Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 12-1-15 Edition

Sports
Bad Calls And Dropped Balls Cost Bucs Game Against Colts
Boston
Panthers CB Josh Norman:
Jameis Winston spent most of the game running for his life.
Apparently, the Tampa Bay Buccaneer offensive line felt it was too cold in Indianapolis, and decided to stay in warm and humid Tampa. At least, that’s what it appeared to be in the 25-12 loss the Bucs suf- fered to the Colts.
Although the NFC South be- longs to the Carolina Panthers, the Bucs were still in a position to win a wild card spot because the remaining NFC divisions aren’t looking very good with the exception of the NFC West.
The Bucs entered Sunday’s game the fourth most penal- ized team in the NFL, and after getting 12 for 95 yards Sunday, there’s no doubt they will be moving up.
The Bucs (5-6) went score- less in the second half, and al- lowed a 40-year-old backup quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck, to throw for 315 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Quarterback Jameis Win- ston did everything he could to bring the team back, com-
Buccaneer wide receiver Mike Evans drops a key pass in the team’s loss to the Colts.
pleting 20 of 36 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted once, and that was on their final drive in the fourth quarter.
Even more critical was Win- ston being harassed the entire second half and the Colt de- fense recording five sacks.
Buccaneer running back Doug Martin looked like he was on pace for another 100- plus yard game, but finished with 97 yards on 14 carries, and was not effective in the second half.
Buccaneer wide receiver Mike Evans dropped a cru- cial pass with the team on Indy’s 36-yard line and the team facing a third down and 6 in the third quarter.
The Bucs will be return- ing home for two NFC South games, the first this Sunday against the At- lanta Falcons (6-5), who are second in the division.
Kickoff will be a 1 p. m.
JAHLIL OKAFOR
BOSTON — A man has come forward saying Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor as- saulted him during a fight in Boston that was recorded on cellphone video and posted on- line, police said.
The man filed a police report Friday saying he was punched and knocked to the ground out- side a nightclub early Thursday morning, authorities said. The man said he needed stitches to close a cut above his eye, ac- cording to police.
The man told police that the fight broke out after some of his female friends refused the ad- vances of two other men, in- cluding one believed to be Okafor.
Boston police said they are investigating the allegations. No charges have been an- nounced.
The 19-year-old rookie said Friday that he was embarrassed about the scuffle and was deal- ing with the team and the NBA on possible discipline.
Okafor said he reacted to heckling about the Sixers, who lost to the Celtics Wednesday night to fall to 0-16 on the sea- son.
"It was definitely dumb on my part," Okafor said Friday.
"I didn't want him to catch a single ball," Josh Norman, left, said of Dez Bryant.
70 mil back," he told reporters outside the locker room, ac- cording to The Dallas Morning News.
Norman said he was so fired up during the week with talk about Bryant possibly having a big day against him and the unbeaten Panthers (now 11-0) being an underdog that he had to go watch the movie "300" to get him to a dark place.
He had planned to save that movie for motivation later in the season.
"I had to get myself physi- cally, mentally prepared to the point I didn't want him to catch a single ball," Norman said. "I was on him like white on rice. I didn't care. And I was able to do it because of great teammates I have."
Rob Gronkowski Injures
Noise From 'Angry Fans'
Police
'Went Dark Knight'
Probing Fight
After Dez Bryant Disrespect
Involving
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Car- olina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman said Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant disrespected him prior to Thursday's 33-14 victory over the Cowboys.
Norman said several of the younger Carolina defensive backs came to the locker room during warm-ups and said Bryant called him out. He said Bryant "popped off" at him on the game's second play after an incompletion to the Pro Bowl receiver down the left sideline.
"He shouldn't have ticked off my DBs in pregame," Nor- man said. "That took me to a whole other place. Once that happened, you can't get me fired up [enough]. I'm telling you, I'm going to be at your throat for four quarters every time."
Bryant caught only one pass for 6 yards when Nor- man was defending him. He caught only two passes for 28 yards on eight targets for the game.
He didn't talk to reporters after the game.
"The disrespect was just through the roof," Norman said.
Norman took a shot of his own at Bryant after the game, referencing the $70 million, five-year deal the receiver signed in the offseason.
"Hey, they need to get Dez's
Jahlil Okafor
Lakers' Byron Scott Says
Knee, Carted Off Field In
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Los An- geles Lakers coach Byron Scott has an Instagram ac- count that he says a family member monitors on his be- half, keeping him up to date on, for instance, what kind of messages and comments fans are sending his way.
“There’s been a lot of angry fans,” Scott said Saturday after the 2-12 Lakers' morning shootaround at the Moda Cen- ter in advance of their game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
“She says she’s trying to hold her tongue and not respond. And I tell her, look, don’t re- spond back to anybody. Be- cause she’s family, she takes it personal. And I don’t read it because I know me -- I take it personal and I might say something and I don’t want to get into that with people.”
Patriots' Overtime Loss
He Tries To Block Out
DENVER -- New England Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski was carted off the field after injuring his right knee in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 30-24 loss to the Denver Broncos.
The Patriots immediately announced Gronkowski would not return to the game. ESPN footage showed Gronkowski walking from the X-ray room to the Patriots' locker room with a slight limp.
A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Gronkowski will undergo an MRI on Mon- day morning. "We think he is going to be OK," the source said.
ROB GRONKOWSKI Patriots coach Bill Be-
lichick said after the game that he did not have an update on Gronkowski's status.
BYRON SCOTT
There is growing chatter from a fan base upset with the team’s start, but Scott said he blocks it out.
“The one thing I’ve always said, and a great old coach told me this a long time ago, when you start listening to the fans, you’ll be sitting with them next,” Scott said.
PAGE 14 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015