Judge - Bad Sporters https://www.badsporters.com News Blogging About Athletes Being Caught Up Fri, 19 Jun 2020 13:01:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 Giants’ Joe Judge is taking time with DeAndre Baker, Aldrick Rosas situations, and whether to cut them https://www.badsporters.com/2020/06/19/giants-joe-judge-is-taking-time-with-deandre-baker-aldrick-rosas-situations-and-whether-to-cut-them/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/06/19/giants-joe-judge-is-taking-time-with-deandre-baker-aldrick-rosas-situations-and-whether-to-cut-them/#respond Fri, 19 Jun 2020 13:01:33 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=7511 Joe Judge was an unknown commodity when the Giants hired him, and still is in some ways. He had never been a head coach before, so how did he convince Giants ownership to pick him as Pat Shurmur’s replacement? Talk to anyone who knows Judge — friends, coaches, players — and their answer starts with […]

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Joe Judge was an unknown commodity when the Giants hired him, and still is in some ways. He had never been a head coach before, so how did he convince Giants ownership to pick him as Pat Shurmur’s replacement?

Talk to anyone who knows Judge — friends, coaches, players — and their answer starts with the same point.

The key phrases: Attention to detail. Detail-oriented. Over-prepared.

That’s Joe, they said.

So, for anyone wondering why Judge and the Giants haven’t decided what to do with their two players arrested recently, start there.

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Cornerback DeAndre Baker was arrested last month in Florida and charged with four counts of armed robbery and four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. Kicker Aldrick Rosas was arrested in California earlier this week and was booked for a misdemeanor hit-and-run and driving on a suspended license.

Both remain on the roster.

Will they still be here when training camp starts at the end of July? Or for the season-opener against the Steelers on Sept. 14?

That’s a decision that won’t be coming just yet. Judge and the Giants still have work to do before any decisions are made. That’s what he’s doing — finding out all of the details before deciding what to do with these two players, both projected to be starters this season.

“The only thing I’m going to say about DeAndre at this point is he’s currently on our roster and I’m not gonna comment on any ongoing legal investigation or legal situation,” Judge told NJ Advance Media’s Matt Lombardo on Monday, before Rosas’ arrest came to light. “That’s going to be my standard answer for anyone in a similar situation.”

The details in the collision report from the scene of Rosas’ alleged hit-and-run don’t paint a pretty picture. Per the California Highway Patrol report, Rosas was driving erratically at 100 miles per hour when he sailed through a red light and T-boned a pickup truck. He attempted to flee the scene, per the report, when his car broke down, then he left on foot. Responding officers found him barefoot and bloody on his hands, leg and feet.

Alcohol impairment, per the report, was believed to be a “factor” in the incident.

The Giants have been in contact with authorities about Rosas’ alleged incident and are gathering all available information before making any decision, a person familiar with the team’s thinking told NJ Advance Media.

Rosas, 25, was arrested for a DUI in California in 2016, though that was before his NFL career had started. He’s due to make north of $3 million this season and the Giants wouldn’t lose any money by releasing him.

With the 22-year-old Baker, in the days after the troubling affidavit for his arrest was announced on May 14 — which involved him allegedly robbing multiple people at gunpoint of thousands of dollars and multiple expensive watches — other information came to light that cast doubt on some aspects of the case. Lawyers for both Baker and Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar, also charged, presented signed affidavits from alleged witnesses to the bail hearing judge. It worked, as Baker was released on a $200,000 bond.

Since, his legal team has publicly (and repeatedly) defended his innocence.

“This criminal case is going to eventually be dismissed,” Patrick Patel, a Jersey City-based attorney and Baker’s attorney on NFL matters, said last month.

That seems less likely the more time that passes, as it’s been more than 30 days since Baker was released from jail on May 17.

Baker’s lawyers had a motion approved to allow him to return to New Jersey for work-related purposes. That includes training camp, scheduled for the end of July.

After the arrest, the Giants told Baker to stay away from the team’s virtual meetings on Zoom — he had reportedly missed some meetings prior to the arrest — to focus on his legal situation.

The Giants finished team meetings for non-rookies last week.

In the meantime, Baker has been working out most mornings with a trainer in Miami.

“He’s handling it outstanding,” Patel told NJ Advance Media in May. “He wants to be Ray Lewis, not Ray Rice. That’s the key to this kid’s future. Asking for forgiveness and asking for an opportunity to prove himself. This is the first time he’s ever really done anything. He’s never been in trouble before, he has no history of anything like this.

“This kid is not the typical troubled person,” Patel continued. “I’ve seen a complete change in his attitude, facial expressions, exposure. The kid is scared straight as far as I’m concerned.”

Baker was drafted in the first round last year out of Georgia — before Judge was hired — and came into the league with questions about his maturity. Various reports, including from NJ Advance Media, about his first year indicated he struggled to pay attention in team meetings, and at one point even publicly admitted to his struggle for grasping the team’s playbook.

That ultimately might not factor into Judge’s decision.

When he arrived, Judge emphasized that everybody on the roster was starting with a clean slate. That includes Baker, though his arrest is a separate issue.

Judge spoke about discipline at his introductory press conference in January.

“I would say when we spoke about discipline on the team, that’s something very important to me,” Judge said. “I think you need to have the fundamental foundation of discipline on your team, that you hold players accountable …

“It’s a family business for our ownership and it’s a family business for myself. My children have all been born in this business. Knowing that your passion is football, that your desire to win is what you truly love and that benefits your family and you’re representing something bigger than yourself.‘’

How will the Giants hold Baker and Rosas accountable for their (alleged) actions?

That remains to be seen, especially as the legal process plays out for both players. Rosas’ court date is scheduled for early September. Baker’s situation is still being considered by Broward County (Fla.) prosecutors.

This ultimately will be the first time Judge will have to … be the judge. It’s an important decision for the culture he’s trying to establish, and one he’s not taking lightly.

“He’s kind of a no-nonsense person when he handles players,” Ellis Johnson, one of Judge’s coaching mentors, told NJ Advance Media in January. “He ain’t going to put up with a bunch of bull crap.”

Looking at how the Patriots did things in Judge’s eight years on Bill Belichick’s staff, perhaps that can provide a clue as to how he’ll approach this Giants situation. In that time, seven players were arrested, the first being Aaron Hernandez in 2013.

Of the other six players, three were released shortly after their arrests: Brandon Spikes (hit-and-run), J.J. Worton (assault) and Montee Ball (domestic violence).

The three others stuck around: Alfonzo Dennard (DUI, charge dropped), Duron Harmon (drugs) and Patrick Chung, who was indicted for a felony cocaine possession last year.

At minimum, both Baker and Rosas could be subjected to punishment by the NFL for violating of the league’s code of conduct policy.

Whether that will occur with either player still on the Giants roster remains to be seen, as Judge is takes his time to, well, judge.

“It’s important,” Judge said in January, “to have good people in your locker room.”

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Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Zack Rosenblatt may be reached at zrosenblatt@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.

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Judge denies bail to man accused of killing Metis hunters on Alberta road https://www.badsporters.com/2020/06/17/judge-denies-bail-to-man-accused-of-killing-metis-hunters-on-alberta-road/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/06/17/judge-denies-bail-to-man-accused-of-killing-metis-hunters-on-alberta-road/#respond Wed, 17 Jun 2020 21:17:50 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=7434 EDMONTON — A judge has denied bail to a man accused of killing two Metis hunters northeast of Edmonton. Jacob Sansom, 39, and Maurice Cardinal, 57, were shot and killed on a rural road near Glendon, Alta., in March. Anthony Bilodeau, 31, and Roger Bilodeau, 56, both face two counts of second-degree murder. The younger Bilodeau […]

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EDMONTON — A judge has denied bail to a man accused of killing two Metis hunters northeast of Edmonton.

