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Bruce Arians believes that fans, not players, would have issues with openly gay NFL players [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 19, 2013, 11:53 am] The subject of openly gay players in the NFL has been on a lot of minds of late, but Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians brought a different element to the equation in a recent interview with FoxSports.com. In Arians' mind, teammates and opposing players would not be the primary issue for any NFL player who decided to come out while on the field -- the real problem would come from the fans. âI donât think the locker room would have any problem with it,â Arians told FOX Sports' Ross Jones by telephone in Wednesday. âThe problem would be with the fans. I think especially opposing fans. Some of the things that are said are over the top and out of control that I can imagine what some fans would say to an openly gay player.â Arians made a point to emphasize that harassment would not be as likely from an openly gay player's comrades on the field. âAs a coach and I can probably speak for our players too, I donât think anybody would have any problem with it,â he said. According to NFL Spokesman Greg Aiello, the league is ready to deal with any such issues. âOur league and team security people would be ready to monitor any kind of public reaction that might not be appropriate, including scrubbing social media. We would assist the player in dealing with any adverse public reaction of any type, if there is any. Hopefully there wouldnât be and it would be a non-issue, which it should be.â Arizona approved a gay marriage ban in 2008, though there are those who would like to see that overturned. A Scottsdale group called Equal Marriage Arizona has filed a proposal to get a reversal of the law on the 2014 Arizona ballot. âThis measure will define marriage in Arizona as being a union of two persons," the proposal said in part. "It will ensure the protection of religious freedoms by specifying that religious organizations, religious associations, and religious societies in Arizona will not be required to solemnize or officiate any particular marriage or Bruce Arians believes that fans would have most issues with openly gay NFL players [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 19, 2013, 11:53 am] The subject of openly gay players in the NFL has been on a lot of minds of late, but Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians brought a different element to the equation in a recent interview with FoxSports.com. In Arians' mind, teammates and opposing players would not be the primary issue for any NFL player who decided to come out while pursuing a pro football career -- the real problem would come from the fans. âI donât think the locker room would have any problem with it,â Arians told FOX Sports' Ross Jones by telephone in Wednesday. âThe problem would be with the fans. I think especially opposing fans. Some of the things that are said are over the top and out of control that I can imagine what some fans would say to an openly gay player.â Arians made a point to emphasize that harassment would not be as likely from an openly gay player's comrades on the field. âAs a coach and I can probably speak for our players too, I donât think anybody would have any problem with it,â he said. According to NFL Spokesman Greg Aiello, the league is ready to deal with any such issues. âOur league and team security people would be ready to monitor any kind of public reaction that might not be appropriate, including scrubbing social media. We would assist the player in dealing with any adverse public reaction of any type, if there is any. Hopefully there wouldnât be and it would be a non-issue, which it should be.â Arizona approved a gay marriage ban in 2008, though there are those who would like to see that overturned. A Scottsdale group called Equal Marriage Arizona has filed a proposal to get a reversal of the law on the 2014 Arizona ballot. âThis measure will define marriage in Arizona as being a union of two persons," the proposal said in part. "It will ensure the protection of religious freedoms by specifying that religious organizations, religious associations, and religious societies in Arizona will not be required to solemnize or officiate any part Report: Police have not ruled Aaron Hernandez out as a suspect in murder probe [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 19, 2013, 9:52 am] New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has not been ruled out as a suspect in an ongoing homicide investigation in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, Karen Anderson WBZ-TV in Boston reports. Massachusetts State police returned to Hernandez's home on Wednesday. Investigators knocked on the door, but left when no one answered. Hernandez and an unidentified woman had driven away from the home in a white Audi SUV earlier on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Hernandez, 23, was questioned by police who were investigating the death of a 27-year-old man, whose body was found on Monday night by a jogger in a clearing in an industrial park less than a mile from Hernandez's home. Sports Illustrated