MIAMI SUSPENDS A DOZEN, LSU-2 ARRESTS-2 SUSPENSIONS, AQIB GOING DOWN & PACKERS WIN A THRILLER
The first shoe has dropped at the "U" as 12 players have been suspended in conjunction with the Nevin Shapiro investigation. Miami President Donna Shalala said last Monday, she & her staff had spent the entire weekend looking into "who & for how much" current Hurricane players were involved. An NCAA rule to know at this point is $100 is the over/under as far as punishment goes. Take stuff worth more than a hundred bucks, you're going to get suspended at the very least. Take "illegal benefits" of less than a C-note, you pay the amount of your transgression to a charity & do community service. That's the NCAA way of separating bad guys from really bad guys. If this list ends up being the 12 guys to be suspended by the NCAA, the 2011 season will hang on how long they're out. You see the list contains 10 starters including QB Jacory Harris, both WR's, Travis Benjamin & Aldarius Johnson. The rest are all defensive players, defensive ends Oliver Vernon, Marcus Robinson & their backups, Adelale Ojomo & Dyron Dye. Linebacker Sean Spence, cornerback JoJo Nicholas & both safeties, Vaughn Telemaque & Ray Ray Armstrong. The NCAA usually takes a week, ten days to verify the charges the school has submitted as reason for suspension. They better work fast, the Hurricanes play Maryland on September 5th. I don't like their chances to dress for the game.
The kid with 49 pairs of sneakers apparently had one that matched a shoe print on one of the victims in a bar fight last week. Or maybe a trace of blood matched the victim's DNA, I don't know. But whatever it was, LSU starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson was arrested & charged with 2nd degree battery along with teammate Josh Johns. Both posted bond & both were suspended indefinitely by Tiger coach Les Miles. This presents a problem for #4 LSU who hosts #3 Oregon next Saturday night. I expect senior Jarrett Lee to replace Jefferson next week.
Did you see the photo/video/news story about Chief Petty Officer Jon Tumilson's funeral in Iowa on Wednesday? He was one of the 21 Navy Seals killed along with 10 other brave Americans when their helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan. His chocolate Labrador Retriever lay beside his coffin for the entire hour-an-a-half service. "Hawkeye" was truly Tumilson's best friend. Now both Iowa & Iowa State want to honor Tumilson before their September 10th game & supporters of both teams want Hawkeye to be a part of it. I don't know how I feel about this. Sometimes animals grieve just like humans do & I'm not crazy about exploiting this dog if that turns out to be what it is. Tumilson was a lifelong Iowa fan, that's why he named his dog Hawkeye, so no offense Iowa State, but I don't get your need to be involved. The game is at Ames, if it was in Iowa City, I might go for it. I don't know, do you have an opinion?
The Jets-Giants preseason game was originally scheduled for tonight, then rescheduled for 2PM this afternoon & it has been changed again. The current plan is for the game to be played Monday night providing the subways & trains are running again after Hurricane Irene has departed the Tri-State area. The 2PM start was cancelled after New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the entire transit system would by shut down at 2PM this afternoon.
Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Ryan Harris will need surgery for a herniated disc in his back. Harris was formerly with the Broncos, but had difficulty staying in the lineup. This is a real blow to Philly.
Aqib Talib, starting cornerback for Tampa Bay, will be suspended for the first four games of the season according to Yahoo!Sports. Since Talib is a repeat offender, Commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to lower the boom on Talib & Tennessee wide receiver Kenny Britt, who has also been suspended in the past. Britt is simply a knucklehead but Talib is another story. The former Kansas Jayhawk has all-pro ability with a San Quentin personality. You have to go back to his freshman year at Kansas to find a season Aqib wasn't in trouble. Talib & his mom are charged with firing handguns at Talib's sister's boyfriend as he fled their Dallas home. I know you've heard "a family that shoots at people together stays together." O.K. maybe not.
I had an eye on the Green Bay-Indianapolis game last night while I watched the Chiefs struggle. The Packer first team offense looked ready for opening night. Curtis Painter led the Colts to a 21-13 4th quarter lead. But 3rd stringer Graham Harrell brought the Pack back with a touchdown pass with :35 left in the game & threw a successful 2-point conversion to tie the game. Somehow the Colts were surprised(Really??) by Green Bay's onside kick, which the Pack recovered at their own 42-yard line. Harrell moved Green Bay 24-yards & kicker Mason Crosby booted the game winner from 51-yards out with no time left. One Colt that kept catching my eye was newly acquired defensive tackle Tommy Harris. The former Chicago Pro Bowl defender had a few tackles, one for loss, a sack, another QB hit & he swatted down a pass at the line of scrimmage. The super-quick Harris fits the Colts defense perfectly.
