Jury convicts Jason Mitchell in Sean Taylor murder case

A man identified by prosecutors as the greedy organizer of a bungled 2007 Miami-area burglary that ended with the fatal shooting of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor was convicted Tuesday of murder and burglary, and immediately sentenced to life in prison without parole.

A 12-person jury deliberated nearly four hours before finding Jason Mitchell, 25, guilty of first-degree felony murder and armed burglary. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy swiftly imposed the mandatory life sentence for murder, plus 40 more years for the burglary conviction.

Although trial testimony showed Mitchell did not fire the fatal shot, prosecutors say he is equally responsible for the slaying under the law.

Assistant State Attorney Reid Rubin said Mitchell hatched the plot that eventually involved five Fort Myers-area men after spending time at Taylor's home near Miami, where he saw the player giving friends and relatives thousands of dollars in cash. Rubin said Mitchell initially tried and failed to burglarize the home alone in mid-November 2007, returning with the group on Thanksgiving weekend to finish the job.

"It doesn't matter whether they planned to kill him (Taylor) or intended to kill him, he died as a result of that burglary and they are all responsible for it," Rubin told the 12-person jury in closing arguments. "At the center of it all was Jason Mitchell."

Mitchell did not testify in his own defense but he did confess to police in a sworn, videotaped statement. The man blamed for shooting Taylor, Eric Rivera Jr., was convicted last year of second-degree murder and sentenced to 57 years behind bars. Mitchell's lawyer, Robert Barrar, said Mitchell should be held responsible only for burglary, not for Rivera's actions.

"Sure Jason Mitchell was there. But Eric Rivera did it on his own, on a whim," Barrar said. "Jason Mitchell was not a part of any plan to kill anybody."

Mitchell showed no emotion when the verdict was read.

Taylor, 24, was shot in the upper thigh after confronting the group of burglars with a machete outside his bedroom door. The bullet severed Taylor's femoral artery, causing him to quickly bleed to death. In the bedroom when the shooting happened were Taylor's girlfriend and their infant daughter.

Police say the burglars thought Taylor would be out of town at a Redskins game, but he was home nursing a knee injury.

Aside from the confession, investigators found shoe prints at Taylor's house that matched Mitchell's sneakers and had cellphone evidence showing that Mitchell phoned another member of the group in the vicinity of the slaying that night.

Three other men were charged in the case and two are awaiting trial. Venjah Hunte, 25, previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and burglary charges in a deal that calls for a 29-year prison sentence.
Taylor was a Pro Bowl safety who had starred at the University of Miami. A first-round Redskins draft pick in 2004, Taylor signed an $18 million contract with the team and was becoming one of the NFL's top defensive players when he was slain.

"He had everything to live for," Rubin said. "Sean Taylor was on top of the world."

Just because Mitchell wasn't the trigger man doesn't mean he isn't equally responsible for the crime. It's good to see that justice has been served in this particular case.

Kyle Shanahan named as the Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator

It didn't take former Washington redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to land on his feet.

After a stint in Washington where he was often criticized, Shanahan was named the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. 

Shanahan will direct the offense under new head coach Mike Pettine.

In 6 seasons as a coordinator, Shanahan’s offenses have finished in the top 10 in yardage 4 times and top 10 in scoring twice.

As a coordinator, he has had some marginal success working with a variety of quarterbacks including Robert Griffin III, Rex Grossman and Donovan McNabb with the Redskins as well as Matt Schaub with the Houston Texans. In his 4 seasons working in Washington Shanahan reportedly clashed with McNabb and Griffin.

Shanahan wil have his work cut out for him as the Browns' offense was offensive last season as the team finished 27th in points scored and 28th in rushing. The Browns have a major decision at quarterback. They must figure out whether Brian Hoyer is the answer since he was playing well before a knee injury or try to salvage former first round pick Brandon Weeden. Backup Jason Campbell also took first team snaps as well.

Most expect the Browns to select a quarterback with the fourth pick in the NFL Draft. The team has been rumored to high on Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel. Whoever ends up being the signal caller in Cleveland will have Josh Gordon to throw to who had a breakout year.

Former NFL receiver Reche Caldwell arrested in illegal gambling ring

The lasting image of former NFL receiver Reche Caldwell was one of amusement after his reaction after dropping a pass against the Indianapolis Colts in an AFC Championship game while he was a member of the New England Patriots.

