4B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2007
COMMENTARY
Felony football armed, ready
Adisturbing trend has escalated over the past years. A growing number of professional and college football players have been convicted or charged with felonies. If this behavior continues, Hollywood could remake "The Longest Yard" again and be able to field a professional football team. Here are the top players who qualify for that squad.
BY KELLY BRECKUNITCH
KANSAN SPORTS COLUMNIST
BKRECKUNITCH@KANSAN.COM
Quarterback—With the events that have taken place over the summer and into the NFL preseason, Michael Vick is a lock for quarterback. His guilty plea to the dog-fighting charges will likely lead to at least a year in prison and a guaranteed spot on this football team of felons.
Running back—Ricky Williams is an anomaly. He violated the NFLs substance abuse policy four times when he was in Miami after he led the league in rushing in 2002. He retired and then tried to play in the Canadian Football League. Williams came back to the Dolphins last season only to be suspended. He will not be back with the Dolphins but will always have a spot on this troubled squad, or with the Bengals.
Fullback—According to espn. com, in 2002, Najeh Davenport was charged with a second-degree felony count of burglary and a misdemeanor count of criminal mischief after he broke into a college dormitory and defecated in a
woman's closet. Davenport pleaded not guilty, according to espn.com. These charges follow players for the rest of their careers, which makes Davenport a candidate for this team.
Wide receiver—The Carolina Panthers a both had good starts in their franchise histories. But the Rae Carruth scandal harmed the Panther image. According to about.com, Carruth was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder. He also shot into an occupied vehicle and used an instrument to destroy an unborn child. Right now, he is serving his 19 to 23 year sentence, according to courtTV.com. His spot on this squirrel is secure.
Tight End—According the newstribune.com, Jerramy Stevens was arrested in March on drunken driving and marjuana charges. This incident and a history of character problems on the field open up a starting tight end spot on the squad of felons.
Offensive Line—Don Yeager wrote in the book "Pros and Cons: The Criminals who Play in the NFL" that when Ryan Tucker
was drafted by the St. Louis Rams he was awaiting trial for assault. Yeager said after the incident Tucker left his victim paralyzed and brain-damaged. When coach Dick Vermeil was asked about the incident he replied, "He can finish a fight. That's a positive." Yes, a positive way to make it onto this squad of criminals.
Defensive Line—According to espn.com, Tank Johnson spent two months in jail after violating probation on gun charges. This prompted commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend Johnson for eight games of the 2007 season. He'll have plenty of time to play with these troubled players now.
Linebacker—According to espn com, Odell Thurman was initially supposed to be suspended for four games after missing a scheduled drug screening. "That suspension changed when he was arrested on DUI charges September 26, 2006, reported espn.com. Thurman applied for reinstatement for the upcoming season but was denied. He won't be denied on this team.
Cornerback—This position goes without saying. Pacman Jones is the obvious choice. His incident in Las Vegas is just the tip of the iceberg for why Roger Goodell suspended him for the season. According to espn.com, he was arrested before his rookie season even began when he was charged with assault and felony vandalism. Jones can "make it rain" with Vick and company on
this team.
Safety—The San Diego Chargers can take pleasure in the fact that they have the best player in the National Football League. According to a 2006 story in the Washington Post, Chargers safety Terrence Kiel was arrested on charges of transporting and possessing a controlled substance. Kiel was shipping codeine-based cough syrup to Texas, according to the story. A drug operation is a definite way to get a spot on this team.
Punter—The only college player on this team is the punter. According to usatoday.com, Mitch Cozad was charged with attempted first-degree murder and second-degree assault for trying to injure the Northern Colorado first-string punter Rafael Mendoza. Cozed wanted his starting spot. This is possibly the most bizarre sports-related crime ever.
Kicker—Bar fight are far too common among NFL players, but who would expect a kicker to be involved in a bar brawl? According to yahoo.com, Lawrence Tynes was charged with breaking a bouncer's nose. The criminal team wouldn't be complete without a kicker.
It is sad to see professional and college players resorting to such behavior. Roger Goodell is on the right track to cleaning up the NFL, and hopefully the players will start to clean up their act.
Edited by Rachael Gray
DUBLIN, Ireland — A star of Ireland's Gaelfa football league was exposed Thursday as a director of an illegal dog-fighting club, an underground gambling activity that has wrecked the reputation and career of Atlanta Falcons football player Michael Vick.
The 17-month undercover investigation by BBC Northern Ireland's "Spotlight" program, broadcast Thursday night, found evidence of 15 illegal dog-fighting operations in the British territory of 1.7 million people.
another in its jaws.
