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Tag: football (american)

  • O.J. Simpson Fast Facts | CNN

    O.J. Simpson Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here is a look at the life of former NFL star O.J. Simpson.

    Birth date: July 9, 1947

    Birth place: San Francisco, California

    Birth name: Orenthal James Simpson

    Father: Jimmie Lee Simpson, custodian and cook

    Mother: Eunice Simpson, nurse’s aide

    Marriages: Nicole (Brown) Simpson (February 2, 1985-1992, divorced); Marguerite (Whitley) Simpson (June 24, 1967-1979, divorced)

    Children: with Nicole (Brown) Simpson: Justin (August 6, 1988) and Sydney (October 17, 1985); with Marguerite (Whitley) Simpson: Aaren (September 24, 1977-August 18, 1979); Jason (April 21, 1970) and Arnelle (December 4, 1968)

    Education: City College of San Francisco (1965-1967); University of Southern California (1967-1969)

    Heisman Trophy winner, Pro Football Hall of Fame member, former sports commentator and actor.

    1968 – Receives the Heisman Trophy at the New York Downtown Athletic Club.

    1969-1977 – Plays halfback for the Buffalo Bills.

    1970 – Voted college football player of the decade by ABC Sports.

    1972-1976 – Makes the NFL Pro Bowl team each year.

    1974 – Appears in his first big budget film, “The Towering Inferno.”

    1978-1979 – Plays halfback for the San Francisco 49ers.

    1979-1986 – Sports commentator for ABC Sports.

    1984-1985 – Commentator for ABC Monday Night Football.

    1985 – Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

    1988 – Portrays an accident-prone detective in the cop movie spoof, “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” Simpson later costars in two sequels: “The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear” and “Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult.”

    June 12, 1994 – Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, 35, and Ronald Lyle Goldman, 25, are stabbed to death.

    June 13, 1994 – Simpson is questioned by the LAPD for three hours and released.

    June 17, 1994 – Simpson is charged with two counts of murder with special circumstances. He does not surrender and is declared a fugitive. A suicide letter is found shortly before Simpson is spotted riding in friend Al Cowlings’ white Ford Bronco. With Cowlings driving, they lead police on a 60-mile slow speed chase and end up at Simpson’s Brentwood mansion. Simpson surrenders to police at his home.

    July 22, 1994 – Simpson pleads not guilty.

    November 3, 1994 – The jury is selected. It consists of four men and eight women: eight are African American, one is Hispanic, one is White and two are multiracial.

    January 24, 1995 – Simpson’s criminal trial begins.

    May 4, 1995 – The Goldmans file a wrongful death suit against Simpson.

    June 15, 1995 – In court, Simpson tries on leather gloves connected to the case, and says they do not fit.

    July 6, 1995 – The prosecution rests.

    September 27, 1995 – Defense lawyer Johnnie Cochran reminds the jury about the glove, “If it doesn’t fit; you must acquit.”

    September 29, 1995 – The defense rests, and the case goes to the jury to reach a verdict.

    October 3, 1995 – The jury returns a not guilty verdict after less than four hours of deliberations.

    October 23, 1996 – The civil trial begins in the wrongful death suit brought against Simpson by the victims’ families. The jury is made up of five men and seven women: nine are Whites, one is Hispanic, one is African American and one is of Asian and African descent.

    November 22, 1996 – Simpson, for the first time, testifies before a jury and denies the murder of his ex-wife and Goldman.

    December 20, 1996 – Simpson is awarded custody of his children.

    February 4, 1997 – The jury finds Simpson liable in the civil wrongful death suit brought by the victims’ families and awards the plaintiffs $8.5 million in damages.

    February 6, 1997 – Testimony in the punitive phase of the civil trial begins.

    February 10, 1997 – Simpson is ordered to pay $25 million in punitive damages to the victims’ families.

    March 26, 1997 – The court orders Simpson to turn over his assets, including a set of golf clubs, his 1968 Heisman Trophy and a Warhol painting.

    November 20, 2006 – News Corp announces the cancellation of Simpson’s book and two-part FOX TV interview, called “If I Did It.” The book was promoted as a hypothetical account of the murders.

    March 13, 2007 – A California judge rules that the rights to Simpson’s book will be publicly auctioned so that Goldman’s family can receive the future proceeds. The auction is canceled in early April 2007 when the holding company Lorraine Brook Associates declares bankruptcy.

    June 15, 2007 – A bankruptcy judge in Miami orders a new auction of the book rights to “If I Did It,” with all proceeds going to Fred Goldman, Ron Goldman’s father.

    July 11, 2007 – The family of Nicole Brown Simpson files court papers in connection to the auction of the book rights to “If I Did It.” The family believes it is entitled to 40% of any proceeds from the book, based on the $24.7 million civil judgment it won against Simpson.

    July 30, 2007 – A federal bankruptcy court awards Goldman’s family 90% of the proceeds from the sale of the publishing rights to “If I Did It.” The rest will go to Simpson’s creditors.

    September 16, 2007- Is arrested in connection with a robbery at a Las Vegas hotel room on September 13, 2007. Simpson contends that he was retrieving personal items that had been stolen from him and were being sold as memorabilia. Police announce they have booked him on six counts of robbery, assault, burglary and conspiracy.

    November 14, 2007 – Clark County Judge Joe M. Bonaventure rules that Simpson will stand trial on charges including kidnapping, robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

    November 28, 2007 – Simpson pleads not guilty.

    January 10, 2008 – Simpson is arrested in Florida and is to be extradited to Nevada for violating the terms of his bail by contacting individuals involved in the trial.

    September 8, 2008 – Jury selection begins in Simpson’s trial.

    September 15, 2008 – Trial begins.

    October 3, 2008 – Simpson is found guilty on 12 counts, including kidnapping and armed robbery.

    December 5, 2008 – Simpson is sentenced to up to 33 years in jail but will be eligible for parole after nine years.

    July 20, 2017 – A Nevada parole board grants Simpson parole. On October 1, Simpson is released from prison.

    January 30, 2018 – A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge rules that Simpson doesn’t have to hand over money he gets from selling autographs or for making public appearances to pay the civil judgment, now at more than $70 million, in the deaths of his ex-wife and Goldman.

    June 14, 2019 – Simpson launches his new Twitter account with a video saying he’s “got a little getting even to do.” He adds that he plans to use his new Twitter account to “set the record straight,” as well as to talk sports, fantasy football and even some politics.

    December 6, 2021 – Simpson is granted early discharge from his parole in Nevada.

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    April 11, 2024
  • Michigan State apologizes for displaying picture of Adolf Hitler on the videoboard before a football game | CNN

    Michigan State apologizes for displaying picture of Adolf Hitler on the videoboard before a football game | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Michigan State University apologized for displaying a picture of Adolf Hitler on the videoboard during a trivia quiz before the school’s football game against in-state rivals the University of Michigan on Saturday.

    Photos began circulating on social media before kickoff of Hitler on the videoboard at Spartan Stadium with a trivia question asking where he was born.

    “MSU is aware that inappropriate content by a third-party source was displayed on the videoboard prior to the start of tonight’s football game,” Michigan State athletic director Matt Larson said in a statement. “We are deeply sorry for the content that was displayed, as this is not representative of our institutional values.”

    The university will stop using the third-party source the image came from and implement stronger screening procedures for all videoboard content going forward, Larson added.

    In an email sent to alumni Sunday entitled, “The work we must do,” Michigan State Interim President Teresa K. Woodruff apologized for the image.

    “I am deeply sorry for the image displayed at Spartan Stadium, which made many of our community feel alienated and unsafe. It was unacceptable. I asked last evening for a full review of this university event and will take all necessary steps to align our messages and actions to our values,” she said.

    “I will work with our Jewish community and every member of minoritized populations to ensure Spartans feel that this is a place where everyone can live, work, go to class and attend events that are welcoming.”

