James Maloney Ready To ‘Step Up To The Plate’ For Sydney Roosters In Rugby

The Sydney Roosters five-eighth James Maloney has vowed to ease the load on halves partner Mitchell Pearce when the team faces the Penrith Panthers at Pepper Stadium on Saturday night, writes northernstar.com.

“Stand-off half” or “Five-eighth” is one of the positions in a rugby league football team. They wear jersey number 6, and are one of the two “half backs” on a rugby team, writes Wikipedia.  In this case, Maloney’s half-back partner is Mitchell Pearce.

Maloney, bound for the South African Sharks next year, has played three Origins for the Blues (a New Zealand team), so he knows the pressure Mitchell Pearce will be under backing up from last night’s game in Brisbane.

With Boyd Cordner, Aidan Guerra and Michael Jennings also set to back up after playing all three Origins, Maloney added the whole team had to lift.

“I’ll try and take a little bit of the workload off him (Pearce) this weekend but other than that it’s all the same,” Maloney told reporters. “Obviously to back up is tough on everyone that has to do it too. All of us other boys are planning to make it a little bit easier for them.”

The Roosters have won their past three games against the Warriors, Dragons and Gold Coast, writes northernstar.com.

Eagles Look At Guard John Moffitt

Will the Philadelphia Eagles hire offensive guard John Moffitt?  Coach Chip Kelly’s words and actions are sending two different messages, writes ESPN.com.

The coach’s words indicate that Kelly is comfortable with Allen Barbre, Matt Tobin and Andrew Gardner as possible replacements for the guards that Kelly released.

Since Evan Mathis left with Todd Herremans this month, Kelly has tried to add veteran guards to the Eagles’ lineup.

According to a report by FoxSports.com, the Eagles are interested in signing guard John Moffitt, who retired from the NFL two years ago.  Moffitt was a third-round draft choice of the Seattle Seahawks in 2011, and he announced that he was returning to football last week.

NFL.com writes: “John Moffitt, a former third-round draft pick of the Seahawks, is set to sign with Philadelphia, reports Ross Jones of FOX Sports.”

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000498919/article/john-moffitt-set-to-sign-with-eagles-report-says

http://espn.go.com/blog/philadelphia-eagles/post/_/id/12563/report-eagles-eyeing-guard-john-moffitt

TMZ: NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp Suspect In Domestic Violence Probe

NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp seems to be finding trouble off the field, TMZ reports.

The former Bucs and Raiders star defensive tackle has been named a suspect in a domestic violence probe in Las Vegas, TMZ Sports is reporting.  Law enforcement sources reportedly told TMZ that the woman appeared to have minor injuries.

The website, citing law enforcement sources, reported that Sapp is accused of getting into a physical altercation with a woman at a Vegas casino. The alleged incident took place on April 28.

http://www.tmz.com/2015/06/20/warren-sapp-suspect-domestic-violence-investigation-las-vegas-casino/

Super Bowl Ring Too Much?

This year’s Super Bowl ring is the biggest ever. It seems that after the “deflate-gate” scandal, the Patriots treated themselves.

The New England Patriots handed out their Super Bowl XLIX rings at a party at owner Robert Kraft’s home in Chestnut Hill, Mass., Sunday night.

This year, the team won its fourth title since 2001, and the players and coaches in attendance celebrated accordingly, writes Yahoo! Sports.

The Patriots’ website states that the rings were “formally presented as the dessert” after dinner, writes Yahoo! Sports.

They are “cast in white gold” and feature – among other details – the players’ number “encrusted in diamonds,” the Pats’ logo outlined by 44 diamonds, and a “field of 143 diamonds highlighting the four large Lombardi trophies cast with marquee-cut diamonds.”

The team says it is the “largest Super Bowl ring ever made” with 205 diamonds in all, according to Yahoo! Sports.

Be sure to check out the GIF below for the 360 degree view.

