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Sports
LeBron James
Jameis Winston Apologizes As Part Of ‘Negotiated Settlement’, Accepts 3-Game Ban
Tampa Bay made quarterback Jameis Winston the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2015.
Brother Of Janoris Jenkins Charged With Manslaughter
Agrees To
Tampa Bay Buccaneers star quarterback Jameis Winston issued a statement of apology Thursday to the Uber driver who had accused him of grabbing her crotch in a 2016 incident that led to a three-game suspension for the Buccaneers quarterback.
Winston did not admit to having committed the alleged act, but he said that it was “uncharacteristic” of him and claimed that he had “elimi- nated alcohol” from his life.
“I know I have to hold my- self to a higher standard on and off the field and that I have a responsibility to my family, community, and teammates to live above the platform with which God has blessed me,” said Winston, 24.
“Although I am disap- pointed in the NFL’s decision, I understand the NFL’s process, and I embrace this as an opportunity to take advan- tage of the resources available to help me achieve the goals that I have for myself.”
In announcing the sus- pension Thursday, the NFL said that it had conducted “a comprehensive investigation that included interviews with several persons, including the driver, Winston and others with relevant information,” and that it “also examined an extensive amount of other evidence, including telephone records, business records, data from electronic devices and other communications.”
The NFL described the Uber driver’s account of the incident as “consistent and credible,” adding, “As a result, the investigation had con- cluded that Winston vio- lated the Personal Conduct Policy by touching the driver in an inappropriate and sex-
ual manner without her con- sent and that disciplinary ac- tion was necessary and appropriate.”
The league could have suspended Winston for six games, under a personal con- duct policy revised in 2014 following the outcry from a two-game ban initially handed to then-Ravens run- ning back Ray Rice for phy- sically assaulting his fiancee.
However, that policy in- cludes a provision for the pos- sibility of “mitigating factors,” and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Thurs- day that, according to sources, Winston’s apology was part of a “negotiated set- tlement,” including no appeal of his three-game suspension.
“First and foremost, I would like to say I’m sorry to the Uber driver for the posi- tion I put you in,” Winston said in his statement. “It is uncharacteristic of me and I genuinely apologize. In the past 2 1/2 years my life has been filled with experiences, opportunities and events that have helped me grow, mature and learn, including the fact that I have eliminated alcohol from my life.”
Pelissero said his under- standing was that Winston told “NFL investigators and others close to him through this process” that “he does not believe that he did what was alleged; however, he also was drinking that night, and said that he does not clearly remember the events.” Pelis- sero added that “it has been a while, over a year, since Jameis Winston drank al- cohol,” a period during which the quarterback got engaged and announced that he was expecting a child with his fi- ancee.
brother has been charged in the death of a man whose body was discovered in Jenkins’s home.
Jenkins’s brother William is in custody on charges of aggravated manslaughter stemming from the death of family friend, Roosevelt Rene.
Jenkins was located in New York after the homicide.
Police are looking at possi- ble strangulation as a possible cause of death. The investiga- tion developed quickly, as the body was found in Janoris Jenkins’s basement on Tues- day.
The Giants are monitoring the situation, but Jenkins himself has not been connected to any crime.
Kam Chancellor Announces Retirement From NFL
KAM CHANCELLOR
Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor appears to have announced his retirement from the NFL via Twitter.
In a statement posted to his social media account, Chan- cellor cited the neck injury that ended his 2017 season as the reason behind his decision to quit. He said his final test showed “no healing,” and a fear of paralysis was too much for him to play again.
Injuries certainly seem to be the driving motivation behind Chancellor’s decision to call it a career. He finishes his state- ment by asking fans to pray that he doesn’t have to cope with head injuries after his playing career.
Chancellor’s exit will leave a huge void in the Seattle secondary, but it certainly ap- pears that they saw it coming.
LEBRON JAMES
Spurs for Kawhi Leonard looking uncertain at best. But regardless, the biggest domino has fallen within the first 24 hours of free agency, and after several years of fu- tility, the stage is finally set for the Lakers, one of the league’s marquee franchises, to recapture some of their prior glory.
Janoris Jenkins and his brother, William.
LeBron James is offi- cially headed to Los Angeles. James’ agency Klutch Sports announced on Sunday that The King has agreed to terms with the Lakers on a four-year deal worth $154 million, according to Adrian
Wojnarowski of ESPN. The Lakers had long been seen as the favorites to land James if he decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers. While they are coming off five straight losing seasons, they immediately return to contention in the Western Conference with the arrival
of the four-time MVP.
Now the question will be
who the purple and gold can put around James with Paul George re-signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the prospects of a deal with the San Antonio
Janoris
Jenkins’s
Four-Year Deal
With Lakers
LeBron James
Thanks ‘Northeast
Ohio’ After Signing
With Lakers
LeBron James has offi- cially decided to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he wasted no time saying good- bye to his home state on so- cial media after announcing the move.
Interestingly enough, he did not specifically mention the Cleveland Cavaliers.
At least not yet.
LeBron shared a photo from the Cavs’ championship parade a few years back on his Instagram story, and he thanked “Northeast Ohio.”
LeBron also took the op- portunity to promote his foundation’s “I PROMISE” program, which has donated millions of dollars over the years to help students from Akron Public Schools. The timing was fitting, as James is now leaving the Cavs once
again after fulfilling his promise to bring a champi- onship to his hometown team.
PAGE 14 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, JULY 3, 2018