    The apology is part of a grim series of events for Michigan State’s football program, which lost Saturday night’s game against its rival Michigan by a 49-0 score. The university has also moved to fire head coach Mel Tucker related to accusations of sexual harassment, just two years after he signed a massive 10-year, $95 million contract.

    The trivia also comes amid heightened tensions on many college campuses related to the Israel-Gaza war and amid concerns of rising antisemitism and Islamophobia.

    The quiz was part of a video from a YouTube page called The Quiz Channel, the university said. Videos from the same YouTube page has been used all season before each home game, the school said.

    “Prior to last night, the content has not been objectionable,” the school said. “As the statement acknowledges, we will implement stronger screening of all content to better ensure something like this never happens again.”

    Floris van Pallandt, the creator of The Quiz Channel, told CNN in an email the university’s use of his channel’s content was unauthorized.

    “I was completely unaware of this and only learned content created by me was being used due to this occurrence,” he wrote. “While I provide customised content packages for businesses, the utilisation of my publicly accessible YouTube content for stadium entertainment is highly questionable to say the least.”

    Van Pallandt said his channel is now receiving a surge of negative feedback.

    “MSU’s subsequent statement appears to allude to a third-party source, which seems to suggest The Quiz Channel as that very source. If this is accurate, that is unacceptable to me, as it is unacceptable for The Quiz Channel to bear reputational, performance, or financial repercussions due to MSU’s unsolicited use of our content,” he wrote.

    Further, he defended the question about Hitler’s birthplace as legitimate, if not necessarily in that context.

    “The trivia question displayed at the stadium is a legitimate one, and it’s imperative we don’t shy away from history’s more dark facets. Nonetheless, I would certainly not have chosen this particular question for a live stadium audience,” he wrote.

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    October 21, 2023
  • Zahmire Lopez, an 8-year-old with dance moves and rap skills, killed by gun violence in his Jersey home | CNN

    Zahmire Lopez, an 8-year-old with dance moves and rap skills, killed by gun violence in his Jersey home | CNN

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    Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series profiling American youth killed this year by guns, a leading cause of death of children in the US. Read more about the project here.



    CNN
     — 

    Yeah my name Lil Zah, G.

    Bout to hop on this beat.

    At the top,

    You can’t take my spot.

    I’m all the way up,

    You cannot.

    Delivered in an excited pre-pubescent voice, this untitled rap song is a lasting memory of the joy and bravado 8-year-old Zahmire Lopez always brought to the world.

    “I was like, ‘Wow!’ I was shocked when I heard it,” his mother, Leontine Niangara, told CNN. “It’s like a real song. I think it’s at least two minutes long. So I’m like, OK!”

    There won’t be another one like it. Zahmire, or “Zah,” was shot and killed at his home in Newark, New Jersey, in May.

    Zahmire is one of more than 1,300 children and teens in the US killed by gunfire so far in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Firearms became the No. 1 killer of children and teens in America in 2020, surpassing motor vehicle accidents, which had long been the leading cause of death among America’s youth.

    “It’s very hard,” Niangara said. “It’s not an hour goes by that I don’t just think about him. It’s hard. Some say when time goes by it gets easier but it doesn’t get easier.”

    The shooting took place in Niangara’s Newark home on the night of May 3, according to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office. Police received a 911 call that people had been shot inside a Johnson Avenue residence and responded at just after 8:30 p.m., the office said.

    Inside, police officers found Zahmire had been shot, and he was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:14 p.m., the office said.

    Read other profiles of children who have died from gunfire

    Wyleek Shaw, 27, was also killed in the shooting, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Tajion Simmons, 24, of Fords, New Jersey, was treated for non-fatal injuries, the office said.

    Outside the home, police officers say they encountered a man, later identified as 29-year-old Everett Rand, leaving and discarding an item in a dumpster, the NJ Attorney General’s Office said. Police gave chase and during the pursuit, two officers shot at Rand, fatally wounding him, according to the office.

    A handgun that did not belong to law enforcement was recovered from the scene, and a semi-automatic handgun with a large capacity magazine was later found in the dumpster, the office said.

    The office on September 18 released footage from four police body-worn cameras showing the foot chase and shooting. After the shooting, one officer kicked a handgun away from Rand, and another officer told his colleagues, “I got shot at, but I shot him,” according to the footage.

    The investigation is ongoing.

    Niangara said Rand, the suspected shooter, was her boyfriend, who had spent considerable time with her son at school dropoff and getting their hair done. Shaw was Rand’s best friend, she added.

    Niangara said the shooting happened “very fast” and that Rand was on drugs.

    “We were all laughing and then it just turned into hearing gunshots,” she said.

    “Everybody’s body or everybody’s mind can’t handle drugs, or you don’t know how your body is gonna react to drugs, and it just happened to react badly,” she added.

    Gun violence is an epidemic in the US. Here are 4 things you can do today

    A mother and her ‘shadow’

    The death was particularly difficult for her given that Zahmire was born prematurely and weighed just 1 pound, 8 ounces at birth.

    “He fought to even get in this world, so then for his life to end short, it’s just devastating,” she said.

    In his life, Zahmire and Niangara were adjoined at the hip; she described him as her “shadow.”

    He was outspoken, the life of the party, a comedian and a dancer bursting with laughter and energy. He celebrated his 8th birthday in January with a trip to American Dream Water Park in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with his best friends and cousins.

    Zahmire loved flag football and was excited to begin playing tackle football.

    He loved to play basketball and football, and he was particularly excited to put on pads and a helmet and play tackle football this year. Perhaps too excited.

    “Sometimes they had to remind him, ‘Zahmire you’re on flag. You don’t have to get too excited. It’s just flag football,’” Niangara said.

    After his death, his football team presented his mother with the equipment and helmet that would have soon been his. “They knew how much Zahmire wanted to play tackle football,” his mother said.

    More about Zahmire Lopez

  • Death: May 3, 2023.
  • Age at death: 8 years old.
  • Cause: Gun violence.

Zahmire loved to be around music, football and family, and he got his biggest smile from his dog, Ghost, a blue nose pitbull. He took some warming up though.

“Zahmire used to be scared of dogs, so I got a dog so he could get over his fear of being scared of dogs,” his mother said. “And it worked.”

For Niangara, a nurse at University Hospital in Newark, his death has left her lonely and has made her own home a reminder of his loss.

“At first I didn’t want to move because his last memory was here, and I feel like I didn’t want to leave him,” she said. “But I feel like for my state of mind, I need to (move) because every time I close my eyes, I just relive that night.”

She’s left with the memories, bolstered by photos, videos and, of course, that rap song. At another point in Zahmire’s rap, he offered up a bar that now reads as tragically prophetic.

Yeah my name Lil Zah, G

One day I’mma be on TV.

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October 17, 2023
  • Search continues for former NFL player Sergio Brown as police investigate his mother’s homicide. Here’s what we know | CNN

    Search continues for former NFL player Sergio Brown as police investigate his mother’s homicide. Here’s what we know | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    The search continues for former NFL player Sergio Brown after his mother was found dead with assault injuries near a creek behind her suburban Chicago home, according to the Maywood Police Department.

    The body of 73-year-old Myrtle Brown was discovered on Saturday after relatives alerted authorities that they’d been unable to find or contact her or her son, the department said in a news release.

    Her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. It’s unclear what led up to her death and authorities have not provided any information on a possible suspect in the case.

    As the investigation continues, the grieving family has asked for help finding Sergio Brown.

    “My brother Sergio is still missing,” Nick Brown wrote on Instagram. “If anyone knows where he is I want him to know that I love you and please come home.”

    Sergio Brown, 35, played for Notre Dame before signing with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played seven seasons in the NFL as a member of the Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills.

    Here’s what we know about the death investigation and the search for Sergio Brown:

    Police found Myrtle Brown’s body near a creek behind her home on Saturday, according to the department.

