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Roger Goodell: Decision Close on Brett Favre-Jenn Sterger Scandal

December 15, 2010   Anthony Olivieri   No comments

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Brett Favre - Jenn Sterger
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday that a decision is upcoming regarding a league punishment for Brett Favre, against whom sexual harassment accusations were made by Jenn Sterger, a team hostess while the quarterback was with the New York Jets in 2008.

According to FOXSports.com, Goodell spoke after a league meeting, the focus of which was mainly on labor talks with the NFL Players Association.

“I got a report last week,” Goodell said, according to the report. “I expect sometime in the near future to be making a decision.”

The investigation into Favre’s behavior intensified in October, when Deadspin.com reported that the all-time great quarterback sent inappropriate texts, phone messages and photos — allegedly of his genitalia — to Sterger, who has yet to comment.

However, her manager, Phil Reese, has said that his client wants the league to ‘implement a program” to prevent “unwanted advances” like the ones Favre allegedly made, the report said.

FOX’s story also said that Sterger wants Favre punished before the end of his career, which is in jeopardy thanks to a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the Minnesota Vikings‘ loss to the New York Giants on Monday. His record streak of 297 consecutive games started was snapped. It is widely assumed that Favre, 41, will retire after the season.

 

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Greg Oden Out for Season, Will Have Microfracture Knee Surgery

November 17, 2010   Anthony Olivieri   No comments

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Greg OdenPortland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden will undergo microfracture surgery on his left knee, forcing him to miss the rest of the season, the team announced Wednesday.

The team did not announce a date for the procedure, which will take place at the the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colo., where Dr. Richard Steadman and Blazers orthopedic surgeon Dr. Don Roberts will perform the surgery.

Oden, who previously underwent microfracture surgery in Sept. 2007, has not played in a game since Dec. 5, 2009, when he fractured his left patella in a game against the Houston Rockets. An MRI showed damaged cartilage to the surface of his femur, an injury that is unrelated to his left patella.

The top overall pick in the 2007 draft, Oden, 22, has averaged 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds in 82 games over parts of two seasons from 2008-09.

Injuries, though, have haunted the former Ohio State star, who was one of the most sought-after NBA prospects in recent memory. Hyperbolic or not, many compared his defensive instincts to those of Bill Russell heading into a draft in which he was chosen ahead of reigning NBA scoring champ Kevin Durant.

 

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Hakeem Nicks Reportedly Provided Improper Benefits to UNC Football Players

November 11, 2010   Anthony Olivieri   No comments

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Hakeem NicksNew York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks was accused Thursday of providing $3,300 in improper benefits to football players at the University of North Carolina, where he was a star player.

Citing a release from the school, which came after a fact-finding review, several media reports said that Nicks was one of three players accused. He allegedly provided “gifts of cash and jewelry and impermissible assistance with lodging, travel, transportation and entertainment expenses.”

Former UNC players Omar Brown ($1,865) and Mahlon Carey ($140) also gave money, according to the school. The release also mentions San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, who allegedly provided $20, and “a person from Miami whose full name is not known ($323).”

The $5,648 given between the five men includes estimated value of lodging when there were visits, according to the school. The five gift-giving men were identified by name as part of reinstatement requests to clear the names of the current players in the probe.

UNC found the violations while investigating separate matters, including possible academic fraud and players accepting benefits from agents.

A first-round pick of the Giants in 2009, Nicks has emerged as the team’s best receiver in his second campaign. He has tallied 51 catches and team bests for yards (653) and touchdowns (nine) through eight games for the Giants (6-2), who lead the NFC East.

 

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Yankees Reportedly Will ‘Be In Early’ on Cliff Lee

November 06, 2010   Anthony Olivieri   No comments

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Stop me if you’ve heard this before: the New York Yankees won’t waste any time in courting this winter’s biggest free-agent pitcher.

Well, I’m going to continue anyway.

The Yankees, who were eliminated in the ALCS by the Texas Rangers, will try to take the most-prized possession from the World Series runners-up, lefthander Cliff Lee, who made New York look feeble this postseason.

In fact, one baseball official told the New York Daily News that the Yanks “will be in early with Lee. … I don’t know if they’ll make an offer right away, but they’ll be in quickly.”

The exclusive window for teams to negotiate with their own free agents expires Saturday at midnight.