The program secretly filmed Gerard Cavlan, a 31-year-old member of the County Tyrone Gaelic football team, bragging about how one "hard-mouthed dog" "gripped
DOG FIGHTING
Gaelic footballer Gerard
Cavlin outed for fights
The BBC program deployed an undercover specialist from England who duped organizers of two dog-fighting clubs in Northern Ireland and two breeders of American pit bulls in Finland which supplied dogs to Cavlan and other Northern Ireland-based dog fighters. All were filmed discussing the tricks of their trade and methods of evading detection by authorities.
Cavlan's team won the Ireland championship in 2003. This year it lost in the quarterfinals of the annual competition among teams from each of the island's 32 counties.
Vick apologized this week after entering a guilty plea to a charge of dogfighting. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 10. and he could go to prison for one to five years. He has already been suspended indefinitely by the National Football League.
Associated Press
dium from non-adjacent parking lots. These shuttles start two hours before game time.
PARKING (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
The University has added several newly designated "tailgating-allowed" parking lots: 1, 33, 36, 39, 50, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 72, 91, 94, 124 and part of 3. Tailgating is also permitted in the Mississippi Street parking garage, but cooking is not allowed there.
The changes come because of the $31 million Anderson Family Football Complex construction to the southwest of Memorial Stadium.
The Kids' Fun Zone will not operate during the 2007 season. It will return in 2008.
"This football facility will help Kansas football compete on a more even plane with the national powers
As in past years, each student who bought a season ticket package received a complimentary student ticket for the opening game. That, combined with the stronger opponent, should bring more fans to the construction-riddled area.
in the Big 12 Conference" Perkins wrote in the e-mail to fans.
Marchiony said he expected nearly 50,000 fans to attend the game. Last year, 44,000 attended Kansas' opener against DI-AA Northwest State. This year's opener features a more attractive opponent, Central Michigan, who won the MAC last year.
Despite this expectation, the department isn't concerned.
Edited by Tara Smith
"If our fans didn't know about the construction, if it was a surprise, I would be concerned," Marchiony said. "But I think we have done a good job informing our fans about it. No one wants construction going on during the season, but I think next year will show the facility was worth the inconvenience."
Public toll parking for football games will not be available on Memorial Drive or in the Mississippi Street garage. Free public parking will be available in lots 61, 62, 71, 90, 125 and 127. Of these lots, only 90 will be served by the free shuttle.
construction effects
» Tailgating-allowed parking lots: 1, 33, 36, 39, 50, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 72, 91, 94, 124, part of 3, and the Mississippi Street parking garage, where cooking is not allowed
Public toll parking: N/A on Memorial Drive or in the Mississippi Street garage.
cooking is not allowed.
Free public parking lots: 61, 62, 71, 90, 125 and 127.
》 No "Kids Zone" this season, but it will return in 2008.
DUKE LACROSSE Prosecutor turned over all DNA evidence in case
all DNA evidence in case DURHAM, N.C. — The former prosecutor who led the Duke lacrosse rape case never intentionally tried to mislead the court and believed he gave all DNA test results to defense attorneys, a lawyer for Mike Nifong said Thursday during his criminal contempt trial.
Nifong turned over all the information during the pretrial discovery phase in his case against three Duke lacrosse players, said his attorney, Jim
Glover. And when he told a judge the defense had all the DNA test results, it was a mistake - but little more than an oversight.
Defense attorneys for the three falsely accused men asked a judge to punish Nifong for initially telling the court he had turned over all DNA test results when he knew, and failed to disclose, that genetic material from multiple men was found on the accuser - but none from any lacrosse player.
If held in contempt, Nifong faces up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.
Associated Press
Delta Gamma Would Like to Welcome Their Beautiful 2007 New Members
Erin Abramson
Tiffany Armstrong
Carly Banks
Amanda Blair
Britney Busch
Madison Clay
Gwen Cooke
Debbie Diesel
Ali Erikson
Hilary Ernst
Sara Exon
Emily Ferguson
Maxie Fisher
Tracey Ganem
Hannah Gillaspie
Rachel Hagen
Allison Harned
Brittany Harrington
Kristin Hemauer
Liz Hughes
Sara Johnson
Bailey Knott
Meg Lowry
Becca Lake
Sara Lutz
Jessy Luvisi
Kyle Mansoor
Molly Martin
Allison Mesler
Hannah Noe
Chloe Riffel
Whitney Riker
Jessica Samuelson
Rachel Samuelson
Sara Schenk
Michelle Senne
Katie Summers
Kelsey Tarletsky
Chelsea Theno
Liz Tracy
Tara Truitt
Heather Vandeberghe
Anne Marie Vanlerberg
Emily Williams
Caitlin Wise
Jaclyn Wooten
Caroline Zeller
Katie Zoretic
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