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Sports
49ers Sue Raiders LB Aldon Smith Over Signing Bonus Repayment
The San Francisco 49ers have sued Aldon Smith in order to get back the more than $300,000 in forfeited signing bonuses that the team says is owed to them.
According to the complaint filed Monday in a Northern California district court, Smith was required to pay $1,186,027 of his $8,961,092 signing bonus when the line- backer was suspended for nine games after violating the NFL substance abuse and personal conduct policy in 2014. The 49ers claim Smith, who is now with the Raiders, has only paid them $844,396.82. They are suing to get the outstanding $341,630.18 owed to them.
Smith was dropped by the 49ers — who drafted him sev-
enth overall in 2011 — after he was arrested a third time for DUI in Au- gust 2015. The Raiders signed the linebacker the following month, and Smith played nine games be- fore being suspended a second time by the NFL for violating the league’s substance abuse policy once again in November.
The 27-year-old was eligible to be reinstated on Nov. 17, 2016, but the NFL ended up deferring the decision to the following year. Smith’s case will reportedly be revisited on Mar. 15.
ALDON SMITH
Lakers Offer To Help Derek Fisher Replace Stolen Championship Rings
Derek Fisher had all five of his NBA championship rings stolen during a home burglary this week, but he may be able to replace them even if the au- thorities are unsuccessful in tracking down the parties re- sponsible for the crime.
A Los Angeles Lakers repre- sentative said that the team would be more than willing to work with the companies that manufactured the rings to help Fisher get all new ones. While that doesn’t mean the Lakers would foot the bill for the new jewelry, Fisher could likely get replacement rings that are ex- actly like the ones he earned for being a part of five title teams in L.A.
Fisher told police that the five rings were among roughly $300,000 worth of jewelry that
DEREK FISHER
was taken from his L.A. home when he left for three hours Monday morning. His home- owner’s insurance would likely cover the losses, but there is something to be said for no longer having the original rings that were given to Fisher and his teammates.
Hopefully police are able to track down the person or per- sons responsible for breaking into Fisher’s home.
Atlanta Falcons' Mohamed Sanu:
Larry Fitzgerald Says He Will Play Next Season
LARRY FITZGERALD
The Arizona Cardinals have some news that should make them happy.
ESPN's Jim Trotter re- ported on Wednesday evening that he spoke with Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzger- ald, who says he will return for the 2017 NFL season.
There were questions about the wide receiver's future after a report over the weekend said the Cardinals were unsure whether Fitzgerald and Car- son Palmer would be back next season. Fitzgerald re- cently said he had made up his mind about next season but was not ready to tell the media.
Fitzgerald will turn 34 just before the start of next season but is still quite effec- tive. He has posted consecu- tive 1,000-yard seasons for the Cardinals and has scored 15 touchdowns in the last two years.
Now Arizona awaits the sta- tus of Palmer, who recently threw cold water on some speculation that he was leav- ing Arizona.
Fitzgerald is entering the final season of his contract with the Cardinals.
‘I Am Here Because Of My Football
Talents, Not Because I Am Muslim’
Atlanta Falcons receiver Mohamed Sanu is playing in the biggest football game of his life on Sunday.
But not very many people want to ask about his 59-catch regular season leading into the Super Bowl LI matchup with the New England Patriots.
In the wake of President Donald Trump's executive order that puts a temporary travel ban in place against seven Muslim-majority coun- tries, Sanu is suddenly a player in demand and it has nothing to do with his football skills.
It is because he is a Muslim playing in the big game on the heels of a controversial execu-
MOHAMED SANU
tive order. "It's a very tough situation
andIjustpraythatusasa country and a world can be united as one," Sanu told re- porters in Houston. "It's really hard for me to talk about this right now. It would take a lot of time so I just want to focus on the game and focus on foot- ball."
Alliance With Trump May Prove To Be A Super Distraction For Patriots Trio
The week of the Super Bowl is historically filled with all sorts of sordid distractions, from cocaine to prostitutes to the infamously bared butt of a quarterback.
But there has never been anything like the divisive pres- ence that will soon threaten to fracture the attention of the New England Patriots.
He is President Trump, and beginning next week in Houston, he will be the Patriots’ Disturber in Chief.
The Patriots’ holy trinity has formed what some sports fans might consider an unholy al- liance with Trump. Now that he’s running the country, the three men are already running from the questions.
Give the Atlanta Falcons the early edge, because the Patriots will begin the week playing de- fense.
Tom Brady, the Patriots’ quarterback, doesn’t want to
A Patriots fan holds a sign re- ferring to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Coach Bill Belichick and President Trump during the AFC championship.
talk about his openly displayed Trump cap, his campaign statements and his supportive phone calls.
“Why does everybody make such a big deal?’’ Brady said on Boston’s WEEI radio this week. “I don’t want to get into it.’’
Bill Belichick, the Patriots’ coach, doesn’t want to talk about an inspirational pep-talk letter he wrote to Trump be- fore the election.
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