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| Monday, 22-Aug-2011 08:05 |
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Weekend at Shady's
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You were expecting a Link Gumbo this morning? The saga of The First Great Shady's Fisticuffs Caper of 2011 has taken some wild turns over the last few days and now that it appears we may have a slight break in developments, I think it's time we get everybody on the same page and update those who've missed out.
Before we begin, you'll notice that many of the links below go to work by Randy Rosetta on either TigerSportsDigest.com or his twitter feed. For many of the odd turns in this story, like the erroneous SportsNola report about Jefferson and other's being arrested, Rosetta has been the first one to call the BRPD and the attorneys to get official clarification. We dog certain reporters that we don't like around here often, so it's important that we also recognize great work when we see it.
What We Know
Thursday night, after the end of the 2nd full scrimmage of the fall, all LSU football players were accounted for in their rooms at a 10:30pm curfew. With the next day scheduled off, a large group of players decided to break curfew and some of them went to Shady's, a bar on East Boyd, just south of campus. Sometime in the early hours Friday, a driver who was trying to leave the parking lot honked his horn at a crowd of people in his way. At this point a fight broke out in the parking lot, leaving 4 victims. While EMS on the scene did look at their injuries, all 4 opted to transport themselves to nearby hospitals for treatment and they were all out of hospital later that day, though two of them are "still seeking medical attention." BRPD has confirmed that witnesses have told them that one of the victims was kicked in the head, but they have not yet determined if that actually happened. No video footage of the incident has surfaced yet.
Jordan Jefferson was first named a person of interest in the investigation on Friday. On Saturday, Les Miles held a brief press conference and said that the team as a whole had and would be disciplined for breaking curfew, and that while no suspensions had been given, he was waiting for BRPD's investigation to finish before moving forward. Late Saturday, BRPD contacted Jefferson, OL Chris Davenport, WR Jarvis Landry, and LB Josh Johns and asked them to come in on Monday for interviews. On Sunday morning, the 4 players retained the services of attorney Nathan Fisher, last seen representing Ryan Perrilloux during the Federal counterfeiting investigation in early 2007, and notified the BRPD that they would not be coming in for the interviews on Monday. BRPD says they rescheduled for Tuesday, but Fisher could not confirm this as of Sunday afternoon. The 4 victims have also retained an attorney, Michael Bienvenu, who told reporters that his clients intend to press charges.
What Is Rumored
WAFB, the Baton Rouge area CBS, reported accounts from "people who claim to have witnessed the incident" that the driver of the truck was pulled from his vehicle and that a separate victim who was kicked in the head was a Marine and the kicker was Jordan Jefferson. As of late Sunday, BRPD would not confirm any of this, other than that they had been told someone had been kicked in the head. None of the victims have been identified publicly.
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| Tuesday, 26-Apr-2011 06:55 |
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Bryant, Rose set to test injuries in Tuesday's playoff
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Five-time NBA champion Bryant suffered a sprained left ankle on Sunday when the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the New Orleans Hornets to tie their best-of-seven series at 2-2.
No stranger to playing though injuries during his 15-year career, Bryant refused an MRI but has received treatment and coach Phil Jackson said he expected his leading guard would play, which Bryant indicated was a likelihood.
"I've played through so many (injuries), it's kind of old hat," Bryant told reporters. "It's going to take a lot to stop me from playing."
Rose, the Chicago Bulls' top scorer and a leading candidate to win the NBA MVP Award, also sustained a left ankle sprain against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.
Rose had been wearing a walking boot until Monday's practice, but with the Bulls leading the series 3-1 and looking to close out the Pacers he is determined to play.
"I'm definitely playing," Rose said. "It's not broke, so I'll be out there."
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| Saturday, 23-Apr-2011 03:05 |
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Ravens again in search of wide receivers
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The Ravens, one of the NFL's top drafting teams, have struggled in one area: Selecting wide receivers.
Of the 16 wide receivers drafted by the Ravens, none have eclipsed 70 catches in a season or 1,000 yards for the team. They have tried to find targets that can stretch the field everywhere from the first round (Travis Taylor and Mark Clayton) to the seventh (Derek Abney and Justin Harper).
