Celtics' Avery Bradley injures shoulder

Avery Bradley has been a solid contributor for the Boston Celtics this season filling in well for an ailing Ray Allen and providing quality minutes at the shooting guard position. The Celtics have been hit by a myriad of injuries this season and the playoffs are no different. Allen returned from an ankle injury but is playing limited minutes. He probably will return to his role as a starter because Bradley injured a shoulder in Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks and re-injured it again in Boston's Game 3 win last night.

Bradley has fought a shoulder injury all season but it just hasn't worked out for him in the playoffs. He left last night's game in the third quarter and never returned after it was believed that he would return.

"It's really sore," Bradley told CSNNE.com after the game. "Every time I go to extend my arm, and it gets hit, it comes in and out."     


"He's had that problem all year," said C's coach Doc Rivers. "Usually they're able to, like a leg, snap it back in. It wouldn't go back in."


As of now Bradley expects to be back for Game 4, but expect Celtics officials to hold him out.  

Delmon Young apologizes, answers questions from media

After a week of hearing nothing from him Detroit Tigers outfielder Delmon Young met with the media to apologize and answer questions. 

Although he probably had someone write this out for him and was coached on what to say, Young appeared to be emotional at times but contrite about his misgivings. Young didn't point fingers or try to blame anyone else. He placed the blame at his feet. He couldn't speak on anything case related, but I get the feeling that he'll get off light.

"I put myself in a bad situation and have no one to blame but myself. I'm currently getting treatment in an alcohol program through Major League Baseball," he said. "I just want to let people know that I'm not all the things that are saying about me. I made a lapse in judgment, but I can tell you that I am not an anti-Semitic.


"I wasn't raised that way. I come from a good family


"I hope that through the treatment program, I'll get all the help I need to come back and be a great teammate and successful baseball player in the Tigers' organization.


"I'll let my action from here on out take care of itself."

"With the job we have, everything is going to be public whether it's good or bad," said Young, 26. "It comes with the territory of being a professional athlete.

"I hope that after a while that people will see the person who's being portrayed isn't who I am. But I know it's going to take a while. You don't convince anyone with one speech."

Young also spoke with a local rabbi and both said it was a "wonderful conversation".

The only way this blows over is if Young works hard, keeps his mouth shut, and produces. If he doesn't he'll hear about it all year.

Merril Hoge calls Kurt Warner "uneducated and irresponsible"

A day after former NFL player Amani Toomer said Kurt Warner was trashing the game of football for saying he wouldn't want his kids playing the sport, ESPN analyst Merril Hoge decided to pile on Warner for the statement. Never mind that Warner backed off the comments.

Hoge has been outspoken on the issue of concussions and head injuries after his career was cut short and he successfully sued the Chicago Bears for the way he was treated for the concussions. Hoge took umbrage to Warner's comments since the concussion issue has created a firestorm of controversy when it comes to parents letting their kids play football. Hoge called Warner's comments "uneducated and irresponsible".

“I think it’s irresponsible and unacceptable,” Hoge said of Warner suggesting that football is a dangerous game for children. “He has thrown the game that has been so good to him under the bus. He sounds extremely uneducated.”

“Head trauma is not the issue here — it’s how head trauma is treated,” Hoge said. “The game is safer than it has ever been because we’re being proactive with head trauma. That is the biggest issue.”


“I can’t believe that he would share that message because now moms and dads that are out there, and Billy wants to play, but they are uneducated and they are unsure, and they love Kurt Warner, they’re like, ‘He doesn’t want his kids to play? Why should I let my kids play?’”


I guess what Warner should've said was that the game of football was good to me but the league should be taking better care of their players. We make the league a lot of money and we deserve to be treated better, because at the rate players are getting head injuries there won't be an NFL.

I wouldn't call Warner irresponsible and uneducated, he just had a bad choice of words. He probably would tell his kids the risk of long term injury if they decide to partake in the sport of football.

Former Michigan lineman Greg Skrepenak in halfway house

When I think of Greg Skrepenak I remember him being the first of the massive offensive lineman. I remember the All-American career at the University of Michigan and a so so NFL career. I guess because of his Michigan education, Skrepenak carved out a respectable living outside of the football world. What little do we know about athletes off the field.

Skrepenak is headed back to a halfway house. Skrepenak  was sentenced in 2010 to two years in federal prison for taking a $5,000 bribe from a developer while he was a Luzerne County commissioner. 

Skrepenak's prison term officially ends June 12, followed by three years of probation. Skrepenak, formerly of Jenkins Township, was given a two-year sentence for his guilty plea to accepting a $5,000 kickback as a reward for supporting a real estate developer's entry into a program to delay payment of taxes on the project.

There are no specifics as to why he was sent back to the halfway house, but it's believed that it wasn't due to any behavioral problems that led to the decision.

Two Michigan State football players involved in car accident

For the second time in less than a month a Michigan State athlete has been involved in a car accident. A few weeks ago Spartan basketball player Adreian Payne was involved an an accident caused by a deer. On Wednesday afternoon football players William Gholston and Lawrence Thomas were involved in a rollover accident.

Both players walked away from the accident in good health and were not at fault for the accident.


"William Gholston and Lawrence Thomas were shaken after being involved in a rollover accident Wednesday afternoon," associated athletic director John Lewandowski said Thursday. "The police responded within minutes of the accident, and thankfully, no one was seriously injured. Fortunately, both of them were wearing their seat belts and that made a difference in ensuring their safety."

Gholston said on this Twitter account, "Man you learn to appreciate life everyday."

They should value their lives very much after this big scare.

Randy Shannon suing the U. over money owed to him

Former University of Miami football coach Randy Shannon is suing the school for money he says is owed to him that was guaranteed for the final year of his contract.

Translation: Shannon was cut short when he was fired and wants his money.

If "The U" didn't pay Shannon what he was owed they should pay the man what was coming to him. They already fired him, so just pay him his money.

Shannon was fired in November 2010 after going 28-22 in four seasons. On Feb. 1, 2010, two deals - an employment agreement and a guarantee agreement - both went into effect. The lawsuit states that because those were less than a year old when Shannon was fired, the university decided to prorate the amount of what he was owed in the event of a firing by about one-sixth.


Exact amounts of what Shannon was owed were not detailed in the lawsuit, because terms of the employment agreement requires him to keep the amounts confidential. The lawsuit said Miami has been making monthly payments to Shannon, but at a rate lower than what was stipulated in the coach's contract.


''They are taking a credit for what they contend is an overpayment,'' said Shannon's attorney, Jack Scarola. 


''It's our position in the lawsuit that they are not entitled to do that.''


Shannon was under contract through Jan. 31, 2014, and was to receive a guaranteed amount per year if he was fired.  


Shannon is requesting a jury trial in this case. The number of dollars involved aren't named but I know that Shannon wouldn't be taking this to court over a few nickels and dimes.

It's official: Butler moving to Atlantic 10

For the last month it has been speculated that Butler would be leaving the Horizon League for the Atlantic 10. Speculation has now turned into reality as Butler held a news conference to announce their intention to join the Atlantic 10 to enhance their basketball program.

Butler will be joining the Atlantic 10 a year after Temple leaves for the Big East. The Bulldogs won't begin competing in the Atlantic 10 until the 2013-2014 season. The move will give Butler more exposure and it'll help that the program that it won't be in a one bid league any longer. It also gives the league more of a midwest presence along with Dayton, Saint Louis, and Xavier.

There have been rumblings about VCU and George Mason joining the Atlantic 10 but there has been no significant movement on that front.