Notebook: Namath apologizes to Kolber
BRISTOL, Conn. -- Joe Namath apologized to ESPN reporter Suzy Kolber for his comments during Saturday night's Patriots-Jets game.
"Joe apologized, I accepted, it's over," Kolber said Tuesday after the Hall of Fame quarterback phoned her.
Namath, at the Meadowlands for the Jets' announcement of their Four-Decade Team, twice told Kolber he wanted to kiss her while she was interviewing him on the sideline.
Asked by Kolber about what the team's struggles meant to him, Namath replied: "I want to kiss you" and leaned toward her.
He added he believed the team would come back next season with Chad Pennington available to play quarterback all year.
Namath capped off the interview by repeating: "I want to kiss you."
Kolber responded to Namath's comments by saying "Thanks, Joe. A huge compliment" and turned things back to the announcers in the booth.
Namath serves as a goodwill ambassador for the Jets.
EMMONS ON IR
Eagles linebacker Carlos Emmons was placed on injured reserve yesterday, a day after undergoing season-ending surgery for a broken leg.
The Eagles promoted rookie safety Norman LeJeune from the practice squad. LeJeune, the Eagles' seventh-round draft choice in 2003, played in all four preseason games this year before being released as part of the club's final roster cut on Aug. 31.
Emmons broke his fibula in the second quarter of Sunday's game against San Francisco. Emmons, in the final year of a four-year contract, was Philadelphia's best linebacker this season with 119 tackles and two sacks.
HORN OUT FINAL GAME
Joe Horn will miss New Orleans' final game against Dallas with a separated shoulder.
The Saints' wide receiver, fined for pulling a cell phone from the goal post padding after a touchdown two weeks ago, was hurt in New Orleans' 20-19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Coach Jim Haslett said the injury will take from 1-4 weeks to heal but probably will not require surgery.
Horn finished with 78 catches for 973 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, including a franchise record four scores Dec. 14 against the Giants, the game in which he pulled out the cell phone.
MNF RATINGS UP
Ratings for ABC's Monday Night Football series ended an eight-year slide this season, with 17 telecasts averaging an 11.5 rating and 19 share.
That number is up from 11.4 and 19 last year and the first time since 1994 that the rating has not declined.
The rating is the percentage of all homes with TVs, whether or not they are in use.
Monday Night Football ended its season as the third-highest rated show on prime time television.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Kick-returner Michael Bates was waived yesterday by the New York Jets, who had placed him on injured reserve Nov. 11 with a hand injury.