 

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Joe Girardi, Yankees Reportedly Close to Three-Year Contract

October 27, 2010   Anthony Olivieri   No comments

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Joe GirardiThe New York Yankees and manager Joe Girardi are close to agreement on a three-year contract worth between $9 and $10 million, the New York Post reported Wednesday.

Girardi, who guided the Yankees to a World Series title in 2009, has managed the team for three seasons — missing the playoffs in his first campaign and bowing out to the Texas Rangers in the ALCS this month.

The Post reported that the deal could be finalized Wednesday or Thursday.

 

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Oklahoma WR Jaz Reynolds Suspended for Tweet About Texas Shooting

September 29, 2010   Anthony Olivieri   No comments

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Bob StoopsOklahoma receiver Jaz Reynolds was suspended indefinitely Wednesday for comments on his Twitter account making light of the shooting incident at the University of Texas a day earlier.

Reynolds tweeted Tuesday, “Hey everyone in Austin, tx…….kill yourself #evillaugh,” according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The tweet was in reference to Tuesday’s shooting in the library at the University of Texas, where a gunman opened fire before killing himself. No one else was injured.

Texas and Oklahoma play their traditional Red River Rivalry game this Saturday. Reynolds will not play despite his quick retraction, tweeting immediately after,”Everyone in austin, tx disregard that last tweet….y’all will mess around n do it lmao.”

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops (right) responded to Reynolds’ remarks in a statement released by the school.

“Because of his insensitive remarks on Twitter relative to Tuesday’s tragedy in Austin, we have suspended Jaz Reynolds from our team indefinitely,” the statement read.

“Our rivalry with Texas will not come at the expense of dignity and respect. We have great concern for what happened in Austin and I am incredibly disappointed that someone connected with our team would react so callously. We have taken immediate action and I hope by doing so have illustrated how seriously we view this matter.”

A sophomore receiver, Reynolds has yet to see action this season for eighth-ranked Oklahoma, which enters its matchup with Texas undefeated at 4-0.

 

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Shockingly, Giants Tickets on Sale Without PSLs

August 18, 2010   Anthony Olivieri   No comments

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You can see the New York Giants at the new Meadowlands Stadium after all. You will just have to pay a fortune, not your life savings.

The Giants quietly announced Tuesday — announced may be too strong a word — that single-game tickets will be on sale for the first season in their shiny new stadium. The team previously had said that tickets only would be sold through personal seat licenses (PSLs).

For months, the Giants had spewed a believable line, considering their loyal fan base, that they had no non-premium PSLs remaining and less than 1,200 of the premium ones. The licenses range in price from $1,000 to $20,000, a one-time payment in addition to the price of the game tickets that give you ownership of your seat.

Apparently, Big Blue was short on some green.

The single-game sale started Wednesday, when PSL holders get first dibs on the available tickets. A news release from the team described it as a “limited number of individual game tickets for the Giants’ eight 2010 regular-season games.”

The real controversy will start Monday — mute talk radio, trust me — when fans who did not buy PSLs will get a chance to purchase tickets without the hefty fee.

This is certainly uncharted territory for the Giants, whose decades-long waiting list had become a thing of legend before scrapping it and building the new $1.7 billion palace with the Jets through the support of PSL money.

The Jets, by the way, have had their own PSL woes, necessitating a sharp cut in prices so that enough tickets could be sold to avoid blackouts.

Fans of both teams do have something common — a hatred for PSLs, which in some cases become another mortgage payment on top of what was an already expensive endeavor.

If this 2008 rally against PSLs is any indication, fans will do absolutely nothing about the frustrations. Fortunately for them, the Giants have done something instead.

Them being those who haven’t already forked over their bank accounts.

 

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Report: Shawne Merriman Ready to End Holdout

August 11, 2010   Anthony Olivieri   No comments

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Shawne MerrimanFor once, an NFL player can’t stay away from training camp.

Shawne Merriman will end his holdout and return to the San Diego Chargers, according to a report from ESPN.com Wednesday.

Citing sources, the website reported that Merriman will sign his tender for $3.269 million and abandon his wish for a more lucrative contract. San Diego, which finished 13-3 last season, tendered the high-energy linebacker at first- and third-round picks in March.

ESPN.com’s sources said that Merriman misses his teammates and the training camp routine too much to remain away. In his return, Merriman will try to recapture the form that earned him three Pro Bowl selections and helped him total 39 1/2 sacks from 2005-2007.


