Tennessee Democrat Congressman Steve Cohen’s Gaffe … Eli and Peyton Manning ‘Don’t Do Sexual Assault… Other Than Their Wives’

OOPS, SEXUAL ASSAULTS BEGIN AT HOME WITH YOUR WIVES …

Tennessee Democrat Congressman Steve Cohen seems to not only know who NFL Tennessee Titan’s WR Sammy Hill is, he also seems to have trouble with the English language. While answering a question on the allegations that Sammy Hill sexually assaulted a woman, Cohen stated, “I never heard of him. I don’t keep up with football except for college football, unless it’s Eli Manning or Peyton Manning. And Eli and Peyton don’t do sexual assaults against  people other than their wives.” WHAT!?!

UPDATE I: Cohen Regrets Eli, Peyton Manning sex assault comment:

No duh, I think we can pretty much figure out that Congressman Cohen misspoke. More to the point, I think this shows just how unprepared and ignorant of the fact that these elected politicians are and their inability to speak unless its been prepared in a speech by some unnamed staffer.

A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, said the congressman intended to point out NFL quarterbacks Eli Manning and Peyton Manning are in committed marriages when he said the pair don’t sexually assault people “other than their wives.”

“Congressman Cohen misspoke, abhors sexual violence of any kind, is a fan of both Manning brothers, and deeply regrets any confusion. His intention was simply to indicate that Eli and Peyton are in committed, monogamous marriages,” Garmisa said.

Daily Commentary – Tuesday, December 2, 2014 – St. Louis Police Group Angry at Rams Players, Wants Them Punished

• The Police Group wants the St. Louis Ram’s players punished for holding their hands up in solidarity with the Ferguson protestors

Five ST. Louis Ram Players Display “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” Gesture Before Game with Raiders … SLPOA Condemns Rams Display … “Tasteless, Offensive and Inflammatory” (Update: NFL Says No Fines)(Update: Rams & Police Battle Over Apology)

Who wants to tell these fools that “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” was a lie?

The NFL gets another black eye. Before Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders, members of the St. Louis Rams came out during pregame introductions with their hands up as they entered the field at the Edward Jones Dome in solidarity with the ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ movement. Really?  A St. Louis Rams spokesman said the team was unaware of the demonstration before the game. However, the St. Louis Police Officers Association was none too happy with these actions and condemned the St. Louis Rams football players who entered the field displaying the “hands up don’t shoot.” Too bad it was a contrived false narrative made up by the MSM.

Wide receivers Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin, Chris Givens and Kenny Britt and tight end Jared Cook all took the field displaying the gesture, which mimics the “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” stance that has become a frequent image among protesters since the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson in nearby Ferguson, Mo. in August.

While the players and Rams have not yet confirmed whether the gesture was related to the recent protests after a prosecutor’s decision Monday not to indict Wilson, a number of other athletes did respond to the news from Ferguson via social media and in interviews earlier this week.

Statement from St. Louis Police Officers Association:

“St. Louis, Missouri (November 30, 2014) – The St. Louis Police Officers Association is profoundly disappointed with the members of the St. Louis Rams football team who chose to ignore the mountains of evidence released from the St. Louis County Grand Jury this week and engage in a display that police officers around the nation found tasteless, offensive and inflammatory.

“Five members of the Rams entered the field today exhibiting the “hands-up-don’t-shoot” pose that has been adopted by protestors who accused Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson of murdering Michael Brown. The gesture has become synonymous with assertions that Michael Brown was innocent of any wrongdoing and attempting to surrender peacefully when Wilson, according to some now-discredited witnesses, gunned him down in cold blood.

“SLPOA Business Manager Jeff Roorda said, “now that the evidence is in and Officer Wilson’s account has been verified by physical and ballistic evidence as well as eye-witness testimony, which led the grand jury to conclude that no probable cause existed that Wilson engaged in any wrongdoing, it is unthinkable that hometown athletes would so publicly perpetuate a narrative that has been disproven over-and-over again.”
(more)

Police Officers Association: Rams Players Need to be Disciplined for ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ Gesture.

“No matter what happened on that day, no matter how the whole situation went down, there has to be a change.”

