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NFL fines Jets $100,000 for tripping incident

When the play happened, no flag was thrown by the referees. From ESPN-

The NFL fined the New York Jets $100,000 in the wake of discoveries involving strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi, who instructed inactive players to stand in a wall in a prohibited area on the sideline to deter opposing teams’ players during special-teams plays.

“This is both a competitive violation as well as a dangerous tactic,” read the NFL statement to announce the fine.

The issue came to light when Alosi was caught on camera putting his knee forward as Miami gunner Nolan Carroll ran toward the Jets sideline and was tripped. Carroll was not injured. Alosi was suspended until the end of the season by the Jets for the trip.

On video replays of the moments before Alosi’s knee made contact with Carroll, it was apparent the Jets players were standing very close together. Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said Alosi hadn’t been fully truthful initially, and when the Jets learned he had instructed players to stand that way, they suspended him indefinitely.

“We will comply with the league’s decision,” said a Jets spokesperson.

Both Jets coach Rex Ryan and special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff said they were unaware of the tactic.

Ryan and Westhoff knew what was going on. Alosi was thrown under the bus by the Jets. Not that Alosi didn’t deserve it. The Jets were equally deserving of today’s punishment.

Just for amusement sake, I put the video of the infamous 1954 Cotton Bowl play where a Alabama play came off the sideline and tackled a Rice player. The first showing of the play comes at the :45 mark of the video.

 

Vancouver Canuck Rick Rypien assaults fan

Some unscheduled boxing matches took place in Minnesota last night. From AP-

Vancouver Canucks center Rick Rypien pushed a fan in the team’s 6-2 loss against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.

Rypien and Minnesota’s Brad Staubitz, who fought in the opening period, were about to square off in the second period before being separated by the linesmen in front of the Wild bench.

As Rypien, who was assessed a double minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct, was pulled by linesman Don Henderson toward the Vancouver bench, he appeared to push the official.

On his way down the tunnel to the dressing room, Rypien pushed a Wild fan who was applauding at the railing. Rypien was quickly pulled away by teammate Manny Malhotra. The fan was removed from the area.

Rypien was not available for comment after the game, but Malhotra thought the fan “got a little bit too involved.”

“There’s boundaries that should never be crossed. We’re in our area of work,” he said. “We’re all for the hooting and hollering and supporting your team and saying whatever is tasteful. But as soon as you cross that line and want to become physical with a player then we have to make sure we take care of ourselves. … We have no idea of what their intentions are.”

What a wimp Malhotra is. An NHL player perceives a fan as a threat? He should go run a child day care or something.

I don’t get this pushing BS in the Associated Press article. Watch the video I will post below and tell me its not assault.

What will be the length of the knee slap suspension the NHL hands down on Rypien? I bet its 10 games or less. The NHL suspension policy is a joke and has been since Todd Bertuzzi broke a player’s neck six years ago. Steve Moore suffered a career ending injury from the sucker punch. Bertuzzi is still playing in the NHL. Enough said about suspensions, right?

Hat tip- Litter Box Cats

 

New York Jets WR Braylon Edwards arrested for drunk driving

Some pro football players can’t avoid getting into trouble during the regular season. From ESPN-

New York Jets receiver Braylon Edwards was arrested on a drunken driving charge in New York early Tuesday morning.

The Jets expressed their disappointment in the receiver in a statement from general manager Mike Tannenbaum on Tuesday.

“We are very disappointed in Braylon’s actions this morning. The Player Protect program is in place for our organization to prevent this situation. Braylon is aware of this program and showed poor judgment,” Tannenbaum said.

“We are reviewing the information with the league and will impose the appropriate disciplinary measures.”

The 27-year-old Edwards was pulled over for having overly tinted windows in his Range Rover. He was arrested at 5:15 a.m. after police smelled alcohol and administered a breathalyzer. According to the New York Post, Edwards blew .16 on the breathalyzer — a blood-alcohol content that is twice the legal limit.