Jacob Sansom, 39, and Maurice Cardinal, 57, were shot and killed on a rural road near Glendon, Alta., in March.

Anthony Bilodeau, 31, and Roger Bilodeau, 56, both face two counts of second-degree murder.

The younger Bilodeau was denied bail in an Edmonton courtroom on Tuesday.

Members of the Metis Nation of Alberta rallied outside the courthouse prior to the bail hearing, with many holding signs saying “No Justice No Peace” and “Their Lives Matter” with pictures of Sansom and Cardinal.

A statement from the group says both victims were citizens of the Metis Nation.

Family and friends have said the two were hunting to feed their families when they were killed.

RCMP have said a verbal confrontation escalated into a fight between the occupants of two vehicles parked on the road northeast of Edmonton when Sansom and Cardinal were shot.

“Our communities must feel safe as we work to uphold our traditional ways of life, including harvesting,” said a statement Tuesday from the Metis Nation of Alberta.

“The MNA maintains a strong stand against violence and racism in all its ugly forms.”

Sansom’s wife, Sarah Sansom, said in an interview last month that she wasn’t sure if racism played a role in the deaths, adding she couldn’t understand why it happened.

Outside court Tuesday, she said she hasn’t slept in two-and-a-half months but may be able to now.

“I can sleep tonight,” she said of the bail decision.

“My kids don’t have to be afraid. I don’t have to be afraid.” (CTV and The Canadian Press)

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2020.

The Canadian Press

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The Latest: Virginia judge halts removal of Robert E. Lee statue for 10 days https://www.badsporters.com/2020/06/09/the-latest-virginia-judge-halts-removal-of-robert-e-lee-statue-for-10-days/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/06/09/the-latest-virginia-judge-halts-removal-of-robert-e-lee-statue-for-10-days/#respond Tue, 09 Jun 2020 05:11:20 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=7076 The latest on protests against racism and police brutality from around the world. RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond judge temporarily blocked Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday from removing a towering statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from the spot where it has stood for 130 years. An inspection crew from the Virginia Department […]

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The latest on protests against racism and police brutality from around the world.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond judge temporarily blocked Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday from removing a towering statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from the spot where it has stood for 130 years.

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An inspection crew from the Virginia Department of General Services inspects the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Monday in Richmond, Va. Gov. Ralph Northam has ordered the removal of the statue. Associated Press

A Richmond Circuit Court judge granted a 10-day injunction sought by William Gregory, who contends in a lawsuit that the state promised to “affectionately protect” the statue when it annexed the land it stands on from Henrico County. The lawsuit identifies Gregory as the great-grandson of a couple who were signatories to the deed.

Northam, a Democrat, announced plans to remove the monument and put it in storage last week amid protests in Richmond and across the country against police brutality toward African Americans. The state appeared to be making preparations to move forward with removal this week, with no-parking signs posted nearby and neighbors notified that work was expected to begin in the coming days.

The 14-foot equestrian statue and its 50-foot base stand atop land annexed from Henrico County in the late 1890s. In the deed recording for the land transfer, the state “guaranteed” to “hold said statue and pedestal and circle of ground perpetually sacred to the monumental purpose” and to “faithfully guard it and affectionately protect it,” Gregory’s lawyer, Joseph Blackburn, argued in a court filing Monday.

“Our administration is still reviewing the order,” Northam spokeswoman Alena Yarmosky said. “Governor Northam remains committed to removing this divisive symbol from Virginia’s capital city, and we’re confident in his authority to do so.”

Blackburn emailed a copy of the order to The Washington Post on Monday evening but did not respond to requests for comment. The judge’s name is not clearly legible on the order.

Read the full story about the lawsuit over Richmond’s Robert E. Lee statue here.

Protesters decorate new barrier fence around White House

The miles of new fencing put up around the White House to prevent protesters from getting too close to the building has become a canvas for demonstrators to share messages in support of racial justice.

The fencing began going up around the complex a week ago after President Trump walked from the White House to visit a church that had been burned the night before. The president visited the church after tear gas was used to clear the area of demonstrators.

The fencing, which is over 8 feet tall, went up after multiple reports that Trump was rushed to a secure bunker during demonstrations in Washington.

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People stop to look at signs on a security fence at 16th and H streets on Monday in Washington, after days of protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis. The fence is meant to keep protesters away from the White House, but they have turned it into a kind of memorial wall. Andrew Harnik/Associated Press

However, the fences have become their own sort of destination. They have been converted into a makeshift crowd-sourced memorial wall — almost like an art gallery — to black men and women who lost their lives at the hands of police.

Hundreds of people were strolling, looking, adding names and paintings and posters on Monday.

The Secret Service said that areas around the White House, including Lafayette Park, would be closed until at least Wednesday, “in an effort to maintain the necessary security measures surrounding the White House complex, while also allowing for peaceful demonstration,” meaning the impromptu art gallery should stay up for at least a few more days.

Police chief in Portland, Oregon, resigns

SALEM, Ore. — Portland, Oregon’s police chief resigned on Monday, just six months into her job, amid criticism of her department’s handling of protests in Oregon’s largest city, and an African American lieutenant on the force replaced her.

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Demonstrators march Saturday in Bend, Oregon, to protest racism and police brutality. Andrew Selsky/Associated Press

The shakeup comes as police have been sharply criticized for using what has been called inappropriate force against some protesters as huge demonstrations continue in Portland.

“To say this was unexpected would be an understatement,” new Police Chief Chuck Lovell said at a news conference. “I’m humbled. I’m going to listen. I’m going to care about the community, and I’m looking forward to this journey.”

He and community leaders of color credited Jami Resch, who is white, for stepping down as George Floyd protests continue to roil the city.

Resch told the news conference that Lovell is “the exact right person at the exact right moment” to head the police department. Resch had replaced Danielle Outlaw, who was Portland’s first African American female police chief and who became Philadelphia police commissioner in February.

Resch said she suggested the shakeup to Mayor Ted Wheeler, who said he supported Lovell to lead the department as it moves through needed reforms.

“We need Chief Lovell’s leadership,” Wheeler said at the news conference. “We must re-imagine reform and rebuild what public safety looks like.”

Resch said she will stay with the department in a different role.

Demonstrators held two peaceful George Floyd protests in Portland but a third one that lasted until the early hours of Monday resulted in at least 20 arrests, with some demonstrators throwing objects at police, who fired tear gas and sponge-tipped projectiles.

The ACLU of Oregon has called on Portland police to end the use of tear gas, impact weapons and flash bang devices.

Hundreds line up for George Floyd’s memorial in Houston

HOUSTON — Hundreds of mourners lined up outside a church in George Floyd’s native Houston for a final public viewing Monday as his death two weeks ago at the hands of police continued whipping protesters, leaders and cities around the world into action over demands to address racial injustice and police brutality.

As the doors opened at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, where Floyd spent most of his life, Floyd was lying in an open gold-colored casket, dressed in a brown suit and blue tie. His body was escorted to what organizers say will be a six-hour public viewing that was expected to draw thousands of mourners.

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Mourners are guided into the Fountain of Praise Church during a public visitation for George Floyd on Monday in Houston. Godofredo A. Vásquez, Houston Chronicle via AP, Pool

Mourners, many wearing masks and T-shirts with the words “I Can’t Breathe,” stood 6 feet apart as they paused briefly to view the casket. Some made the sign of the cross as they passed by. On the stage behind the casket were two identical murals of Floyd wearing a black cap that read “Houston” and angel wings drawn behind him.