reported that a 2013 Chevrolet Suburban with Rhode Island plates was found by police, who believed the vehicle was connected to the case. That vehicle, a rental car registered to Enterprise, is somehow linked to Hernandez. According to ABC News, Hernandez was "uncooperative" with the police, which has since been confirmed by Anderson on Wednesday. Anderson also provided a little background on the deceased who has been identified as Odin Lloyd of Dorchester, Massachusetts, who was dating the sister of Hernandez's girlfriend. Lloyd plays linebacker for the Boston Bandits, a local semi-pro football team. Llloyd practiced with the Bandits on Saturday "He was in fine spirits (Saturday night), he played well he was mentoring another player who is aspiring to get into college," Bandits coach Olivier Bustin told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Wednesday. Hernandez was a 2010 fourth-round pick (No. 113 overall) out of Florida by the Patriots. Over the last three seasons, Hernandez has 175 receptions for 1,956 yards with 18 touchdowns during the regular season with 35 receptions for 360 yards and two touchdowns in six career playoff games. The Patriots signed Hernandez to a five-year, $37.5 million contract extension that included $16 million in guaranteed money on Aug. 27, 2012. Thus far, the Patriots have Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez questioned by police in homicide probe [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 18, 2013, 4:30 pm] According to Pete Thamel and Greg Bedard of Sports Illustrated, New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was questioned by Massachusetts State police investigating a possible homicide in North Attleboro, Massachusetts. The body of an unidentified 27-year-old Boston man was discovered by a jogger in a clearing in a North Attleboro, Mass. industrial park at 5:30 p.m. ET on Monday. According to the Sports Illustrated report, the body was discovered less than a mile from Hernandez's home. The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro, Mass. reports that police found a 2013 Chevrolet Suburban with Rhode Island license plates in connection with the possible homicide. The vehicle was rented from Enterprise and, according to Sports Illustrated, the rental of that vehicle is tied to Hernandez, who is not believed to be a suspect in the homicide. ABC News reports that Hernandez has been "uncooperative" with police, who refer to the deceased as an "associate" of Hernandez. North Attleboro is on the Massachusetts/Rhode Island border, approximately 40 miles to the southwest of Boston and a little over 10 miles southwest of the Patriots' headquarters in Foxboro. Hernandez was a 2010 fourth-round pick (No. 113 overall) out of Florida by the Patriots. Over the last three seasons, Hernandez has 175 receptions for 1,956 yards with 18 touchdowns during the regular season with 35 receptions for 360 yards and two touchdowns in six career playoff games. The Patriots signed Hernandez to a five-year, $37.5 million contract extension that included $16 million in guaranteed money on Aug. 27, 2012. Falcons have initial approval to go forward with futuristic stadium design [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 18, 2013, 3:20 pm] The first drawings of the Atlanta Falcons' proposed new stadium put the team firmly in the forefront of facility design, to be sure. While most of the new stadiums in any outdoor sport go forward at reasonable" paces, the Falcons' idealized stadium looks like something out of the next century, and it's looking like it will happen.According to the team's official site, the Falcons have completed a full conceptual design of the new stadium, which is estimated to be complete in time for the 2017 season. As you would expect from the designs, it will take a LOT of people to get this done. As the Falcons move forward on the actual schematic design stage, they announced that three different architectural firms will partner with the main agency, 360 Architecture.âThe conceptual design phase of the new stadium project has been a dynamic, interactive and collaborative process,â Falcons President & CEO Rich McKay said in a statement. âOur discussions and decisions have focused on creating an iconic asset for the city and state, a great game day experience for our fans and attendees of other events that will be held in the new stadium, and a connection with the surrounding communities. We look forward to moving into the more detailed design phase with our great partners at 360 Architecture and their recently-selected joint venture partners.