    The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office determined she had died from injuries related to an assault, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide, according to spokesperson Natalia Derevyanny.

    The coroner’s office did not share details on the nature of the mother’s injuries.

    Both mother and son reported missing Saturday

    Family members of Sergio Brown and his mother told police on Saturday they had been unable to find or contact either of them, according to Maywood police.

    “Maywood Police Officers initiated a missing person report and began making attempts to locate both individuals,” police said in a news release.

    Relatives were also out looking for Myrtle, neighbor Carlos Cortez told WBBM.

    “Her family came and knocked on the door and was looking for her because they put out a police report because she was missing for 72 hours. So, we tried to help them as much as possible,” Cortez said.

    Cortez, who said he provided police with his Ring doorbell footage, said he last saw the Browns on Thursday, WBBM reported.

    Myrtle Brown, the mother of former NFL player Sergio Brown, was found dead in a creek behind her home outside Chicago. Her death has been ruled a homicide.

    Sergio Brown’s brother on Sunday took to Instagram to ask for help in finding him as he thanked community members for the condolences.

    “If you have any information on Sergio’s whereabouts please send them to the Maywood Police Department,” Nick Brown said.

    Nick Brown asked people to avoid approaching the family’s property as the investigation continues.

    The residential street in Maywood – about 11 miles from the heart of Chicago – could be seen in video cordoned off with police tape as officers responded, video from CNN affiliate WBBM shows.

    “People, please don’t approach the property, this is still an ongoing investigation by the Maywood Police Department,” he wrote.

    Neighbors described Myrtle as a sharp dresser, outgoing person and someone who loved to go dancing.

    “Just a lovely lady. Very soft-spoken, outgoing. Always on the go,” neighbor Kevin Grayer told CNN affiliate WLS. “Just a happy person. Her personality was just wonderful.”

    “She didn’t deserve that. She was too good of a person to die like that. That’s just sad,” Grayer said.

    Her son, Nick Brown, said his last conversation with his mother gave him hope.

    “It’s a sad but hopeful time, and we will all get through this together. Mom always told me, ‘tough times don’t last’ and our last conversation about tough times being temporary is my beacon of hope,” he said.

    “Mom, thank you for being strong, caring, diligent, fancy, funny, and for saving my art. I won’t let you down.”

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    September 19, 2023
  • Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb carted off the field after knee injury | CNN

    Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb carted off the field after knee injury | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb suffered a knee injury that required him to be transported off the field in the second quarter of his team’s Monday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

    On a first and goal run from the 8-yard line, Chubb carried the ball for 5 yards before being hit awkwardly on the knee by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.

    The crowd let out an audible groan as a replay was shown on the video board in Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium, according to a video broadcast.

    ABC opted not to show a replay of the injury in its broadcast of the game, with commentator Troy Aikman saying: “It’s as bad as you can imagine.”

    The best photos from the 2023 NFL season

    Chubb was given a warm round of applause from the rival Steelers’ fans as he was taken off the field on a medical cart.

    Fitzpatrick was also shaken up on the play but remained in the game.

    The Browns quickly announced that Chubb would miss the remainder of the game. The full extent of his injury is still unknown.

    Chubb had 10 carries for 64 yards in the game prior to the injury.

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    September 18, 2023
  • Minnesota Vikings player shares racist messages received following Thursday Night Football loss | CNN

    Minnesota Vikings player shares racist messages received following Thursday Night Football loss | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison said he received racist messages following the team’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football.

    Mattison shared two screenshots of messages via Instagram on Friday, saying that he received more than 60 “disgustingly disrespectful messages.” Both screenshots contained racial slurs and told Mattison to take his own life.

    “Y’all can come at me all you want about fantasy and ‘you suck’ blah blah blah,” Mattison wrote on Instagram. “I really could care less. But this sh*t is unacceptable. … Really reflect on WTF you say and how it could affect someone. Under the helmet, I am a human.. a father.. a son. This is sick.”

    The screenshots were later deleted from his account.

    The National Football League and the Vikings both issued statements on social media in support of Mattison.

    “We are sickened by the hatred and racial slurs directed toward Alexander Mattison following last night’s game,” the Vikings said in the statement.

    “There simply is no room for racist words or actions in sports or society. The Vikings will continue to fight to eliminate hate, to educate and to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community that respects and values our unique backgrounds. We stand with Alexander and all players who, unfortunately, experience this type of ignorant and prejudicial behavior, and we ask our fans to continue to fight to eliminate racism.”

    The NFL added it “strongly condemns” the racist comments, calling the behavior “completely unacceptable in the NFL or anywhere else.”

    “We stand firmly with Alexander and remind fans to remember the humanity of all players and celebrate their contributions to the game we all love,” the league said.

    CJ LaBoy, Mattison’s agent, posted on social media in support of his client, saying he was “proud” of him for sharing.

    “These types of messages hit these players inboxes all the time. This type of hate, vitriol has no place in our society, period. As disgusting as this is, I’m proud of @AlexMattison22 for sharing,” LaBoy said.

    LaBoy additionally told CNN in a statement, “We fully support Alexander and family and what he’s dealing with privately. There is no place in this world for that kind of vitriol, period. But these types of comments are not uncommon for African American athletes. They’ve been dealing with this filth throughout their lives and certainly experience more often than anyone realizes or cares to admit. Not only from the Twitter tough guys, but also from the sidelines.”

    “Universities, stadiums, teams should ban anyone that uses such language for life. There’s no place in our world for that disgusting behavior and there’s certainly no place in sports,” LaBoy said.

    The 25-year-old Mattison rushed for 28 yards and lost a fumble in the first quarter during Thursday’s 34-28 loss.

    Mattison was drafted in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Vikings out of Boise State. Currently, in his fifth season, Mattison has rushed for 1,732 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career. He was named the starter this season after backing up Dalvin Cook who left for the New York Jets this past offseason.

    The Vikings’ next game is on September 24 when the team hosts the Los Angeles Chargers.

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    September 15, 2023
  • Michigan State University football coach Mel Tucker suspended without pay amid investigation into reported accusation of sexual harassment | CNN

    Michigan State University football coach Mel Tucker suspended without pay amid investigation into reported accusation of sexual harassment | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Michigan State University announced Sunday it has suspended head football coach Mel Tucker without pay, less than a day after USA Today reported he has been under investigation about alleged sexual harassment.

    Vice president and director of athletics Alan Haller said at a news conference Tucker is the subject of an ongoing investigation that began in December. An investigative report was submitted in July and a formal hearing will take place the week of October 5, Haller said.

    According to the USA Today report, published Saturday night, Tucker is alleged to have made sexual comments and masturbated while on a phone call with Brenda Tracy, an advocate and rape survivor.

    Tracy reported the call to the university’s Title IX office, USA Today reported. “The idea that someone could know me and say they understand my trauma but then re-inflict that trauma on me is so disgusting to me, it’s hard for me to even wrap my mind around it,” Tracy told USA Today. “It’s like he sought me out just to betray me.”

    In a letter to investigators, Tucker characterized his and Tracy’s relationship as “mutually consensual and intimate,” according to USA Today.

    “I am not proud of my judgment and I am having difficulty forgiving myself for getting into this situation, but I did not engage in misconduct by any definition,” he wrote, according to USA Today.

    CNN has not independently verified the details of the report.

    An attorney for Tracy, Karen Truszkowski, said no police report was filed. She declined to share any documents or comment further.

    “As you can imagine, this is a delicate issue and I have to balance the public interest with protecting my client,” Truszkowski said.

    CNN also reached out to Tucker’s agent following the announcement of his suspension but has not heard back.

    Tracy started the nonprofit Set The Expectation, where she speaks to athletes about ending sexual violence, according to her website. Tracy was raped in 1998 by four college football players, leading to her advocacy.

