NFL teams are using Microsoft tablets on the sidelines this season, but there are some veteran players who are having trouble adjusting to the new techology.
Players are struggling to keep their tablets charged before meetings, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
"My 5-year-old son understands it better than I do," Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Donald Penn said.
Houston Texans safety Danieal Manning, 32, said there were advantages to the tablets. For one, coaches' adjustments show up instantly on the tablets. But charging the tablet has been an ongoing problem for Manning.
"I open it, I'm ready to go and then the battery is at 33 percent," Manning said. "I thought, 'Man, I've got a little bit of battery!' I'm trying to jam as much in as I can. I'm drawing plays down and I'm doing it as fast as I can."
Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth, 31, has had his share of problems as well.
"This would work a lot better for me if it was actually able to turn on," he said. "I show up every day and it is totally dead. ... This is really, really bad."
Penn did make a discovery with his tablet.
"I've learned how to turn it off when I'm not using it," he joked.
The NFL signed a deal with Microsoft earlier this year that makes their tablet the only one used on the sidelines, but in locker rooms and for personal film study teams can determine which brand of tablet their players use.
Penn's teammate and fellow offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom likes the new tablets.
"The old playbooks were as big as a family Bible and you had to carry them around, so these new ones are great," Bergstrom said. "But it does get scary when you see 2 percent."
Rondo talk
Rajon Rondo has been with the Boston Celtics for his entire 7-year career, but the point guard has been named in numeorus trade rumors throughout his time in Beantown.
Rondo is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2015, so chances are he may be leaving Boston for good.
Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck told WBZ-TV in Boston on Sunday that Rondo is stubborn and uncoachable.
"He's super stubborn," Grousbeck said. "I don't know how coachable he really is.
"I know if you ask [former coach] Doc [Rivers], 'Was he the most coachable guy, or in the top half, 50 percent,' he'd say, 'No, he's in the bottom 50 percent of being coachable.' It's hard with him."
Grousbeck added that he would like Rondo to remain with the Celtics for the long-term.
Rondo tore his anterior cruciate ligament in 2013 and was limited to 30 games last season, averaging 11.7 points and 9.8 assists in 33.3 minutes while his field-goal percentage dropped to 40.3 percent, his lowest since his rookie season.
"At this point there should be a rock band in Boston called The Rondo Trade Rumors," The Wall Street Journal's Jason Gay tweeted Tuesday.
Headlines
The satirical sports website sportspickle.com posted their "Honest NFL Week 3 Headlines" on Tuesday. Here are the highlights:
• "Crap franchises starting over again."
• "Broncos show Seahawks they're less easy to kill than last year."
• "Bengals peaking 15 weeks before playoffs."
• "Bills, Texans begin 14-game losing streaks."
• "Danny Woodhead taken to toy shop for repairs."
• "MNF: Gruden tries to convince you Cutler and Geno Smith are great."
SPORTS QUIZ
Where did Rajon Rondo play college basketball?
ANSWER
Kentucky.
Sports on 09/24/2014