âThe estimated cost for the facility is $1 billion, with public funding of $200 million, and the Falcons taking on all other costs. It will sit on the south side of the Georgia Dome, the Falcons' current home, which will be demolished when the new place is complete.At a recent meeting with the Georgia World Congress Center Authorityâs Stadium Development Committee, Bill Johnson of 360 Architecture talked about the concept of a more open stadium -- a "window on the world," so to speak. One challenge was the idea of a more open retractable roof, and Johnson said that the plan is to have âan open building that closes rather than The Shutdown Corner Scouting Report: Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 18, 2013, 2:12 pm] The recent Twitter assertion from Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel that he "can't wait to leave College Station" has many wondering if it's time to scout him as a 2014 draft prospect. Manziel, the NCAA's leader in total yards in 2012 and the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, would certainly fly to the tops of many draft boards based on his athletic potential, and the fact that the NFL is far more hospitable to mobile quarterbacks than it has been. CBS' Mike Freeman recently spoke to a number of NFL personnel people about Manziel's prospects, and opinion is all over the place. One general manager told Freeman that Manziel could be a better pure passer than Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, or Russell Wilson, while one scout said that Manziel "has Canada written all over him." Projecting a one-year college quarterback to the NFL is tough to do, but we thought it would be an interesting exercise to put Manziel under the same "Shutdown 50" Microscope we give the best draft prospects every year, just to see what the tape shows. As you would expect from a kid who racked up the awards and numbers in his first collegiate season, there are an equal number of ridiculously positive and alarmingly underdeveloped sides to his game. Pros: As a pure runner, Manziel is as good as any quarterback who's come down the pike. He's not a straight-line sprinter like Michael Vick or Robert Griffin III, but he's a lot more quick and elusive than, say, Tim Tebow. He reads open gaps well on designed runs, follows his blocks patiently, shows excellent acceleration at the second level, and gets around fast linebackers and most safeties. His performance on the ground against Alabama was a real wake-up call for a lot of people -- if he could do that against a feeder stream of pro-level talent, what could he accomplish at the next level? Manziel does possess a positive improvisational quality to his game -- with his mobility and pure guts under fire (so to speak), he will make plays ot Report: Buccaneers CB Darrelle Revis paid Mark Barron $50,000 for No. 24 [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 18, 2013, 11:43 am] Shortly after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers acquired cornerback Darrelle Revis from the New York Jets, the team announced that Revis would wear his familiar No. 24 jersey, which had been worn by 2012 first-round safety Mark Barron. Barron was willing to give up the No. 24 (and is now wearing No. 23), but what Revis would have to give up to get his old jersey number hadn't been disclosed. At his introductory press conference, all Revis would say about the matter was that he and Barron had discussed the No. 24. According to Paul Lukas of Uni-Watch.com, Revis shelled out big money to get No. 24 from Barron. "A well-placed source tells me that the amount Darrelle Revis paid to Mark Barron in order to get Barron to give up No. 24 was â get this â $50,000. Is that a record? Is it not even close? Has anyone been tracking these uni number transactions over the years?," Lukas wrote on Tuesday. The details of most jersey number transactions are often unreleased. However, when wide receiver Chad Johnson (who was then going by Chad Ochocinco) was traded to the New England Patriots in 2011, he was reportedly willing to pay anything to tight end Aaron Hernandez for the No. 85 jersey. Hernandez ended up giving away the number for free. Way back in 2004, Clinton Portis agreed to pay Ifeanyi Ohalete $40,000 for the No. 26 jersey with the Washington Redskins. Portis stopped payments when Ohalete was cut by the Redskins the following year, which prompted a civil suit that was settled out of court. If the $50,000 fee is accurate, Revis should have no trouble coming up with the cash. Over his first six seasons in the NFL, Revis has made well over $58.1 million in on-field earnings, including a $1 million roster bonus from the Jets in March. Revis also received a $1.5 million roster bonus from the Buccaneers on April 25, earned a $1.5 million workout bonus this offseason and is scheduled to earn $13 million in base salary ($764,706 per week) during the regular season. Fresh out of jail, Chad Johnson wants another shot at the NFL [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 18, 2013, 11:27 am] Now that he's served a 30-day sentence, reduced to seven days, for showing disrespect in a Broward County, Fla. courtroom, former NFL receiver Chad Johnson would very much like to become current NFL receiver Chad Johnson. And so, the man who hasn't caught on with an NFL team since the Miami Dolphins cut him in the 2012 preseason, took to the airwaves to plead his case for one more shot at the NFL. "I think everyone deserves a second chance," Johnson told "Good Morning America's" Robin Roberts on Tuesday morning. "Many would say I might not deserve it. I would like to finish my career the right way. I don't want the last thing to be remembered -- 'Chad was cut from the Dolphins for an incident he had with his wife.' I would love to grace the football field one more time and to help some team. I'm not injured; there