Caldwell is now in the news for the wrong reasons. Caldwell was arrested for his involvement in what Tampa police said was an illegal gambling operation.  Police say Caldwell was one of three leaders of the operation. Five other men are facing a variety of charges including probation violations, possession of a control substance and illegal gambling.

The 34-year-old Caldwell was a standout wide receiver at Florida and was chosen in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers. He also played for the New England Patriots and Washington Redskins. His younger brother Andre Caldwell is a receiver for the Denver Broncos.

Caldwell was held in the Orient Road Jail and released early Monday on $4,000 bail.

Baylor's Art Briles reportedly open to coaching the Redskins

Many say that Baylor head football coach would not leave the school under any circumstances. That would include reuniting with his former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Robert Griffin III, since it's being widely speculated that the Washington Redskins might part ways with current coach Mike Shanahan.

Would Briles be open to Redskins owner Daniel Snyder making a lucrative offer to coach the team. League sources are whispering that it could be possible that Briles could make the jump to the NFL.

Briles, who is currently focused on recruiting at the school, would have interest in the Redskins' job under certain circumstances, sources said, and some believe he could put together an NFL-caliber staff as well, without having to overly rely on his contemporaries at Baylor. Snyder is widely expected to fire coach Mike Shanahan at the end of the season, with his team again at the bottom of the NFL East standings and Shanahan's relations with RG3 in tatters and issues with his staff, and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in particular, no secret at Redskins Park.

Briles lacks an NFL pedigree, but Griffin and his parents are big fans of Briles. On the other hand Snyder is probably looking for a coach with NFL experience, which is always hard for him because of his reputation as a meddling owner.

I don't know why Briles would have any interest in any NFL job, especially the Redskins job. He built that program from scratch the way he wanted to. In the NFL he doesn't have a whole lot of say on which players he gets. He's in total control, not having to play a hand he's dealt. At Baylor he's king of Waco as long as he keeps winning. I don't think Briles wants to give that up anytime soon. Besides, he just signed a 10 year extension.

Briles has said he hasn't had any contact with the Redskins and plans to remain at Baylor.

Report: Kyle Shanahan to leave Redskins, split from his dad

It's always a a nice, warm story when a father and son team up as coaches and try to make it to the mountaintop. That's how some might have thought when Kyle Shanahan became the offensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins and join his dad Mike on the sidelines.

Apparently the arrangement will be coming to an end.

The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Shanahan has “decided it is no longer worth it to work with his father” and will attempt to blaze his own trail after four years with the Redskins.Shanahan spent two seasons as offensive coordinator of the Houston Texans before joining the Redskins in 2010.

This latest look into Washington’s implosion came shortly after CBS’ Jason La Canfora reported that many within the organization actually pin much of the blame for this 3-10 season on Kyle Shanahan’s relationships with Mike Shanahan and Robert Griffin III.

Conversations with several people within the organization have revealed a similar perception of Kyle Shanahan as someone who was empowered and enabled by his father, spending an abundance of time in his father's office, given a wide swath of power, and rubbing many people -- players, fellow coaches and members of football operations -- the wrong way. At the same time, Kyle Shanahan has been the most heavily rewarded of the team's assistant coaches, as team sources said the two-year extension Shanahan earned following the playoff run in 2012 will pay him $1.5M in 2014 alone. That's money he's almost certain to collect away from the team, with this regime widely expected to be fired after this season.

“Kyle is the head coach, it's just that no one knows he is,” said one member of the organization. “He gets whatever he wants. And he has no relationship at all with (quarterback Robert Griffin II). So how could it work?”

Although this is a surprise, Kyle wasn't pleased when starting quarterback, Robert Griffin III, was shutdown for the last three games of the season in favor of Kirk Cousins.

Kyle had a decent run in Houston so it's possible that he could co elsewhere and succeed, but he'll have to do it without any of his father's connections (Gary Kubiak in Houston).

Santana Moss says Kirk Cousins 'being set up for failure'

In a difficult football season the most popular player is always the backup quarterback.

I guess that means Kirk Cousins is the most popular guy in the eyes of Washington Redskins fans. With Robert Griffin III struggling with coming back from a knee injury that he suffered last season, the Redskins have plummeted to last place in the NFC East with a 3-10 record.

Coach Mike Shanahan has shut down Griffin with three games to play and has turned to Cousins to provide a spark and some momentum to carry over into next season.

Redskins receiver Santana Moss thinks that Cousins has been put in an unenviable situation and says that he thinks Cousins is "being set up to fail". Not exactly words you want to hear from someone on your own team.