Coach Jeff Fisher said he’d not been aware the “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” gesture had been planned by the players, all of them black.

Wide receivers Tavon Austin and Kenny Britt came out together first, with the move obscured by a smoke machine in the upper reaches of the Edward Jones Dome. Cook, Stedman Bailey and Chris Givens then came out and stood together with hands raised in the fog.

Some witnesses said Michael Brown had his hands up before being fatally shot by police officer Darren Wilson in August. Brown had been unarmed.

“I don’t want the people in the community to feel like we turned a blind eye to it,” Britt said. “What would I like to see happen? Change in America.”

UPDATE I: NFL Will not Fine Players … sides with thuggery.

Keep it up NFL and you will become the NBA real fast. You already went soft on domestic abuse, now you thumb your nose at the very individuals who keep our streets safe. Pathetic.

The NFL will not adhere to a request from the St. Louis Police Officer’s Association to discipline St. Louis Rams players who did the “hands up, don’t shoot” pose used by protesters in Ferguson, Mo. during pre-game introductions on Sunday.

“We respect and understand the concerns of all individuals who have expressed views on this tragic situation,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.

The police officer’s association issued a letter late Sunday condemning the players’ actions as “tasteless, offensive and inflammatory” given a grand jury’s decision not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of black teenager Michael Brown.

UPDATE II: NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement, “We respect and understand the concerns of all individuals who have expressed views on this tragic situation.”

“So we wanted to come out and show our respect to the protests and the people who have been doing a heck of a job around the world.”

Well, cops in St. Louis County wouldn’t have minded being told they were doing a heck of a job, too – what with trying to keep criminals from burning down businesses and generally running riot with the same “hands up, don’t shoot” attitude the players brought to the field with them on Sunday.

And in case geniuses like Cook et al didn’t realize it, the fan base of the NFL is at bottom middle-class America, the kind of people – white and black – who don’t appreciate rioting as some kind of art form for social justice.

That something the police union is trying to make them aware of.

“I’d remind the NFL and their players that it is not the violent thugs burning down buildings that buy their advertiser’s products. It’s cops and the good people of St. Louis and other NFL towns that do. Somebody needs to throw a flag on this play,” the union’s statement said.

“If it’s not the NFL and the Rams, then it’ll be cops and their supporters.”

A lot of those cops, and they’re supporters, were Rams fans until Sunday.

UPDATE III: St. Louis County police, Rams spar over reported apology.

Why is it so difficult to apologize for the St. Louis Rams? If some thing had been done to offend blacks in any way I am sure there would be an apology.

The St. Louis Police Officers Association was furious, saying the players “chose to ignore the mountains of evidence released from the St. Louis County Grand Jury” after the jurors decided not to indict former Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson.

A Rams official spoke with police Monday. And that’s when the he-said, he-said started.

St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar sent an e-mail to his staff saying the Rams’ chief operating officer called him Monday to apologize.

“I received a very nice call this morning from Mr. Kevin Demoff of the St. Louis Rams who wanted to take the opportunity to apologize to our department on behalf of the Rams for the “Hands Up” gesture that some players took the field with yesterday,” Belmar wrote in the e-mail, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

But the Rams said that’s just not true.

“We did not apologize,” Rams spokesman Artis Twyman told CNN.

Body of Missing Ohio State Buckeye University Football Player Kosta Karageorge Found in a Dumpster Near Campus with Gun, Apparent Suicide

Tragic news to report in the case of missing Ohio St. football player  Kosta Karageorge …

The body of missing 22 year old Ohio State University defensive lineman Kosta Karageorge was found Sunday in a dumpster near the college campus. It is reported that there was also a hand gun was recovered in the dumpster as well. Sgt. Richard Weiner, with Columbus police, said that Karageorge died from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  The body was found inside the dumpster was identified at the scene through tattoos.

Weiner said a woman and her son were digging through the dumpster when they discovered his body at East 6th Avenue and Courtland Avenue around 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Police also discovered a handgun.

He was last seen leaving his East 7th Avenue apartment on Wednesday when he went for a walk at 2:00 a.m. His body was found a tenth of a mile from that location.