    She served as an honorary captain for Michigan State’s spring football game in 2022, and the football team posted a photo on Instagram of Tucker and Tracy together.

    “We are excited to welcome (Tracy) back to campus as our honorary captain for Saturday’s spring game!” the team wrote.

    Tucker, a longtime coach in college and the NFL over the past two decades, became Michigan State’s head coach in 2020. In his second season, the team went a sterling 11-2, and he signed a massive 10-year, $95 million contract that made him one of the highest paid coaches in all of college football. Last year, though, the team finished a disappointing 5-7, including blowout losses to rivals Michigan and Ohio State.

    During Tucker’s suspension, secondary coach Harlon Barnett will fill in as acting head coach, Haller announced, and former MSU head coach Mark Dantonio will become an associate head coach. The Spartans play the Washington Huskies at home this Saturday.

    The long shadow of Larry Nassar

    The investigation comes as the university has continued to face scrutiny over its past handling of sexual abuse allegations against Larry Nassar, the former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor who abused hundreds of young girls and women.

    At Nassar’s sentencing in Michigan in 2018, dozens of women came forward with stories of his abuse and the ways Michigan State University ignored their claims and enabled his actions. The university agreed to pay $500 million to settle lawsuits brought by 332 victims.

    Nassar was sentenced in Michigan to up to 175 years in prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct. A total of 156 women gave victim impact statements in court.

    An attorney for a group of Nassar’s victims sued Michigan State University in July, alleging the school’s board of trustees held “illegal secret votes” to prevent the release of thousands of documents in the case, according to the court filing. A spokesperson for the university declined to comment at the time.

    The university pushed back on comparisons between the two cases.

    “This morning’s news might sound like the MSU of old; it was not,” interim president Teresa K. Woodruff said Sunday afternoon. “It is not because an independent, unbiased investigation is and continues to be conducted.”

    Woodruff made note of counseling resources available for anyone who may be affected by this news and mentioned the Center for Survivors and Office for Civil Rights on campus.

    “If you have heard or experienced or know of behavior that does not seem appropriate, please know that you have the support and resources here at MSU,” Woodruff said.

    Kenny Jacoby, the USA Today reporter who broke the story, told CNN’s Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly on “CNN This Morning” on Monday how the Nassar case has left a long shadow on campus.

    “There is deep mistrust on the MSU campus from students, from employees, from alumni and in the East Lansing community after the betrayal that was the Larry Nassar scandal,” Jacoby said. “They repeatedly missed opportunities to stop one of the most prolific sexual abusers in American history.

    “So when MSU takes this long to suspend the coach without pay – people tend to think of that as they’re covering this up, and that doesn’t sit well with most of these people.”

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    September 11, 2023
  • It will be more confusing than ever to watch an NFL game this season | CNN Business

    It will be more confusing than ever to watch an NFL game this season | CNN Business

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    New York
    CNN
     — 

    You’re going to need a play-call sheet to keep track of where to watch the National Football League on television this season.

    The NFL season kicked off Thursday night with the Detroit Lions winning a surprise upset over the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.(NBC and its Peacock app aired the game under its “Sunday Night Football” rights.)

    Long gone are the days when NFL games were shown on one or two networks. The league is showing more games across broadcast networks, cable, and digital streaming platforms this season than ever before, and more games exclusively on streaming.

    NBC, Fox, CBS, ESPN/ABC — as well as their streaming apps — and Amazon will all broadcast some games this year. The NFL’s own streaming app and YouTube TV will also stream some games.

    Here’s why there are so many different channels and streaming services, which many people might not even have, to watch the NFL.

    It’s all happening now because the NFL is television’s most valuable product, especially as the media and tech industries face turmoil and more people than ever end their pay-TV subscriptions. The NFL in 2021 signed more than $100 billion in media deals over 11 years, which included the rights to more games on streaming services.

    The owners of CBS, ESPN, ABC and NBC -— Paramount, Disney, and Comcast, respectively -— are pouring billions of dollars into their streaming services, which they see as the future of their businesses. They are showing more NFL games on streaming platforms, including games exclusively, to try to entice people to sign up.

    The decline in traditional broadcast and cable television viewership is accelerating, and the NFL is the “glue” holding the pay-TV bundle together, media analysts at MoffettNathanson said in a report Thursday.

    Last season marked the first-time people were able to watch three of the five NFL game packages through streamers.

    This season will also feature a few firsts: NFL Sunday Ticket offered on YouTube; a streaming-only playoff game on Peacock; and Amazon Prime Video’s Black Friday game.

    ESPN+ will air an international NFL game exclusively on its platform for the second time later in the year, and Amazon has exclusive rights again this season to Thursday night games. Amazon’s Thursday Night Football was the first NFL package to be shown exclusively on streaming.

    Football is the rare event that millions of people still watch live and advertisers will pay up for as viewership for TV other than sports rapidly declines.

    Excluding the Super Bowl, the NFL made up more than half of Fox’s viewership last season and around one-third of CBS and NBC’s, according to the MoffettNathanson report.

    “The NFL is the biggest driver of network ratings and advertising dollars during the fall TV season,” the analysts said. “The NFL remains an outlier when compared to all other forms of linear content.”

    So, NBC will show “Sunday Night Football” on primetime TV and Peacock. Fox will show National Football Conference games on its broadcast network. CBS will show American Football Conference games on its network and Paramount+. (CBS, which has the rights to the Super Bowl in February, will also show the game on Nickelodeon.) ESPN will air “Monday Night Football” games on ESPN and ESPN+. And Amazon holds the rights to Thursday night games, shown on Amazon Prime Video.

    The NFL itself is also betting on streaming.

    The NFL Sunday Ticket package, which broadcasts all out-of-market NFL games to fans, is moving to YouTube TV, owned by Google, this year after nearly 30 years at satellite provider DirecTV.

    “We have been focused on increased digital distribution of our games and this partnership is yet another example of us looking towards the future,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said last year.

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    September 8, 2023
  • Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow gets NFL record per-year salary, reports say | CNN

    Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow gets NFL record per-year salary, reports say | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will have the NFL’s highest-ever salary by yearly average after agreeing to a five-year, $275 million extension with the team, according to multiple reports Thursday.

    ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the news, citing unnamed sources.

    The extension pays the 26-year-old $55 million per year and includes $219.01 million guaranteed, according to Schefter.

    CNN has sought comment from the Bengals and Burrow’s representation.

    The $55 million per year surpasses the average salary of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who averages $52.5 million per year, according to sports salary tracking website Spotrac.

    Burrow was asked about the possibility of signing an extension with the team while speaking to reporters on Wednesday.

    “This is where I want to be my whole career,” Burrow said. “We’re working toward making that happen. You know you’ve seen what the front office has done, and what (coach) Zac (Taylor) has done in their time here.

    “I’m a small part of that and I’m excited to be a part of that. We have great people in the locker room that grind every day, that are excited to go and showcase their talents and excited to do it in the city of Cincinnati. We have the best fans. This is where I want to be.”

    Burrow, who was the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State University, is entering his fourth year in the league.

    Burrow’s rookie season was derailed after tearing his ACL and MCL in his left knee. He has since helped lead the Bengals to two consecutive AFC championship game appearances in 2021 and 2022, and a trip to Super Bowl LVI, which the Bengals lost to the Los Angeles Rams.

    Burrow led the Bengals to a 12-4 record last season, throwing for 4,475 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Bengals would go on to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.

    The Bengals are scheduled to open their 2023 regular season on the road against the Cleveland Browns, a divisional rival, on Sunday.

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    September 7, 2023
  • Former quarterback Johnny Manziel talks drug abuse, suicide attempt in new documentary | CNN

    Former quarterback Johnny Manziel talks drug abuse, suicide attempt in new documentary | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Former National Football League quarterback Johnny Manziel reveals in a new documentary his drug usage during his playing career and a suicide attempt following his release from the Cleveland Browns in 2016.