They've selected big receivers (Clarence Moore at 6 feet 6) and smaller ones (Patrick Johnson at 5 feet 11). They've searched for deep threats at big-time schools (Florida, Oklahoma and Notre Dame) and at programs many didn't know existed (Southwest Louisiana, Northern Arizona and Norfolk State).
As the Ravens head into next week's draft looking for another wide receiver - perhaps as early as the second round - team officials believe they're in the best position ever to develop one. In the Ravens' estimation, it's not all about finding the right wide receiver; it's about finding the right quarterback.
"It really has a lot to do with the relationship between the quarterback and the receiver and how those guys work together," said Eric DeCosta, the Ravens' director of player personnel. "That's the thing you admire about a Tom Brady or a Peyton Manning. They're able to develop those relationships with those young receivers quickly."
DeCosta added, "That's going to be challenge moving forward is to develop some young receivers in Baltimore and long-term have that kind of relationship with Joe (Flacco)."
In New England, Brady has succeeded with the likes of Troy Brown (eighth-round pick), Wes Welker (undrafted) and Deion Branch (second round). In Indianapolis, Manning has orchestrated a top-ranked passing attack with Pierre Garcon (sixth round) and Austin Collie (fourth round). In fact, the only 1,000-yard season ever recorded by a receiver drafted by the Ravens came with Manning throwing the ball to him (Brandon Stokley in 2004).
Now, with Flacco entering his fourth season, the time seems right for young receivers to start developing in his offense. While the top two wide receivers in the draft (Georgia's A.J. Green and Alabama's Julio Jones) are probably going to be taken in the top 10, there is plenty of value in the second, third and fourth rounds.
In a conference call this week, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said the top receivers in the second tier are: Boise State's Titus Young (1,215 yards last season), Miami's Leonard Hankerson (13 touchdowns last season) and Maryland's Torrey Smith (15.7 yards per catch last season).
Kiper's "wild cards" are Pittsburgh's Jonathan Baldwin (has size at 6 feet 4) and Kentucky's Randall Cobb (explosive after the catch). His sleeper is Abilene Christian's Edmund Gates (his 40-yard time at the combine was 4.3 seconds).
General manager Ozzie Newsome already said the Ravens plan to use one of their nine draft picks next week on a wide receiver.
"We've done a good job of stacking the board with some guys that have some size, some guys that have some unique quickness about them and some guys have just got flat-out speed," Newsome said. "It's a very good board for receivers this year."
The Ravens are looking to add some youth to a wide receiver group whose starters (Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason) are both 30 or older. They'll also need depth because T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Donte' Stallworth aren't expected to be re-signed. There is a possibility that David Reed, a fifth-round pick from a year ago, could compete for the No. 3 wide receiver spot.
If there is one quality that the Ravens are looking for in a receiver, director of college scouting Joe Hortiz pointed at playmaking ability.
"You want a guy who, when it's third-and-7, he's open and he catches it," Hortiz said. "And those guys do it in all different shapes and sizes. There is not a physical quality, other than speed is speed. It's hard to cover speed."
In the past five drafts, the Ravens have only used one pick in the first three rounds on a wide receiver, and that was on Yamon Figurs (who was more of a returner) in 2007. And there are no guarantees that the Ravens will use a selection on a wide receiver early in this draft.
"I think if you look at the contributions of rookie wide-outs throughout the past couple years, there are guys in the fifth round (who have made an impact)," Hortiz said. "(Sixth-round pick) Antonio Brown last year made a big contribution for Pittsburgh against us. There are lesser guys, in terms of where they're drafted, that can make an impact. It's just in terms of how they pick things up, how they're coming in, working and acclimating to the pro game. But I definitely think there are guys in that second - and even the third - tier of wide-outs that will be able to come in and help their draft team."
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| Thursday, 21-Apr-2011 06:56 |
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Emirates ice hockey are the ones to beat in Kuwait
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The national ice hockey team are the new favourites at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Asian Challenge Cup after Chinese Taipei, the defending champions, opted out of the continental championship to held in Kuwait next week.
Chinese Taipei edged out the UAE 3-2 in the final of last year's event, which they hosted.
Their withdrawal denies the Emirates squad, who won the title in 2009 as hosts, a chance for revenge in the week-long event starting on Sunday. "We don't really know why they are not travelling, but that doesn't make the competition any easier," Ebraheem bu Debs, a national team defender, said. "We are the favourites, but that doesn't guarantee us the championship. We still need to go out there and win every game."
