Kellen Winslow II was found guilty of several charges relating to rape and sexual assault back in 2019, and the former NFL player will be going to for a very long time.
Winslow was sentenced in a California courtroom on Wednesday to 14 years in prison. The sentence was the maximum allowed under a plea deal he agreed to with prosecutors.
Winslow had been charged with multiple rapes and other sexual offenses against five women in Southern California. He was found guilty in 2019 of raping a 58-year-old homeless woman the year before. He was also found guilty of indecent exposure for exposing himself to a 58-year-old woman who was gardening in her front hard and lewd conduct related to an incident where he made sexual advances toward a 78-year-old woman in a health club.
During Winslow’s sentencing on Wednesday, San Diego County Superior Court Judge Blaine Bowman said the 37-year-old can only be described with “two words, and that is sexual predator,” according to The Associated Press.
Winslow’s case took an interesting turn at one point when one of his alleged victims was unable to identify him during a court hearing.
Winslow, the son of Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow, was drafted No. 6 overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2004. He played nine seasons in the NFL.
The NFL head coach hiring process might look a lot different in the future if the Buffalo Bills get their way.
According to Albert Breer of The MMQB, the Bills have submitted a rules proposal that would prevent teams from interviewing candidates for front office or coaching positions until after the conference championships are played. Teams would not be allowed to hire candidates for these positions until after the Super Bowl.
This would be a huge change. Presently, teams can interview candidates employed by other organizations during the playoffs, while unemployed candidates or college coaches can speak to teams without any restrictions.
There have been questions in the past over whether it’s distracting for coordinators employed by playoff teams to also go through the interview process during the playoffs. The Bills dealt with that to some degree this year, which may have impacted their thinking.
It’s also not clear whether this is something owners are eager to consider. If they do, though, the hiring process is going to radically change in the next few years.
The New York Yankees will be without their manager for an undetermined amount of time, as Aaron Boone is leaving the team to undergo a medical procedure.
The Yankees announced on Wednesday that Boone is taking an immediate leave of absence to receive a pacemaker. The procedure will be performed at a hospital in Tampa.
Boone underwent open heart surgery to replace an aortic valve when he was with the Houston Astros back in 2009. He said at the time that doctors discovered his heart condition when he was in college. Boone explained in a statement on Wednesday that he has been experiencing “mild symptoms of lightheadedness, low energy and shortness of breath” in recent weeks.
You can read the full statement from Boone and the team below:
MLB spring training is underway, with the regular season scheduled to begin on April 1. It is unclear how long Boone will be out, but we wish him a speedy recovery.
As the NFL zeroes in on a salary cap figure for 2021, the consequences could be stark for a lot of veteran players around the league.
The cap, which was $198.2 million in 2020, is expected to fall significantly in 2021 due to reduced league revenues. The 2021 number has not been finalized, but one NFL GM told Matt Verderame of Fansided that the number is expected to come in between $180 million and $183 million.
In other words, some NFL teams will expect to have to reduce payroll, and that is likely to lead to a lot of veterans getting cut. One head coach predicted a “massacre” starting next week ahead of free agency.
It’s clear that plenty of quality veterans will be available by March 17, when free agency opens. That might be good news for contenders, and it could also lead to some teams aggressively adding veteran talent to improve quickly. That’s why some within the league believe there could be a significant consequence while the salary cap is reduced.
The New England Patriots are facing an uncertain quarterback situation for the second consecutive offseason, but they reportedly have a Plan A in place. The question is whether or not they will be able to execute it.
According to Greg A. Bedard of Boston Sports Journal, the ideal scenario for the Patriots this offseason would be to trade for Jimmy Garoppolo. The San Francisco 49ers would have to acquire another quarterback before they’d consider dealing Garoppolo, and they may be in the process of trying to do that.
The Niners have reportedly spoken with the Carolina Panthers about a potential trade for Teddy Bridgewater. As Bedard notes, Bridgewater is due to make $37 million in base salary over the next two seasons. The 49ers may feel they can get him for a reasonable price due to his contract and then flip Garoppolo for a high draft pick.
That is where the Patriots could come in. Bedard is confident that acquiring Garoppolo is still “far away their plan” and they would likely be willing to give up a second-round pick to bring him back. If Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch feel Bridgewater is an upgrade over Garoppolo or, at the very least, a lateral move, they may be inspired to make a deal.
Lynch recently threw public support behind Garoppolo, but we know how quickly things can change. A recent report claimed the 49ers would only consider trading Garoppolo for one specific quarterback, but the Bridgewater rumors may be a sign that the situation is not that simple.
The New York Jets are keeping all of their options open at quarterback this offseason, and general manager Joe Douglas admits that the team has not ruled out trading Sam Darnold.
Douglas was asked on Wednesday about the reports that Darnold is on the trade block. He said the Jets are not actively shopping their former No. 3 overall pick but are not going to ignore inquiries.
“I will answer the call, if it’s made,” Douglas said, via SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano. “Sam is, we think, a dynamic playmaker in this league with dynamic talent … But if calls are made, I will answer them.”