    In Netflix’s upcoming documentary “Untold: Johnny Football,” Manziel – who became the first redshirt freshman to win the Heisman Trophy while playing at Texas A&M in 2012 – said that he began using OxyContin and cocaine every day following the 2015 season, which led to his weight dropping from 215 pounds that January to 175 pounds in September.

    Poor play and legal troubles soon followed Manziel. A Texas grand jury indicted Manziel on a misdemeanor assault charge of his former girlfriend, Colleen Crowley. Manziel denied hitting Crowley at the time and the charges were later dropped after he met the court’s terms for a dismissal agreement.

    The Browns would release Manziel in March 2016, which he said he was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

    Manziel said he refused to enter rehab twice and began “self-sabotaging,” going on a “$5 million bender” before attempting suicide.

    “I had planned to do everything I wanted to do at that point in my life, spend as much money as I possibly could and then my plan was to take my life,” Manziel said in the documentary. “I wanted to get as bad as humanly possible to where it made sense, and it made it seem like an excuse and an out for me.”

    Manziel said he had purchased a gun “months earlier” with the intention to use it for suicide but the gun “malfunctioned” when he pulled the trigger.

    “Still to this day, don’t know what happened. But the gun just clicked on me,” he said.

    Manziel’s relationship with his family at the time was “strained” due to his refusal to seek treatment, he said. Manziel later returned to his family’s home in Texas after leaving Los Angeles following the suicide attempt.

    “It’s been a long, long road, and I don’t know if it’s been great or if it’s been bad – that’s kind of still up for debate,” Paul Manziel, his father, said in the documentary. “But we’re blessed. And he’s still with us. And we can mend all the fences still. I think Johnny’s got a lot better days coming than what he’s had.”

    CNN has reached out to the Browns for comment.

    Manziel was drafted in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Following his release from the Browns, Manziel played for multiple teams in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football (AAF). Manziel last played in the Fan Controlled Football league.

    The Netflix documentary is scheduled to be released on Tuesday.

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    August 4, 2023
  • Indianapolis Colts player Isaiah Rodgers Sr. says he takes ‘full responsibility’ amid reports of NFL probe into gambling violations | CNN

    Indianapolis Colts player Isaiah Rodgers Sr. says he takes ‘full responsibility’ amid reports of NFL probe into gambling violations | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Indianapolis Colts player Isaiah Rodgers Sr. said he takes “full responsibility” while adding that he made an “error in judgment” after reports that he is being investigated by the NFL for possibly breaching the league’s gambling policy.

    ESPN and SportsHandle.com, citing unnamed sources, reported that a sportsbook account was opened under the name of one of Rodger’s associates, where approximately 100 bets were placed over an undisclosed amount of times.

    “Addressing the current reports, I want to take full responsibility for my actions,” Rodgers said in a statement on Twitter on Monday. “I know I have made mistakes and I am willing to do whatever it takes to repair the situation.

    “The last thing I ever wanted to do was to be a distraction to the Colts organization, my coaches and my teammates. I’ve let people down that I care about. I made an error in judgment and I am going to work hard to make sure that those mistakes are rectified through this process. It’s an honor to play in the NFL and I have never taken that lightly. I am very sorry for all of this.”

    Most of the bets placed were in the $25-$50 range, with some of them being on Colts games, according to ESPN.

    In a statement to CNN, the Colts acknowledged the team was aware of the NFL’s investigation but provided no further comment. Meanwhile, an NFL spokesperson told CNN the league did not have a comment, when asked about the report.

    Rodgers, who was selected by the Colts in the sixth-round of the 2020 NFL Draft, played in 15 games for the team last season and was expected to be a starter this upcoming season.

    The 25-year-old Rodgers, who is on the final year of his four-year contract with the team, is the latest player in the NFL to be investigated for breaching the league’s gambling policy.

    In April, the NFL suspended five players for violating the league’s gambling policy. Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore of the Detroit Lions and Shaka Toney of the Washington Commanders were suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games during the 2022 season. Meanwhile, Stanley Berryhill and Jameson Williams of the Lions received a six-game suspension for placing bets on non-NFL games from NFL facilities.

    Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley was reinstated by the league in March, after a year-long suspension for gambling on NFL games while he was a member with the Atlanta Falcons.

    The NFL’s gambling policy, which is annually reviewed with all league personnel, including players, prohibits anyone in the NFL from engaging in any form of gambling in any team or league facility or venue.

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    June 6, 2023
  • Tom Brady agrees to purchase minority stake in Las Vegas Raiders, per source | CNN

    Tom Brady agrees to purchase minority stake in Las Vegas Raiders, per source | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Tom Brady has agreed to purchase a minority ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, a source familiar with the deal told CNN on Monday.

    The agreement was first reported by Sports Illustrated NFL reporter Albert Breer. The sale is still subject to NFL approval.

    Earlier this month, a source told CNN the seven-time Super Bowl winner was in negotiations with the Raiders.

    The deal won’t be ready for the owners to consider at the Spring League Meeting in Minnesota, which ends Tuesday, according to Breer.

    “We’re excited for Tom to join the Raiders,” team owner Mark Davis said in a phone call to ESPN.

    “It’s exciting because he will be just the third player in the history of the National Football League to become an owner.”

    CNN has reached out to the NFL, the Raiders and Brady’s representatives for comment.

    The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback announced his retirement from the NFL in February after 23 seasons.

    During his long career, the three-time league MVP set almost every passing record, including regular season passing yards (89,214) and passing touchdowns (649). He has also amassed the most wins of any player in NFL history (251).

    The agreement with the Raiders is the second partnership between Brady and team owner Davis since the former’s retirement.

    In March, it was announced that Brady had acquired an ownership stake in Davis’ WNBA franchise, the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.

    In October, he also joined the ownership group of an expansion Major League Pickleball team, along with former tennis World No. 1 Kim Clijsters, who in December attended the draft to support their new squad, the Las Vegas Night Owls.

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    May 23, 2023
  • Jim Brown Fast Facts | CNN

    Jim Brown Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here’s a look at the life of activist, actor and Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown. He played his entire career with the Cleveland Browns.

    Birth date: February 17, 1936

    Birth place: St. Simons Island, Georgia

    Birth name: James Nathaniel Brown

    Father: Swinton Brown, a professional boxer

    Mother: Theresa Brown, a housekeeper

    Marriages: Monique Gunthrop (1997-present); Sue Jones (1958-1972, divorced)

    Children: with Monique Gunthrop: Aris and Morgan; with Sue Jones: Kim, Kevin (twins) and James Jr.; with Kim Jones: Kimberly; with Brenda Ayres: Shellee; mother’s name unavailable publicly: Karen Brown Ward

    Education: Syracuse University, B.A., 1957

    At Syracuse, Brown played football, lacrosse, basketball and ran track.

    Qualified for the 1956 Olympics as a decathlete, but did not compete in order to focus on football.

    Inducted into the the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995 and National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1983.

    Led the NFL in rushing eight out of his nine seasons.

    Played in nine straight Pro Bowls, for the 1957-1965 seasons.

    NFL’s MVP in 1957, 1958 and 1965.

    Starred in movies such as “The Dirty Dozen,” “Ice Station Zebra” and “100 Rifles.”

    1957 – First round draft pick, sixth player overall, by the Cleveland Browns. Later named Rookie of the Year and also Most Valuable Player.

    1960s – Founds the Negro Industrial and Economic Union (later renamed the Black Economic Union) to support black entrepreneurship.

    1964 – “Off My Chest,” Brown’s autobiography, with Myron Cope, is published.

    1964 – Film debut in “Rio Conchos.”

    December 27, 1964 – The Cleveland Browns defeat the Baltimore Colts 27-0 in the NFL Championship Game. (The Super Bowl replaced the NFL Championship Game in 1967).