is nothing wrong with me. I've learned my lesson, especially after those past seven days. "Situations like this usually break people," Johnson concluded. "I wouldn't allow anything to break me, so I try to continue to be my same positive self. And I think with me being Chad, it kind of made the judge feel I wasn't being serious about the situation. But trust me, I understood exactly what I did and lost two of the things I loved the most at that time. Those two things would be his ex-wife, Evelyn Lozada, who divorced him after a domestic violence incident, and the game of football, which has seemed to divorce him just as definitively. Johnson last caught a pass in an NFL game for the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, and while his arrest may have led to his decline with the Dolphins, Johnson's decline in a football sense most likely had a lot more to do with it. In that Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants, Tom Coughlin's team was able to cheat its safeties up with impunity, despite the fact that this defense was facing Tom Brady, for two primary reasons: Tight end Rob Gronkowski was injured (though he played), and Johnson never acclimated to the Report: NFL team offered David Beckham a tryout as a kicker [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 18, 2013, 8:10 am] Could newly-retired soccer star David Beckham have a future as an NFL kicker if he so chooses? According to the Daily Mirror, there are some in the league who believe that the 38-year-old Beckham, who retired from the "beautiful game" in May, could use his shot-shaping skills to good effect with the other football. Reportedly, Beckham was offered a tryout with one NFL team through a call from an unknown scout. A source in Hollywood apparently told the Mirror this: âA couple of scouts felt that David has the potential to become a kicker in the NFL team, and one actually put a call into him for a trial. It is no secret that David is one of the best in the business when it comes to accuracy and length in his passing. And he has stood on the greatest stages to perform magnificent feats with his feet. âMajor league kickers can send the ball 40 yards straight - David has shown for the last 15 years he can do that week in week out. It was obvious too that if Becks took up the offer any NFL franchise would be interested as his international appeal would generate billions in PR and commercial opportunities.â Beckham rejected the offer, saying that it wasn't right for him, though the source believes Beckham might change his mind at some point. While it would be interesting to see what Beckham could do with the American version of football, our friends over at Yahoo's "World of Sport" blog rightly point out, Beckham's chances of becoming one of the 32 best kickers in the land are pretty slim. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, it made far more sense for NFL teams to import foreign kickers like Jan Stenerud, Pete Gogolak, and Garo Yepremian, because American kickers didn't know the advantages of soccer-style booting. But in today's NFL, it's pretty clear that the kids have it aced. Just last season, we saw three different rookie kickers -- Washington's Kai Forbath, Minnesota's Blair Walsh, and St. Louis' Greg "The Leg" Zuerlein -- make terrific inroads in the pros. Forbath made Atlanta radio hosts suspended after making fun of former NFL player Steve Gleason, who suffers from ALS [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 17, 2013, 2:05 pm] If you're the kind of nimrod who thinks it's humorous to make fun of people suffering from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) -- a disease that mercilessly takes away nearly every bodily function most of us take for granted ... well, Atlanta radio "talent" Nick Cellini, Chris Dimino, and Steak Shapiro might be your kinds of guys. For the rest of us, however, what these two chuckleheads did on their show Monday morning for the 790 The Zone station was outrageous, unprofessional, and most certainly fireable. After former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, penned a guest column for SI.com's Peter King that went up Monday morning (Gleason penned that column with his eyes, by the way), Cellini and Shapiro went on the air and made fun of Gleason. Yes, they did. According to Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com, the hosts set up a skit in which they pretended that Gleason was a caller to the show and set up a fake caller with a robotic voice, because the disease has robbed Gleason of his ability to speak. They then wondered, on the air, whether Gleason would be alive by next week. In an obvious "CYA" move, Cellini apologized via his Twitter account. My apologies to everyone. It was a stupid attempt at humor that backfired. Emphasis on stupid. â Nick Cellini (@NickCellini) June 17, 2013 Cellini's first tweet about the subject, however, was quite a bit less apologetic: @viewfrom327 @steakshapiro @chrisdimino we took a shot, it backfired. Live and learn... â Nick Cellini (@NickCellini) June 17, 2013 The station has suspended all three hosts indefinitely, which was announced by way of a boilerplate statement that isn't really worth re-running here. What