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A18 SPORTS
Friday 13 September 2019

OBJ says Gregg Williams ordered Browns players to hurt him

By TOM WITHERS shots and the dirty hits and
AP Sports Writer all the things that he likes
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Odell to teach,” Beckham said.
Beckham Jr.’s going back “That’s pretty much all
to New York seeking re- we’ve got to watch out for.
venge. Other than that, I expect
Not on the Giants. the same.”
The three-time Pro Bowl Beckham’s accusations
wide receiver added some have shed new light on Wil-
spice to the Browns’ up- liams, who was suspended
coming matchup with Jets by the league in 2012 for
on Thursday by accusing his role in the infamous
former Cleveland defen- “Bountygate” scandal in
sive coordinator Gregg Wil- which the New Orleans
liams of getting him injured Saints were found to have
in a preseason game two operated a bounty system
years ago. where players were paid
Beckham said he’s been bonuses for hard hits and
told by Browns players that deliberately injuring play-
Williams, who was Cleve- ers.
land’s interim coach for Williams has continuously
the final eight games last avoided discussing his trou-
season and is now the Jets’ In this Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, file photo, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is bled past. He worked with
defensive coordinator, in- introduced as he runs out on the field before an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, the Rams before spending
structed them to “take me in Cleveland. two seasons in Cleveland
out of the game.” Associated Press as Hue Jackson’s coordi-
“I had people who were to catch a pass and was hit “It’s like a known rule, in return to New York, where nator before leading the
here when he was here low by former Browns cor- preseason nobody in the he starred for five often- Browns to a 5-3 mark down
telling us, ‘If you get a nerback Briean Boddy-Cal- NFL’s really out to do stuff turbulent seasons with the the stretch last season.
chance, take a shot at him. houn as he came down. like that,” Beckham said Giants. The fiery, 61-year-old Wil-
If you can hurt him. I guar- Beckham managed to Thursday. “... So you just Once he heard Williams’ liams was thought to be a
antee he’s going to leave avoid hurting his knee but know who he is. That’s the name, Beckham pounced front-runner for Cleveland’s
the game hurt.’ And stuff sustained a severe ankle man calling the plays.” with some damning com- coaching vacancy, but the
like that,” Beckham said. sprain, which he claims has Beckham initially brought ments about the assistant. team picked Freddie Kitch-
“It’s fine. It’s football, in a led to other leg injuries. But up Williams’ tactics un- “The only thing I’m buying ens, who began last season
sense.” Beckham believes Boddy- prompted when he was (for Monday’s game) is you as running backs coach
During the 2017 exhibition Calhoun acted on Williams’ asked what types of de- know probably just got to before a successful stint as
game, Beckham jumped instructions. fenses he might face in his watch out for the cheap offensive coordinator.q

NCAA

Continued from Page 17 downright un-American. In most cases, it is being
paid for. But that, along
Hard to believe the Olym- with the couple of grand
But the first part — the part pics — hardly run by the extra that the biggest
about the “critical distinc- most forward-thinking or schools agreed to give to
tion between college and athlete-centric organiza- augment some of these
professional athletics” — is tions — were decades scholarships while also re-
disingenuous to the core, ahead of the NCAA when lieving pressure for bigger
a notion as antiquated it came to unwinding the reform, has always felt like
as the peach basket and charade of amateurism the very least they could
leather helmet, and the in its sports. “It’s a funda- do.
reason this whole thing is mental truth of life that The California bill is reason-
bound to change. our innate ability is what able in that it doesn’t ask
The notion that these creates our livelihood,” colleges to pay any more
near-full-time athletes in said Jeremy Bloom, the Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, celebrates with Sen. Steven to the athletes, but rather,
Glazer, D-Orinda, after her measure to let athletes at California
these billion-dollar sports former skier/football colleges hire agents and sign endorsement deals was approved gives players a chance to
are amateurs, or that player who, years ago, by the Senate in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019. hire an agent, put them-
they shouldn’t get paid, got caught in the NCAA Associated Press selves out on the market
runs counter to the tenets crosshairs for having the both sports and to have he could fund his Olympic and see what they can
of basic fairness and feels temerity to want to play sponsors in one (skiing) so dreams. make.q