This year's championship will be played in a league format, with the team that finishes with the highest points declared the winner.
Participating with the UAE are Hong Kong, India, Kuwait, Macau and Thailand. In addition to Chinese Taipei, other nations not participating in this year's tournament are Malaysia and Mongolia.
The UAE squad is the same that won the bronze medal behind Kyrgyzstan, the hosts, and Thailand in the Asian Winter Games men's premier division in February.
"We had been training ahead of the Asian Winter Games and then continued to play as a team in the Emirates Hockey League, which we won," bu Debs said.
"Basically we have been playing together as a team for more than four years when we were preparing for the Asian Challenge Cup in 2009, which we won. All the national team players represent the Abu Dhabi Storms in the domestic league. So we know each other very well as players.
"We also had a camp in Al Ain which was to get our focus on the competition.
"I feel the team is ready and obviously we want to regain the Asian title. It doesn't matter whom we play, we can only play those who are in the competition."
Matti Fagerstrom, the Storms' coach, has been appointed the national team coach. The 28-year-old Finn, who joined the Abu Dhabi club in July, has been in charge of the national team for two weeks.
"They are a very experienced side, having participated in the Asian Challenge Cup, the World Championship Division Three [tournament in 2010] and the Asian Winter Games," Fagerstrom said.
The UAE became the first Arab nation to play in the IIHF World Championship when they took part in the Division Three tournament at Luxembourg in April last year, finishing the tournament in the bottom team behind Ireland, Luxembourg and Greece.
The UAE won the inaugural Gulf Cup in Kuwait last year and were set to host the 2011 championship that has been postponed to next year following the political unrest in some Gulf countries.
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| Tuesday, 19-Apr-2011 02:16 |
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Summer league cancellation bad news for Cavs, rookies
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No one knows how a potential NBA lockout will affect the Cavaliers. But with the potential lockout shutting down summer-league play … well, now that is an issue.
Last week, several news outlets reported that the NBA has canceled its Las Vegas summer league in preparation for an owner-imposed lockout. The league’s collective bargaining agreement expires July 1, and right now, there appears to be little hope the owners and players will come to an agreement before then.
The Vegas summer league, which typically features upwards of 20 teams, takes place during the second week of July. Rosters consist of rookies, free agents and younger members of the current team. Basically, the type of players who the Cavs need to spend the off-season evaluating.
That’s especially true when you consider the Cavs have two lottery picks in the upcoming draft -- and three picks in the top 32. They also have a lot of key players who would be prime candidates to participate in summer league, from forwards Samardo Samuels, Luke Harangody and Alonzo Gee, to guards Christian Eyenga and Manny Harris, to center Semih Erden.
When you throw in the draft picks, that’s basically half of the Cavs’ in-season roster. So no summer league means no off-season practice, no full-speed games, no monitoring from NBA coaches of any kind.
“It will hurt us, no doubt,” Cavs coach Byron Scott said of the absence of summer league. “That’s where you try to gauge what you have and how guys are coming along.”
Last year, the Cavs discovered Samuels and Harris in the summer, with Samuels being signed following a strong performance with Chicago’s summer team.
So not only will the Cavs miss out on developing their own players, but they won’t be able to find guys who might help them from somewhere else.
On the bright side, the Cavs aren’t in this pickle alone. All 30 teams are in the same situation. So if anything positive is to come from all this, it’s that no one really gets an edge -- especially if you’re talking about teams that failed to make the playoffs. Each is desperate to find younger guys to help in the rebuilding process.
“If you are a young and struggling team, summer league is crucial,” said one Western Conference executive. “I’m not saying it will determine the outcome of your next season, but you can make huge strides. For the teams that need it, it’s a big deal.”
Rookie woes
Something else to consider in all this: The actual players. Or more specifically, those who are drafted in the second round this summer, or worse, not drafted at all -- such as Samuels and Harris last summer).
Not having a summer league offers those types nowhere to showcase their skills, and lessens their shot of becoming discovered and signed as sort of hidden gems.
And when you think about the players potentially on that list, you think about Ohio guys like Ohio State’s David Lighty and Jon Diebler, Cleveland State’s Norris Cole and Dayton’s Chris Wright.