Edwards has had a previous run-in with the law(during the regular season) and the NFL didn’t hand down a suspension. This time I don’t think he will be so lucky.

 

16 again- Texas HS Basketball player really 22

Guerdwich Montimere first played high school basketball in Florida. From AP-

Police say a West Texas student who led his high school basketball team to the state playoffs last season was actually a 22-year-old man.Montimere

Police say the basketball star was really Guerdwich Montimere, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Haiti. School officials say he was recognized last month by Florida coaches as having once been a high school player in Fort Lauderdale.

Ector County school district officials say the man posed as 16-year-old Jerry Joseph and enrolled at Permian High School in Odessa.

The school’s basketball coach, Danny Wright, says he even let the boy live with him.

Montimere was arrested Tuesday and booked on a charge of presenting false identification to a peace officer.

A few years ago there was a 30-year-old playing high school soccer or here in Florida. BTW when I when I went to Deerfield Beach HS, we were in the same district as Dillard the Florida school that Montimere first attended.

This article questions whether Montimere is legally in the United States.

 

Miami Dolphin RB Ronnie Brown arrested for DUI

He isn’t the first Miami Dolphin to get in off the field trouble this off season. From the Miami Herald-

Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown was arrested late Friday night for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol during an offseason trip to his hometown outside of Atlanta this weekend, two sources told The Miami Herald.

Brown, who has no previous arrest record, was arrested after an officer pulled him over for making a lane change without signaling, sources said.

He was released from jail early Saturday morning.

The Dolphins are aware of the situation, and they are continuing to monitor the legal process.

Brown is coming off a foot injury suffered late last season. He is also a restricted free agent but expected to stay with Miami.

Is the author of this article, Jeff Darlington, doubling as Brown’s Public Relations person? Read the following and make your own decision.

They are not believed to be overly upset with Brown because of his impeccable past as a player and a citizen.

*****

Brown is distraught over the arrest, and he has hired an attorney to help defend him in the case, the sources said. He did not perform well during the field-sobriety test, which contributed to the officer’s decision to arrest Brown, sources said. It remains possible the charges soon could be reduced to a traffic violation in the coming days.

Impeccable past as a player and a citizen. I thought this was a news article, not a press release by friends of Ronnie Brown. Jeff you are the leading candidate for this year’s kiss up award among the South Florida news media.

 

Alex Ovechkin suspended two games for Campbell hit

The Russian hockey star slammed the Chicago Defenseman into the boards during a game yesterday. From ESPN-

The NHL has suspended two-time MVP Alex Ovechkin two games for his boarding hit on Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell.

It is the second suspension of the season for the two-time defending Hart Trophy winner.

Ovechkin, who was suspended for two games on Nov. 30, 2009, now is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Accordingly, he forfeits $232,645.40 in salary, based on the number of games in the season (82). The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Ovechkin will miss Washington’s next two games — March 16 at Florida and March 18 at Carolina. He will be eligible to return March 20 at Tampa Bay.

Ovechkin met with NHL head disciplinarian Colin Campbell on Monday to discuss the incident in Sunday’s game, according to ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun.

Ovechkin was ejected from the nationally televised game for pushing Campbell from behind into the boards in the first period and received a major penalty and a game misconduct. Campbell, according to league sources, suffered a broken clavicle and at least one broken rib, and it’s questionable whether he’ll return this season.

“There’s nothing I can do right now. He just fell and this happens,” Ovechkin said after the game.

No Alexander Ovechkin, you shoved Campbell unnecessarily into the boards. Here’s the proof.

Case closed, Ovechkin deserves to be suspended. Now someone tell me how Colin Campbell doesn’t look even more like a jackass for not suspending Matt Cooke?

Bueller? Bueller?

 

Alex Ovechkin ejected for hit on Brian Campbell

The NHL’s leading scorer could be facing a suspension. From ESPN-

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin was ejected from Sunday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks after receiving a game misconduct penalty for boarding.