Merriman, 26, sat almost the entire 2008 season after tearing two ligaments in his knee. He then struggled last season to recover from that injury and some off-field issues. Merriman was accused of domestic violence by reality TV personality Tila Tequila, whom the linebacker then counter-sued, before the two settled out of court in February.

A rift with Chargers general manager A.J. Smith spilled into the media last season. Merriman also missed the first four games of the 2006 campaign after violating the league’s steroid policy.

The Chargers still have two holdouts, receiver Vincent Jackson and offensive lineman Marcus McNeill, both of whom plan to stay away from the team, the report said.

Training camp news this season has again centered around those who aren’t on the practice field, with Brett Favre and Darrelle Revis making headlines for their absences.

 

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JaMarcus Russell’s Friend Takes Blame for Codeine

August 11, 2010   Anthony Olivieri   No comments

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JaMarcus RussellAt a court hearing Wednesday, a friend of JaMarcus Russell took responsibility for mixing the drink laced with codeine that was found in the former No. 1 overall pick’s Alabama home, the Alabama Press-Register reported.

Russell, 25, was arrested July 5 for possession of a controlled substance, the codeine, a bottle of which Russell’s friend, Marcus Stevenson, also took ownership of, the report said. Stevenson was placed in handcuffs after taking the blame, the newspaper reported.

Last month’s arrest came as part of an undercover investigation by the Mobile County sheriff’s office, which likely was targeting the use of codeine for the recreational drink referred to as “Purple Drank.”


 Despite showing next to no ability in the NFL since stepping on to a bad Oakland Raiders team in 2007, Russell had been looking to sign with an NFL team as a backup after being released by the Raiders this past May.

Predictably, there was little interest from NFL teams in regards to acquiring Russell’s services. This arrest likely scared off potential suitors, though Wednesday’s developments may leave a sliver of hope that the hefty signal-caller has not played his last down in the NFL.

 

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Despite James Dolan’s Efforts, Isiah Thomas Will Not Work for Knicks

August 11, 2010   Anthony Olivieri   No comments

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Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas will not be a consultant for the New York Knicks thanks to a conflict of interest with his job as head coach at Florida International.

Multiple reports stated that Thomas rescinded his acceptance of the Knicks‘ offer after being in contact with the NBA commissioner’s office.

“After speaking with Commissioner [David] Stern and Knicks executives, it has become apparent that my new agreement violates certain NBA bylaws. Because of this, I have decided to rescind my contract with the team,” Thomas said in a statement.


 “I have nothing but the utmost respect for Jim Dolan, Donnie Walsh, Mike D’Antoni and the entire Knicks organization, and I want to thank them for affording me this opportunity.”

NBA laws prohibits anyone who coaches or works for a college program or an international team, and in turn has regular contact with underclassmen, from working for any of the league’s 30 teams.

“We have been informed by the Knicks that Isiah Thomas has rescinded his consulting agreement with the team,” Stern said in a statement. “As a result, it is not necessary for the league to take any formal action on the proposed arrangement. However, we have reminded the Knicks of NBA rules that prohibit team personnel, including consultants, from having contact with players not eligible for the draft.”

Thomas ran the Knicks from 2003-2008 and also coached the team for two seasons before being run out of town as one of the most disgraced executives in New York sports history. Despite that track record, and the blemish of a sexual harassment suit filed against him and Madison Square Garden, Thomas holds a close relationship with Dolan, the Knicks’ owner.

This summer, Dolan tabbed Isiah as a recruiter for top free agents — including LeBron James — who still respect the former NBA champion point guard for his top flight career. It’s still entirely possible that Thomas — whether the fans like it or not — will return to the team in some capacity at another time.


“Although I’m disappointed that Isiah will not be working with the Knicks as a consultant, I continue to believe in his basketball knowledge, including his ability to judge talent,” Dolan said of Thomas in a statement. “He’s a good friend of mine and of the organization and I will continue to solicit his views. He will always have strong ties to me and the team. We wish him continued success at FIU.

“I also believe Donnie Walsh has done a terrific job since joining the Knicks and my tremendous respect for him has only grown since he’s joined the organization. I’m confident that the work that Donnie, coach Mike D’Antoni and their staffs have done this summer has the team poised for long-term success.”

According to the NY Post, Thomas had said on Miami radio he would be willing to leave FIU to be a full-time consultant for an NBA team. The newspaper also said that, if that team were the Knicks, it would go against Walsh’s wishes.

 

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