Rick Mack, Senior VP and General Manager of the station, should be asking himself is why these two individuals still have jobs. As Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com so eloquently wrote today, the station needs to make this right by firing Cellini and Shapiro, reaching out to Gleason with a public a Atlanta radio hosts fired after making fun of Steve Gleason, who suffers from ALS [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 17, 2013, 2:05 pm] UPDATE: The three radio hosts named below have now all been fired, per the station's website. Why this wasn't the station's first response is beyond us. If you're the kind of nimrod who thinks it's humorous to make fun of people suffering from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) -- a disease that mercilessly takes away nearly every bodily function most of us take for granted ... well, Atlanta radio "talent" Nick Cellini, Chris Dimino, and Steak Shapiro might be your kinds of guys. For the rest of us, however, what these three chuckleheads did on their show Monday morning for the 790 The Zone station was outrageous, unprofessional, and most certainly fireable. After former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, penned a guest column for SI.com's Peter King that went up Monday morning (Gleason penned that column with his eyes, by the way), Cellini and Shapiro went on the air and made fun of Gleason. Yes, they did. According to Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com, the hosts set up a skit in which they pretended that Gleason was a caller to the show and set up a fake caller with a robotic voice, because the disease has robbed Gleason of his ability to speak. They then wondered, on the air, whether Gleason would be alive by next week. You can listen to the clip here if you so choose, though you should be aware that it's pretty tough to swallow. In an obvious "CYA" move, Cellini apologized via his Twitter account. My apologies to everyone. It was a stupid attempt at humor that backfired. Emphasis on stupid. â Nick Cellini (@NickCellini) June 17, 2013 Cellini's first tweet about the subject, however, was quite a bit less apologetic: @viewfrom327 @steakshapiro @chrisdimino we took a shot, it backfired. Live and learn... â Nick Cellini (@NickCellini) June 17, 2013 The station first suspended all three hosts indefinitely, which was announced by way of a boilerplate statement that isn't really worth re-running here. What Rick Mack, Senior V The Shutdown Corner Interview: Wade Davis a year after coming out [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 17, 2013, 12:55 pm] Wade Davis played for three different NFL teams, and retired in 2003. In June of 2012, he came out, joining a small group of professional athletes who are publicly gay. This weekend, Davis attended Nike's LGBT Sports Summit, and talked to Shutdown Corner about the past year, Jason Collins, and helping youth. Shutdown Corner: In the past year, NBA player Jason Collins and WNBA star Brittney Griner both came out. Other athletes have, too. Do you feel a change in climate in that one year? Wade Davis: It feels different because there are so many conversations around LGBTQ athletes in sports. There's so many great organizations and people who are really making it their priority to make sure young people have spaces in sports that are accessible to people of all genders and sexualities. Also, there are so many athletes of all races and sexualities that are speaking out to add their voices to make sure that even pro athletes feel safe in sports. SC: What was behind your decision to come out? WD: There were two things. One, I was ready. I was in a point in my life where I knew enough about myself. I loved myself. There was so much self-hatred I lived with that I had to unlearn. Two, I was working with LGBTQ youth, and they really inspired me everyday. Just living in their truth and exhibiting so much courage that I was like, ya know, if these people can do this under insurmountable odds, an ex-NFL player who is draped privilege? I can also do it. I can also use the platform that was given to me to really share their stories. SC: Now that it's been a year, how do you look back and judge the reaction? WD: I would say 99 percent of the feedback was amazing. From ex-teammates, to college teammates, to high school teammates, they were all truly amazing. What I found kinda funny was that they were all a little bit mad at me. They said, 'Why didn't you tell me before? I would have loved you regardless, and I would have loved the opportunity to prove that to you. That I'd view you The Shutdown Corner Interview: Wade Davis, a year after coming out [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 17, 2013, 12:55 pm] Wade Davis played for three different NFL teams, and retired in 2003. In June of 2012, he came out, joining a small group of professional athletes who are publicly gay. This weekend, Davis attended Nike's LGBT Sports Summit, and talked to Shutdown Corner about the past year, Jason Collins, and helping youth. Shutdown Corner: In the past year, NBA player Jason Collins and WNBA star Brittney Griner both came out. Other athletes have, too. Do you feel a change in climate in that one year? Wade