Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Danton Wants To Come Back To The NHL

After being away from the big time, about 6 years to be exact, former New Jersey Devils and St. Louis Blues player Mike Danton says he wants to return to the NHL. If you recall Danton was imprisoned for a 2004 conviction in a murder for hire plot.

See more about the case here   http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/danton/

Danton's parole ends Friday and he will be free and clear to travel wherever he pleases. He was freed from a U.S. prison in March 2009. He has been out of the league for 6 years and is now playing for the St. Mary's Huskies in Halifax. Far away from the bright lights of the NHL.

Danton realizes it would be a long climb back and knows teams would be careful since he has a conviction. There's no Oakland Raiders type of owner in the NHL so it'll be hard for him to get a sniff from anyone. He basically blackballed himself right out of the league. You never know, athletes in every sport have gotten a second chance. If it is shown he could help a team out I'm sure they would be quick to sign him. Hockey fans stay tuned.  

Revis Tells Branch To "Take It Like A Man"

The talk between the New England Patriots and New York Jets just won't die. After Patriots receiver Deion Branch called the Jets "classless", Jets corner Darelle Revis along with a few others took exception to what Branch said.

 "Just take the loss like a man and move on," Darrelle Revis said. "[The Patriots] do stuff as well. I don't know who was doing it or whatever, but if so, whatever. If they would've won, I'm sure they probably would've done the taunting like they did that last game we played them. Their secondary was doing the airplane and just teasing us. So you've got to take it both ways, when you win or lose."That (the mocking of the Jets by Patriots players) was done after the Patriots whipped the Jets 45-3 on December 6.




"That's the same Jet thing they were doing last game and they call us classless?" defensive lineman Trevor Pryce said. We have film of it. We watched them do it, watched the film the night before [Sunday's] game. I don't see why it's such a big deal now when they were doing it. If they had won the game, they'd have called us classless."


That's why I call the Patriots smug and cocky. They always try to act like they're above it all when they're not.

"All the guys on the sideline were like, 'Remember this, remember everything they're doing right now,' " Jerricho Cotchery said. "A lot of people didn't see it, but we took mental notes of it. A lot of those emotions spilled over throughout the week last week. We could've kept a lot of those things in, but we were very fired up about that game."We were just enjoying the win, enjoying the moment. For someone to try to create that perception that we're classless, that's heart-breaking."


When someone teases and taunts them they have no class, when they do it, it's ok. Like when they mocked the Chargers after a playoff win in San Diego. Or when former Patriot Rodney harrison flapped his arms like wings after nailing down a Super Bowl win over the Philadelphia Eagles. What comes around goes around.







  

All Texas All The Time

The University of Texas and ESPN have will join forces on a 24 hour network that will focus on everything Texas, from sports to historical programming.

It'll be all Texas all the time. Maybe we'll get to see old footbal highlights from the Darrell Royal era. Or some hoops highlights from the late 80's-early 90's (remember the Strollin Nolan game vs. Arkansas).

I think it's a bit much for one university to have it's own network. I live in Big Ten country and I really don't care to watch the Big Ten network. Except when I can watch Michigan blow out some non-descript scrub team. I do like UT hoops so maybe I could catch a game or two if they offer national coverage.

Other things the Longhorn network could cover.

1.The John Mackovic era of UT football.

2. What happened to Lance Blanks, Reggie Freeman, Kris Clack and every good Longhorns basketball player that didn't make it to the NBA.

3.The Texas State Fair

4. Bevo's bloodlines.

5.Earl Campbell highlights

Slowly but surely every cash cow university will start to follow suit with their own network. Complete with boring programming. It'll be just another channel among hundreds that hard working people like myself will have to pay for, but really can't afford. 

Give Up The Ring

Former Tampa Bay Buc and St. Louis Ram defensive lineman, Chidi Ahanotu was ordered to give up his NFC Championship ring he won in 2002 with St. Louis.

Circuit Judge Elizabeth Rice said that Ahanotu must give up the ring to help pay more than $130,000 in legal fees, that his ex-wife's lawyers says he owes. Ahanotu says that he gave the ring to his brother to settle up a $30,000 debt.

Ahanotu says the ring (pictured below) is worth only $500 and says the ring he has is a replica made of white gold instead of the manufacturers yellow gold. Why would he trade the ring in and devalue it, I'll never know. Ahanotu says he doesn't have the money.



