Category: External Sports (Page 544 of 821)

      Florida receiver Chris Rainey faces stalking charge

      September 14, 2010 /
      GAINESVILLE, FL - APRIL 10: Running back Chris Rainey #3 of the Florida Gators signs autographs for fans before the Orange & Blue game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on April 10, 2010 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

      After a lackluster showing in their season opener against Miami (OH) two weeks ago, No. 10 Florida got back on track last Saturday with a convincing 38-14 victory over South Florida.

      But the program has suffered some embarrassment to start the week, as receiver Chris Rainey has been charged with aggravated stalking, which is a third-degree felony.

      SI.com has the details:

      According to Gainesville Police, Rainey sent the woman he dated on and off the last three years a text message that read, “Time to die,” after leaving her home Monday night.

      Officer Jesse Bostick said the woman fell asleep and missed a call from Rainey. Rainey went to her home, they talked and she told him to leave. According to Bostick, the woman got the text a short time later and called police.

      Florida has not announced what disciplinary action it will take against Rainey, though Gators’ offensive coordinator Steve Addazio said Tuesday, “Chris Rainey is not a part of our team right now. That’s really all I have to say on that.”

      The young women asked for the charges to be dropped.

      “I did not want to have him arrested,” she said. “When the police came, I signed papers to not press any charges. I don’t fear for my safety. … People all over the country have been calling my cell phone. I’m not afraid of him. I’m more afraid of all the repercussions.”

      The good thing here is that the woman didn’t feel threatened, but that doesn’t mean Rainey should escape punishment, obviously. It’ll be interesting to see how the Gators handle the situation and if Rainey will remain a part of Florida’s program.

      Although I have to admit, if they do kick him off the team I don’t see how that’s helping the kid out. He clearly messed up and taking away football may put him on track to make future mistakes because he lacks that structure in his life. I think it would be best for all parties if he could learn from his mistake under the tutelage of Urban Meyer, even if the team has to suspend him for a certain period of time.

      College Football, External Sports

      Belichick names Maroney full-time starter. Nah, just kidding – he traded him to Denver.

      September 14, 2010 /
      New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney (39) spikes the ball in the endzone after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts on November 8, 2009. The Patriots defeated the Dolphins 27-17. UPI/Matthew Healey Photo via Newscom

      There have been times over the course of the last couple of years where it looked like Laurence Maroney was finally going to turn the page in New England.

      Like the time when he rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries against the Bengals his rookie year – a performance that earned him both FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week and Diet Pepsi Rookie NFL Player of the Week honors.

      Or like during the 2007 playoffs, when he compiled 244 rushing yards and two touchdowns in two games before being limited to 36 yards on 14 carries (with one touchdown) against the Giants in the Super Bowl.

      But whenever it appeared that Maroney was ready to make more out of his career, injuries, inconsistent play or Bill Belichick’s desire to keep Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk or Fred Taylor relevant would get in his way.

      After receiving zero action in the final two preseason games this year, Maroney appeared to be in Belichick’s doghouse for good. And even when Belichick insisted that his former first round pick was still in the Patriots’ plans, you got the sense that Maroney wasn’t long for New England.

      On Tuesday, Belichick shipped Maroney and a sixth rounder to Denver in exchange for a fourth round pick. Maroney will now be reunited with Josh McDaniels, who was his former offensive coordinator in New England. He joins a backfield that also includes Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter, although the latter has shown signs of decline, which is probably why the Broncos felt the need to acquire Maroney.

      Maybe now that he’s out of Foxboro, Maroney will start to live up to his first round status. He’s still going to have to split carries, but at 25 he has plenty of time to turn things around if he can make the most out of the situation.

      In New England, Belichick is now relying on the combination of Taylor, Faulk and Sammy Morris in the running game. Should be interesting.

      Knowshon Moreno owners can relax. He’s the clear RB1 in Denver. If anything, the main guy hurt by Maroney’s arrival is Correll Buckhalter, who may not get as many reps if Maroney thrives with the Broncos. I think the big benefactor from this trade is probably Fred Taylor, who is now even more cemented in as the Pats‘ RB1. Maroney was up-and-down while in New England, but he clearly has some talent and he was still a threat to Taylor’s touches. Now Taylor will surely be the main ballcarrier while Kevin Faulk takes all the third-down and receiving duties. It looks like BenJarvus Green-Ellis (5 carries on Sunday) is next in line for carries if Taylor were to go down.

      External Sports, NFL

      Clinton Portis weighs in on Jets/female reporter situation

      September 14, 2010 /
      Aug. 07, 2010 - Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America - 07 August 2010: Washington Redskins Running Back CLINTON PORTIS.

      After spending the offseason keeping a relatively low profile, Clinton Portis decided to chime in on the situation in New York, where Jets players are under scrutiny after a few players allegedly made catcalls at sideline reporter Ines Sainz.

      Here’s what Portis said on his weekly radio appearance on 106.7 The Fan (via ESPN.com):

      “I think you put women reporters in the locker room in position to see guys walking around naked, and you sit in the locker room with 53 guys, and all of the sudden you see a nice woman in the locker room, I think men are going to tend to turn and look and want to say something to that woman,” Portis said in his weekly appearance on 106.7 The Fan.