With 7:44 remaining in the first period and the Capitals trailing 1-0, Ovechkin checked Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell into the boards behind Chicago’s goal, moments after Campbell had released the puck.

Campbell went face-first into the boards and lay on the ice for several minutes before being helped to the dressing room.

Ovechkin was given a five-minute major for boarding in addition to the game misconduct. A game misconduct penalty automatically incurs a fine and further review by the commissioner’s office for possible suspension.

Ovechkin was suspended for two games earlier this season for a knee to knee hit. I suspect the NHL will hand down a similar penalty here but who knows. NHL fool official Colin Campbell, might give Ovechkin a penalty shot instead.

Note- I watched the end of the Chi-Wash game which saw the Capitals come back from a 3-0 deficit in the third period to win in overtime. The hit on Campbell was dirty and unneeded.

Here’s a video of the hit

 

Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli charged with one count of burglary

He is accused of stealing two laptop computers and a guitar. From ESPN-

Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who helped lead the Ducks to the Pac-10 Conference title and a Rose Bowl berth last season, faces a burglary charge in connection with a theft at a campus fraternity house in late January.Jeremiah Masoli

The Lane Country district attorney’s office says Masoli and former Oregon receiver Garrett Embry were each charged Wednesday with one count of burglary in the second degree.

Masoli and Embry were scheduled to be arraigned in Lane County Circuit Court on Friday afternoon.

*****

A fraternity member reported that Masoli and Embry stole two computers and a guitar from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house on Jan. 25.

Police were tight-lipped about the alleged theft, claiming it was under investigation.

Embry has been dismissed from the program for volating rules not related to the burglary.

Since playing in the Rose Bowl, Oregon has been hit by scandal after scandal. Players have been in a brawl, been accused of sexual assault, and more. I’m not going to pass judgment on these people, but will say if Oregon Duck coach Chip Kelly could find his job in jeopardy, Rose Bowl or no Rose Bowl, because of his out of control players. Oregon is a state school and University officials are accountable to the citizens of the state.

 

NHL does not supsend Matt Cooke for hit on Marc Savard

The NHL is now a sick joke. From ESPN-

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Matt Cooke has escaped suspension for a hit to the head of Marc Savard that knocked out the Boston Bruins center.

NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell made the announcement Wednesday at the general managers’ meeting in Boca Raton, Fla. Penguins general manager Ray Shero also confirmed the news to ESPN.com via e-mail.

Cooke delivered a blindside hit with his shoulder to Savard in the third period of Sunday’s game. Savard was taken away on a stretcher and has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 concussion. He is out indefinitely, and Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli has said Savard possibly could miss the remainder of the season.

Doctors will continue to evaluate Savard during the next several days before determining how long the star center might be out.

Florida Panther David Booth suffered a similar concussion and miissed 45 games. Savard could well be out for the rest of the NHL 2009-10 season plus the playoffs.

Here’s a video of the hit

There’s no question it was a deliberate elbow to the head. Now listen to the justification for not suspending Cooke who BTW is a repeat offender.

Under the new guidelines recommended by GMs on Wednesday at the conclusion of their meetings, both hits would have been subject to a penalty and a possible suspension next season. The recommendation of a rule change still needs to be approved by the NHL/NHLPA competition committee and by the league’s board of governors.

“I know it’s not something that Boston fans, or hockey fans would like to hear,” Campbell said, according to TSN. “They want justice. We feel we have to be consistent and do what we feel is right and hopefully we’ve gone to a place in our meetings today that we can eradicate plays like this in the future.”

Colin Campbell you are one very sick puppy. You fucked up on Richards so now you’re using your stupidity in that case to do nothing in the case of Deliberate head hit. You’re telling me if Savard was paralyzed for life by what Cooke did, you would sit on your hands because of precedent. Admit your fucking mistakes or get out of the way other people who care about hockey can stop this nonsense.

 
 


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