I have a number of family members back East who are directly in the path of Hurricane Irene. Two nieces, a nephew, their significant others, two cousins, their wives & kids, plus a few of Linda's relatives have already experienced their first earthquake earlier this week, now they face a major hurricane. What a week. Pay attention, be prepared, hunker down & you'll get thru it. As I write this post, Irene has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm, but it's still very dangerous. Good luck, we'll say a little prayer for all of you.
The kid with 49 pairs of sneakers apparently had one that matched a shoe print on one of the victims in a bar fight last week. Or maybe a trace of blood matched the victim's DNA, I don't know. But whatever it was, LSU starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson was arrested & charged with 2nd degree battery along with teammate Josh Johns. Both posted bond & both were suspended indefinitely by Tiger coach Les Miles. This presents a problem for #4 LSU who hosts #3 Oregon next Saturday night. I expect senior Jarrett Lee to replace Jefferson next week.
Did you see the photo/video/news story about Chief Petty Officer Jon Tumilson's funeral in Iowa on Wednesday? He was one of the 21 Navy Seals killed along with 10 other brave Americans when their helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan. His chocolate Labrador Retriever lay beside his coffin for the entire hour-an-a-half service. "Hawkeye" was truly Tumilson's best friend. Now both Iowa & Iowa State want to honor Tumilson before their September 10th game & supporters of both teams want Hawkeye to be a part of it. I don't know how I feel about this. Sometimes animals grieve just like humans do & I'm not crazy about exploiting this dog if that turns out to be what it is. Tumilson was a lifelong Iowa fan, that's why he named his dog Hawkeye, so no offense Iowa State, but I don't get your need to be involved. The game is at Ames, if it was in Iowa City, I might go for it. I don't know, do you have an opinion?
The Jets-Giants preseason game was originally scheduled for tonight, then rescheduled for 2PM this afternoon & it has been changed again. The current plan is for the game to be played Monday night providing the subways & trains are running again after Hurricane Irene has departed the Tri-State area. The 2PM start was cancelled after New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the entire transit system would by shut down at 2PM this afternoon.
Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Ryan Harris will need surgery for a herniated disc in his back. Harris was formerly with the Broncos, but had difficulty staying in the lineup. This is a real blow to Philly.
Aqib Talib, starting cornerback for Tampa Bay, will be suspended for the first four games of the season according to Yahoo!Sports. Since Talib is a repeat offender, Commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to lower the boom on Talib & Tennessee wide receiver Kenny Britt, who has also been suspended in the past. Britt is simply a knucklehead but Talib is another story. The former Kansas Jayhawk has all-pro ability with a San Quentin personality. You have to go back to his freshman year at Kansas to find a season Aqib wasn't in trouble. Talib & his mom are charged with firing handguns at Talib's sister's boyfriend as he fled their Dallas home. I know you've heard "a family that shoots at people together stays together." O.K. maybe not.
I had an eye on the Green Bay-Indianapolis game last night while I watched the Chiefs struggle. The Packer first team offense looked ready for opening night. Curtis Painter led the Colts to a 21-13 4th quarter lead. But 3rd stringer Graham Harrell brought the Pack back with a touchdown pass with :35 left in the game & threw a successful 2-point conversion to tie the game. Somehow the Colts were surprised(Really??) by Green Bay's onside kick, which the Pack recovered at their own 42-yard line. Harrell moved Green Bay 24-yards & kicker Mason Crosby booted the game winner from 51-yards out with no time left. One Colt that kept catching my eye was newly acquired defensive tackle Tommy Harris. The former Chicago Pro Bowl defender had a few tackles, one for loss, a sack, another QB hit & he swatted down a pass at the line of scrimmage. The super-quick Harris fits the Colts defense perfectly.
I have a number of family members back East who are directly in the path of Hurricane Irene. Two nieces, a nephew, their significant others, two cousins, their wives & kids, plus a few of Linda's relatives have already experienced their first earthquake earlier this week, now they face a major hurricane. What a week. Pay attention, be prepared, hunker down & you'll get thru it. As I write this post, Irene has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm, but it's still very dangerous. Good luck, we'll say a little prayer for all of you.
Comments