Page 31 - 4-17-15 Friday's Edition

Sports
Master’s Winner Named
Aaron Hernandez Found Guilty
After Michael Jordan
On Tuesday, jurors in the trial of former University of Florida and New England Pa- triot tight end, Aaron Her- nandez, found him guilty of first-degree murder. The ver- dict carries a penalty of life im- prisonment without parole.
Hernandez was also found guilty of unlawful pos-
Florida Gators OL Johnson Has To Retire From Football
ROD JOHNSON
Unfortunately for both the player and the football pro- gram, their worst fears have been confirmed.
Tuesday afternoon, Florida announced that the playing ca- reer of offensive lineman Rod Johnson has come to an end.
The announcement came one day after Johnson met with doctors to get a final diagnosis on what was initially described as a stinger-type injury. The 6- foot-6, 296-pound Johnson potentially could suffer paraly- sis if he were not to retire from football.
According to the school, Johnson has been diagnosed with congenital cervical steno- sis, which is a narrowing of the spine. A week ago, Johnson was ruled out indefinitely be- cause of the issue.
The condition is a narrow- ing of the spinal canal envelop- ing the spinal cord, preventing enough fluid to gather around the spinal cord to properly pro- tect it from injury.
On Tuesday, he confirmed something I'm sure a lot of people were wondering this weekend, "were you named after that other guy who was really great at sports?"
Spieth said , "I was named after Michael Jordan. He was my dad's favorite athlete. And then when my dad met him at the Ryder Cup last
JORDAN SPIETH
year, he was trembling."
AARON HERNANDEZ .....jurors found him guilty of first degree murder.
session of a firearm and un- lawful possession of ammuni- tion. As the verdict was read, Hernandez appeared upset, , and took a deep breath. He then looked over to see his mother and fiancée crying.
Hernandez was on trial for the June 2013 shooting death of Odin Lloyd. Lloyd’s body was found in a Massachusetts industrial park.
Prosecutors spent months presenting more than 130 wit- nesses to build their case. The defense concluded its wit- nesses in less than a day.
According to prosecutors, Lloyd was seen June 17, 2013 around 2:30 a.m. with Her- nandez and a couple of Her- nandez’s friends, Carlos Ortiz and Ernest Wallace. Later that day, a jogger found Lloyd’s body riddled with
ODIN LLOYD .....body found riddled with bullets in an industrial park.
gunshots.
Ortiz and Wallace were
also charged with murder and have entered not guilty pleas. They will be tried separately.
Attorneys for Hernandez told the juror their client wit- nessed Lloyd’s murder and it was committed by someone he knew.
Lloyd was working for a landscaping firm at the time of his killing and played football for the Boston Bandits, the oldest semi-pro team in Boston and the winner of four championships in the New England Football League.
Evidence collected in Lloyd’s death led to two more murder charges against Her- nandez in a separate case in Boston. He has pleaded not guilty and that trial is sched- uled to begin in May.
Domestic Violence History Fueling Mayweather Vs. Pacquiao Fight
MAYWEATHER VS. PACQUIANO
The good versus evil angle already in place for the May 2 fight between Manny Pac- quiao and Floyd May- weather, Jr. has been ramped up yet again, courtesy -- again -- of Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao's decorated trainer told USA Today that he's been busily clueing his man in about Mayweather's past history of domestic vio- lence, which includes a 2012 jail stay after an incident in- volving the mother of three of his four children, which was reportedly witnessed by two of his sons.
Priming the Mayweather hits women pump before- hand, Roach said, will en- hance the in-ring animus.
"Manny is really against
domestic violence," Roach told USA Today. "It is a big issue maybe in the Philippines for him and being a congress- man he can control some of that stuff. That is a big plus for me that Manny does not like the guy, I think the killer in- stinct is going to come back a lot faster."
Pacquaio Plans To Run For President of The Phillipines
Even if Manny Pacquiao is conquered by Floyd May- weather, Jr. on May 2, he's still got a pretty meaningful future ahead of him -- a future full of interviews, strategists, and savvy opponents.
According to promoter Bob Arum, when Pacquiao decides to step out of the ring for good, he'll turn to politics. But his ambition isn't limited to being a congressman -- his current political status -- or a senator.
Instead, as Arum told TMZ Sports, Pacquiao will run to be the President of the Philippines at some point in the future.
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