    July 24, 1965 – A jury finds Brown not guilty of assault and battery against 18-year-old Brenda Ayres, after an incident in his hotel room.

    July 14, 1966 – After nine seasons and 118 games, retires from professional football at the age of 30.

    1968 – Brown is charged with assault with intent to commit murder after model Eva Bohn-Chin is found beneath the balcony of Brown’s second floor apartment. The charge is later dismissed after Bohn-Chin refuses to name him as her assailant. Brown also pays a $300 fine for striking a deputy sheriff during the same incident.

    1969 – Stars in “100 Rifles” with Raquel Welch. It is one of the first major studio films to feature an interracial love scene.

    February 5, 1970 – A jury finds Brown not guilty of assault and battery charges, stemming from a traffic accident in 1969.

    1971 – Is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in his first year of eligibility.

    1978 – Is sentenced to one day in jail for beating and choking his golfing partner, Frank Snow. Brown is also fined $500 and receives two years’ probation.

    1985 – Brown is charged with raping and assaulting a 33-year-old woman in his home. The judge later dismisses the charges based on inconsistent testimony.

    August 1986 – Brown is arrested for assaulting live-in girlfriend Debra Clark. The charges are later dropped after Clark refuses to prosecute.

    1988 – Founds the Amer-I-Can program, an organization dedicated to stopping gang violence and helping individuals “take charge of their lives and achieve their full potential.”

    1989 – Brown’s memoir, with Steve Delsohn, “Out of Bounds,” is published.

    June 15, 1999 – Following a domestic disturbance with his wife Monique Gunthrop Brown, Brown is arrested and charged with making terrorist threats toward his wife. In the 911 tape, Monique Brown accuses Brown of threatening to kill her, a claim she later recants.

    September 10, 1999 – A jury finds Brown guilty of vandalism for smashing his wife’s car with a shovel during the June incident. He is later fined $1,800 and sentenced to three years’ probation, one year of domestic violence counseling and 400 hours community service or 40 hours on a work crew.

    January 5, 2000 – Brown is sentenced to six months in jail for refusing the court-ordered counseling and community service hours handed down in 1999. He serves almost four months in the Ventura County jail in 2002.

    2002 – Spike Lee’s documentary, “Jim Brown: All American,” is released.

    2005-2010 – Executive adviser to the Cleveland Browns.

    2008 – Files a lawsuit against Electronic Arts, alleging that the video game company used his likeness in the Madden NFL video games without his consent.

    2009 – A federal judge dismisses Brown’s 2008 lawsuit against Electronic Arts. An appeals court upholds the ruling in 2013.

    May 29, 2013 – Is named special adviser to the Cleveland Browns.

    July 2014 – Files a lawsuit against sports memorabilia dealer Lelands, alleging that the online auction dealer was selling Brown’s stolen 1964 championship ring. Lelands countersues Brown in August 2014.

    October 2015 – The lawsuit is settled, and Brown’s ring is returned.

    September 18, 2016 – A bronze statue of Brown is unveiled outside FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Cleveland Browns. It is the first statue outside the stadium to honor a former player.

    October 11, 2018 – Along with Kanye West, Brown meets with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

    November 22, 2019 – Brown is announced as one of the 100 greatest players in NFL history as part of the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

    January 13, 2020 – ESPN names Brown the number one greatest player in college football’s 150 year history.

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    May 19, 2023
  • Gymnastics star Simone Biles and NFL player Jonathan Owens are married | CNN

    Gymnastics star Simone Biles and NFL player Jonathan Owens are married | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    USA Gymnastics star and world champion Simone Biles and NFL player Jonathan Owens are married.

    Both shared images on social media Saturday announcing their marriage, and Biles now includes “Owens” in her full name on Instagram and Twitter.

    “I do,” Biles wrote on social media Saturday. “Officially Owens.”

    “My person, forever,” Owens wrote in a post of his own.

    The announcement comes just days after the couple posted a picture holding what appeared to be a Texas marriage license, with the caption, “Almost time to say ‘I do.’”

    The seven-time Olympic medalist announced her engagement to Owens in February 2022, along with several photos of the proposal.

    The two met online right before the pandemic hit.

    Owens told Texas Monthly in 2021 that the Covid-19 shutdown created time for them to get to know each other better.

    “It was one of the few times in her life where everything was just shut off and she couldn’t do anything,” he said. “So we used it to get to know each other—really get to know each other. It created our bond and made it stronger. Now I’m so thankful.”

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    April 22, 2023
  • Damar Hamlin cleared to resume football activities after January cardiac arrest | CNN

    Damar Hamlin cleared to resume football activities after January cardiac arrest | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who has been cleared to resume football activities, said Tuesday his cardiac arrest during an NFL game in January was caused by commotio cordis.

    Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after making a tackle and appearing to be hit with a helmet in his chest during the first quarter of the Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2.

    Commotio cordis can occur when severe trauma to the chest disrupts the heart’s electrical charge and causes dangerous fibrillations.

    “I died on national TV in front of the whole world,” Hamlin said in his first session with reporters since the injury. “I lost a bunch of people in my life. I know a bunch of people who lost people in their lives. I know that feeling. That right there is the biggest blessing of it all – for me to still have my people and my people to still have me.”

    The 25-year-old has been at the Bills’ practice facility in Orchard Park, New York, participating in voluntary offseason workouts this week, according to the team.

    “He is fully cleared,” Bills General Manager Brandon Beane told reporters. “He’s here.”

    Hamlin said he was blessed to have a wonderful medical staff who “treat me with the care of their children.”

    The safety said his heart is still in the game and he was announcing his comeback to the NFL.

    “I just want to show people that fear is a choice. You can keep going at something without having the answers and without knowing what’s at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “You might feel anxious – you might feel any type of way – but you just keep putting that right foot in front of the left one and you keep going. I want to stand for that.”

    Beane said that Hamlin had seen three separate specialists over the offseason, who all agreed that the player “is clear to resume full activities just like anyone else who was coming back from an injury.”

    “(Hamlin’s) in a great headspace to come back and make his return,” Beane added.

    Bills head coach Sean McDermott said the team is happy that Hamlin is back.

    “We’re super excited for Damar. He’s moving forward one step at a time here. He’s been cleared from a physical standpoint,” McDermott said.

    “We’ll provide all of the mental help we can from a mind, body and spirit standpoint so just happy for him that he’s been able to check some of those boxes to this point and we’re moving forward taking it one day at a time.”

    According to the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, if no underlying cardiac abnormalities are discovered through testing, athletes who have been resuscitated from commotio cordis may return to playing.

    Hamlin likely went through a lot of tests, including electrocardiograms and echocardiograms, before doctors cleared him to return to training.

    “What it basically means a few things. One is that his heart function returned to normal. He has no underlying problems with the anatomy of the heart itself, and he has no underlying electrical problems, so that’s the most important thing – and the way they figured that out over the last three-and-a-half months was to do a lot of tests,” CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said on “CNN News Central.”

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    April 18, 2023
  • Mike Hollins scores in UVA spring game five months after surviving a shooting | CNN

    Mike Hollins scores in UVA spring game five months after surviving a shooting | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    University of Virginia running back Mike Hollins scored a touchdown in his team’s spring game on Saturday, five months after he was hospitalized by a gunshot wound in a shooting that killed three of his teammates.

    After he scored the 1-yard touchdown, Hollins pointed to the sky and placed the ball over one of his three teammates’ names that were painted in the endzone.

    The fifth-year running back also got the first touch of the game to a standing ovation, and finished with 11 carries for 40 yards in the first half.

    Saturday’s game marked UVA’s first time returning to the field since D’Sean Perry, Devin Chandler and Lavel Davis Jr. were shot dead on a bus as it returned to campus from a class field trip in November.

