an hour before the Cowboys – Dolphins preseason game Thursday night, the two guys shook hands and had what looked like a brief, pleasant conversation. Ireland already had apologized to Dez Bryant for having asked whether his mother was a prostitute during a pre-draft interview earlier this year.

This was their first face-to-face meeting since then. Ireland used to work for the Cowboys and was on the Dallas sideline talking to team vice president Stephen Jones when Bryant jogged past during warm-ups. Dez Bryant just came right over and immediately greeted Ireland.

Actually, their conversation is not long, less than one minute, but it seems to work. They ended the talk with Ireland patting Dez Bryant’s chest.

Since starting CB Leigh Bodden has been landed on the injured reserve, New England Patriots first-round pick CB Devin McCourty has taken over the starting job now, and he may never expect that his development would be so fast.

Devin McCourty will start opposite Darius Butler, giving the Patriots the most inexperienced tandem of starting corners in the league. ?

Moving into McCourty’s spot as the nickel back will be CB Jonathan Wilhite. Wilhite looked overmatched last season while playing outside when forced into duty. But we hear that he could be a natural on the inside covering the slot.

McCourty was considered to be the best special-teams player in the draft and will continue to work with that unit on coverage and returning kicks.

So after Leigh Bodden was injured, Devin McCourty was supposed to be the best replacement. He does not have experience but he is physical and very smart, and the closest thing the Patriots have to the “tough guy” Bodden is.

So, stay tuned for Week One to see what McCourty will react once in the real war, which is sure to accelerate his development.

Miami Dolphins defensive end Kendall Langford arrived at Tuesday’s practice iced out with a 2.5-carat diamond hanging from his earlobe. But after the practice, he is a little less shiny since his earrings can not be found.

Kendall Langford forgot to take the earrings out before practice. During the practice, his 2.5-carat diamond is gone, which was not found even after the practice.

After Langford and his teammates raked the grass and were on hands and knees looking for the earring, they gave up the search for a team meeting. Shortly after the grounds crew mowed the lawn and the diamond was nowhere to be found.

The Miami Dolphins defensive end did not say how much the diamond is worth, but according to a local jewelry distributor, his earrings could be worth more than $50,000. Wow, do not forget next time, Kendall Langford.

Entering his 10th season, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees‘ winning drive was never diminished with the defending Super Bowl titles in hand and his preparation has not been diminished by his busy offseason.

At 31,Drew Brees is at the top of his game-and he wants to stay there. You should never worry about his drive or his work ethic.

In the offseason, Brees bounced around the talk-show, book tour and video game promotion circuit; his wife, Brittany, is pregnant with their second child-a boy due in October; and his community service endeavors were extensive, largely on behalf of children’s programs, schools and the military.

“One thing you don’t have to worry about with Brees is his work ethic and his leadership,” said running back Reggie Bush, who also plays receiver in Payton’s high-octane offense. “What you see on the football field is what you get here at the facility every day, Monday through Saturday. That’s why he’s the leader of this team and that’s why he’s been so successful.”

Drew Brees routinely throws extra passes after practice to a handful receivers, and when Brees is the last player remaining on the field, helmet still on, he runs sprints that no one but himself has required of him. Brees said he usually determines his extra work load depending on the number of mistakes he makes.

Brees, who has thrown for more than 4,000 yards each season with New Orleans, now needs 3,437 yards break Archie Manning’s franchise record of 21,734 yards passing. Brees is already the Saints’ all-time leader in TD tosses with 122.

But he always demands himself strictly. Drew Brees has established a reputation as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but he could be better and he is doing so.

Derek Anderson is going to start as the quarterback again in Arizona Cardinals‘ next play against Washington on Thursday night, which means Matt Leinart will come in to replace Anderson at some point.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt said he will use the same playing order as he did in last Saturday’s 14-9 win at Chicago, which he thought worked for them.

He said neither quarterback will get as much playing time as they did against the Chicago Bears, “but both guys will get the opportunity.”

Whisenhunt’s decision came following a meeting with Matt Leinart on Monday afternoon and Whisenhunt called it “a good talk”.

“We obviously touched base on where everything was,” he said, “which I’ve always said I wanted. If players have an issue or a problem to come see me. We had communicated before about where we were and obviously we needed to talk a little bit more, but it was a good talk.”

Before the meeting, Leinart told the reporters that he had outplayed Anderson in training camp and preseason, and that his problem with his coach “probably goes beyond football.” Leinart said he was really upset.

Leinart’s meeting with the coach came amid widespread speculation that his days with Arizona could be numbered, that the team was looking to trade him or might even release him. But no more comments from Leinart yet after the meeting.

Whisenhunt has not announced who will be the starting quarterback in the Arizona Cardinals‘ season opener against the Rams on Sept. 12. But it is likely Anderson will take the job who started the last two preseason games.

What Matt Leinart felt is confused and disappointed. He did not know what can be done more to earn the job.

Manny Ramirez has joined the Chicago White Sox and he will try to get Chicago back to the AL playoffs. According to White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, Ramirez is going to be a helper but not a savior.