      “You put a woman and you give her a choice of 53 athletes, somebody got to be appealing to her,” Portis said. “You know, somebody got to spark her interest, or she’s going to want somebody. I don’t know what kind of woman won’t, if you get to go and look at 53 men’s [bodies]. … I know you’re doing a job, but at the same time, the same way I’m going to cut my eye if I see somebody worth talking to, I’m sure they do the same thing.”

      Quite frankly, I don’t disagree with anything Portis (who seemed to be talking more in generalities) said. I’m sure there is bound to be someone that a female reporter is going to be attracted to in a locker room. And after spending the majority of their time around male teammates, obviously some players are going to be attracted to her as well.

      But that’s not really the point here. I get that boys will be boys, but you have to be careful. Even though football is a game, the NFL is still a business and when players are at practice, they’re at work. They should think of it as an office setting and therefore, should respect female reporters just as they would anyone else. It should be a business like atmosphere at all times.

      Now, is that realistic? No, and I’m not naïve to think that players are going to be on their best behavior when a hot female reporter is around them. And throwing a couple of passes in her direction (which apparently is one of the things that the Jets players did) is one thing – that’s harmless. But it’s quite another if she was made to feel uncomfortable while she was on the job. That’s not right.

      External Sports, NFL

      “Your parents are manipulating you like a marionette.”

      September 14, 2010 /
      New York Mets pitcher Francisco Rodriguez is escorted by police for his arraignment on assault charges at Queens Criminal Court in New York August 12, 2010. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL CRIME LAW IMAGES OF THE DAY)

      When you’ve been served with a restraining order that prohibits you from making contact with the girlfriend whose father you allegedly assaulted, it’s probably not a good idea to violate it by sending her 56 unanswered text messages in the weeks following the incident.

      Or tell her that she’s playing the puppet in her parents’ marionette show, for that matter.

      But such is the life of Mets’ closer Francisco Rodriguez, who allegedly assaulted his girlfriend’s father in the club’s family lounge in mid-August, and who is now being charged with criminal contempt on top of his previous charges of third-degree assault and harassment.

      According to a report by the Los Angeles Times, K-Rod sent 56 text messages to his girlfriend in recent weeks, which violated a restraining order that he received following his attack on her father. Below are some of the text messages that he sent her.

      “I know this message will get me in trouble, but I’ve already lost my kids… . Let’s find a solution to this conflict.”

      “Your parents are manipulating you like a marionette.”

      “I understand perhaps I made a mistake, the biggest mistake of my life. But I love you.”

      Perhaps you made a mistake? I say that when I put too much seasoning on my barbecue chicken. If I had just beaten up my girlfriend’s father inside my team’s facilities, I would be texting: “See you when I get out of jail – hugs and kisses to the kids.”

      Furthermore, I probably wouldn’t tell her that her parents are manipulating her – especially after I had just got done shoving her dad around. I wasn’t there, so maybe Rodriguez was justified in doing what he did. But I don’t think there’s any reason to proceed with domestic violence in any situation unless you’re defending yourself, which it doesn’t sound like K-Rod was.

      Dude needs some help.

      External Sports, MLB

      Packers dealt blow as Ryan Grant expected to miss entire season

      September 14, 2010 /
      GREEN BAY, WI - AUGUST 26: Ryan Grant of the Green Bay Packers talks with teammate Donald Driver on the sidelines during a preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field on August 26, 2010 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Colts 59-24. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

      It appears as though the Packers have been bitten by the “Stalter Curse,” as FOX Sports.com’s Jay Glazer is reporting that running back Ryan Grant is done for the season with severe ankle and leg injuries.

      I picked the Packers to win the Super Bowl this year in my 2010 NFL Season Preview last week. My partner in crime John Paulsen knew bad news would eventually be coming to his Packers soon thereafter and here it is, right on time.

      Grant is expected to be placed on IR, which would leave the Pack with Brandon Jackson as the starter and John Kuhn as the backup. Jackson rushed 18 times for 63 yards in relief of Grant in last weekend’s win over the Eagles. His 3.5 YPC average doesn’t look impressive on paper, but keep in mind that Green Bay was protecting a lead at that point and Philadelphia was loading the box in efforts to stop the run.

      Expect the Packers to add a free agent at some point soon. Willie Parker is available after the Redskins released him last week, although he proved this offseason that he doesn’t have much left in the tank at 30. I would expect Green Bay to snatch a back off of some team’s practice squad before signing Parker, but you never know. Keep an eye on players like Ryan Torain, Chris Henry, Ian Johnson, Chauncey Washington and Brandon Minor.

      What a blow for the Packers.

      Obviously, if you were planning to go after Brandon Jackson before, you really need to go after him now. He’s fantasy RB2-caliber the rest of the way, especially in PPR leagues, since he’s so adept in the passing game. He’s not the inside runner that Grant is, so John Kuhn is likely to get the goal line work until the Packers find someone else to sign. In a blind bidding situation, don’t be afraid to put the whole lot down on Jackson. It’s not often that a pretty surefire Top 20 back is up for grabs at this point in the season.

      External Sports, NFL

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