    Hollins was one of two people wounded, and spent time intubated in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

    “It’s great to be back, it’s a blessing and I want to thank all you Hoos fans for coming out and supporting us,” he said in a video posted on the Cavaliers’ official Twitter account.

    The deaths of Chandler, Davis Jr. and Perry left three enormous holes on a team that felt more like family than anything, University of Virginia head coach Tony Elliott said in November. He went on to describe them, calling Chandler “the life of the party,” Davis “the big man on campus” and Perry “the quiet guy everyone wanted to know about.”

    Hollins said in March that it was a “miracle” that he was able to return to the practice field, adding that he had considered leaving the school to get a fresh start but decided it was best for him to stay.

    “I feel like anyone would think about leaving after something like that. But I also thought what better place to re-find who I am and reestablish my mental than the place that everything took place,” he said.

    The running back, who was hospitalized for days, learned about the deaths of his teammates days after the shooting.

    “I’ve never cried like that before,” Hollins told ABC. “I mean, I lost a brother that day. I love Lavel with all my heart, love Devin with all my heart. But D’Sean – it was different with him.”

    “That was my brother,” Hollins said, getting visibly emotional. “It was tragic hearing that he was gone.”

    The suspect in the University of Virginia shooting, former UVA walk-on football player Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., faces three charges of second-degree murder and three counts of using a handgun in the commission of a felony, authorities said. Jones also faces two counts of malicious wounding, each accompanied by a firearm charge.

    Jones had his first court appearance on November 16 and a court ordered that he be held without bond.

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    April 16, 2023
  • Tom Brady buys partial stake in WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces | CNN

    Tom Brady buys partial stake in WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady has acquired an ownership stake in the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, team owner Mark Davis announced Thursday.

    “I am very excited to be part of the Las Vegas Aces organization,” said Brady in a statement on Thursday. “I have always been a huge fan of women’s sports, and I admire the work that the Aces’ players, staff, and the WNBA continue to do to grow the sport and empower future generations of athletes. To be able to contribute in any way to that mission as a member of the Aces organization is an incredible honor.”

    Brady said his love for women’s sports grew out of watching his older sisters, who were “by far the best athletes in our house!”

    Brady announced his retirement from the NFL in February after 23 seasons with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During his long career, the three-time league MVP set almost every passing record, including regular season passing yards (89,214) and passing touchdowns (649). He has also amassed the most wins of any player in NFL history (251).

    “Since I purchased the Aces, our goal has been to win on and off the court,” said Davis, who also owns the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders. “Tom Brady is a win not only for the Aces, and the WNBA, but for women’s professional sports as a whole.”

    Honored to be joining the @LVAces family, a world class organization with a team of incredible athletes pic.twitter.com/JGU4tndZR2

    — Tom Brady (@TomBrady) March 23, 2023

    Davis purchased the WNBA franchise before the 2021 season. Brady’s partial acquisition of the team is subject to WNBA approval.

    The Aces enter the upcoming season as reigning WNBA champions. The team opens the season against the Seattle Storm on May 20 at Climate Pledge Arena in Washington.

    In October, Brady joined the ownership group of an expansion Major League Pickleball team, along with former tennis World No. 1 Kim Clijsters, who in December attended the draft to support their new squad, the Las Vegas Night Owls.

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    March 23, 2023
  • Former UGA football star Jalen Carter sentenced to probation in crash that killed teammate and team staffer | CNN

    Former UGA football star Jalen Carter sentenced to probation in crash that killed teammate and team staffer | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Former University of Georgia football standout Jalen Carter was sentenced to probation on Thursday for his role in the January crash that killed his teammate and a team staffer.

    The crash happened hours after the Bulldogs’ national championship victory parade.

    Carter entered pleas of no contest Thursday to charges of racing and reckless driving, according to his attorney, Kim Stephens.

    Carter was then sentenced to 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine and 50 hours of community service and completion of a state-approved defensive driving course, the attorney said.

    “Mr. Carter is happy and relieved to get this matter behind him, so now he can do what he needs to do for the NFL draft,” the lawyer said.

    “He continues to grieve for the loss of his friends,” Stephens added.

    Athens-Clarke County Solicitor General Will Fleenor confirmed the sentence and said Carter’s privilege to drive in Georgia has been suspended for 120 days.

    Fleenor, in a statement, acknowledged questions about the severity of the charges and “whether more serious offenses occurred.” He said law enforcement officers evaluated the appropriateness of more serious charges.

    “However, after consultation with the District Attorney’s Office, the Solicitor’s Office, and the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council, based on the evidence and applicable laws in this case, it was determined that the appropriate charges were the two traffic offenses that were resolved in court this morning,” the statement said.

    Carter has been projected as a top pick in the NFL draft next month.

    CNN has reached out to Athens Solicitor’s Office for comment.

    Carter’s teammate Devin Willock and football team staff member Chandler LeCroy were killed in the January 15 crash, which happened hours after the team participated in a parade through campus to celebrate its second consecutive national title.

    Carter turned himself in at the Athens-Clarke County Jail earlier this month on charges of reckless driving and racing.

    LeCroy was driving a Ford SUV near the campus with Willock and two other members of the football program also in the vehicle, police said. The SUV was traveling “about 104 miles per hour” before it veered off the road and slammed into two power poles and several trees, Athens-Clarke County police said.

    Authorities said Carter was driving a separate vehicle and he and LeCroy appeared to be racing.

    Police said “both vehicles switched between lanes, drove in the center turn lane, drove in opposite lanes of travel, overtook other motorists, and drove at high rates of speed, in an apparent attempt to outdistance each other.”

    Toxicology results show LeCroy, who was driving a university vehicle not authorized for use at the time of the crash, had a blood alcohol concentration of .197 – more than twice the legal limit in Georgia, police said.

    Willock was ejected and died at the scene and LeCroy died at a local hospital. The two other passengers in the vehicle were injured, officials said.

    Carter was a key part of Georgia’s vaunted defense that allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (77.1) in 2022 and was named to several All-America teams.

    More than four months before the fatal crash, Carter had been issued three traffic citations – including one for speeding at nearly twice the legal limit, according to documents and body camera video obtained by CNN from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.

    On September 22, Carter was stopped for speeding. An officer is heard on body camera footage telling him that he was “reckless,” and issued three traffic tickets

    One ticket showed Carter was driving at 89 mph in a 45 mph zone. A second ticket cited him for having “material affixed” to his car which “obstructs vision.” A third citation was for an illegal windshield tint.

    Bodycam video from the stop showed Carter in the driver’s seat of a Black Jeep. The officer held up a radar gun showing a speed of 89 mph, according to the video.

    Carter is seen on video, expressionless, as the officer named two other UGA athletes who he said he had recently stopped.

    “Y’all need to slow down dude,” the officer is heard telling Carter, who didn’t respond.

    “Look I don’t know if y’all need to send out a text or something to other teammates, but slow down,” the officer said, adding, “That was reckless.”

    “When you’re around your teammates, tell them to slow down,” the officer said.

    The officer then tested the tint on Carter’s vehicle – which he said is illegal in the state of Georgia. “The front windshield can’t have nothing on it. No material on it whatsoever, OK?”

    “Your break is you’re not going to jail. That’s your break. Because that would make all kinds of news, alright?” the officer is heard telling Carter in the footage.

    The player smiled nervously. “You’re getting a ticket for speeding,” the officer said.

    The officer added, “Slow down OK. That’s all I ask.”

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    March 16, 2023
  • NFL star Aaron Rodgers went to a darkness retreat to contemplate his future. What is that and how does it work? | CNN

    NFL star Aaron Rodgers went to a darkness retreat to contemplate his future. What is that and how does it work? | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    For four days this week, home for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was a pitch-black room. There were no phones, no television, no lights or distractions. Just Rodgers, alone with his thoughts, in a cabin built specifically for prolonged isolation in the dark.

    When the four-time NFL MVP announced plans earlier this month to contemplate his NFL future in isolation at a “darkness retreat,” many were left scratching their heads.