“It’s kind of tough to put him into this situation right now and hope for him to be excellent,” Moss said at Redskins Park. “It’s almost like setting a guy up for failure. But you just want him to go out there and be at ease and just take his time, be as efficient as he can because it’s one of those situations that’s like, you know, Catch[-22]. He don’t play as well, then you’re gonna say, ‘Well, should he have been in there?’ But you can’t do that to him because he hasn’t had all this season to go out there and jell with us. But he has been ready enough to go out there and be able to run this offense. So we’re just hoping for the best.”  

As a backup you always have to be ready no matter what, but if Shanahan is looking for something positive to come from this he might be in trouble. Even though Cousins filled in admirably for Griffin last season, he might be a bit rusty for all the sitting he's done this season.

The silver lining in all of this is that the Redskins play the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, and Dallas Cowboys the last three weeks of the season. Not exactly defenses that have performed well. So Cousins could possibly thrive which would ignite a quarterback controversy if Shanahan sticks around for next season.  

Former NFL star Irving Fryar convicted on conspiracy charges

Former NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver and Philadelphia Eagle Irving Fryar was indicted today on charges that he, along with his mother, conspired to steal more than $690,000.

Acting New Jersey Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced that Fryar, 51, and his mother Allene McGhee, 72, were indicted by a state grand jury on second-degree charges of conspiracy and theft by deception.

Fryar -- who played for the Patriots, Dolphins, Eagles and Redskins from 1984-2000 -- was more than solid with New England, making between 54 and 88 catches every season from 1990-97. His 851 career receptions ranks 18th on the all-time list, and his 12,785 career receiving yards ranks 15th.

Fryar also was the coach of the Robbinsville High (New Jersey) football team

According to the Attorney General’s office, Fryar and McGhee conspired to steal more than $690,000 by having McGhee fraudulently obtain five home equity loans on her home within a six-day period.

“This is not a case in which Mr. Fryar and his mother simply omitted or misstated information on loan applications,” acting attorney general John Hoffman said in a statement. “This indictment alleges that they engaged in an elaborate criminal scheme that was designed to defraud these banks of hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is disappointing that someone with an illustrious career in professional sports who now is a minister and coach in the community is charged with this crime, but he must face justice like anyone else.”

This is a hard fall for someone who seemingly put his past behind him and gave his life to the lord.

Redskins GM Bruce Allen calls the NFC East the 'SEC of the NFL'

The NFC East has probably been the most competitive division in the NFL since the mid 1980's. There might have been a few to come close but none that come to mind immediately. Bill Parcells, Joe Gibbs, Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Andy Reid and Buddy Ryan had a lot to do with that run of excellence.  

Maybe that's why Washington Redskins general manager Bruce Allen  called the division the 'SEC of the NFL. During a recent interview with Chris Russell and Rich Campbell on ESPN 980, Allen explained why the NFC East has always been the top division in the league.

“There’s so many changes in the playoff teams each year — I think half of them change each year anyway,” the GM noted. “And in our division, you know, we’re in the SEC of the NFL. This is the big leagues. I think when the Giants last won the Super Bowl, they won it with a 9-7 record. So we have to keep competing in our division, and that’s what our focus is.

“And if we can hold our ground in the division, we’re going to be ok, because they are elite teams in our division,” Allen continue. “That’s where our focus has to remain. We were successful [last year] — 5-1 in the division — and that leads to good things. I think once again the young talent that we have on the team, they tasted success. As long as they’re not spoiled by that little bit of success, then it bodes well for our future.”

Sounds like SEC-speak to me. But Allen's words do ring true. You win the division, you get in the playoffs. From that point on anything can happen. Save for Donovan McNabb's meltdowns in NFC title games and the Dallas Cowboys not being able to win a playoff game in forever, the division has done well for itself in the playoffs.

Robert Griffin III fined $10,000 for wearing 'Operation Patience' t-shirt

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III has ran afoul of the NFL's apparel police once again.

Griffin was fined $10,000 by the NFL for wearing unauthorized apparel during warmups prior to their Monday night preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Players are prohibited from wearing unauthorized apparel during the period on game days when they are visible to the stadium and television audiences, including pregame warmups.

Griffin III was wearing an 'Operation Patience' t-shirt made by Adidas. Nike is the league's official apparel maker which makes wearing Adidas apparel a no-no. This is the second time Griffin III has been fined $10,000 by the league for wearing Adidas apparel.