Among those expected to attend the service was Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has called Floyd’s death a “horrific act of police brutality.”

Comill Adams, her husband Lamar Smith and their children, 8-year-old Shermame and 10-year-old Saniyah drove 7 1/2 hours from Oklahoma City to attend the public memorial.

“We had been watching the protests on TV. We’ve been at home feeling outraged. At times it brought us to tears,” Adams said. “The fact this one is causing change, we had to come be a part of.”

Adams and her family wore matching black T-shirts that had “George Floyd 1974-2020” on the front and “I Can’t Breathe” on the back. Adams said she had the shirts made for the memorial.

Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped responding. His death has inspired international protests and drawn new attention to the treatment of African Americans by police and the criminal justice system.

Even as the service began, the impact of his death continued to resonate internationally. In Paris, France’s top security official said police will no longer conduct chokeholds that have been blamed for multiple cases of asphyxiation and have come under renewed criticism after Floyd’s death. And in Washington, Democrats in Congress proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures, a potentially far-reaching legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.

Read the full story here.

Romney marches with evangelicals, becomes first Republican senator to join protests in D.C.

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, on Sunday became the first Republican senator known to march in one of the District of Columbia’s anti-racist demonstrations after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis nearly two weeks ago.

Wearing a mask and garnering little overt notice from fellow protesters, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee marched alongside hundreds of evangelicals at the head of a column of demonstrators that eventually swelled to more than 1,000 people.

Romney said in an interview that he wanted to find “a way to end violence and brutality, and to make sure that people understand that black lives matter.”

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Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, marches with a crowd singing “Little Light of Mine” in Washington on Sunday. Romney marched Sunday in the protest against police mistreatment of minorities in the nation’s capitol, making him the first Republican senator known to do so. Michelle Boorstein/The Washington Post

Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have waded through the throngs of outraged yet largely peaceful protesters in D.C., and civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., toured the city’s newly named “Black Lives Matter Plaza” on Sunday morning with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat.

Last week, Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, marched in his state. But Romney is the first Republican senator to publicize joining a demonstration.

President Donald Trump last week declared himself “your president of law and order,” and retweeted a letter from his former attorney John Dowd that referred to the protesters as “terrorists.”

Under a beating afternoon sun, protesters around Romney waved signs with biblical phrases and chanted: “Do justice! Do justice!”

At one point in the march, Romney held up his phone and – like so many other Americans have done in the past week – snapped a selfie of himself protesting. His quickly went viral.

Read the full story here.

Germany wants protesters to social distance

BERLIN — The German government is calling on people attending anti-racism protests to stick to coronavirus distancing rules.

At least 15,000 people demonstrated in Berlin and 25,000 protested in Munich on Saturday and there were protests in other German cities as part of the global demonstrations against racism and police brutality that have followed the May 25 death of American George Floyd.

In some cases, protesters were closely packed together despite German requirements for people to stay 1.5 meters (5 feet) apart.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Monday “it is good if people take to the streets in Germany as well with a clear statement against racism.”

But he added: “the pictures that in some cases emerged over the weekend were not good. Both things must be possible: to demonstrate peacefully, which is a fundamental right, and keep to the (social distancing) rules.”

He said many demonstrators “created a big risk for themselves and others.”

Germany has been widely praised for its adroit handling of the pandemic.

UK prime minister says protests ‘subverted by thuggery’ after slave trader’s statue torn down

LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says anti-racism demonstrations have been “subverted by thuggery” after protesters tore down a statue of a slave trader in the city of Bristol and scrawled graffiti on a statue of Winston Churchill in London.

London’s Metropolitan police say a dozen people were arrested and eight officers injured after demonstrators clashed Sunday with police in central London.

Johnson says while people have a right to peacefully protest, they have no right to attack the police. He says “these demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery – and they are a betrayal of the cause they purport to serve.’’

Crime, Policing and Justice Minister Kit Malthouse called Monday for those responsible for toppling the bronze memorial to slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol to be prosecuted.

But Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees told the BBC that while he doesn’t condone criminal damage, he felt no “sense of loss” for the statue.

Armed driver barrels toward Seattle protesters, shooting one before surrendering to police

A chaotic scene unfolded Sunday night in Seattle when an armed driver barreled toward a crowd of protesters, shooting one person who apparently tried to stop him, before ultimately surrendering to police, according to authorities and video footage of the incident.

The violence interrupted a peaceful protest in the name of George Floyd near the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Videos showed protesters appearing to chase after a black Honda Civic as it sped down the street toward a larger crowd, slowing just as it crashed into a metal barrier near an intersection. One protester caught up to the vehicle, video by the Seattle Times shows. The man appeared to try to reach inside the driver’s side window, when a shot rang out.

The protester jolted backward, falling onto the pavement. Bystanders and medics rushed to his aid. The suspect, who has not been identified by police, then exited the vehicle, as the people who had just surrounded his car fled in all directions.

“He’s got a gun!” people screamed in video taken by a Seattle Times reporter.

The suspect then headed toward the heart of the protest where hundreds were gathered in the street. With nowhere to go, some raised their hands in the air. Some lay on the ground.

The man ran through the crowd toward the police line on the other side of the protesters.

Once he emerged from the crowd, he walked toward police with his hands in the air. He walked nearly all the way up to the police line before officers took him away, video of the arrest shows.

Seattle police said the unidentified suspect is in custody and that a gun was recovered from the scene.

The Seattle Fire Department said the 27-year-old victim was transported to the hospital and is in stable condition.

With George Floyd’s death, French anger grows over police brutality

PARIS — France’s government is scrambling to address growing concerns about police violence and racism within the police force, as protests sparked by George Floyd’s death in the U.S. stir up anger around the world.

The country’s top security official, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, was holding a news conference Monday after Floyd-related demonstrations in cities around France. Castaner promised last week to be “unforgiving” with violations by police, but pressure is growing on the government to act.

French President Emmanuel Macron has stayed unusually silent so far both about Floyd’s death and what’s happening in France. Macron’s office says he spoke to the prime minister and other top officials over the weekend, and asked Castaner to “accelerate” plans to improve police ethics that were initially promised in January.

Last week, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation into racist insults and instigating racial hatred based on comments allegedly published by police in a private Facebook group.

Website Streetpress published a string of offensive messages that it said were published within the group, though acknowledged that it is unclear whether the authors were actual police officers or people pretending to be police. Some of the reported comments mocked young men of color who have died fleeing police.

Separately, six police officers in the Normandy city of Rouen are under internal investigation over racist comments in a private WhatsApp group. Both incidents have prompted public concerns about extreme views among French police.

French activists say tensions in low-income neighborhoods with large minority populations grew worse amid coronavirus confinement measures, because they further empowered the police.

At least 23,000 people protested in cities around France on Saturday against racial injustice and police brutality, even defying a police ban on such protests in Paris due to fears about spreading coronavirus.

Activists marched Monday in the western city of Nantes, and more demonstrations are planned in France on Tuesday, when Floyd is being buried.

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka speaks out for Black Lives Matter, faces backlash

TOKYO – Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka is under online attack in her birthplace, after speaking out about racial injustice and encouraging people to join a Black Lives Matter protest march.

Hundreds of people turned out in Tokyo and Osaka over the weekend to express their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and to protest racial injustice in the United States – as well as racism in Japan.

The protesters also took aim at Japanese police for allegedly targeting foreigners, after a Kurdish man claimed to have been stopped by police for no reason and shoved to the ground.

The protests have reopened a debate about racism in Japan – and provoked a backlash from right-wing nationalists.