“Those (types of players) could be in trouble with no summer league,” said the executive. “Instead of being invited to participate on the summer circuit, they will almost certainly have to try to find a job overseas. And that’s not always easy.”
Some around the league are predicting a long, trying lockout that lasts well into next winter. Others are predicting a sunnier outlook, saying they wouldn’t be surprised if the owners and players reach an 11th-hour agreement.
If it’s the latter, the summer league will likely be back on, and it will be business as usual.
“But if not, it’s bad news for just about everyone,” the executive said. “There’s really no happy spin you can put on not having a summer league.”
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| Tuesday, 8-Mar-2011 02:30 |
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UFL сподівається отримати час мережу телевізор, якщо НФЛ триває
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Омаха, штат Небраска (AP) - у важкому фінансовому становищі Організації Об'єднаних футбольна ліга сподівається, що він може заповнити порожнечу на телебаченні цієї осені, якщо всі або частину 2011 НФЛ скасовується.
"Кожна мережа дивиться на утримання, яке вони повинні заповнити, і люди бачать нас як потенційних життєздатним варіантом", UFL комісара Майкл Huyghue заявив на цьому тижні.
П'ять команд UFL почав в 2009 році і складається з гравців, які були скорочені в навчальних таборах і ветеранів, які хочуть повернутися до NFL. У минулому сезоні кожна 52-людина реєстр включено в середньому на 24 гравців з досвідом НФЛ.
Huyghue сказав, що він провів попередні переговори з керівниками мережі.
ESPN представник Білл Hofheimer сказав, що його мережа "поки немає планів", щоб забрати UFL гри. NBC і CBS відмовилися від коментарів. Представник Fox не відповідайте на повідомлення із проханням прокоментувати ситуацію.
UFL втратила $ 30 млн. у першому сезоні і 50 млн. дол США в 2010 році, Huyghue сказав.
тільки вплив телебачення UFL була на Versus і HDNet, але ліги повинні були платити Сума угоди не розголошується за собівартістю.
Генеральний план ліги закликає до створення потоку доходів від телевізійних прав зборів, але немає розкладу. UFL володіє принаймні 50 відсотків з чотирьох франшизи і 100 відсотків від п'ятого, першого року Вірджинія руйнівників.
Huyghue сказав UFL інвесторів розглядаються складаються після минулого сезону через важких фінансових втрат. Вони вирішили тиснути на, тому що вони вірять в місію ліги і передбачати поліпшення економічних умов.
Huyghue визнав, що однією з причин UFL перейшов розпочала свій сезон за серпень був настільки ліги буде в змозі взяти ТБ-тайм слотів, які були б заповнені гри НФЛ передсезонного.
Але Huyghue сказав ліги не ставку на непередбачену від потенційних блокування NFL, Huyghue сказав.
"Це не бізнес-стратегія для нас", сказав він. "Це потенційно можливість."
команди UFL знаходяться в Омасі, Лас-Вегас, Хартфорд, Сакраменто і Норфолку, штат Вірджинія Pro Боулерс такі як Джефф Гарсія і Гаман Зелений були в лізі в минулому сезоні, як і екс-тренера NFL Денніс Грін і Джим Fassel.
НФЛ команд підписали близько 60 UFL гравців минулого сезону, для кожного з них або активних реєстру або практики команди.
Відвідуваність становить від близько 10.000 ігри в Лас-Вегасі на 23000 в Омасі.
Грін сказав гравцям, хто заробив близько $ 50.000 за штуку, були виплачені в повному обсязі, але не отримав їх останньої перевірки у встановлені терміни. Huyghue сказав кожній команді було близько 1 млн. дол США в неоплачених рахунків в кінці сезону.
Huyghue сказав UFL сподівається звернути на деякі витрати і може зменшити реєстрів. За відсутності угоди з основної мережі, Huyghue сказав, що сподівається укласти угоду з 2010 ТБ партнерів щодо скорочення видатків для отримання ігор по телебаченню.
Навіть якщо локаут триває до осені, немає ніякої гарантії, основної мережі захочуть платити на трансляцію ігор UFL.
"Якщо ми отримаємо якесь (дохід), це буде соус з точки зору грошових коштів, треба йти вперед", сказав Huyghue. "Насправді, ми отримаємо права внеску, якщо немає локаут? Відповідь досить чітко ні ".
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