Even though it seems petty for the NFL to fine Griffin III that much for wearing Adidas gear, they can't have one of the league's young marquee players pimping other apparel other than what the league sponsors.

I also understand that Adidas sponsors Griffin III so they need him to market their apparel whenever possible.

Robert Griffin III trademarking RGIII

Robert Griffin III is taking care of business off the field even though he hasn't signed a contract or taken a snap in an NFL game yet.

Griffin created Thr3escompany, LLC after he declared for the NFL draft and filed for a trademark for "RGIII".

Following his declaration for the NFL Draft, Griffin hired an attorney. Thereafter, he created his own company, Thr3escompany, LLC and submitted applications to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a total of four trademarks – RGIII, RG3, Robert Griffin III, and Unbelievably Believable. The first three trademark filings were made for “Shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, pants, shorts, footwear, hats, caps, athletic uniforms.”  


That was a smart move considering all the fake RGIII material that will be surfacing around the Washington, D.C. area and other NFL cities. There were fake Andrew Luck jerseys being sold before he was even drafted.

McNabb says that RG III won't fit in Washington

Donovan McNabb still hasn't found an NFL home. His time with the Washington Redskins ended up in a crash and burn scenario, that McNabb has yet to recover from. It also sounds like he has sour grapes from his experience with Mike Shanahan and the Redskins.

McNabb was asked whether Robert Griffin III would be able to excel with the Skins and McNabb sounded as if Shanahan ruined his career.

 Asked on ESPN First Take if Griffin is a good fit with the offense the Shanahans run in Washington, McNabb answered, “No.

“Here’s a guy coming out who’s very talented, mobile, strong arm, we’ve already heard he’s intelligent, football mind,” McNabb said of Griffin. “Are you going to cater the offense around his talent, and what he’s able to do, or are you going to bring the Houston offense with Matt Schaub over to him and have him kind of be embedded in that?”


What McNabb fails to realize is that his career was on the downside before he got to Washington. You think Andy Reid would've traded him if he knew McNabb could still be productive? Exactly. He is right in some regards about Shanahan in how he hasn't won jack since John Elway rode off into the sunset.

“We talk so much about Mike Shanahan and the things he was able to do in Denver,” McNabb said. “Well, I have a couple of names for you that Mike Shanahan — quarterbacks he’s coached — and the lack of success that he’s had.”


“We had John Beck, who was 0-4,” McNabb said. “Rex Grossman: 6-11. Jay Cutler, who was his prize possession: 17-20. Jake Plummer, a guy who had success, led them to the AFC Championship against Pittsburgh, as we know, and then benched him the next year, because he wouldn’t do what he wanted him to do. Brian Griese, who was supposed to be the heir apparent to John Elway, hasn’t had a lot of success.”


“I don’t think it’s a good fit,” McNabb said. “If this doesn’t work this year, if we don’t see a splash like a Cam Newton splash, this could be it. . . . How long does he have with RG3? The seat is hot right now.”


“I was misused,” McNabb said. “Absolutely, I was misused.”


Somewhere the truth lies in the middle. Shanahan isn't the genius many make him out to be and McNabb was pretty much toast by the time he got to Washington.

In a weird way it'll be up to Robert Griffin III to prove that McNabb was right about Shanahan and his offense or that McNabb was just living off past glory and washed up.

To me, Shanahan never adjusted his scheme to fit McNabb's talent and McNabb probably never read the playbook or bothered to learn the offense.

Theismann thinks the Redskins signing Manning is"horrific"

While the Indianapolis Colts decide whether or not to keep quarterback Peyton Manning, there are plenty of rumors as to where Manning will be playing next season.

The Washington Redskins are in that conversation and I'm pretty sure the idea of having Manning in a Redskins uniform excites the fan base. Count ex-Redskin quarterback as the one who's not excited. Theismann thinks it would be a "horrific idea" to sign Manning. 

“It’s not a good idea, it’s not a bad idea — It’s a horrific idea,” he told 106.7 last week via DC SportsBog. ”It would be one of the poorest things that we could do as a franchise. Are we gonna go find another guy for just a couple of years again? Haven’t we done this before? Haven’t we seen this act before? And by the way, if you get Peyton Manning, don’t you have a concern about protecting him? Don’t you have a concern about who he throws the football to?”