Many people hoped that the rise of tennis player Osaka, born to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, to the top of the women’s world rankings would help encourage Japanese society to take a more accepting attitude to people known as “hafu,” or half-Japanese.

Osaka moved to New York with her family when she was 3-years-old, but said last year she was giving up her U.S. citizenship to represent Japan in the Tokyo Olympics, because Japan’s Nationality Act stipulates those who hold dual citizenship must choose one before their 22nd birthday.

But for some nationalists, it seems that their acceptance of Osaka is grudging at best – or conditional on her keeping her mouth shut on political issues.

Osaka began speaking out against racial injustice in the United States on Twitter last week, before encouraging people in Japan to join a march in support of Black Lives Matter in the western city of Osaka on Sunday.

Her comments sparked a flood of angry response, with some people arguing that the protest could spark a rise in covid-19 infections, and others arguing that racism was not a problem in Japan, or even that the demonstrations were organized by left-wing activists with an agenda.

“Naomi Osaka does not seem to be the pride of Japan,” one person tweeted. “This is my own personal view after all, but I now recognize her as a terrorist. I do not want her to get involved in tennis, which is played by gentlemen.”


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Minnesota judge rules ‘Miracle on Ice’ player Mark Pavelich competent to stand trial in assault case https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/31/minnesota-judge-rules-miracle-on-ice-player-mark-pavelich-competent-to-stand-trial-in-assault-case/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/31/minnesota-judge-rules-miracle-on-ice-player-mark-pavelich-competent-to-stand-trial-in-assault-case/#respond Sun, 31 May 2020 22:40:01 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=6839 MINNEAPOLIS — Mark Pavelich, the famed “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey player charged with assaulting his North Shore neighbor last fall, has been found competent to stand trial. Cook County (Minn.) District Judge Michael Cuzzo found this month that, based on a recent examination, Pavelich “presently has sufficient ability to rationally consult with counsel, understand […]

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MINNEAPOLIS — Mark Pavelich, the famed “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey player charged with assaulting his North Shore neighbor last fall, has been found competent to stand trial.

Cook County (Minn.) District Judge Michael Cuzzo found this month that, based on a recent examination, Pavelich “presently has sufficient ability to rationally consult with counsel, understand the proceedings and participate in his defense.” That allows the criminal case to proceed, months after Pavelich was civilly committed.

Pavelich, 62, is facing two felony assault charges and two felony weapons charges after allegedly striking a neighbor with a long metal pole and sending him to the hospital with serious injuries after returning to Pavelich’s Lutsen-area home following a day of fishing together in August.

Pavelich had accused his neighbor of “spiking his beer,” and the victim suffered cracked ribs, a bruised kidney and was “in and out of shock” when he was found, charges state.

Pavelich was found incompetent to stand trial on the charges in October.

In December, Pavelich was committed to the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter after being found “mentally ill and dangerous.” The doctor who recommended his commitment said Pavelich may suffer from an “unspecified neurocognitive” affliction. His family has said they suspect CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which may have resulted from repeated blows to the head while playing hockey, including 355 games in the NHL.

“Mark is the most kind and gentle person you’d ever know,” his sister, Jean Gevik, previously told the Star Tribune. “This is a totally different guy.”

CTE — which can only be discovered through an autopsy — often manifests in erratic behavior and has been suspected in the deaths of a number of professional athletes.

After initially refusing treatment, in March Pavelich began to take medication and was following doctors’ orders, according to court filings.

Earlier this week his defense attorney, Chris Stocke, filed a motion to dismiss the two felony weapons charges — possessing a short-barreled shotgun and possessing a firearm with a missing serial number — saying they were found in an illegal search.

“The fruits of the illegal search warrant must be suppressed, which results in the state lacking probable cause to move forward” with the charges.

Stocke did not return a call seeking comment. Pavelich’s next hearing is June 22, and no trial has been scheduled.

For Pavelich, the best outcome may be a plea deal that avoids a trial — and prison time — said David Schultz, a law professor at the University of Minnesota who has been following the “fascinating and tragic” case. The defense will most likely focus on Pavelich’s mental state at the time of the incident that “could perhaps exculpate responsibility,” he said.

“You don’t want somebody to walk away without being held responsible, but on the other hand he’s likely not responsible for what he did,” Schultz said. “It’s not clear what justice actually is.”

Pavelich attended Eveleth High School and the University of Minnesota-Duluth and was a member of the 1980 U.S. hockey team that upset the Soviet Union and went on to beat Finland to win the gold medal. He played the bulk of his NHL career with the New York Rangers and after retirement in 1992 became a land developer and shied away from the spotlight.

Staff reporter Paul Walsh contributed to this report.

©2020 Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

Copyright 2020 Tribune Content Agency.

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Judge rules https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/29/judge-rules/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/29/judge-rules/#respond Fri, 29 May 2020 22:37:18 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=6747 Mark Pavelich, the famed “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey player charged with assaulting his North Shore neighbor last fall, has been found competent to stand trial. Cook County District Judge Michael Cuzzo found this month that based on a recent examination, Pavelich “presently has sufficient ability to rationally consult with counsel, understand the proceedings and […]

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]]>

Mark Pavelich, the famed “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey player charged with assaulting his North Shore neighbor last fall, has been found competent to stand trial.

Cook County District Judge Michael Cuzzo found this month that based on a recent examination, Pavelich “presently has sufficient ability to rationally consult with counsel, understand the proceedings and participate in his defense,” allowing the criminal case to proceed months after Pavelich was civilly committed.

Pavelich, 62, is facing two felony assault charges and two felony weapons charges after allegedly striking a neighbor with a long metal pole and sending him to the hospital with serious injuries after returning to Pavelich’s Lutsen-area home following a day of fishing together in August.

Pavelich had accused his neighbor of “spiking his beer,” and the victim suffered cracked ribs, a bruised kidney and was “in and out of shock” when he was found, charges state.

Pavelic was found incompetent to stand trial on the charges in October.

In December Pavelich was committed to the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter after being found “mentally ill and dangerous.” The doctor who recommended his commitment said Pavelich may suffer from an “unspecified neurocognitive” affliction. His family has said they suspect CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which may have resulted from repeated blows to the head while playing hockey, including 355 games in the NHL.

“Mark is the most kind and gentle person you’d ever know,” his sister, Jean Gevik, previously told the Star Tribune. “This is a totally different guy.”

CTE — which can only be discovered through an autopsy — often manifests in erratic behavior and has been suspected in the deaths of a number of professional athletes.

After initially refusing treatment, in March Pavelich began to take medication and was following doctors’ orders, according to court filings.

Earlier this week his defense attorney, Chris Stocke, filed a motion to dismiss the two felony weapons charges — possessing a short-barreled shotgun and possessing a firearm with a missing serial number — saying they were found in an illegal search.

“The fruits of the illegal search warrant must be suppressed, which results in the state lacking probable cause to move forward” with the charges.

Stocke did not return a call seeking comment. Pavelich’s next hearing is June 22, and no trial has been scheduled.

For Pavelich, the best outcome may be a plea deal that avoids a trial — and prison time — said David Schultz, a law professor at the University of Minnesota who has been following the “fascinating and tragic” case. The defense will most likely focus on Pavelich’s mental state at the time of the incident that “could perhaps exculpate responsibility,” he said.

“You don’t want somebody to walk away without being held responsible, but on the other hand he’s likely not responsible for what he did,” Schultz said. “It’s not clear what justice actually is.”

Pavelich attended Eveleth High School and the University of Minnesota Duluth and was a member of the 1980 U.S. hockey team that upset the Soviet Union and went on to beat Finland to win the gold medal. He played the bulk of his NHL career with the New York Rangers and after retirement in 1992 became a land developer and shied away from the spotlight.

