Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 5-16-17

Sports
Bucs' Noah Spence Drops 10 Pounds To Add Speed
Venus Williams At Forefront Of TV Series
Former Browns, Ravens
Receiver Michael
Tampa Bay Buccaneers de- fensive end Noah Spence said he is down around 10 pounds.
"I feel so much better," said Spence, who added he is "240, 243" right now after being listed at 251 last sea- son. Spence's teammates seem to be impressed with the work he has put in: Ger- ald McCoy said he expects a "breakout year" from the sophomore while Robert Ayers said Spence could be "a 15-plus sack guy."
Spence recorded 5.5 sacks in 572 defensive snaps as a rookie. The Buccaneers
‘Deals In Heels’
Jackson Killed In
Motorcycle Accident
NOAH SPENCE
were seventh-best last season in Adjusted Defensive Pass- ing Net Expected Points al- lowed per play.
Tennis icon and business- woman, Venus Williams is part- nering with 3 Ball Entertainment to bring female entreprenuership to TV.
As reported by Variety on Wednesday (May 10), Venus Williams will assist 3 Ball Entertainment by bringing female entrepreneurship to the forefront with an un- scripted series, Deals in Heels.
The world champion is one of the most prominent faces of tennis, along with her sis- ter, Serena Williams. The CEO founded the design firm, V*STARR Interiors, while also establishing the athletic apparel line, EleVen.
Williams is “thrilled” to be partnering with 3 Ball on this series. Her activism in gender and pay equality con- nects to the show’s focus on “fostering and supporting trailblazing women who are actively pursuing their pro- fessional aspirations.”
Josh Gordon Unable To Get Back On The Field
JOSH GORDON
Cleveland Browns wide re- ceiver Josh Gordon was once considered one of the best wide receivers in the Na- tional Football League.
Now, Gordon cannot find his way back onto the field no matter how hard he tries.
Gordon's application for reinstatement, filed in March, has been denied. As such, Gordon remains sidelined dating back to 2014 based on multiple violations of the NFL substance abuse policy.
Former NFL receiver Michael Jackson was killed early Friday morning in a mo- torcycle accident just outside of Tangipahoa, La.
Jackson, 48, played for the Cleveland Browns from 1991-95 and the Baltimore Ravens from 1996-98.
Jackson's motorcycle slammed into the driver's side door of a car driven by Destiny Gordon of Kent- wood, La., killing both.
According to a news re- lease from the Louisiana State Police, "(Jackson) was riding a 2013 Kawasaki mo- torcycle northbound on US 51 at a high rate of speed. Gor- don was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. As Gor- don was backing from a parking space, she backed across both lanes of US 51 into the path of (Jackson’s) motorcycle. The motorcycle crashed into the driver’s side door of the Malibu."
The report said that Jack- son was wearing a helmet and Gordon was properly restrained in the car.
MICHAEL JACKSON
Jackson was drafted by the Browns out of Southern Mississippi, where his quar- terback was Brett Favre. In three of his seasons in Cleve- land, he played for Bill Be- lichick. After five years in Cleveland, he finished with 2,797 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns.
His breakout season was 1996 with the Ravens -- their first year in Baltimore after the move from Cleveland -- when he was sixth in the league in receiving yards (1,201) and was tied for the lead in touchdown receptions with 14.
Deshaun Watson
Signs Contract With
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans head into rookie minicamp with their first-round quarter- back under contract.
Deshaun Watson
inked his four-year rookie deal on Friday, a source in- formed of the situation told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. As with all first- round selections, the con- tract comes with a team option for a fifth season. Rapoport added the con- tract is worth $13.854 mil- lion and includes a signing bonus of $8.215 million.
The Texans traded the No. 25 pick in 2017 and next year's first-round selection to the Cleveland Browns to move up to the No. 12 spot to snag Watson.
The Davey O'Brien Award winner, as college football's top quarterback, owns the heady leadership coaches love. However, he enters the NFL with question marks about his accuracy, turnovers and ability to dis- sect a defense. The Clemson product completed 67.4 per- cent of his passes for 10,168 yards, with 8.4 yards per at- tempt and a 90-32 touch- down-to-interception ratio in three college seasons. He
Titans Wide Receiver
DESHAUN WATSON
finished his time at Clemson by helping the Tigers win a national title.
The Texans have been adamant they plan to bring Watson along slowly and start Tom Savage as their rookie passer develops. Given coach Bill O'Brien's impatience with quarter- backs in the past, even if Watson doesn't win the starting gig before Week 1, expect to see the rookie on the field at some point this year.
The journey for Watson in Houston began on draft night, it continued with his new contract, and, more im- portantly, during workouts this weekend, where all eyes will be on the future of the Texans' QB position.
Tajae Sharpe Sued For
Beating A Man
Tennessee Titans wide re- ceiver Tajae Sharpe may have gotten himself in some off-field trouble.
A lawsuit has been filed against Sharpe and team- mate Sebastian Tretola for allegedly working to- gether to beat up a patron at a bar on the night of the 2017 NFL Draft.
The complaint indicates that Sharpe was the aggres- sor who beat the man uncon- scious in an alley outside of the bar. Apparently, the ag- gression resulted from the plaintiff arguing with Sharpe and Tretola about the Titans' selection of wide receiver Corey Davis in the first round.
"Plaintiff and Defendants had a conversation about the 2017 NFL Draft and the Ti- tans' selection of Davis in the First Round," states the Complaint. "Around 11:45 p.m., this conversation be-
TAJAE SHARPE
tween Plaintiff and Defen- dants became heated. Defen- dant Sharpe took exception to the comments made by Plaintif.”
"The claims are false and ridiculous," says Sharpe's agent Blaine Roche of Ath- letes First. "Unfortunately this is a classic shakedown attempt. Tajae categorically denies any involvement whatsoever and looks for- ward to vindicating his name and focusing on what mat- ters most - football."
PAGE 14 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2017