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Diahuebs 10 Februari 2022

Heavy SEC flavor at Super Bowl with LSU, Georgia leading way

the NFL, it’s much easier. the divisional round and
“The really consistent narra- You know it made an impact AFC championship game on
tive is the SEC has a ton of on me, helped me a lot, and the road. He said the SEC
NFL football players that get it’s shown as my rookie year experience of playing “ob-
really that practice of playing went by.” noxiously loud games in the
against other guys that have Swamp” helps a lot, even for
NFL talent throughout their Bengals tight end C.J. a kicker like himself who’s
conference so many weeks of Uzomah played at Auburn, taught to block out all the
the season — which can’t do and he knew Burrow would noise.
anything but really improve be an NFL hit simply by
your game when you start watching how the quarter- He remembers his ears ring-
facing that kind of level of back played in the SEC. ing after attending a game be-
talent,” Whitworth said. tween Alabama and Missis-
“Watching him in college just sippi State because of all the
Nine of the SEC’s 14 mem- torch every single defense in cowbells. One of the loudest
bers are represented in this the SEC, like, when his name games came in Death Valley
game with reigning national was announced, I was like when Florida visited LSU at
champ Georgia leading the that’s a franchise quarterback night during that champion-
(AP) - Odell Beckham Jr. fellow Tigers in the Super way with six Bulldogs, two right there,” Uzomah said. ship season with Burrow and
cheered Joe Burrow and Bowl on Sunday, which will on the practice squad. LSU Chase — and approximately
Ja’Marr Chase two short have a very distinct South- and Florida have five apiece, The high level of talent in the 107,000 fans. Kyle Field at
years ago, enjoying ev- eastern Conference flavor while Alabama has four. SEC isn’t the only thing that Texas A&M also came to
ery minute as the duo led that goes well beyond Bur- prepares players for the NFL. mind.
their alma mater LSU to row and Matthew Stafford Texas A&M has four, two Uzomah said he would never
the national champion- and their favorite targets. on the practice squad. Rams say what Burrow did about “Those games really helped
ship. linebacker Von Miller just having heard louder stadiums a lot,” McPherson said. “I
The Rams have 11 and the missed out on the SEC ex- in college when going on the texted Shayne Graham (who
He also knew he’d be see- Bengals 12 players from perience with his Aggies of- road in the NFL. Burrow coached McPherson at Flor-
ing both of them again in the SEC programs, with seven ficially moving to the SEC in said he heard louder crowds ida) after the game, and I’m
NFL, though not even the more combined on the prac- 2012, after Miller’s first sea- at Baton Rouge. like, ’Arrowhead’s loud, but
Rams wide receiver could’ve tice squads. So prepare for a son in the NFL. it’s not near as loud as some
predicted the first showdown few more reminders of the “Being completely honest, of the stadiums I’ve played in
would be in the Super Bowl. mighty SEC’s talent no mat- Chase was one of 65 players you do,” Uzomah said. “The in college have gotten.”
ter how many folks are sick of drafted from the SEC last stadiums are bigger, there are
“They’re born winners, so I hearing about the conference April, a record that confer- more people that are in there. The Rams are playing on
always knew that we would that has won 12 of the last 16 ence seems to top almost Jordan-Hare has like 87,000, their own field even if Cin-
see them again,” Beckham national championships. yearly. He knows his rookie the max is like 89,000 when cinnati technically is the
said. “I mean never could it season was helped by Cincin- we played Alabama my senior home team Sunday at SoFi
be any better than this. ... I Los Angeles left tackle An- nati reuniting him with Bur- year. For sure that helps in Stadium, with a capacity of
got into a little trouble at the drew Whitworth, says there’s row as the fifth overall pick. terms of just knowing what 70,240. Only one thing will
national championship so I no doubt how much a boost The New Orleans native is to expect from an away sta- matter once the ball kicks off,
was banned from LSU, jok- playing in the SEC gives a little prejudiced about the dium from a hostile environ- and that’s winning.
ingly. But so they got their players once they’re in the SEC. ment.”
ring and all that, and it’s like NFL. Playing at LSU in the “Hopefully we can pull it
now it’s our turn to get ours.” SEC certainly helped him be “I’d say it’s the best confer- Cincinnati rookie kicker off,” Beckham said, knowing
successful in the NFL for 16 ence in college ...,” Chase Evan McPherson made the that SEC players tends to get
Beckham faces off against his seasons. said. “So when you get to winning field goals in both that chance in the pros.

Commanders launch probe of harassment claim against Snyder

(AP) - The Washing- presiding over a culture that repeated their call for the es full cooperation with the criticized as offensive to Na-
ton Commanders have was toxic to women, he had NFL to release the findings investigation,” the statement tive Americans, in 2020 amid
launched an independent not been personally accused of the previous probe led by said. protests of systemic racism
investigation into alle- of sexual harassment until attorney Beth Wilkinson. that followed the killing of
gations that owner Dan last week, when former em- Johnston worked for the George Floyd. It was known
Snyder sexually harassed a ployee Tiffani Johnston told “The idea that Dan Snyder team, then known as the Red- as the Washington Football
team employee more than Congress that Snyder groped has hired a team to investi- skins, in the 2000s as a cheer- Team the past two seasons.
a decade ago. her thigh during a team din- gate his own actions is utterly leader and marketing man- Snyder announced the new
ner and pushed her toward absurd. This is a desperate ager. The team dropped its team name last week.
Debra Wong Yang, a former his limousine with his hand public relations stunt, clearly name, which had long been
U.S. attorney and Califor- on her lower back. designed to absolve him of
nia state judge, will lead the wrongdoing,” the attorneys
probe, the Commanders an- Snyder denied the allega- said.
nounced Wednesday. tions, calling them “outright
lies,” and his attorney, Jordan The team said it has hired
The NFL fined the Com- Siev, said Johnston “refused consulting firm Pallas Global
manders $10 million and to be interviewed” during the Group LLC to oversee the
Snyder temporarily turned previous investigation of the probe, and that the company
over day-to-day operation of team. The NFL said it would has retained Yang to lead it.
the team to his wife, Tanya, look into Johnston’s claims. The findings of the inves-
after an investigation into al- tigation will be released to
legations of rampant sexual Attorneys Lisa Banks and the public, the Commanders
harassment and workplace Debra Katz, who represent said.
misconduct by former team Johnston and more than
executives. 40 former team employ- “The team is committed to
ees, called the investigation a thorough and independent
Although many former team a “sham” and said Johnston investigation of Ms. John-
employees accused Snyder of would not participate. They ston’s allegations, and pledg-