Vick Sentenced to 23
Months in Jail

By Garth McLennan, Sports Editor

1. looks like Michael Vick won’t be
ready for the 2009 season after all. The
embattled Atlanta Falcons quarterback
was sentenced to 23 months in a Federal
prison by US Judge Henry Hudson.

Vick was guilty of heinously
slaughtering dogs and _ funding,
participating in, and orchestrating an
illegal dog-fighting ring in a home he
owns in rural Virginia.

Vick plead guilty on August
27 to the federal felony of dog fighting.
He was suspended indefinitely by NFL
commissioner Roger Goodel, and will
have to forfeit the bulk of his massive ten
year, $130 million deal he signed with
the Atlanta Falcons in December, 2004.
He also received a $37 million signing
bonus, which the Falcons are attempting
to repossess. At the time, that was the
largest contract in NFL history.

Through the ensuing scandal,
guilty plea, and conviction, Vick lost
much more than his official NFL salary.
He also had numerous endorsement
agreements lost. Nike, Reebok,
Rawlings, Donruss, Upper Deck, the
NFL, and Dick’s sporting goods and
sports authorities all terminated their
endorsement deals with Vick.

Vick, who surrendered to
begin his sentence early in November,
was responsible for the operation and
financing of Bad Newz Kennels, an
interstate dog-fighting ring.

 

Bad Newz Kennels was
responsible for the torture of over 70
dogs, primarily pit bulls, and many of
them were discovered dead. They were
found to be tortured by electrocution,
hanging, drowning, and severe beating.
The ones that lost in the vicious battles
were killed.

Vick initially denied
involvement in the operation. However,
on July 30, Tony Taylor reversed his
plea to guilty and provided the courts
with a full documentation of the events.
He claimed that he, Vick and two fellow
defendants had started Bad Newz Kennels
in 2001, and that almost exclusively Vick
financed the entire venture. He said that
Vick paid the $30,000 to purchase the
house in Smithfield, Virginia, where Bad
Newz Kennels was headquartered.

Shortly after, the other two
defendants, Peace and Phillips, altered
their pleas to guilty and turned on Vick.
They were sentenced to 18 and 21 months
in prison, respectively. Vick changed his
plea to guilty on August 30.

While it is possible that Vick
will be permitted to play in the NFL again
pending his release, it is highly unlikely
that an organization would take a chance
on him. His agent has speculated that
Vick will almost certainly not play in the
CFL, as it would be extremely difficult
for Vick to procure a Canadian work
visa. One possibility is that Vick may
play in the Arena football league.

 

Mayweather Knocks

Out Hatton

By Garth McLennan, Sports Editor

Bis Mayweather Jr. is still the
WBC Welterweight champion after
knocking out Ricky Hatton in the tenth
round of their December 8 fight.

The bout was a showdown
staged at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas
between the two undefeated combatants.
Entering the fight, Mayweather was 38-0
with 24 knockouts, while the Englishman
Hatton was 43-0.

Hatton put up a terrific fight,
and displayed courage and fire until the
end, unfortunately, he was unable to best
the genius of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Hatton was cut in the third
round, and hit with a thunderous right
in the eighth round, snapping his head
back. In the ninth, Hatton was hit with a
number of combos. He kept fighting until
the very end, but was cold-cocked with a
massive left in the tenth round.

 

 

January 7, 2007

Niedermayer Not
Ready to Call

it Quits

By Garth McLennan, Sports Editor

Sve Niedermayer isn’t ready to
retire just yet. The Anaheim Ducks
superstar defenseman has agreed to
come out of retirement and suit up for
the team again.

Niedermayer, 34, achieved his
life’s dream at the end of last season,
winning his fourth Stanley Cup, and
his first with his younger brother
Rob. The elder Niedermayer felt he
had accomplished all there was to
accomplish in hockey, and unofficially
retired, despite having two more years
on his contract that would pay him $ 6.75
million that he signed in 2005. However,
after seeing the Ducks struggle this
season, Niedermayer felt he could go for
at least this season, and possibly next as
well.

With the return of Niedermayer,
who was the captain of the team last
year but has had that vacated role filled
by Chris Pronger, the Ducks have one
of the strongest defensive units in NHL
history. Aside from Niedermayer, who
last season set career scoring totals, the
Ducks also boast Chris Pronger, one of
the most dominating defensemen of all
time, and Matthew Schneider, another
superb blueliner that was signed in the
off-season to replace Niedermayer.

It was suspected that when
Niedermayer announced his return,
that the Ducks would attempt to trade
Schneider, who makes $5.3-million,
to make room for Niedermayer’s large
salary. However, GM Brian Burke swung
a deal with the St. Louis Blues, sending
young centerman Andy MacDonald to
the Blues in exchange for veteran center
Doug Weight. The teams also exchanged
draft picks. While Niedermayer pondered
whether to return to the ice or not, the
team suspended him, allowing them to
save money against the salary cap.

Burke had to do some of his
best work to fit everyone in under the
cap with Niedermayer’s coming back.
Anaheim was already pressed right up
against the $53 million limit, having
just signed franchise cornerstone Ryan
Getzlaf to a five-year extension. The
MacDonald trade allows room for
Niedermayer, with enough left over to
lock up the team’s young sniper, Corey
Perry.

Niedermayer recorded his first
point, an assist, in his second game
back against the San Jose Sharks in a 2-
0 Ducks win. With Niedermayer in the
lineup, the Ducks won their next contest
as well, 2-1 over the Colorado Avalanche
in overtime.

There has never been a winner
quite like Scott Niedermayer. At every
level he’s played at, championships
have come his way. He is the only
player in history to win all six major
championships: The Memorial Cup, the
World Junior Championship, the World
Championship, the Olympics, the World
Cup, and the Stanley Cup.

Niedermayer, currently in his
16" NHL season, was drafted third overall
in the 1991 entry draft by the New Jersey
Devils, where he spent 13 years before
signing with the Ducks. While in the
swamp, Niedermayer won three Stanley
Cups alongside Martin Brodeur and
Scott Stevens, and established himself
as one of the game’s top defensemen.
Last season was his best however; as he
led the Ducks to set franchise records in
points and wins as Anaheim led the NHL
in regular season points. He was named
to the NHL’s first all-star team and won
the James Norris Trophy as the league’s
best defenseman. In the playoffs, he was
named the playoff MVP, carting home
the Conn Smythe Trophy.

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