Davis: It feels different because there are so many conversations around LGBTQ athletes in sports. There's so many great organizations and people who are really making it their priority to make sure young people have spaces in sports that are accessible to people of all genders and sexualities. Also, there are so many athletes of all races and sexualities that are speaking out to add their voices to make sure that even pro athletes feel safe in sports. SC: What was behind your decision to come out? WD: There were two things. One, I was ready. I was in a point in my life where I knew enough about myself. I loved myself. There was so much self-hatred I lived with that I had to unlearn. Two, I was working with LGBTQ youth, and they really inspired me everyday. Just living in their truth and exhibiting so much courage that I was like, ya know, if these people can do this under insurmountable odds, an ex-NFL player who is draped privilege? I can also do it. I can also use the platform that was given to me to really share their stories. SC: Now that it's been a year, how do you look back and judge the reaction? WD: I would say 99 percent of the feedback was amazing. From ex-teammates, to college teammates, to high school teammates, they were all truly amazing. What I found kinda funny was that they were all a little bit mad at me. They said, 'Why didn't you tell me before? I would have loved you regardless, and I would have loved the opportunity to prove that to you. That I'd view you The Shutdown Corner AFC West draft review podcast with Greg Cosell [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 17, 2013, 11:31 am] After a brief hiatus, our good buddy Greg Cosell of NFL Films, ESPN's NFL Matchup, and Shutdown Corner is back to talk a little football. And with more than a month passed since the draft, we thought it would be interesting to review that selection process by division, now that teams have given a bit of insight into how their new players will be used. We've already covered the NFC West, and we'll move to the other conference's Western division for a look at how the Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, and Chargers did with their selections. The Shutdown Corner AFC West draft review podcast with Greg Cosell A few words of wisdom from Mr. Cosell: On Denver Broncos second-round pick RB Montee Ball: "I liked him in tape. He was such a volume runner in college -- you wouldn't call him spectacular, but I came away believing that he was a very solid player. A very loose-hipped kid -- very naturally smooth. He's a gliding runner with sharp change of direction. He didn't hesitate at all -- he was decisive as a downhill runner and he ran a lot of power, because that's what Wisconsin does. He also ran a lot of zone schemes, so he's very familiar with NFL rushing concepts. He was a player I liked the more I watched him, and I think he's a really good fit in Denver." On Kansas City Chiefs second-round TE Travis Kelce: "He's an NFL tight end -- he's got that athleticism and movement. He's fluid -- I wouldn't call him explosive, but how many tight ends do we really say that about? They tend to be more measured and methodical in their movements, but he was fluid. I thought there was a toughness to him as well, and he was deceptive as a route-runner. He can threaten the vertical seam, there's no question. Look -- we know about the two-tight end element in the NFL now. A lot of teams are going that way, and that's tougher for defensive coordinators to defend that three receivers, because it gives the defense more questions that need to be answered." The Shutdown Corner AFC West draft review po Brian Banks’ accuser ordered to pay $2.6 million in damages to Long Beach School District [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 17, 2013, 10:37 am] Per multiple reports, Wanetta Gibson, the woman who falsely accused linebacker Brian Banks of rape when they were both students at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, has been ordered to repay $2.6 million in damages related to the $1.5 million she received from the Long Beach School District in a 2007 lawsuit, claiming an unsafe environment. Gibson was sued for the money she received, as well as court costs and a possible $1 million in punitive damages. Gibson was not present at the ruling and her whereabouts are unknown, per the Long Beach Press-Telegram, but the court gained authorization to recoup the money through her future wages and property. It's important to note that Banks receives none of this money. He served five years in prison and another five years on probation as a result of the original verdict, and was only released in 2012 when Banks taped her admitting that the accusation was false. "The court recognizes that our school district was a victim in this case," school Superintendent Christopher J. Steinhauser told the Press-Telegram. "This judgment demonstrates that when people attempt to defraud our school system, they will feel the full force of the law." It is also possible that Gibson could face fraud charges, depending upon the court's opinion as to whether her 2012 recanting constitutes an admission of fraud. If the original accusation is the basis for such a charge, the