    “It’s just sitting in isolation, meditation, dealing with your thoughts,” Rodgers said earlier this month. “We rarely even turn our phone off or put the blinds down to sleep in darkness. I’m really looking forward to it.”

    Rodgers is no stranger to alternative therapies. He credits psychedelics like psilocybin and ayahuasca for helping to alleviate his fear of death and deepening a sense of self-love. The football star said he has done “many meditation and yoga retreats” in the past and defended his decision to try darkness therapy as one of several practices “that have stimulated my mind and helped me get in a better headspace and have a greater peace in my life.”

    But what exactly happens in a darkness retreat? And is it just another new-age fad or perhaps something that could benefit the rest of us?

    A darkness retreat is exactly what it sounds like: a prolonged stay in a space completely devoid of light. One of the centers offering the practice is Sky Cave Retreats, nestled in the Cascade-Siskiyou wilderness, in Southern Oregon, near Klamath Falls.

    “The reasons for doing this range from people wanting to know themselves more, to people who want to rest, reset and relax, to those who want to explore consciousness and deepen their meditation practice,” said Scott Berman, who owns Sky Cave Retreats along with his wife Jill, adding the darkness helps illuminate what really matters by stripping away the constant bombardment of sensory input and stimulation many people experience in their hectic modern lives.

    “When someone goes into the darkness, all these things that were important to them like money, fame, power, status, being worthy – they all become insignificant and meaningless in the dark,” Berman said. “In the dark, all you have is the present moment which reveals what is truly meaningful – whether it’s love, forgiveness, peace – and it begins to transform you as you truly authentically touch what is most important to you.”

    The center currently operates three stand-alone cabins built specifically for prolonged isolation in the dark – earth-sheltered caves, which on the outside are somewhat reminiscent of a Hobbit home. Each space contains a bed, a toilet, sink and a bathtub, as well as a low table for eating and a carpeted area for yoga and meditation. Participants can leave at any time – the doors are never locked – and there is a light switch for emergencies which is protected by a childproof guard so it isn’t flipped on by accident.

    The cost includes three meals a day, which Berman delivers personally all at once in the evening (through a lightproof double-sided food box) to minimize the disturbance. This is when participants have an opportunity for a conversation, which could be 10 seconds or 30 minutes, according to Berman, depending on the person’s needs.

    Participants typically spend three to four days in the darkness at a cost of $250 a night and are encouraged to take an extra day before and after to integrate the experience.

    Each space contains a bed, a toilet, sink and a bathtub, as well as a low table for eating and a carpeted area for yoga and meditation.

    Burak Dalcik, a 27-year-old salesman from Arlington, Virginia, said the four days he spent in the dark at Sky Caves Retreats in January gave him clarity about his priorities. He found he no longer labeled experiences as positive or negative, but rather allowed them to come and to go, which led to less stress and anxiety at work and in his personal life. He also said he started calling his mom, who lives back in Turkey, more frequently.

    “It just really trims all the unnecessary fat and allows you to focus on some of the most important things and really allows you to understand who you are,” said Dalcik. “There’s nothing New Age about this – it boils down to can you just sit by yourself with yourself? And if you can’t, you should probably get pretty curious about why.”

    Berman cautions the retreat isn’t for everyone, nor should it be seen as a quick fix to one’s troubles.

    “It’s not like this magical, mind-blowing, amazing experience – it can be extremely difficult and uncomfortable,” Berman said. “But in the darkness, discomfort is the door to transformation. There’s an acceptance and a profound love that people start to experience when they’re no longer resisting that part of themselves.”

    For now, there is limited research on how darkness retreats impact the human brain and body. Some centers claim the experience can help heal traumas or activate the pineal glad, another claim is darkness therapy increases melatonin production in the brain.

    “That’s totally false,” said Dr. David Blask, the head of the Laboratory of Chrono-Neuroendocrine Oncology at Tulane University School of Medicine. “There may be some psychological benefits that people derive from a darkness retreat that they feel are important for them, but certainly not from a strict endocrine neuroendocrine or biochemical physiological standpoint.”

    Dr. Marek Malůš, a psychologist at the University of Ostrava in the Czech Republic who has been studying darkness therapies since 2010, sees the technique as a promising therapeutic tool.

    “Your thoughts, memories, emotions, inner world and mental processes become much more balanced and integrated,” Malůš said.

    While he and his colleagues are working to secure funding for additional studies, Malůš said preliminary research showed just four days in a darkness chamber was enough to help increase mindfulness and self-esteem, lower symptoms of depression and anxiety, while improving parasympathetic nervous system functions, which helps with stress management and lowering burnout symptoms. Subjects reported feeling the benefits three weeks after the experience.

    Berman said he hopes to see more scientific research into the benefits of darkness retreats, but cautions against anyone seeking to use the retreat for some sort of natural high.

    “If somebody’s coming here because they want to have a so-called DMT experience, you’ve come into the wrong place,” he said. “But there is a lot of benefit in not looking outside of ourselves for confirmation of our worth and using the darkness to illuminate our true nature.”

    For those who aren’t able to commit the time or money for a darkness retreat but want a taste of some of the benefits, Berman suggests starting small at home.

    “It’s about becoming accustomed to authentically slowing down, putting the phone away, turning out the lights, closing the blinds and just resting,” he said. “Not to get somewhere, not to heal but just to be curious about what’s actually happening within yourself.”

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    February 26, 2023
  • Judge denies Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s request to lift two-year Churchill Downs ban | CNN

    Judge denies Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s request to lift two-year Churchill Downs ban | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Hall of Fame horse trainer Bob Baffert will miss the Kentucky Derby for a second straight year after a federal judge denied his request to have a two-year ban by Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) overturned.

    US District Court Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings ruled Friday that Baffert and his attorneys “failed to carry their burden to demonstrate that the Court should impose a preliminary injunction against CDI’s suspension.”

    Baffert, 70, argued, among other things, that his suspension had a negative effect on his business and reputation. Baffert also argued that Churchill Downs would not be affected if he were allowed to compete at the Kentucky Derby in May.

    Jennings noted his participation could impact the integrity of the race as he is the only trainer who has had horses test positive in consecutive marquee races on Churchill Downs Inc. tracks.

    “Failing to punish trainers whose horses test positive in marquee races could harm CDI’s reputation and the integrity of their races,” Jennings wrote.

    CNN has reached out to Baffert’s representation for comment. It is unclear if Baffert’s attorneys intend to appeal the federal judge’s decision.

    “Churchill Downs is pleased that the Court denied Mr. Baffert’s demand for a preliminary injunction and granted our motion to dismiss on all but one claim, and on that claim, the Court held that Mr. Baffert did not establish a likelihood of success on the merits,” the company that runs the Louisville racetrack said Friday.

    “Today’s opinion is a victory for the integrity of horseracing and we will continue to take action to protect the safety of our human and equine athletes.”

    Baffert was banned from all three Triple Crown races last year after Medina Spirit’s victory at the 2021 Kentucky Derby was disqualified.

    The Kentucky Derby winner, who died in December 2021, tested positive for betamethasone – an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid sometimes used to relieve joint pain – in a blood sample taken after crossing the finish line first. Kentucky horse racing rules don’t allow that and tell trainers to stop using the therapeutic 14 days before an event.

    In February 2022, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announced its decision to disqualify Medina Spirit and suspended Baffert for 90 days.

    In total, Baffert received a two-year suspension from Churchill Downs, a one-year suspension from the New York Racing Association, and was suspended from the 147th running of the Preakness Stakes in Maryland.

    A two-time winner of horse racing’s Triple Crown, Baffert is eligible to enter horses this year at the Preakness Stakes in May and at the Belmont Stakes in June. Baffert’s suspension from the Kentucky Derby expires after the 2023 race.

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    February 18, 2023
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