Chicago began a key 10-game trip to Cleveland, Boston and Detroit on Monday night, although Manny Ramirez is not expected to join the White Sox, his fourth major league team, until Tuesday. They began the day 4 1/2 games behind first-place Minnesota in the AL Central.

The White Sox are trying to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2008. That year, they traded for Ken Griffey Jr. before the July 31 deadline, but he had little impact down the stretch or in the postseason.

Guillen said it’s possible Ramirez could play on Tuesday if he feels up to it. Guillen plans to use Ramirez primarily as a designated hitter and will bat him fifth.

Although Guillen doesn’t have many rules, the White Sox will require Ramirez to abide by their appearance clause, which maintains players keep their hair neat. That’s it. Well, he may have to trim the dreadlocks. But that’s about it.

Manny Ramirez had early success with the Dodgers, but the last two years haven’t gone as well. He was slapped with a 50-game suspension after a failed drug test last year. This season, he has been slowed by leg injuries, which led to the Dodgers deciding to part ways with him for nothing in return.

For the Chicago White Sox, who finished third in their division last year, Manny Ramirez is a low-risk gamble with a potentially high reward. Ramirez would be a good helper and what’s more important, the whole team needs to play better.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart seems to have lost the starting job and he sharply criticized Coach Ken Whisenhunt on Monday. This was unexpected for Leinart and he wanted an explanation from Whisenhunt.

Matt Leinart is confused but he has not approached his coach yet.?

“No, it is what it is,” Leinart told reporters. “Like I said, I think I’ve done enough. I need to get better, like I said last week. But I don’t know if there have been equal opportunities. Obviously, I haven’t played as much as I’d like.” Leinart has completed 19 of 23 passes in the preseason; Derek Anderson is 31-for-53.

The coach also said he has “great respect” for Matt Leinart’s work, but added that he’s more concerned with putting the best team on the field. “It’s not about whether you like somebody or don’t like somebody,” Whisenhunt told reporters.

Whisenhunt also said that he is willing to talk to Leinart any time. Anyway, Matt Leinart is quite disappointed. He thought he had outplayed the competition and he has done beyond the football field, which he has not talked specifically.

Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson are competing for starting quarterback in the Arizona Cardinals, and after they made each throw for a touchdown in Saturday’s night win, their competition seems to last longer.

Of course, this is Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt’s meaning.

“I don’t have to make any decisions right now,” Whisenhunt said. “The starting QB evaluation covers more things than just this game.”

Both Matt Leinart and Anderson had each throw for a touchdown while delivering solid if not spectacular performances for the Arizona Cardinals in a 14-9 preseason victory over the Chicago Bears on Saturday night.

Anderson started after Arizona’s first-team offense struggled with Leinart, and he responded by completing 7 of 12 passes for 94 yards for the Cardinals (2-1).

Matt Leinart came in late in the second quarter and was 9-of-10 passing for 84 yards, with a touchdown toss early in the third to make it 14-0 and send Chicago (0-3) to another loss.

As for the Chicago Bears, it was simply a poor performance.

“We’re not where we want to be right now,” coach Lovie Smith said. “The plan was for us to play a lot better at home in the third preseason game. But we have time. They’re going to let us start over in a couple weeks.”

The starting job competition really makes Matt Leinart disappointed. Leinart always thinks that he ahs done everything as a quarterback. But Leinart also said that he will still work on and he could win the competition.

Percy Harvin did not talk too many details of his latest medical test on Friday, but from his performance on the field Saturday night, we can see that Harvin is back with no problems.

Harvin played in 14 snaps Saturday night, catching two passes and taking one big hit in the middle of the field. After the game, he said.

“(Doctors) found some things we thought was the main cause,” Harvin said, according to Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

So even the Minnesota Vikings wide receiver was somewhat cryptic, but it is believed that doctors have made a breakthrough in diagnosing the root of his migraine issues.

That would be good news for the Vikings, who looked like it will be a while before they are in sync in their meeting with the Seattle Seahawks.

With Sidney Rice sidelined for the first half of the season following hip surgery, Percy Harvin is desperately in need. Harvin is quite confident and optimistic about the medical plan. He believes that they can slow down his headaches a little bit.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart said he was disappointed in the recent interview.

“I’m disappointed. I’ve done everything to this point that they’ve asked me to and more. I’ve worked hard and been a leader. I’m trying to be that guy in this new role. I have high expectations for myself.”

So what is he disappointed about? Leinart was supposed to take over for the retired Kurt Warner, but the fact he’s benched in favor of Derek Anderson for Saturday night’s game at Chicago (8:30 ET) really makes him upset.

“I feel I’ve been efficient. I’ve been accurate. I haven’t turned the ball over. I don’t know how we judge performance when you have 13 pass attempts to the other guy’s 40. I’m not going to sit here and complain and point the finger. I have to get better and I ‘m going to get better.” Leinart said.

But things not go so smoothly for Matt Leinart. He said he always felt there is something he needed to get through each game. He just hopes everyone can see his hard work.