“We’re tired of looking for stop gaps,” Theismann said. “It’s time to draft one of your own, or make a deal for a young one of your own, and nurture him, and then put the players around him. If we’re gonna be 5-11, if we’re gonna be 6-10, let’s do it with somebody who’s [learning as he goes], instead of guys that have been here, making mistakes.”


I understand where Theismann is coming from. Since Dan Snyder has taken over the Redskins, he's acted as if he's playing strat-o-matic baseball rather than amking smart decisions to improve his football team. So that's where Theismann's frustration kicks in. He actually makes sense instead of being the normal blowhard that he is.

On the other hand, it's Peyton Manning. And anyone who can make Blair White and Pierre Garcon a threat might be able to work wonders with Santana Moss. While Manning might only be around for a few years, you take your quarterback of the future and let him sit behind Manning and learn the game. That way you don't have a young "savior" setting the franchise back another five years if he screws it up. Also, Mike Shanahan might feel compelled to hand the offense to Manning.


If the Redskins sign Manning, it might be the smartest signing Snyder has ever made.      

Hillis On The Lions' Radar?

There were a lot of drama surrounding Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis. After a breakout 2010 season, injuries and controversy limited Hillis to 10 games and his production took a dive. Long live the Madden curse.

Hillis will be a free agent and it's looking like the Browns may be willing to let him hit the market. None of the decision makers in Cleveland sound too keen about bringing Hillis back next season. The prevailing thought in Cleveland is that Hillis will end up leaving Cleveland since his asking price is too high. Hillis wants $10 million in guaranteed money and the Browns only want to give him $4 million.

Where could Hillis wind up. No one really knows. ESPN.com blogger Jamison Hensley says that the Washington Redskins or Detroit Lions could kick the tires on Hillis.

It would be surprising to see the Browns invest a contract in Hillis after all of the dramatics during the season. If the Browns don't re-sign him, it will be interesting to see what teams want him. The Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins could be potential suitors. 


Both teams have a need a running back, although the Lions could be strong at the position if any of their backs can stay healthy. Being a Lions fan I would rather see them invest money elsewhere. Namely on defense.

Donovan McNabb Isn't Too Fond Of Twitter

I thought I was the only one that is anti-Twitter. I actually don't mind it, it's just that I really don't care to hear about every detail of someone else's life. I also feel that it gets athletes and entertainers in trouble. When they say something that's on their mind they often speak before they speak.

Apparently current (at the moment) Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb thinks along the same lines as myself. I'm not trying to give myself or McNabb any credit, but I just find it strange that we have the same feelings about Twitter.

McNabb feels that athletes shouldn't use it. In an interview on ESPN 1000's Waddle & Silvy, McNabb let his feelings be known about athletes and Twitter.

“First of all I’m not a fan of Twitter,” McNabb said, via a transcript provided to PFT by ESPN 1000. “Nothing against their program or what they have, but as an athlete I think you need to get off of Twitter. All these social networks of you tweeting about you watching a game when you wanna be playing in it but you’re mad you’re not playing in it, so you’re gonna criticize someone that’s playing in it. I don’t believe that that’s the right deal. That’s not professional by any means and, you know, we’re all in a fraternity, so if you see a guy who’s struggling, this isn’t the time to jump on him or kick him while he’s down, you know, because that same guy will come against you and kinda blast your team out the water. So I think for an athlete to be Twittering is the wrong move, it’s one that [athletes should] leave to the fans and let them comment on certain things, but athletes need to get off Twitter.”


I agree with McNabb to a certain extent. Some of the Twittering actually is entertaining, like the tweets done by the Cincinnati Reds' Brandon Phillips, Shaq, or Chad Ochocinco. But a lot of it is unnecessary, excessive, and makes them backtrack on a lot of things they said.    


    

Brandon Banks Injured In Late Night Stabbing

Washington Redskins return ace and recevier Brandon Banks was injured following a stabbing outside a Washington, D.C. nightclub early this morning according to reports.

They said the stabbing took place around 3a.m. at a club called 'the Park'. No offense to anyone in D.C. but that doesn't sound like a place that I'd like to be that late at night. Police said there ws an argument and a man attacked Banks and a friend he was with. The friend is in serious condition, while Banks was treated and released. The man that attacked them has been arrested and is in custody.

It's a good thing Banks was relatively unharmed and that it didn't turn into a Paul Pierce situation. I'm not going to sit here and preach, but these athletes need to learn that they're not untouchable. Anyone can get to you if they try hard enough.