Staff reporter Paul Walsh contributed to this report.

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The Latest: Judge rejects Dutch clubs' case for promotion https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/14/the-latest-judge-rejects-dutch-clubs-case-for-promotion-2/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/14/the-latest-judge-rejects-dutch-clubs-case-for-promotion-2/#respond Thu, 14 May 2020 18:44:22 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=6212 The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world: ___ A judge has upheld the Dutch soccer association’s decision to scrap relegation and promotion from or to the top-flight Eredivisie as it cut short the season due to the coronavirus pandemic. The top two clubs in the second-tier Keuken Kampioen […]

The post The Latest: Judge rejects Dutch clubs' case for promotion first appeared on Bad Sporters.

]]>

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:

___

A judge has upheld the Dutch soccer association’s decision to scrap relegation and promotion from or to the top-flight Eredivisie as it cut short the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The top two clubs in the second-tier Keuken Kampioen Division, Cambuur Leeuwarden and De Graafschap Doetinchem, launched a legal challenge to the April 24 decision, seeking to seal promotion in court.

In a ruling streamed live Thursday, Judge Hans Zuurmond rejected their arguments, saying the Dutch association, the KNVB, has the power to make such a decision.

Zuurmond says because of the coronavirus, the KNVB “had to take a decision with its back to the wall. Doing nothing was not an option.”

According to the ruling, the KNVB had to act in the interest of all clubs. Zuurmond says it is “very bitter for Cambuur and De Graafschap, but that is not enough to overturn the decision.”

The decision marked the first time a court has ruled in a legal challenge to a one of the major European leagues’ coronavirus stoppages.

The Netherlands on April 24 became the first top-tier European league to cancel the remainder of the season. But clubs that felt disadvantaged by the terms immediately announced plans to launch legal battles.

___

The British government says it is helping the Premier League resume in June but it wants the finances to flow throughout English soccer and more fans to be able to watch games on television.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden held talks on Thursday with soccer authorities as the national coronavirus lockdown starts to be eased. The pandemic will continue to prevent any fans from attending matches if sports events do restart in June after being suspended in March.

Dowden says “the government is opening the door for competitive football to return safely in June. This should include widening access for fans to view live coverage and ensure finances from the game’s resumption supports the wider football family.”

In a statement, Dowden says soccer authorities need to finalize their plans before government approval will be given for leagues to start up again.

Players are still having to maintain social distancing in training, but contact is expected to be allowed if there is no new spike in COVID-19 cases nationally.

___

IndyCar officials have announced NBC will air a four-hour program on May 24, the original date of this year’s Indianapolis 500, that will look back at last year’s race.

Mike Tirico will interview race winner Simon Pagenaud and runner-up Alexander Rossi during the broadcast.

This year’s Indy 500 has been rescheduled for Aug. 23.

“While this Memorial Day weekend will certainly be different, we’re pleased to join our partners at NBC Sports in continuing this tradition through this special TV presentation,” Penske Entertainment Corp. CEO Mark Miles said in a statement. “We look forward to recognizing both our military and frontline COVID-19 heroes while providing motorsports fans some intense and behind-the-scenes IndyCar action through the race replay.”

Pre-race coverage will include honoring frontline workers during the pandemic as well as the military traditions associated with the 500. The program also will preview this year’s season opener, which is scheduled for June 6 at Texas.

___

The Baltimore Ravens intend to compensate stadium workers if NFL games are played before a limited numbers of fans — or no one at all — due to social distancing requirements during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ravens president Dick Cass says the team is working on a program to provide for the estimated 3,300 people employed a typical game day.

“If we don’t have that kind of staff because we have a reduced crowd at the stadium, we are planning on creating an employees’ assistance fund,” Cass said, noting that “we have not terminated or laid off or furloughed anybody and we don’t intend to.”

Instead of watching from the sideline at a minicamp practice, Cass was in his home Thursday morning, speaking in a teleconference arranged by The United Way. He noted that in a normal year on this date, there would be 90 players having breakfast at the team headquarters.

Cass said the team sill plans to open training camp and start the season on time, but it “may have to make adjustments.”

___

The IOC says it is setting aside $800 million for loans and payments arising from the pandemic that forced the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to be postponed.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach says $150 million will be available for loans to sports governing bodies and national Olympic committees. They were due payments this year for the Tokyo Games, which are now scheduled to open in July 2021.

IOC chief operating officer Lana Haddad says a breakdown of how the $650 million could be allocated will be formulated in the months ahead. It was unclear how much of the money would go to Tokyo organizers.

The Swiss government announced Wednesday that Olympic sports federations based in the country can apply for federal loans. The IOC will put up half the money for those loans, with federal and state authorities providing 25% each.

___

The Southeastern Conference has formed a task force to advise the league and member schools on decisions about resuming sports amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force represents the league’s 14 universities.

The group of medical professionals began meeting by video conference in April, the SEC said Thursday. They provide regular updates to SEC presidents, chancellors and athletic directors.

Conference members will have to approve any policy changes related to a return to practices, workouts, meetings and competition.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said the task force “has begun to provide the guidance necessary to make decisions related to the return to athletics activities for SEC student-athletes and to assist in our collaboration with colleague conferences in determining a safe return to athletics competition.”

___

Orlando became the latest NBA team to reopen its practice facility since the coronavirus shutdown, with Nikola Vucevic among the first Magic players to arrive back for voluntary workouts Thursday.

The Magic released video of Vucevic working with assistant coach Lionel Chalmers, who was in a mask and gloves for the session. The NBA requires anyone who is present for the workouts, except for the player while he is working out, to be wearing personal protective equipment.

“It felt good to be back here and get some work in,” Vucevic said afterward in a message distributed by the team. “But I still want you guys to stay safe, be smart, listen to the experts. It’s still a dangerous time for everybody. But be safe, listen to the experts and I’ll see you soon.”

Vucevic was averaging 19.5 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Magic when the NBA season was suspended March 11.

___

The PGA Tour Champions, which already has canceled eight tournaments because of the COVID-19 pandemic, has decided to combine 2020 and 2021 into one season.

Tour president Miller Brady says combining two seasons into one is the best solution.

The 50-and-older circuit is scheduled to resume with the Ally Challenge in Michigan on July 31. That would be the first of 13 events remaining this year, barring any delays. The PGA Tour Champions already has lost two majors, the U.S. Senior Open and the Senior PGA Championship, and is waiting to hear the fate of the Senior British Open.

Because of the combined seasons, the postseason events will have 81-player fields and a Charles Schwab Cup champion will not be decided until 2021.

The tour will announce the 2021 schedule later this year.

___

Spanish second-division club Elche says its players have agreed to return to training after it reinstated their full-time work contracts.

Club CEO Patricia Rodríguez told Spanish news agency EFE Thursday that after negotiating with the squad, the club had agreed to end the work furlough it had been on for two months since the coronavirus pandemic put all league activity on hold.

The players did not return to practice on Wednesday as a protest against salary reductions of 70% imposed under the furlough. Many Spanish clubs have put their players on furlough.

Spanish clubs have returned to training individually at club facilities as they wait for the league to resume play, possibly this summer.

___

The Southern Conference will cut back on schools qualifying for several championships, cut its league baseball series from three games to two and hold virtual media days for football and basketball.

Those are among several cost-cutting moves announced by the conference because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Division I conference will reduce qualifiers to four for men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s tennis, softball and baseball.

Conference commissioner Jim Schaus said league presidents had approved a cost-savings plan for the 2020-21 academic year. Schaus said staff at the conference office will have reduced travel going forward and their salaries will be frozen.

