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Archives for September 20, 2019

Antonio Brown Released by Pats

September 20, 2019 by Digital Sports Desk

FOXBORO – The Antonio Brown era in New England is over.

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The Patriots announced on Friday they are cutting the controversial wide receiver, just five days after Brown caught four passes for 56 yards and scored a touchdown in his debut with the team.

“The New England Patriots are releasing Antonio Brown,” the team said in a statement. “We appreciate the hard work of many people over the past 11 days, but we feel it is best to move in a different direction at this time.”

Patriots coach Bill Belichick abruptly left his news conference earlier Friday after being asked repeated questions concerning Brown.

“I know there are questions about Antonio,” Belichick said, via NBCSportsBoston.com. “We take all the situations with our team very seriously. There are some things we’re looking into.”

After answering a couple of general questions that stemmed from Brown’s situation, Belichick said he would talk football. After another Brown-related question was asked, Belichick said: “I’m good. Thank you.”

An offseason full of tumult and controversy carried over into the regular season for Brown. On Thursday, Sports Illustrated reported that a female artist who leveled claims earlier this week that Brown made unwanted sexual advances before firing her contacted the NFL claiming the 31-year-old wide receiver sent her “intimidating and threatening” texts.

Britney Taylor, Brown’s former trainer, filed a civil suit last week accusing him of three incidents of sexual assault or rape over a two-year period from 2017-18. According to multiple reports, the league met with Taylor for 10 hours on Monday as it investigates the accusations, and a meeting with Brown was expected at some point.

The Patriots signed Brown earlier this month just hours after the Oakland Raiders released him. It was reportedly a one-year, $15 million deal with a $9 million signing bonus. Prior to his release, Brown spent training camp in and out of Raiders facilities, rehabbing a frostbite-like condition on his feet after a cryotherapy mishap, filing grievances with the NFL over his helmet, arguing with team management (reportedly calling general manager Mike Mayock a cracker), and posting a recorded conversation with Raiders coach Jon Gruden to YouTube.

In 10 NFL seasons (the first nine with Pittsburgh), Brown has caught 841 balls for 11,263 yards and 75 touchdowns. He is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and four-time All-Pro.

The 2-0 Patriots host the 0-2 New York Jets on Sunday.

Late Friday afternoon, Brown took to his social media account to thank New England for the opportunity to play for the franchise.

The marathon continues

— AB (@AB84) September 20, 2019

Earlier Friday, the female artist who leveled claims earlier this week that New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown made unwanted sexual advances before firing her contacted the NFL saying that Brown sent her “intimidating and threatening” texts, Sports Illustrated reported.

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Already facing a civil lawsuit brought by his former trainer Britney Taylor over sexual assault allegations, Brown was accused by the artist’s attorney of sending text messages to the artist that were “intimidating and threatening to our client, in violation of the NFL Personal Conduct Policy.”

The letter from lawyer Lisa J. Banks to the NFL stated that her client was “understandably frightened by these text messages, which are clearly intended to threaten and intimidate her.” Banks also denied that the artist planned to be seeking money “to compensate her for his sexual misconduct, contrary to his allegations in the text messages.” 

According to the SI report, the NFL reached out to Banks within an hour of receiving her complaint to coordinate a phone call between league investigators and the artist’s counsel.

Per the SI article earlier this week in a story detailing multiple domestic violence allegations against the seven-time Pro Bowl receiver, Brown met the artist at a 2017 charity softball game and invited her to his house to create another piece of artwork. Per her claim, the unnamed artist, who requested anonymity before speaking about Brown, “was in a kneeling position while painting and turned to find Brown behind her, naked, holding a small hand towel over his genitals.” The artist continued painting, but “after that, it all ended abruptly,” she told SI.

The report indicated the artist received $2,000 from Brown, who didn’t contact her after the incident. The woman did not plan to file charges or receive renumeration, though Brown’s behavior troubled her, SI reported.

Thursday’s report alleged that the artist was included on a group text with three other unidentified phone numbers that seemingly came from the same number she was originally given by Brown two years ago. Among other texts claiming she was a “super broke girl” and prompts to “look up her background history,” the texts reportedly included an accusation that she was lying about her 2017 claim in order to extort money out of Brown, 31.

“This sort of intimidation and harassment is the reason victims are often so reluctant to step forward in these cases,” Banks told SI Thursday. “We have confidence the NFL and the Patriots will step in and end this behavior.”

After Monday’s report was published, Brown’s attorney Darren Heitner wrote on Twitter, “Antonio Brown has reviewed the sexual misconduct allegations made by an unnamed artist included in a recently published Sports Illustrated article and denies that he ever engaged in such activities. There will be no further comment at this time.”

Regarding the Taylor civil suit, the league has interviewed her and continues to investigate, but it is not known whether the league will interview Brown.

Taylor claims Brown sexually assaulted her on three separate occasions, including once in Pittsburgh, where the wide receiver played for the Steelers for nine seasons, and twice in Florida.

ESPN also has reported that Brown, who hired Taylor as a trainer after they attended Central Michigan at the same time, turned down a $2 million settlement before the suit was filed.