"This court system is a farce," Ahanotu said. "This court wants a man to hand over his once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment to pay some damn attorney's fees? I could see if it was going to pay something for my children or my ex-wife.''

"At the time I'd been retired from the NFL for three years, and I hadn't made close to $100,000 up to that point," he said. "Since that time I still haven't made $100,000."


So you were retired, that doesn't mean you didn't have the money to pay for legal fees. Come on tough guy, get the money and saddle up. You played 11 years in the NFL and you don't have the money. I wish I was a business associate of yours, because somewhere along the lines of your playing days and retirement you were ripped off bad.

Judge Rice thinks Ahanotu is trying to defraud the system. In other words he's trying to pimp the system. Ahanotu will have to give up the ring or face going to jail.







      

Rogers Faces Another Forclosure

Former Detroit lions bust, Charles Rogers, is close to being a man without a home, literally. Rogers faces a foreclosure on his second home.

According to a report in the Detroit News, defaulted on his mortgage and owes more than $421,000 on his condo in a posh Birmingham,Mich. community. Rogers paid $610,000 for the condo in July 2003.

He has made a series of bad decisions since he's left Michigan State. All atheletes should use this as a precautionary tale of what can happen if you're not careful and make bad decisions.  

Indecent Exposure

Ex-Nebraska Cornhusker basketball player Christian Standhardinger, left the Huskers in December and planned to transfer to LaSalle. He will be a player without a team a while longer since LaSalle won't take him in since he was cited for suspicion of indecent exposure and entering a park after hours.

LaSalle boss John Giannini relaeased a statement saying that the Explorers and Standhardinger will be parting ways.

"Christian has recently been made aware of a personal situation that demands his full attention,” Giannini said. “We believe it is in the best interest of all parties that Christian Standhardinger does not attend La Salle University.”


At 21, Standhardinger should know better than to put himself in these kinds of situations. Now you have to look for someone that will take you in and you know you'll be on a short leash. My guess is he winds up on a pro team in Germany.

Lincoln, Nebraska police said they found Standhardinger and his 19 year old female companion inside a parked car in Tierra Park at 3:40 am. I don't know much about the park so don't ask. I guess he didn't have the funds to get a room at the Motel 6. Police found Standhardinger shirtless with his pants down in the passenger seat and the female was also shirtless. You might be able to pull that in your home country of Germany, but not over here.

Next time find a cheap room or wait until you get home.

Love Them Or Hate Them. The Jets Are Good For Football

Deion Branch calls them classless. CBS announcers feel they have some bush league antics. Reggie Jackson thinks they should shut up and play. The 'they' I refer to is the New York Jets. I say if you want them to shut up, simply beat them. I love what they're doing and their brashness is a breath of fresh air to the NFL and I love it.

I love it when you get a team that talks big, wins, and talks some more. That describes the New York Jets. From the head coach all the way down to the 53rd man. They talk a big game. For the most part, they've backed it up. Remember when coach Rex Ryan first came on the scene, he said that he "respected the New England Patriots, but he wasn't there to kiss Bill Belichick's Super Bowl rings". That led to the beginning of the fastest rising rivalry in the NFL. Before the playoffs Ryan said that his team were the favorites to win the Super Bowl. Bold words cnsidering they went in with a 9-7 record. Alas, they were one game away from playing for it all. The playoff games against the Indianapolis Colts and Patriots were "personal".  There was Antonio Cromartie's verbal lambasting of Tom Brady. They won both games and once again are one game away from the Super Bowl. Think about this, all of the Jets' playoff wins have been on he road. For all their macho bluster, they back it up.


Bart Scott's postgame interview typified how the Jets feel.

 

I'm not the biggest Jets fan and do believe they do a lot of woofing, but they back it up. I tend to like teams like this. the team that wears the villain hat with gusto. Not being smug and cocky like the Patriots. I believe that Super Bowl week would be a whole lot of fun with this cast of characters. Rex Ryan, sounding like his dad Buddy,and the outspoken Bart Scott would be enough for me right there. They've toned it down for the AFC championship game against Pittsburgh this week, only because the Steelers haven't said or done anything to raise their ire. Both teams seem to have a healthy respect for each other. It wouldn't surprise me though, if the Jets win, one of them takes a Terrible Towel a simulates wiping their backside with it.