Page 23 - Florida Sentinel 5-22-20

Sports
Tony Dungy has
Buccaneers: Could
Ex-Dolphins RB Mark Walton Has Charge Of Assaulting Pregnant Woman Dropped
MARK WALTON
NFL running back Mark Walton was released by the Miami Dolphins midway through the 2019 season after he was arrested over an al- leged incident involving a woman who is pregnant with his child, but he is no longer facing charges.
Walton’s attorney, Michael Gottlieb, said Wednesday that the charge against Walton of aggravated battery of a pregnant woman has been dropped.
Prosecutors have chosen not to pursue the case, though the NFL is still reviewing the matter.
Arizona Governor Says Pro Sports Can Return Without Fans On May 16
GOVERNOR DOUG DUCEY
Arizona’s governor is paving the way for profes- sional sports to return in the state.
Governor Doug Ducey announced on Tuesday that gyms and swimming pools could reopen on Wednesday, May 13. He also said that pro- fessional sports leagues could reopen without fans after Fri- day May 15.
“We have had discussions with leaders of some of these leagues and they all know they are welcome to operate, play and perform in the state of Ari- zona,” Ducey said.
Issues With Rooney
Jameis Winston Come
Rule Proposed Changes
Back To Haunt Tampa
Bay? We Think So!
Tony Dungy expressed some concerns about the pro- posed changes to the Rooney Rule during an interview on Monday.
Dungy was a guest on “Tiki and Tierney” on CBS Sports Radio/CBS Sports Network and was asked about the proposed changes to the Rooney Rule. The proposal includes giving draft-related incentives to teams for hiring minority head coach and gen- eral managers.
“The negative things has- n’t helped, like ‘interview a minority coach or you’ll get fined’... so somebody said ‘well, how about incentives?’ So that got proposed, but it was only 1/20th of the whole thing, and unfortunately it’s whats being focused on now.
“I’m personally not for it. I can see the coach’s points of view of ‘hey, I don’t want to get hired just because you got an extra draft choice. I want to get hired because I’m the best person. I don’t want you to think I need more to suc- ceed.’ I think it’s kind of like the PI (pass interference) rule
The Tampa Bay Bucca- neers hopefully made the de- cision to move on from their former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston this off- season. To go with a 43-year- old quarterback who is con- sidered the greatest or a 26 year old who put huge num- bers and 3 field goal kicks going through or the defense holding on to a lead could have saved him.
The Buccaneers invested the last five years in Win- ston with different head coaches and one who was calling terrible plays (Dirk Koetter) never saw the con- sistency they were hoping for out the quarterback. As a re- sult, they elected to pursue different avenues and ended up signing 43 year old vet- eran QB Tom Brady to be- come the new leader of the offense.
Could moving on from Jameis Winston - specifi- cally Winston’s decision to sign with cross-divisional rival New Orleans - come back to haunt the Bucca- neers?
Winston will have the opportunity to learn under a future Hall of Famer in Drew Brees with a fran-
JAMEIS WINSTON
chise in New Orleans that has a good track record of devel- oping quarterback talent.
The haunting could come in two forms for the Bucca- neers: First, the immediate implications. Then, the fu- ture implications.
The immediate implica- tions of Winston signing with the Saints is that he will essentially be able to hand the Tampa playbook over to Dennis Allen and will be able to help Sean Payton and Co. recognize tendencies in Bucs players. It gives them an ‘in’ during a season where Tampa Bay looks to be legiti- mate competitors for the di- vision. Why not! A team that should have given you your max deal turns their back on you. Revenge at the highest level.
TONY DUNGY
of last year. People felt like something needed to get done, maybe it’s not exactly the right thing. Hopefully, this spurs some conversation and we come up with a differ- ent kind of incentive. I’m not for it personally, but I under- stand where they’re coming from.”
Some of the other parts of the proposal would include two minorities needing to be interviewed for a head coach- ing job and one for coordina- tor jobs.
The draft incentive has been met with negative re- sponse, and even a minority head coach has expressed his concern with the proposal.
Bob Watson,
All-Star Slugger And
Executive, Dies At 74
Bob Watson, an All-Star slugger who became the first black general manager to win a World Series with the New York Yankees in 1996, has died. He was 74.
The Houston Astros, for whom Watson played his first 14 seasons in a baseball career spanning six decades, announced his death Thurs- day night.
The team did not provide details, but son Keith wrote
BOB WATSON
on Twitter that he died in Houston from kidney disease.
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