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      Five Ohio State players suspended

      December 23, 2010 /

      The Buckeyes will be shorthanded to start the 2011 season, as five players (including QB Terrelle Pryor) will miss the first five games of the season for receiving improper benefits. Per ESPN:

      Five players were found to have sold awards, gifts and university apparel, plus receive improper benefits in 2009. In addition to missing five games next season, Pryor, Mike Adams, Daniel Herron, Devier Posey and Solomon Thomas must repay money and benefits ranging in value from $1,000 to $2,500. The repayments must be made to a charity.

      Jordan Whiting must sit out the first game next year and pay $150 to a charity for the value of services that were discounted because of his status as a student-athlete.

      All of the players be eligible for the Jan. 4 Allstate Sugar Bowl, however.

      What did they sell, you ask?

      Pryor must repay $2,500 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring, a 2009 Fiesta Bowl sportsmanship award and his 2008 Gold Pants, a gift from the university.

      Herron must repay $1,150 for selling his football jersey, pants and shoes for $1,000 and receiving discounted services worth $150.

      Posey must repay $1,250 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring for $1,200 and receiving discounted services worth $50.

      Adams must repay $1,000 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring.

      Thomas must repay $1,505 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring for $1,000, his 2008 Gold Pants for $350 and receiving discounted services worth $155.

      Good grief. Leave it to the NCAA to come down hard (five games?) on a program for breaking the rules, but still allow the players to still play in the upcoming bowl game. While these players were in the wrong, it’s telling that these unpaid student-athletes, who generate millions in revenue for the NCAA, have to resort to selling their championship rings to put some cash in their pockets.

      Looking ahead to the Buckeyes’ 2011 schedule, they’ll have to face Akron, Toledo, Miami (FL), Colorado and Michigan State without their star QB. Their first game back will be on Oct. 8 at Nebraska.

      What do you think — is what amounts to a half-season suspension fair for what Pryor and the other players did?

      College Football, External Sports, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Is Peyton Hillis starting to wear down?

      December 23, 2010 /

      The Browns may be without their only offensive weapon this Sunday when they host the Baltimore Ravens. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, running back Peyton Hillis missed practice on Wednesday and is suffering from a knee injury.

      It’s actually a little early in the week to know whether or not Hillis will be available this weekend, although he was seen limping around team headquarters on Wednesday, which obviously isn’t a good sign. Coach Eric Mangini downplayed the injury and if he did just need a day off, who could blame him after the season he’s endured?

      To date, Hillis has compiled 311 offensive touches on the year, which is only slightly higher than his previous mark of 82. He never touched the ball more than 111 times in a season while at Arkansas and it wouldn’t be shocking if he were starting to wear down after his first season as a featured player in the pros. He’s also had nagging injuries throughout the year that probably haven’t had the chance to fully heal.

      But if he’s healthy enough to go this Sunday, expect him to be in uniform. He shredded the Ravens for 180 total yards and a touchdown in Week 3 and with the Browns out to play spoiler against their division rivals, they’ll need Hillis to play. Obviously they don’t want him to risk injury, but have you seen the guy play this year? He’s like a cartoon character; a real freak of nature.

      If he can cut down on the fumbles (he leads the league with eight), Hillis could go on to have a solid career. He’s certainly the best thing the Browns have going for them on the offensive side of the ball and his blue-collar persona fits the city of Cleveland perfectly. (And to think, they only had to give up a third-string quarterback to acquire him from Denver.)

      External Sports, NFL

      Mark Sanchez has torn cartilage in shoulder

      December 23, 2010 /

      According to the New York Daily News, the arm soreness that Mark Sanchez has been experiencing this week is actually a cartilage tear in his right throwing shoulder. It doesn’t appear that he’ll need surgery or miss any games, but it can’t be a good thing when quarterbacks play with tears in their shoulders.

      No wonder he couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn the pas couple of weeks – the dude’s shoulder had a tear in it. What? The injury happened in the first quarter of last week’s game? So his brutalness against the Patriots and Dolphins was actually all him?

      The NYDN speculates that the injury could hamper Sanchez for the remainder of the season, although he wasn’t much of a passer before the injury so maybe the tear will improve his game. After all, he played pretty well in the second half against the Steelers last Sunday so maybe the injury will be a good thing in some bizarre, that logically doesn’t make any sense kind of way.

      The injury comes at a bad time for the Jets’ offense, as receiver Santonio Holmes is also playing through turf toe. Both he and Sanchez have a rough matchup this Sunday against the Bears, who have a tendency to feast on offense that don’t hail from the Foxboro, Massachusetts area. We’ll see how the injury affects the duo this weekend.

      External Sports, NFL

      Broncos’ Elvis Dumervil cited for assault

      December 23, 2010 /

      And the season from hell continues for the Denver Broncos.

      According to KDVR in Denver, Elvis Dumervil (who was placed on injured reserve before the season with a torn pectoral muscle) was cited for assault following the Broncos’ loss to the Raiders in Week 7. He allegedly tussled with a parking attendant outside Invesco Field and was cited for both assault and disturbing the peace.

      As the report notes, Dumervil hasn’t gotten into any real trouble since being selected in the fourth round of the 2006 draft out of Louisville. He apparently has some speeding violations and was once busted for not having proof of insurance, but nothing that would warrant punishment from the league for this assault situation.

      Dumervil wasn’t the only Bronco to find himself on the wrong side of the law this year. Back in November, DJ Williams was arrested by Denver Police for DUI and less than two weeks ago, Perrish Cox was busted for charges of sexual assault. This past Monday, Kevin Alexander was arrested for assault and battery and was released by the team shortly thereafter.

      Is it just me or do players usually find themselves in bad headlines when their team is having a horrible year? This of course doesn’t apply to Cincinnati Bengal players, who find themselves in bad headlines no matter what kind of season they’re having. But it just seems like when it rains it pours for NFL teams. And it hasn’t stopped raining on the Broncos since they started 6-0 last year.

      External Sports, NFL

      Cam Newton named AP Player of the Year

      December 23, 2010 /

      Cam Newton can now add AP Player of the Year to his list of accomplishments in 2010.

      From ESPN.com:

      The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback led the Tigers into the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game against No. 2 Oregon with a mix of flair and poise and enough highlight-reel plays to widely split the vote among a handful of coaches and teammates asked for their favorite.

      Newton received 51 votes from the 60-member AP football poll panel. Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore received three, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck got two, and four ballots went unreturned.

      Scandal or no scandal, Cam Newton is one hell of a football player and turned in quite a performance this season. Football is the ultimate team game but if Auburn goes on to win the national championship, it’ll be because of Newton. He’s one of those rare players that can completely take over a game on his own. Watching him battle with Oregon in a couple of weeks will be incredibly fun to watch.

      Perhaps the most amazing thing about Newton is that he kind of came out of nowhere. Auburn fans knew he was special but he wasn’t really on anyone’s radar in preseason and he certainly wasn’t being considered as a Heisman candidate at the start of the year. Yet he won the prestigious honor running away and then scooped up the AP Player of the Year award in a landslide. Amazing.

      College Football, External Sports

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