(Updated article)

360° look at Super Bowl XLIX ring #OnToTheRings https://t.co/Wvnr5uBYuu

— Jerod Mayo (@FauxMayo51) June 15, 2015

Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon

What is the “Escape From Alcatraz” triathlon?

Every year, thousands of professional athletes from all over the world come to compete in the “Escape from Alcatraz™” Triathlon, writes businesswire.com.

On June 7, more than 2,000 amateur and professional athletes took the plunge into the 60 degree water of San Francisco Bay to compete in the 35th Annual event.

It features a grueling 1.5-mile swim from Alcatraz Island to the shore, an 18-mile bike ride, and an 8-mile run through San Francisco.  It is considered one of the most punishing triathlons in the world, according to businesswire.com.

First-time Escape-from-Alcatraz competitor Eric Lagerstrom won this year’s men’s professional triathlete division.

For the first time in years, the race came down to the wire, with Lagerstrom pulling ahead of six-time champion and competitor Andy Potts in the final seconds.

“It’s been a lifelong goal to win the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon and right now I feel like I’m on top of the world,” said Eric Lagerstrom, pro athlete and brand ambassador for the solar-panel financing company Equal Earth.

“Running down the finish line neck-and-neck with six-time champion Andy Potts was epic. It is something I will never forget.”

Lagerstrom’s finish time was 2:02:06 – a remarkable accomplishment for the Alcatraz race course.

Lagerstrom is a 2013 Super Sprint National Champion and sponsored by Equal Earth, based out of San Diego.

“We are thrilled for Eric and couldn’t be more proud of him,” said Andrew Duggan, Chairman and CEO of Equal Earth.

“Eric sets out to accomplish big goals, puts in the hard work and delivers results. He defines what makes a true champion – and embodies the type of values that are important to us at Equal Earth.”

Lagerstrom is an accomplished triathlete, Super Sprint National Champion and has been racing since he was 12 years old. He currently trains in California with the Triathlon Squad and serves as a brand ambassador for the company Equal Earth.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150610006364/en/Equal-Earth-Athlete-Eric-Lagerstrom-Wins-Escape#.VX8mfPlViko

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150607005061/en/Professional-Triathlete-Eric-Lagerstrom-Wins-2015-Escape#.VX8mxflViko

FIFA Election Today

Acting on an indictment by the U.S. Justice Department, Swiss police arrested several top FIFA officials on charges of corruption on Wednesday. They were accused of widespread corruption dating to the 1990s.

Sepp Blatter – the FIFA president – was not arrested, and is expected to win a fifth term as FIFA’s president today, Friday.  Blatter became president of FIFA in 1998.

The FIFA congress will begin at 8:30am UK time on Friday (9:30am in Zurich, 3:30am New York time).

The Guardian reports that here are several items on the agenda – including “suspension or expulsion of a member” and “president’s address” – before “item 17:” election of the president.  The results of that election may be around 4:00pm UK time (around 11:00 am New York time).

Incumbent FIFA president Sepp Blatter – angling for a fifth term in the top job – and his only rival, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, will each address the congress before the 209 associations cast their votes, according to The Guardian.

NFL Moves Extra Point To 15-yard line

NFL American Football team owners approved a Competition Committee’s proposal on extra points for the 2015 season, writes nfl.com.

The NFL announced the extra point will now be kicked from the 15-yard line as opposed to within the 10-yard line, with two-point conversions remaining at the 2-yard line.

The new rule also gives the defense the ability to score two points on returns.

According to the rule change, if the defense returns a blocked extra point or failed two-point try for a touchdown (i.e. on an interception), they will be awarded two points, writes nfl.com.

Under the previous rule, on a failed try, the ball was a “dead ball” and could not be moved.

NFL Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino said teams could change their attempt decision if a penalty occurs.

The approved rule, which was decided by a 30-2 vote by owners, was one of three proposals considered by owners on Tuesday at the NFL’s Spring League Meeting, writes nfl.com.

