7:44 PMMaurice Jones-Drew apologized to his Fantasy League owners today for taking a knee on the one-yard-line during the Jags' win over the Jets: "Sorry to my fantasy owners. They told me to get as close as I can and take a knee."
7:22 PMGregg Rosenthal at PFT reports, "The Eagles announced that (Brian) Westbrook was knocked out of Sunday's game against San Diego in the fourth quarter with another concussion." ESPN's Adam Schefterreports the same.
7:14 PM So Ced Benson of the Bengals goes down with a hip (update on his status) and now it appears Michael Turner of The Birds has an ankle that might be serious.
7:09 PMJon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury-News has an update on the muddled Rose Bowl race in the Pac-10. I'm hoping for Stanford vs. Ohio State. I'd actually brave the Rose Bowl for that one.
Anaheim Ducks captain Chris Pronger appeared to have caught the NHL’s unofficial superstars’ exemption, when it was announced by the league earlier in the week that he would not be suspended for what was clearly a skate stomp on the leg of Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Kesler during their game Wednesday.
Not so, said the league today, and Pronger was hit with an eight-game suspension without pay. Read more…
It’s a shame Anaheim Ducks defender Chris Pronger isn’t in the NFL, as he’d fit right in with the Giants’ “Stompin’ You Out” mentality, to say nothing of Albert Haynesworth. Apparently, the NHL had no problem with his stomping on Vancouver Canucks center Ryan Kesler on Wednesday, opting not to take any disciplinary against Pronger.
Those looking for consistency in their dispensation of penalties might be a little flummoxed by this development, what with the New York Islanders’ Chris Simon getting a 30-game suspension for a similar stomp on the Penguins’ Jarkko Ruutu. But he’s not an all-star! Nuts to him!
ISLES’ SIMON TAKING TIME OFF AFTER SAT. SKATE STOMP: After stomping on the foot of an opposing player, hockey goon Chris Simon is going to take a little time off:
The NEW YORK TIMES reports that the Islanders forward is taking a paid leave of absence in order to undergo counseling, according to team owner Charles Wang.
During Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh, Simon was heading to the bench, when he snuck up on the Penguins’ Jarkko Ruuttu and stomped his skate on the player’s foot:
It’s not even the first time this year Chris has attempted injury on the ice. Back in March, Simon was suspended 25 games for hitting the Rangers’ Ryan Hollweg in the face with his stick:
Simon has already been suspended six times in his NHL career, with #7 likely coming on Tuesday. When asked why Simon hasn’t been shipped out, coach Ted Nolan responded, “The easiest thing to do is to make the problem go away. We’re much more compassionate than that.”
Plus, they don’t want Simon showing up at Nassau Coliseum in another team’s jersey, looking for revenge.