While Douglas essentially confirmed that Darnold is available, he also praised the 23-year-old and indicated the Jets would be comfortable moving forward with him as their quarterback.
“With Sam, our stance on Sam hasn’t changed. He’s an extremely talented player,” Douglas added. “Very smart, very tough. We have no doubt he’s going to achieve his outstanding potential.”
Darnold battled a shoulder injury and had a rough season in 2020. He finished with 2,208 yards, nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 12 games. Those are not the numbers the Jets were hoping for in the former USC star’s third NFL season, but many have blamed Adam Gase for New York’s offensive struggles. Gase, of course, was fired after the season.
While he has reportedly drawn interest from multiple teams, Darnold probably has not played well enough to attract big offers. There have been indications that the Jets could have an unrealistic price tag in mind. If that’s the case, Darnold is unlikely to be moved.
Tom Brady’s wife Gisele has always been very supportive of his football career, but she has hinted in the past that she would prefer if the quarterback retired. Now that Brady has won his seventh Super Bowl, that sentiment may be stronger than ever.
During his appearance on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” that aired on Tuesday night, Brady shared a funny story about the exchange he had with Gisele after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ win over the Kansas City Chiefs a few weeks ago. The 43-year-old said the first thing his wife did was drop a subtle remark about Brady hanging up the cleats.
“I was looking for my family, and all of a sudden I see my oldest son run over to me and I gave him a big hug,” Brady recalled. “I saw my two little ones, and all of a sudden I saw my wife. I gave her a big hug, and just as I did it she says, ‘What more do you have to prove?'”
Brady said the only thing he could think to do was change the subject.
“I just gave her a big hug. I was trying to figure out a way to change the subject really quick,” he added. “I think I moved onto something else pretty quickly.”
Brady probably has no answer for Gisele. In terms of his legacy, he has nothing left to prove. He’s the greatest quarterback of all time and has now shown he can win a title without Bill Belichick. His seven championships will almost certainly never be matched.
Obviously, Brady still loves playing. Gisele has expressed concern about his health in the past, which is understandable. But if you saw the way Brady was acting at the Bucs’ victory parade, you know he is far from bored of adding to his Hall of Fame legacy. We would be surprised if next season is his last.
Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have done it! Treat yourself or a friend with this great Tampa Fiesta shirt. You can buy it here.
The New England Patriots are currently in a great position with more than $60 million in salary cap space, and they could free up even more money if they trade All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore. According to one report, that is likely to happen.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports wrote in his insider notes column this week that most general managers around the NFL believe it is a “foregone conclusion” that Gilmore will be traded. Gilmore is entering the final year of his contract with the Patriots, and the two sides have not discussed an extension.
Gilmore, who was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, has a cap hit of $15 million next season. While the 30-year-old is still one of the best cover corners in football, the Patriots are looking to rebuild in many areas.
We wouldn’t be surprised if we hear from Gilmore’s wife about the trade rumors, but they make sense.
James Harden is returning to Houston on Wednesday night for the first time since he forced the Rockets to trade him, and it will be interesting to see how the Brooklyn Nets star is received at the Toyota Center. It sounds like Harden is hoping for a warm welcome.
In an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews on Tuesday, Harden spoke about his return to Houston and said he hopes to be “received with love.”
“The love and the appreciation that I’ve given to that city and that I still give to that city, I’m hoping that the favor can be returned,” Harden said.
The Rockets tried to repair their relationship with Harden before trading him, but the former MVP was not interested in making it work. He told Andrews that he never thought he would leave Houston but realized he had “different goals.”
“The communication between myself and the front office got a little shaky,” Harden said. “And now I look back at it and I see these other scenarios, other situations that are happening, specifically around other players that are in Houston, in different sports. And their transition is going very smooth. And I would’ve hoped for mine to go that smooth, but it didn’t. I am where I am now.”
Harden has donated money and resources to the Houston area in the wake of the winter storms that devastated the region recently. He said he still feels like he is part of the community and wants to help in any way he can.
We’d expect Harden to get a mixed reaction on Wednesday night, though the Rockets are doing their part to keep things classy. While Harden was a great player in Houston for eight seasons, he wasn’t exactly graceful on his way out the door. Some fans aren’t going to forget that.
Cleveland State kept its NCAA Tournament hopes alive with a thrilling win over Purdue Fort Wayne on Tuesday night, and some savvy coaching at the end of the game helped seal the victory.
Cleveland State was leading 107-104 with six seconds left in triple-OT when coach Dennis Gates decided to go to his bench. Gates had 7-foot-2 freshman Mabor Majak, who has barely played at all this season, guard the inbound pass. Majak hopped up and down at the baseline and interrupted the inbound pass enough to create a turnover.
That is exactly why most kids who are 7-feet tall and up can find a spot on a Division I basketball team. The sky is the limit for them, and Majak’s height was incredibly valuable in that particular situation.
While the Majak play was genius, it wasn’t the most exciting one of the night. Cleveland State would have lost if not for this insane shot to force a third overtime.
Cleveland State advanced to the Horizon League semifinals with the win.