Owners considered a proposal by the New England Patriots similar to the adopted plan, but without the defense’s ability to score. A plan proposed by the Philadelphia Eagles called for a 15-yard Point After Touchdown (PAT) and the ball on the 1-yard line for two-point tries.

The NFL has been tinkering with the PAT in hopes of making it a more difficult and therefore entertaining play for spectators. The latest change might be just the first step of further adjustments in years to come.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport also reported that the Redskins‘ proposal to have roster cuts done all at once  – moving from 90-man to 53-man rosters prior to the start of the season – was voted down by owners, per a source.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000493347/article/nfl-moves-extra-point-to-15yard-line-for-2015-season

Patriots Equipment Managers Suspended

The New England Patriots employees Jim McNally and John Jastremski were suspended on May 6th over deflate-gate.  These two were in charge of inflating Patriots’ footballs to regulation.

According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it was actually the NFL’s decision to punish McNally and Jastremski, not the team’s.

From ESPN:

“For those asking why Patriots suspended two employees if those two did nothing wrong, as New England claims: NFL asked Pats to suspend them prior to discipline being handed down, per a league source in New York. New England obliged with the NFL’s request.”

This makes what the NFL said in a statement about the punishments unclear, writes Business Insider.

“Patriots owner Robert Kraft advised Commissioner Roger Goodell last week that Patriots employees John Jastremski and James McNally have been indefinitely suspended without pay by the club, effective on May 6th,” the statement read.

That seems to imply that the team suspended the two. But note the language — it only says that Kraft told Goodell that they had been suspended, not that he had ordered it, according to Business Insider.

If ESPN’s report is to be believed, it gives the Patriots’ denials a little more weight because the team never actually felt the need to punish McNally and Jastremski.

It’s also worth noting that ESPN’s information comes from a “league source in New York,” not from someone within the Patriots who wants to make them look innocent.

It also makes things messy. The NFL released the Wells report on May 6 but waited until May 11 to punish the team and Brady. Yet according to the league’s statement, McNally and Jastremski were punished on May 6.

Business Insider asks:  If that decision was the NFL’s, why did they hand down discipline for the two employees immediately but wait nearly a week to go after the team and Brady? And why did the Patriots comply?

(Updated article)

UNT Women’s Basketball Player Death Ruled A Suicide

University of North Texas basketball player Eboniey Jeter committed suicide in her dorm room, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office report released yesterday, May 8th.

She was a forward on the UNT women’s team.

The Denton Record-Chronicle newspaper states the report by Dr. Nizam Peerwani, chief medical examiner, revealed how Ms. Jeter took her own life.

The Record-Chronicle decided not to include the details of the suicide out of respect to her grieving family.

The newspaper was unable to reach family members Friday afternoon for comment.

(Updated article)

http://www.swishappeal.com/2015/5/8/8574125/north-texas-forward-eboniey-jeters-ruled-a-suicide

Is Deflate-Gate Important?

TYT Network

According to Newsweek, on Wednesday, the NFL released its long-anticipated findings about Deflate Gate, the investigation into whether the New England Patriots deliberately deflated footballs to their advantage during last season’s AFC Championship Game.

Some players claim that it is easier to catch / throw / hold the football when it is deflated properly.  However, it is against the rules to do this.

The footballs must be inflated to 12.5 to 13.5 pounds per square inch.  During the AFC Championship game, many Patriots footballs were at around 11 pounds per square inch.

“Based on the evidence, the investigation has concluded that there was no deliberate attempt by the Patriots to introduce to the playing field a non-approved kicking ball during the AFC Championship Game,” the NFL report states. “We do not believe that there was any attempt by Patriots personnel, including Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski, to deliberately circumvent the rules by offering the kicking ball for play.”

So the Patriots as a whole were cleared of wrongdoing, including coach Bill Belichick.

However, player Tom Brady was not.

(Updated article)

http://www.newsweek.com/deflate-gate-nfl-finds-patriots-did-not-act-deliberately-tom-brady-knew-329037