___

Akron is dropping men’s golf and cross country and women’s tennis in cost-cutting moves due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school said the reduction will take effect at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. Akron will now have seven men’s sports and 10 women’s sports. The school will remain a member of the Mid-American Conference, which announced changes to several conference championships earlier this week.

“These decisions are very difficult but they are important and necessary at this time,” athletic director Larry Williams said. “This action aligns us with our Mid-American Conference peers in the total number of sports and is part of the ongoing effort to redesign the University to ensure that UA continues to invest in high-demand, high-quality academic programs.”

In a news release, the school said it considered factors including program cost, facilities, community impact and future funding.

___

Atlanta United players Anton Walkes and Fernando Meza say they’re open to the idea of resuming Major League Soccer with all teams playing in the Orlando, Florida, area.

But Walkes said there are a number of issues that must be addressed before such a plan could be approved.

“The safety of everyone is first and foremost,” he said on a video conference call with Atlanta media.

Details of the plan are still under consideration, but the league’s 26 teams and limited staff would likely be sheltered in a resort with games played without fans at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World. The league suspended play on March 12 after teams had played just two games.

Meza said “the logistics of it will be challenging.”

Walkes said he’s also concerned about the mental aspect of players being asked to essentially quarantine in one location — especially if it means being without families and friends for potentially several months.

Teams could head to Florida as early as June 1 for training camps. After such a long layoff, Walkes indicated it would likely take at least a month to get in proper playing shape to start up again.

___

The Austrian soccer league says it is investigating first-place club LASK Linz for breaking rules on training during the coronavirus pandemic.

Clubs in Austria are only supposed to hold training for small groups of players under social distancing regulations before full training begins Friday.

But the league says it was sent multiple videos showing “a regular team training session” which supposedly took place “recently.” LASK has been charged with a violation of fair-play principles. The team could be fined or have points deducted.

Salzburg commercial director Stephan Reiter says the second-place club is “shocked and stunned” at LASK’s conduct.

Soccer is scheduled to resume in the country with the Austrian Cup final on May 29 before the league starts up again next month.

___

Ireland has postponed its limited-overs cricket matches against New Zealand and Pakistan in June and July because of the coronavirus pandemic.

New Zealand Cricket informed Cricket Ireland this week it couldn’t travel and the latter has confirmed putting off the matches in Northern Ireland. The teams were to meet for three Twenty20s in Bready and three one-day internationals in Belfast from June 19 to July 2.

Restrictions on travel and professional sports also forced Cricket Ireland to postpone hosting Pakistan in two T20s on July 12 and 14.

The Netherlands legs of both tours by New Zealand and Pakistan had already been curtailed last month after the Dutch government banned all big sports events until Sept. 1.

Pakistan is still scheduled to tour England for three tests and three T20s from July 30 to Sept. 2.

Cricket Ireland says it is talking with England officials about possibly rescheduling their three ODIs in September in England.

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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The Latest: Judge rejects Dutch clubs’ case for promotion https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/14/the-latest-judge-rejects-dutch-clubs-case-for-promotion/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/14/the-latest-judge-rejects-dutch-clubs-case-for-promotion/#respond Thu, 14 May 2020 18:29:56 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=6206 A directional arrow on a street points to the Signal Iduna Park, Germany’s biggest stadium of Borussia Dortmund in Dortmund, Germany, Thursday, May 14, 2020. Bundesliga will now restart on May 16, 2020 when Borussia Dortmund will play the derby against FC Schalke 04 at home without spectators due to the coronavirus outbreak. Martin Meissner […]

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]]>

A directional arrow on a street points to the Signal Iduna Park, Germany's biggest stadium of Borussia Dortmund in Dortmund, Germany, Thursday, May 14, 2020. Bundesliga will now restart on May 16, 2020 when Borussia Dortmund will play the derby against FC Schalke 04 at home without spectators due to the coronavirus outbreak.

A directional arrow on a street points to the Signal Iduna Park, Germany’s biggest stadium of Borussia Dortmund in Dortmund, Germany, Thursday, May 14, 2020. Bundesliga will now restart on May 16, 2020 when Borussia Dortmund will play the derby against FC Schalke 04 at home without spectators due to the coronavirus outbreak.

AP Photo

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:

___

A judge has upheld the Dutch soccer association’s decision to scrap relegation and promotion from or to the top-flight Eredivisie as it cut short the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The top two clubs in the second-tier Keuken Kampioen Division, Cambuur Leeuwarden and De Graafschap Doetinchem, launched a legal challenge to the April 24 decision, seeking to seal promotion in court.

In a ruling streamed live Thursday, Judge Hans Zuurmond rejected their arguments, saying the Dutch association, the KNVB, has the power to make such a decision.

Zuurmond says because of the coronavirus, the KNVB “had to take a decision with its back to the wall. Doing nothing was not an option.”

According to the ruling, the KNVB had to act in the interest of all clubs. Zuurmond says it is “very bitter for Cambuur and De Graafschap, but that is not enough to overturn the decision.”

The decision marked the first time a court has ruled in a legal challenge to a one of the major European leagues’ coronavirus stoppages.

The Netherlands on April 24 became the first top-tier European league to cancel the remainder of the season. But clubs that felt disadvantaged by the terms immediately announced plans to launch legal battles.

___

The British government says it is helping the Premier League resume in June but it wants the finances to flow throughout English soccer and more fans to be able to watch games on television.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden held talks on Thursday with soccer authorities as the national coronavirus lockdown starts to be eased. The pandemic will continue to prevent any fans from attending matches if sports events do restart in June after being suspended in March.

Dowden says “the government is opening the door for competitive football to return safely in June. This should include widening access for fans to view live coverage and ensure finances from the game’s resumption supports the wider football family.”

In a statement, Dowden says soccer authorities need to finalize their plans before government approval will be given for leagues to start up again.

Players are still having to maintain social distancing in training, but contact is expected to be allowed if there is no new spike in COVID-19 cases nationally.

___

IndyCar officials have announced NBC will air a four-hour program on May 24, the original date of this year’s Indianapolis 500, that will look back at last year’s race.

Mike Tirico will interview race winner Simon Pagenaud and runner-up Alexander Rossi during the broadcast.

This year’s Indy 500 has been rescheduled for Aug. 23.

“While this Memorial Day weekend will certainly be different, we’re pleased to join our partners at NBC Sports in continuing this tradition through this special TV presentation,” Penske Entertainment Corp. CEO Mark Miles said in a statement. “We look forward to recognizing both our military and frontline COVID-19 heroes while providing motorsports fans some intense and behind-the-scenes IndyCar action through the race replay.”

Pre-race coverage will include honoring frontline workers during the pandemic as well as the military traditions associated with the 500. The program also will preview this year’s season opener, which is scheduled for June 6 at Texas.

___

The Baltimore Ravens intend to compensate stadium workers if NFL games are played before a limited numbers of fans — or no one at all — due to social distancing requirements during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ravens president Dick Cass says the team is working on a program to provide for the estimated 3,300 people employed a typical game day.

“If we don’t have that kind of staff because we have a reduced crowd at the stadium, we are planning on creating an employees’ assistance fund,” Cass said, noting that “we have not terminated or laid off or furloughed anybody and we don’t intend to.”

Instead of watching from the sideline at a minicamp practice, Cass was in his home Thursday morning, speaking in a teleconference arranged by The United Way. He noted that in a normal year on this date, there would be 90 players having breakfast at the team headquarters.

Cass said the team sill plans to open training camp and start the season on time, but it “may have to make adjustments.”