three-year statute of limitations for fraud charges to be brought would void any such action. Banks was a high school football star who had received a scholarship offer from USC and had made a verbal commitment to the school. After he was finally freed, he reunited with Pete Carroll, who offered him that scholarship and had moved on to the Seattle Seahawks, for a tryout in June of 2012 at the Seahawks' Virginia Mason Athletic Center. He wasn't quite ready for prime time just yet, but he looked amazingly close for a guy who never played college football and had little time to pr Chad Johnson to be released from 30-day jail sentence after one week [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 17, 2013, 9:40 am] Former NFL receiver Chad Johnson, sentenced to 30 days in a Florida jail on June 10, has gained his release after apologizing to a local judge, per the Associated Press. Johnson was on the verge of a plea deal last Monday with Broward County Judge Kathleen McHugh, in which Johnson would have avoided jail time after probation violations stemming from a domestic violence charge. However, as Judge McHugh was getting ready to adjudicate the matter, Johnson playfully slapped his attorney on the backside, the Judge thought Johnson wasn't taking the matter seriously, and she sentenced him to 30 days in the slammer. A week later, McHugh accepted Johnson's apology and released him. When Terrell Owens, who played with Johnson in Cincinnati in 2010, went to visit his friend over the weekend, it was about as sobering as you might expect. Just visited the homie @ochocinco. He's in good spirits, he needs a haircut already tho. Lol. He sends his best regards to everyone. â Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) June 15, 2013 That was the 1st time ever visiting someone in jail & hopefully the last. That's not a place anyone wants to be regardless of how many days. â Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) June 15, 2013 "I really didn't know what to expect but to see the homie locked up is a very humbling experience,"" Owens then tweeted. "To talk to him via vid conference let me know that's not where anyone wants to be. I know he's only in the county jail but to someone that has never been locked up...Jail is Jail!" Owens later linked to a TMZ article in which Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi seemed to agree with those who believe that Judge McHugh overreacted. "Although we never condone domestic violence, this event seems to question judicial temperament, not the subject matter before the court," Bondi is quoted as telling the website. We tend to agree. Johnson may have acted outside proper court behavior, but 30 days did seem a bit excessive. Jets will spend more on Tim Tebow in 2013 than Patriots will over the next two seasons combined [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 17, 2013, 8:37 am] New England Patriots signed quarterback Tim Tebow to a two-year contract last week worth $1.385 million that included zero guaranteed money. As noted by Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com, the New York Jets, Tebow's former team, will spend more in cash and salary cap dollars for the former backup quarterback/personal punt protector than the Patriots will spend over the next two seasons combined. Here's the breakdown: When the Jets acquired Tebow from the Denver Broncos on March 23, 2012, they agreed to repay the Broncos for a portion of a $6,277,500 salary advance that Tebow had received from Denver in 2011, an amount totaling $2,531,875. The Jets paid $1 million in 2012 and will pay $1,531,875 back over the course of the 17-week 2013 regular season after failing to trade the quarterback's contract to another club this offseason. When they released Tebow on April 30, the Jets basically ate the $1,531,875 this season. There are no guarantees that Tebow makes and stays on the Patriots' 53-man roster this season, but if he does, he will earn the league minimum base salary of $630,000. When you add in the $525 in workout bonuses Tebow earned from the Patriots for participating in last week's three-day minicamp, the Jets will be spending at least $901,350 more in cash and cap space on Tebow this season than the Patriots will spend on the former Heisman Trophy winner. Tebow currently has a $755,000 cap charge in 2014 ($730,000 base salary plus a $25,000 workout bonus), so overall, the Jets will spend just around $140,000 more on him this season than the Patriots are currently scheduled to spend on Tebow over the next two seasons. Donald Driver would only come out of retirement to play for the Packers [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 17, 2013, 6:22 am] After 14 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, wide receiver Donald Driver announced his retirement on Feb. 6. A little over four months later, Driver says that a few NFL teams have reached out, but only the Packers could coax him out of retirement, reports Paul Imig of FOX Sports Wisconsin. "I think the thing is, if you have the itch to continue to play, then it doesn't matter who you play for, because that's what you want to do,â Driver said. "You just want to play the game. I love the game, but I only love