Columbus Police Sgt. Rich Weiner discusses the death of Ohio State football player Kosta Karageorge, whose body was discovered Sunday afternoon.

Ohio State Football Player Found in Dumpster With Gun

The body of Ohio State University defensive lineman Kosta Karageorge was found today in a Dumpster near campus, along with a gun, Columbus Police said.

“At this time, there’s a lot of questions that we’re still trying to work out,” Sergeant Rich Weiner told reporters. “He was found inside of the Dumpster, the handgun was found inside of the Dumpster with him.

‘‘At this time we are able to confirm through tattoos here at the scene that it is the body of Kosta Karageorge,’’ Weiner said.

Former Baltimore Ravens Running Back & Wife Beater Ray Rice Wins Appeal of Indefinite Suspension, Reinstated to the NFL (Update: Some Teams Interested)

RICE WINS APPEAL BUT WHO IS CRAZY ENOUGH TO SIGN HIM.

Yesterday, former Baltimore RB Ray Rice won his appeal against the NFL for lifting his indefinite suspension. Former U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones ruled in favor of Rice to have him reinstated to the NFL, following his fiance/wife (Janay Palmer) beating incident. However, what team is going to be crazy enough to sign Rice and deal with the media circus and rightful protests from organizations against domestic abuse? Just because some one has been reinstated to play in the NFL does not mean that they will be signed to play. Currently, the Denver Broncos are in need of a running back in their playoff drive, bus=t is the risk/reward worth it?

“I would like to thank Judge Barbara Jones, the NFL Players Association, my attorneys, agents, advisors, family, friends and fans — but most importantly, my wife Janay,” Rice said in a statement released by the NFLPA on Friday. “I made an inexcusable mistake and accept full responsibility for my actions.

“I am thankful that there was a proper appeals process in place to address this issue. I will continue working hard to improve myself and be the best husband, father and friend, while giving back to my community and helping others to learn from my mistakes.”

Former U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones, who heard Rice’s appeal earlier this month, concluded in her decision, which was obtained by ESPN, that Rice did not lie to or mislead NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

17 Page Ray Rice ruling Shreds NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

“Because, after careful consideration of all of the evidence, I am not persuaded that Rice lied to, or misled, the NFL at his June interview, I find that the indefinite suspension was an abuse of discretion and must be vacated.”

An abuse of discretion. As much as sports commissioners prefer that bad news breaks on Friday afternoons (never mind the Friday afternoon after Thanksgiving), when people are busy fleeing the office and diving into their weekend plans, Goodell couldn’t escape the magnitude of this rebuke.

The commissioner gave Rice only two games after seeing the first video — the outside-the-elevator video — despite the horrifying images of the running back dragging his unconscious fiancée, Janay Palmer, and dropping her face-first to the floor. Goodell admitted he “didn’t get it right” and introduced tougher domestic policy measures — a six-game ban for the first offense, a potential lifetime ban for the second — only after outrage from fans, sponsors and the news media forced him to act.

Jones’ report said Goodell called Rice after that policy change and made it clear to him the terms of his punishment wouldn’t change. But when the second video surfaced, showing the very violence any reasonable witness would’ve imagined by watching the first video, Goodell knew he was in deep, deep trouble.

UPDATE I: Ray Rice reportedly Drawing Interest from 4 Teams:

Sorry, but running backs are one of the most interchangeable positions in the NFL. Add that to the pass-happy NFL. It is the reason why very few are ever drafted in the top 10 anymore. It is doubtful that any team would pick him up this year and want to deal with the PR and the disruption it might cause in the locker room.

At least four teams have expressed interest in recently reinstated running back Ray Rice, including Indianapolis and New Orleans, though the Colts and Saints are not expected to pursue him, according to multiple league sources.

Two sources declined to identify the other two teams that have been checking into Rice.

It still will be difficult for Rice to find work this season. He turns 28 in January, is coming off a down season and hasn’t played football since training camp. But Rice signing this season is not out of the question, either, if the right team should emerge.

Multiple NFL executives have said the profile of a team willing to sign Rice would be one that is a contender with injuries in its backfield and a strong-minded head coach.