___

The IOC says it is setting aside $800 million for loans and payments arising from the pandemic that forced the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to be postponed.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach says $150 million will be available for loans to sports governing bodies and national Olympic committees. They were due payments this year for the Tokyo Games, which are now scheduled to open in July 2021.

IOC chief operating officer Lana Haddad says a breakdown of how the $650 million could be allocated will be formulated in the months ahead. It was unclear how much of the money would go to Tokyo organizers.

The Swiss government announced Wednesday that Olympic sports federations based in the country can apply for federal loans. The IOC will put up half the money for those loans, with federal and state authorities providing 25% each.

___

The Southeastern Conference has formed a task force to advise the league and member schools on decisions about resuming sports amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force represents the league’s 14 universities.

The group of medical professionals began meeting by video conference in April, the SEC said Thursday. They provide regular updates to SEC presidents, chancellors and athletic directors.

Conference members will have to approve any policy changes related to a return to practices, workouts, meetings and competition.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said the task force “has begun to provide the guidance necessary to make decisions related to the return to athletics activities for SEC student-athletes and to assist in our collaboration with colleague conferences in determining a safe return to athletics competition.”

___

Orlando became the latest NBA team to reopen its practice facility since the coronavirus shutdown, with Nikola Vucevic among the first Magic players to arrive back for voluntary workouts Thursday.

The Magic released video of Vucevic working with assistant coach Lionel Chalmers, who was in a mask and gloves for the session. The NBA requires anyone who is present for the workouts, except for the player while he is working out, to be wearing personal protective equipment.

“It felt good to be back here and get some work in,” Vucevic said afterward in a message distributed by the team. “But I still want you guys to stay safe, be smart, listen to the experts. It’s still a dangerous time for everybody. But be safe, listen to the experts and I’ll see you soon.”

Vucevic was averaging 19.5 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Magic when the NBA season was suspended March 11.

___

The PGA Tour Champions, which already has canceled eight tournaments because of the COVID-19 pandemic, has decided to combine 2020 and 2021 into one season.

Tour president Miller Brady says combining two seasons into one is the best solution.

The 50-and-older circuit is scheduled to resume with the Ally Challenge in Michigan on July 31. That would be the first of 13 events remaining this year, barring any delays. The PGA Tour Champions already has lost two majors, the U.S. Senior Open and the Senior PGA Championship, and is waiting to hear the fate of the Senior British Open.

Because of the combined seasons, the postseason events will have 81-player fields and a Charles Schwab Cup champion will not be decided until 2021.

The tour will announce the 2021 schedule later this year.

___

Spanish second-division club Elche says its players have agreed to return to training after it reinstated their full-time work contracts.

Club CEO Patricia Rodríguez told Spanish news agency EFE Thursday that after negotiating with the squad, the club had agreed to end the work furlough it had been on for two months since the coronavirus pandemic put all league activity on hold.

The players did not return to practice on Wednesday as a protest against salary reductions of 70% imposed under the furlough. Many Spanish clubs have put their players on furlough.

Spanish clubs have returned to training individually at club facilities as they wait for the league to resume play, possibly this summer.

___

The Southern Conference will cut back on schools qualifying for several championships, cut its league baseball series from three games to two and hold virtual media days for football and basketball.

Those are among several cost-cutting moves announced by the conference because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Division I conference will reduce qualifiers to four for men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s tennis, softball and baseball.

Conference commissioner Jim Schaus said league presidents had approved a cost-savings plan for the 2020-21 academic year. Schaus said staff at the conference office will have reduced travel going forward and their salaries will be frozen.

___

Akron is dropping men’s golf and cross country and women’s tennis in cost-cutting moves due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school said the reduction will take effect at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. Akron will now have seven men’s sports and 10 women’s sports. The school will remain a member of the Mid-American Conference, which announced changes to several conference championships earlier this week.

“These decisions are very difficult but they are important and necessary at this time,” athletic director Larry Williams said. “This action aligns us with our Mid-American Conference peers in the total number of sports and is part of the ongoing effort to redesign the University to ensure that UA continues to invest in high-demand, high-quality academic programs.”

In a news release, the school said it considered factors including program cost, facilities, community impact and future funding.

___

Atlanta United players Anton Walkes and Fernando Meza say they’re open to the idea of resuming Major League Soccer with all teams playing in the Orlando, Florida, area.

But Walkes said there are a number of issues that must be addressed before such a plan could be approved.

“The safety of everyone is first and foremost,” he said on a video conference call with Atlanta media.

Details of the plan are still under consideration, but the league’s 26 teams and limited staff would likely be sheltered in a resort with games played without fans at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World. The league suspended play on March 12 after teams had played just two games.

Meza said “the logistics of it will be challenging.”

Walkes said he’s also concerned about the mental aspect of players being asked to essentially quarantine in one location — especially if it means being without families and friends for potentially several months.

Teams could head to Florida as early as June 1 for training camps. After such a long layoff, Walkes indicated it would likely take at least a month to get in proper playing shape to start up again.

___

The Austrian soccer league says it is investigating first-place club LASK Linz for breaking rules on training during the coronavirus pandemic.

Clubs in Austria are only supposed to hold training for small groups of players under social distancing regulations before full training begins Friday.

But the league says it was sent multiple videos showing “a regular team training session” which supposedly took place “recently.” LASK has been charged with a violation of fair-play principles. The team could be fined or have points deducted.

Salzburg commercial director Stephan Reiter says the second-place club is “shocked and stunned” at LASK’s conduct.

Soccer is scheduled to resume in the country with the Austrian Cup final on May 29 before the league starts up again next month.

___

Ireland has postponed its limited-overs cricket matches against New Zealand and Pakistan in June and July because of the coronavirus pandemic.

New Zealand Cricket informed Cricket Ireland this week it couldn’t travel and the latter has confirmed putting off the matches in Northern Ireland. The teams were to meet for three Twenty20s in Bready and three one-day internationals in Belfast from June 19 to July 2.

Restrictions on travel and professional sports also forced Cricket Ireland to postpone hosting Pakistan in two T20s on July 12 and 14.

The Netherlands legs of both tours by New Zealand and Pakistan had already been curtailed last month after the Dutch government banned all big sports events until Sept. 1.

Pakistan is still scheduled to tour England for three tests and three T20s from July 30 to Sept. 2.

Cricket Ireland says it is talking with England officials about possibly rescheduling their three ODIs in September in England.

Source link

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Judge reduces bail for ex-U. football player charged with rape, sexual assault of women https://www.badsporters.com/2020/04/24/judge-reduces-bail-for-ex-u-football-player-charged-with-rape-sexual-assault-of-women/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/04/24/judge-reduces-bail-for-ex-u-football-player-charged-with-rape-sexual-assault-of-women/#respond Fri, 24 Apr 2020 13:26:08 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=5499 WEST JORDAN — A judge has significantly reduced bail for the University of Utah football player charged with raping a teen girl and sexually assaulting two other women. Terrell Maurice Perriman, the 20-year-old wide receiver from Miami, was expected to post bond after 3rd District Judge Chelsea Koch ordered the reduction from $750,000 to $50,000 […]

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WEST JORDAN — A judge has significantly reduced bail for the University of Utah football player charged with raping a teen girl and sexually assaulting two other women.

Terrell Maurice Perriman, the 20-year-old wide receiver from Miami, was expected to post bond after 3rd District Judge Chelsea Koch ordered the reduction from $750,000 to $50,000 on Monday.

In court filings, Perriman’s attorney, David Drake, argued his client is an excellent student with no criminal history. Drake said Perriman is not a flight risk or a danger to the community.

“A $750,000 bail is, in reality, no bail. It is a slam in the face to the concept of innocent until proven guilty,” Drake wrote.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said his office had argued against the bail reduction, in part because Perriman is not originally from Utah.