one team. When you love the game, you'll play for anybody. Anybody who offers you something, you're willing to step on the field and play for them. "I decided that I love one team. But I do love the game. At the end of the day, if I get that itch, it would only be for the green and gold." Driver, 38, was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and is eligible to sign with any team that is interested in adding a veteran receiver to their roster. Seeing Driver in another uniform would certainly be strange, but it certainly wouldn't be any stranger than Brett Favre in Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets jerseys and Driver would hardly be the first player to finish his career in a different uniform. Franco Harris finished his carer with the Seattle Seahawks, while Joe Namath spent a season with the Los Angeles Rams and Johnny Unitas ended his career with the San Diego Chargers. A closer example for Driver could be Cris Carter, who is largely identified with the Minnesota Vikings, but had transitioned to a media role in 2002 before returning to the field to play in eight games for the Miami Dolphins. Playing for one team for an entire career means something to Driver, though. "I talked to so many different guys and every guy that I've talked to said they wish they never went to another team," Driver said. "They always wished they would've retired with that team that they played 10, 11, 12 years for. "When I asked them, 'Should I go back?,' they sa Happy Father’s Day! Eli Manning remembers his dad’s use of boxing gloves as a conflict resolution technique [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 16, 2013, 8:48 am] When you've got three sons, you're going to have some activity in your house, and not all of it will be positive. That's what former NFL quarterback Archie Manning had to deal with -- his three sons Peyton, Eli, and Cooper were fairly active as kids. You may have seen the athletic exploits of two of Mr. Manning's sons once or twice along the way. But when the young Mannings were growing up, and there were only dreams of becoming the NFL's First Family, there were times when the boys got a bit too rambunctious. Eli, who's now a dad himself, remembered Archie's favorite conflict resolution technique in a spot for Dick's Sporting Goods. "Any time you've got three boys in a household, an argument's going to break out. My dad would say, 'Alright, you two, put the gloves on -- we're going to box. And before you go, you've got to punch this bag for three minutes straight. So, your arms are just dead, and you're throwing shoulders at each other. You're on the floor laughing, and problem solved. You're back to having a good day. Now, when I see boxing gloves, I make sure dad's got some boxing gloves to solve issues with the grandchildren." We imagine it looked a lot like this. Now, of course, Eli appreciates everything his dad did for him, and tries to give back whenever possible. "The greatest gift I could give my dad is time spent together," he concluded in the spot. Plus, apparently, every Eli Manning replica jersey in the store. Robert Kraft: Vladimir Putin stole my Super Bowl ring [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: June 15, 2013, 7:07 am] The Super Bowl ring is one of the greatest symbols of athletic triumph. NFL players have been known to break down when they can finally fit that particular bit of jewelry on their fingers, and I've met enough former players, coaches, and executives who would never be separated from their rings to know that the buzz lasts forever. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has three such rings from his team's wins in Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX. The ring Kraft won for that last Super Bowl, at the end of the 2004 season, went missing in a very unusual way. As the story goes, Kraft met Russian President Vladimir Putin at a gathering of business and political leaders at Konstantinovsky Palace near St. Petersburg, Russia, in June of 2005. Kraft and Putin talked a while, Kraft took off his ring to show it to Putin, and Putin promptly put the ring in his pocket and walked off. "I showed the president my most recent Super Bowl ring,â Kraft said in a subsequent statement. Putin âwas clearly taken with its uniqueness." âAt that point, I decided to give him the ring as a symbol of the respect and admiration that I have for the Russian people and the leadership of President Putin." But as Kraft said recently, per the New York Post, that's not what really happened. âI took out the ring and showed it to [Putin], and he put it on and he goes, âI can kill someone with this ring,ââ Kraft said during the Carnegie Hallâs Medal of Excellence gala in New York City.âI put my hand out, and he put it in his pocket, and three KGB guys got around him and walked out.â Were it not for the intervention of the White House, this could have gotten ugly. Kraft wanted his ring back, obviously not intimidated by Putin's alleged ability to kill somebody with it. The ring came in at 4.94 carats and was worth over $25,000, and Kraft was not amused. He said that he got a call from the George W. Bush-led White House, telling him that it would really be in the best interests of |