Negligence of Maryland football may have caused player’s death
Maryland’s coach Durkin ran a tragic horror show, abusing players physically and verbally
Jordan McNair, 19-year-old offensive lineman, collapsed on May 29 after running a series of 110-yard sprints during a workout at the Maryland Terrapins’ outdoor practice facility. He was hospitalized with a heatstroke, and he died two weeks later. And now the head coach, D.J. Durkin, has to answer for his loss. Durkin and three assistants were placed on administrative leave following media reports that pointed to extreme negligence of the football staff. ESPN’s Heather Dinich detailed “a toxic coaching culture” based on “fear and intimidation.” Players were forced to eat until they vomited. Billy Murphy, attorney representing the McNair family, told ESPN that the football staff was slow tending to the gasping boy and failed to ice him down when his body temperature was 106 degrees. “There is an unexplained one-hour time period,” Murphy said, “when nothing was done to avoid the complications of heatstroke.” The Baltimore Sun learned from 9-1-1 tape recordings that McNair had suffered a seizure and was struggling to breathe. The Terrapins’ long-time trainer, Wes Robinson, reportedly yelled, as McNair lay writhing on the ground: “Drag his ass across the field.” Dinich quoted an anonymous teammate citing “a cultural problem that Jordan knew that if he stopped, they would challenge his manhood. He would be targeted.”
Between the Lines: It almost seems incidental that Durkin has had two losing records in his first two seasons at Maryland, though in both years his recruiting classes ranked in the top 20. Perhaps he recruits good athletes and then ruins them.
Cam Newton confronts Benjamin for slamming him
When Kelvin Benjamin popped off about his ex-teammate, the wild-throwing Cam Newton, it might not have occurred to the Buffalo wide receiver that his team would be playing Newton in a few days. Not surprisingly, Newton confronted his one-time favorite receiver. Benjamin refused the handshake.
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Jets’ Adams says last season ‘everybody wanted to do the bare minimum’
Jamal Adams, second-year safety of the New York Jets, delivered a scathing review of his teammates, telling Bleacher Report that last year “everybody was used to losing. You can always tell that vibe. I came in, and it was like everybody wanted to do the bare minimum. They didn’t want to go above and beyond. They didn’t want to take that extra step.” His comments did not reflect well on the leadership of head coach Todd Bowles. “We talked about it,” Bowles said. “He didn’t mean a lot of the things that came out wrong. . . . It’s part of being a young player.” Adams did not name any of the malingerers, but Jets insiders said he had to be thinking of, among others, Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, who had a history of being late for meetings but are no longer on the team.
Dear Jamal: By saying “everybody” was giving minimal effort, you‘ve damaged your relationship with perhaps the entire team.
Star Vikings Diggs and Rhodes banned from practice after heated confrontation
Stephon Diggs, who caught the Minnesota Miracle, and Xavier Rhodes, Pro Bowl cornerback, were seen jawing at each other in a practice session and a walk-through last week. “They did not make me happy,” head coach Mike Zimmer said. So he banned the two players from the Wednesday afternoon practice. Reason for the punishment? “Just undisciplined stuff.” The dispute began during Tuesday’s drill when Diggs caught a 50-yard pass from Kirk Cousins and turned diva, launching the ball into the stands to celebrate. Rhodes was furious for being shown-up, and let Diggs know about it at the walk-through Wednesday morning. That’s when Zimmer decided he’d heard enough.
Martavis Byant slow learning Gruden’s playbook
Jon Gruden, former and current head coach of the Oakland Raiders, is notorious for authoring a complicated playbook with calls of a dozen words and numbers. James Jones, former NFL receiver now working for NFL Network, told Pro Football Talk (NBCSN) that offensive coordinator Greg Olson is struggling to work Bryant into such a complex offense. “I just had a chance to speak to coach Olson, and he said . . . he’s not picking up the playbook . . . . They’ve got him lining up in only one spot to slow it down for him . . . ”
Between the Lines: The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the Raiders ‘are bracing for’ the possibility of Bryant missing the entire season with a second suspension for drug use.
In the city of the Liberty Bell, three Eagles protest injustice and defy the President, NFL
In Philadelphia, where American democracy was born, three players for the Super Bowl champions continued their social protest during the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner. Malcolm Jenkins stood with his right fist raised. A white teammate, Chris Long, stood next to him, hand on his shoulder. Most daring of all, Michael Bennett walked through the tunnel and continued strolling to his team’s bench while the anthem was playing. In Miami, Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson knelt, and Robert Quinn raised his fist. In Jacksonville there was no overt protesting, but Jalen Ramsey, Telvin Smith, Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon were not on the field when the anthem played. They remained in their locker room, as the rules allow. Of course, President Trump had to tweet: “NFL players are at it again, taking a knee . . . to express their ‘outrage’ of something that most of them are unable to define. . . . Most of the money goes to the players anyway. . .”
Dear Mr. President: In fact – not that facts interest you — the players defined their complaints: cops shoot unarmed black people, and — as T-shirts proclaim — “60% of prisoners are black.” Another elusive fact: Players do NOT receive a majority of NFL revenues . By collective bargaining agreement, their share is 48%.
Clippers fire TV announcer Bruce Bowen for criticizing Kawhi two month ago
When the Los Angeles Clippers’ management heard of the near-mute Kawhi Leonard saying he’d like to “go home to LA,” they decided not to concede the territory to the Los Angeles Lakers. The problem for Bruce Bowen, Clippers’ TV game analyst, is that two months ago he spoke on-air about Leonard and criticized his decision to force a trade from the San Antonio Spurs, for whom Bowen played well enough to have his jersey retired. Frank Isola said on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption: “This is 95% of the reason they got rid of him, and I think it’s a sad commentary. I understand why they did it, though. This is the Clippers in a market where they’re competing with the Lakers, and the Lakers are going to make a run at Kawhi. The Clippers think Kawhi doesn’t want to be No. 2 to LeBron.”
Dear Clippers: This was an absurd overreaction. Leonard may be a sensitive male, but do you really think an opinion by a TV talker would weigh in his decision where to go as a free agent next year?