Yesterday, in cafe car on the D-train, the staff sat around brainstorming about how we could hypnotize Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban into trading Dirk Nowitzski for Elton Brand and Samuel Dalembert, when the teletype machine began to go nuts.
Of course the Lawrence Taylor story was the first feed to go through.
It was initially reported that Taylor was suspected of rape, however "third-degree" should have preceded it. Taylor was arrested and released on $75,000 bail for patronizing a prostitute, among other charges. According to TMZ, Taylor admitted to police that he had sex with the 16 year-old girl who was under the control of a pimp. No drugs or paraphrenalia was found in the room.
We are curious to know what went through LT's mind when he heard the police knock at the door.
"The cops are at the door of my out of the way hotel room in the wee hours... AGAIN," is our guess.
The next feed was that the Oakland Raiders had the "this isn't going to work out" talk with JaMarcus Russell yesterday. Well "talk" might be a bad description. NFL players usually find out they've been released from a reporter.
It is not like Al Davis to give up so easily. At the press-conference where he fired Lane Kiffin, Davis said, "I realize that you (Kiffin) did not want to draft JaMarcus Russell. He is a great player. Get over it, and coach this team on the field."
Russell rewarded Davis' faith in him by never working on his craft and constantly being overweight. Russell seriously looked like he had been to three family reunions in a month.
Russell was bound for disaster. A holdout in which he was not under contract until after his team's first game made his rookie season a wash. And a disaster Russell was from then on. Last season, he completed 48.8 percent of his passes, with three touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Russell's 50.0 passer rating was the lowest since 1998 when three players finished below 50. The three players were: Ryan Leaf, Craig Whelihan, and... wait for it, Bobby Hoying.
This season, Davis gave current coach Tom Cable permission to bench Russell for the second-half of the season. The move paid dividends in the locker room as it was popular with the team. And off as well as the Raiders had comeback wins over playoff-bound Cincinatti and Pittsburgh (needing wins) in the last few weeks of the 2009 season.
So after acquiring Jason Campbell, having a solid draft, and attempting to correct the Russell mistake it would seem that the old man just might finally be listening the people he pays. Seven straight seasons with at least 11 losses can have that type of effect.
And finally, break out your flak jackets because Gilbert Arenas was released from his 30-day stay in a halfway house. Washington fans have to chew on the fact that the Wizards have neither attempted to trade Arenas void his contract which means he will be back at the Verizon Center next season; hopefully unarmed.
No comments:
Post a Comment