–Field Level Media

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Filed Under: Boston Sports, New England Patriots, NFL Tagged With: NFL

Sox Head South

September 20, 2019 by Digital Sports Desk

Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays

When: 7:10 PM ET, Friday, September 20, 2019
Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

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TAMPA – ST. PETE – The Tampa Bay Rays are loaded with confidence as they begin a six-game home stand with the first of four against the Boston Red Sox tonight. Tampa Bay returns to Tropicana Field after a 4-4 road trip left them tied with Cleveland for the final wild card spot in the American League and two games behind top wild card contender Oakland with nine to play.

“Just shows that we can compete with those guys and we can compete with anybody out there,” Austin Meadows told reporters after belting a solo home run in the 11th inning to give Tampa Bay an 8-7 victory at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. “We’re going to continue to prove that and go into the home stand with some motivation and get some wins.”

Meadows (32 home runs) is batting .407 with eight homers, 19 RBIs and 19 runs scored during a career-high hitting streak that encompasses all 16 September games of his breakout season. Charlie Morton, who is being aligned to start the AL wild card game if the Rays make it, tries for his career-high 16th victory of the season when he takes the ball Friday. Boston could be mathematically eliminated tonight, as they send Rick Porcello to the hill. The Red Sox reign as World Series champions will soon draw to a close.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (13-12, 5.77 ERA) vs. Rays RH Charlie Morton (15-6, 3.16)

Porcello allowed two runs and five hits with six strikeouts in five innings of a 6-3 victory at Philadelphia on Sunday. The 30-year-old New Jersey native yielded six runs over four innings in each of his previous two starts – home losses to Minnesota and the New York Yankees – part of the reason why he owns the worst ERA in the majors among qualified pitchers. Tampa Bay’s Avisail Garcia is 12-for-30 with two home runs, seven RBIs and eight strikeouts versus Porcello, who is 14-12 with a 3.67 ERA in 31 starts against the Rays – 0-2, 6.23 in three outings this season – but 8-5, 2.87 in 16 turns at at Tropicana Field lifetime.

Morton extended his career high with his 31st start of the season in an 11-4 victory over the Angels in Anaheim on Friday, allowing three runs and six hits over six innings. The 35-year-old New Jersey native, who won 15 games in 2018 with Houston, is 7-3 with a 2.74 ERA in 15 starts at home this season. Boston’s Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers are a combined 13-for-38 versus Morton, who is 5-1 with a 4.26 ERA in eight starts versus the Red Sox – 2-0, 4.18 in four outings this season.

WALK-OFFS

  1. Tampa Bay has allowed a major league-low 170 home runs.
  2. Boston RF Mookie Betts could return this weekend after missing the last five games with a sore left foot, but manager Alex Cora told reporters he would only serve as the designated hitter.
  3. The Rays lead the season series 9-6 but have lost five of six meetings at Tropicana Field.
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Filed Under: Boston Red Sox, Boston Sports, MLB Tagged With: MLB

This Must Be Kansas?

September 20, 2019 by Digital Sports Desk

LAWRENCE – Kansas is expected to soon receive a notice of allegation from the NCAA citing major recruiting violations in the program, the Kansas City Star reported.

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The Jayhawks were among the schools that were mentioned in the FBI’s investigation into corruption in the sport that led to the arrest of 10 people, including four assistant coaches, in September 2017.

Stan Wilcox, the NCAA executive vice president for regulatory affairs, said during the summer that at least six schools would receive notice of allegations.

Level I allegations — the most severe under NCAA rules — could lead to penalties and possibly a suspension for coach Bill Self, who won an NCAA title at the school in 2008.

Kansas was among the schools associated with Adidas that came under scrutiny during the federal investigation.

Former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola testified that he made payments of $90,000 to the mother of former Kansas player Billy Preston.

Gassnola also admitted two payments totaling $22,500 were made from Adidas to Silvio De Sousa, a current Kansas player who was initially suspended for two seasons. Kansas appealed the second season penalty and the NCAA recently ruled De Sousa is eligible to play this season.

Gassnola avoided prison time at his sentencing date on Sept. 10 due to his cooperation with authorities. He received one year of supervised release, two months of home confinement and a $100 fine, according to reports.

During trial last October, an FBI wiretap was introduced in which Kansas assistant Kurtis Townsend and Adidas consultant Merl Code were heard discussing what was needed for highly sought recruit Zion Williamson to sign with the Jayhawks. Williamson later chose Duke.

Code’s attorney, Mark Moore, read the transcript in the court, detailing what Townsend told Code.

“Hey, but between me and you, you know, (Williamson’s stepfather Lee Anderson) asked about some stuff. You know? And I said, ‘Well, we’ll talk about that after you decide.’

“And then Mr. Code says: ‘I know what he’s asking for,'” Moore continued. “… ‘He’s asking for opportunities from an occupational prospective. He’s asking for money in the pocket. And he’s asking for housing for him and the family.’

“And they go on to talk. And Mr. Townsend says: ‘So I’ve got to just try to work and figure out a way. Because if that’s what it takes to get him for 10 months, we’re going to have to do it some way.'”

North Carolina State is the only school thus far to have received a notice of allegations from the NCAA, stemming from the FBI’s look into corruption.

–Field Level Media

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Filed Under: NCAA, NCAA Basketball, SPORTS BIZ Tagged With: Kansas, NCAAB

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