“These are very serious allegations. We have three alleged victims,” Gill said. “Our position has never changed, that when it comes to these kinds of violent offenses, we believe this person has been a risk to the community and we don’t believe this is an appropriate release.”

The judge ordered Perriman to home confinement and required him to wear an ankle monitor if he makes bail, court records show. Two of his attorneys did not immediately answer messages seeking comment.

Prosecutors allege Perriman held a 17-year-old high school student against her will and raped her in his Salt Lake City apartment on Jan. 23.

Drake, the defense attorney, countered in February court filings that Perriman did not rape or kidnap the girl. In the days after the alleged assault, Drake said, the teen texted Perriman about meeting for lunch, told him she loved him and took a selfie with him wherein both are unclothed and she is smiling. Drake alleged she went to police after learning she was not the only person Perriman was dating.

After the football player’s arrest, police said two more women came forward with allegations of sexual assault.

One told police Perriman forced her to perform a sex act against her will in 2018. He went to her house to borrow something about a month later, charges say, but pushed his way in when she opened the door slightly, then assaulted her. The other woman told officers Perriman invited her to his home Jan. 21 and raped her, charges say.

In all, he faces three counts of rape and two counts of forcible sodomy, all first-degree felonies; burglary and forcible sexual abuse, both second-degree felonies; and aggravated kidnapping, a third-degree felony.

Perriman was a redshirt freshman on the University of Utah football team in 2019. He was suspended from the team amid the initial charges.

In the wake of the additional charges, U. head football coach Kyle Whittingham announced Perriman’s dismissal from the team.

He is due back in court June 22.

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Judge reduces bail for ex-University of Utah football player charged with rape, sexual assault of women https://www.badsporters.com/2020/04/21/judge-reduces-bail-for-ex-university-of-utah-football-player-charged-with-rape-sexual-assault-of-women/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/04/21/judge-reduces-bail-for-ex-university-of-utah-football-player-charged-with-rape-sexual-assault-of-women/#respond Tue, 21 Apr 2020 03:41:35 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=5428 WEST JORDAN — A judge has significantly reduced bail for the University of Utah football player charged with raping a teen girl and sexually assaulting two other women. Terrell Maurice Perriman, the 20-year-old wide receiver from Miami, was expected to post bond after 3rd District Judge Chelsea Koch ordered the reduction from $750,000 to $50,000 […]

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WEST JORDAN — A judge has significantly reduced bail for the University of Utah football player charged with raping a teen girl and sexually assaulting two other women.

Terrell Maurice Perriman, the 20-year-old wide receiver from Miami, was expected to post bond after 3rd District Judge Chelsea Koch ordered the reduction from $750,000 to $50,000 on Monday.

In court filings, Perriman’s attorney, David Drake, argued his client is an excellent student with no criminal history. Drake said Perriman is not a flight risk or a danger to the community.

“A $750,000 bail is, in reality, no bail. It is a slam in the face to the concept of innocent until proven guilty,” Drake wrote.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said his office had argued against the bail reduction, in part because Perriman is not originally from Utah.

“These are very serious allegations. We have three alleged victims,” Gill said. “Our position has never changed, that when it comes to these kinds of violent offenses, we believe this person has been a risk to the community and we don’t believe this is an appropriate release.”

The judge ordered Perriman to home confinement and required him to wear an ankle monitor if he makes bail, court records show. Two of his attorneys did not immediately answer messages seeking comment.

Prosecutors allege Perriman held a 17-year-old high school student against her will and raped her in his Salt Lake City apartment on Jan. 23.

Drake, the defense attorney, countered in February court filings that Perriman did not rape or kidnap the girl. In the days after the alleged assault, Drake said, the teen texted Perriman about meeting for lunch, told him she loved him and took a selfie with him wherein both are unclothed and she is smiling. Drake alleged she went to police after learning she was not the only person Perriman was dating.

After the football player’s arrest, police said two more women came forward with allegations of sexual assault.

One told police Perriman forced her to perform a sex act against her will in 2018. He went to her house to borrow something about a month later, charges say, but pushed his way in when she opened the door slightly, then assaulted her. The other woman told officers Perriman invited her to his home Jan. 21 and raped her, charges say.

In all, he faces three counts of rape and two counts of forcible sodomy, all first-degree felonies; burglary and forcible sexual abuse, both second-degree felonies; and aggravated kidnapping, a third-degree felony.

Perriman was a redshirt freshman on the University of Utah football team in 2019. He was suspended from the team amid the initial charges.

In the wake of the additional charges, U. head football coach Kyle Whittingham announced Perriman’s dismissal from the team.

He is due back in court June 22.

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NFL player Antonio Brown to appear before Florida judge https://www.badsporters.com/2020/01/25/nfl-player-antonio-brown-to-appear-before-florida-judge/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/01/25/nfl-player-antonio-brown-to-appear-before-florida-judge/#respond Sat, 25 Jan 2020 22:44:29 +0000 http://www.badsporters.com/?p=5199 FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — NFL free agent Antonio Brown turned himself in at a Florida jail on Thursday night following accusations that he and his trainer attacked the driver of a moving truck that carried some of his possessions from California. Brown, 31, arrived at Broward County Jail around 10 p.m. The wide receiver, […]

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FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — NFL free agent Antonio Brown turned himself in at a Florida jail on Thursday night following accusations that he and his trainer attacked the driver of a moving truck that carried some of his possessions from California.

Brown, 31, arrived at Broward County Jail around 10 p.m. The wide receiver, wearing a turquoise suit buttoned over a green athletic jacket, walked out of the jail a few minutes after arriving, but then returned after conferring with his lawyer, who indicated that he would spend the night behind bars.

“He’s innocent of these charges. Hopefully we’ll get bond tomorrow and he’ll be acquitted of all charges,” attorney Eric Schwartzreich told

He is expected to appear before a judge in a bond court hearing on Friday.

A Hollywood police statement said Brown’s arrest warrant included charges of burglary with battery, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and criminal mischief. Officials responded Tuesday afternoon to a disturbance call where the alleged victim said Brown and his trainer, Glenn Holt, hit him outside Brown’s Hollywood home.

Holt was arrested and charged with one count of burglary with battery, but officials couldn’t make contact with Brown at the time.

The Miami Herald , citing an officer’s arrest report, that it began as an argument over Brown’s refusal to pay $4,000 to the driver to release his household goods. The driver called police and reported a vandalism after he said Brown threw a rock as he drove away, causing a small dent and chipping the paint, an officer wrote.

The driver later returned when the manager of his company told him that Brown would now pay the $4,000, and an additional $860 for the damage and the driver’s time. Brown then paid the $4,000, but refused to pay the rest, so the driver returned to the van to call his company, and that’s when Brown “started another verbal argument,” police said.

“Brown stepped up into the cabin of the vehicle and started to physically grab and pull (the driver),” while Holt “entered the vehicle and grabbed the keys from the ignition,” police said. The driver tried to get the keys back and cut his hand in the process, according to the report.

Police say the driver suffered injuries including scratches on his neck, shoulder and arm, a cut on his finger and a scrape on his stomach.

Holt then used the keys to open the truck, while Brown “and other unidentified friends” began removing boxes. The boxes, however, belonged to another client, police said. When the driver told them so, Brown and the others “started tossing the items back into the truck causing damage to some of the property,” an officer wrote.

Hollywood police were called again, and when officers arrived, Brown “retreated inside of his residence and shut the door.”

Brown, who is a free agent, played nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders last year but released before ever playing a regular season game following several off-the-field incidents. He was then signed by the New England Patriots, after a second woman in 10 days .

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