The Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux said last Saturday that fans should believe he was not guilty. But a police report released Tuesday said that Babineaux admitted smoking marijuana.
Babineaux and a friend, Aaron Robinson, were arrested in Babineaux’s 2005 Cadillac Escalade Thursday night after a routine traffic stop because the tag lights were out and the windows were tinted darker than the law allowed. The officer noted the car smelled of marijuana. Firstly, Babineaux told officer that he loaned the car to some friends who had smoked the drug in it a few nights earlier, then said that Robinson had a medical marijuana license.
However, a drug-sniffing dog found a plastic baggie filled with marijuana and a few blunts in a backpack at the center of the back seat. 1 1/2 ounces of the drug was found altogether. Babineaux still denied smoking the drug until his friend Robinson told police in a separate interview that Babineaux had smoked “from the marijuana blunt at least two to three times.” It was by then that the Falcons player admitted smoking from the marijuana blunt once, saying that he did not tell truth because he did not want to admit smoking marijuana.
Babineaux still put on his Falcons jerseys and started last Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. According to the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players, the team followed NFL rules in letting him play. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league will wait for the case to move through the legal process to decide Babineaux’s fate. But still he may face a four-game suspension if NFL commissioner Roger Goodell decides to have Babineaux enter the league’s intervention program.
Showing posts with label the Falcons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the Falcons. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Falcons RB Turner missed practice Wednesday but still wants to play
The Atlanta Falcons will play against the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend to battle for playoff spots in the NFC. Unfortunately, the Falcons may lose another key offensive player to injury after ruling out starting quarterback Matt Ryan because of toe injury. The latest one who may needs time to take care of injury before wearing back Falcons jersey is running back Michael Turner.
Turner suffered a high right ankle sprain in a Nov. 15 loss at Carolina and then missed the game against the New York Giants. Returning to play with his teammates against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday, the running back unluckily injured the same ankle in the third quarter when a defender fell on his ankle and he got pushed back under a pile of players.
But Turner still said he would suit up if at all possible, even though to heal high ankle sprains requires a lot of time because it leads to lingering problems if not allowed to fully heal. So the Falcons will play a hard game this Sunday, especially as right guard Harvey Dahl skipped practice Wednesday with ankle injury and left tackle Sam Baker practiced on limited base with elbow injury. What is even worse, receiver Michael Jenkins sat out the practice, too because of a previously unknown ankle problem.
Turner suffered a high right ankle sprain in a Nov. 15 loss at Carolina and then missed the game against the New York Giants. Returning to play with his teammates against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday, the running back unluckily injured the same ankle in the third quarter when a defender fell on his ankle and he got pushed back under a pile of players.
But Turner still said he would suit up if at all possible, even though to heal high ankle sprains requires a lot of time because it leads to lingering problems if not allowed to fully heal. So the Falcons will play a hard game this Sunday, especially as right guard Harvey Dahl skipped practice Wednesday with ankle injury and left tackle Sam Baker practiced on limited base with elbow injury. What is even worse, receiver Michael Jenkins sat out the practice, too because of a previously unknown ankle problem.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Win over Falcons changed opinions on Panthers QB Delhomme
Wearing No.13 NFL jersey does not necessarily mean unlucky to the Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme, but keeping leading his team to loss just caused people to doubt whether he is worth the trust of Coach John Fox. Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons just came in time to clear the doubts on Delhomme’s ability.
People used to consider if backup Josh McCown had not been lost for the season, Delhomme might have been sent to the bench weeks ago, and he was a have-to choice for starting job simply because the team had only inexperienced Matt Moore behind Delhomme.
Throwing 13 interceptions totally in the season, Delhomme made Sunday’s win his third consecutive game without throwing an interception, turning his season around completely.
"I’ve had fun the last three weeks," Delhomme said. "It didn’t get any lower than the Buffalo game, for whatever reason. I had to say, ‘the heck with it’ and keep swinging. The last few weeks have really been fun."
As for the next three games against the Dolphins, Jets and Buccaneers, the quarterback now at least has enough confidence to lead his team to a possible win, and even to the playoff.
People used to consider if backup Josh McCown had not been lost for the season, Delhomme might have been sent to the bench weeks ago, and he was a have-to choice for starting job simply because the team had only inexperienced Matt Moore behind Delhomme.
Throwing 13 interceptions totally in the season, Delhomme made Sunday’s win his third consecutive game without throwing an interception, turning his season around completely.
"I’ve had fun the last three weeks," Delhomme said. "It didn’t get any lower than the Buffalo game, for whatever reason. I had to say, ‘the heck with it’ and keep swinging. The last few weeks have really been fun."
As for the next three games against the Dolphins, Jets and Buccaneers, the quarterback now at least has enough confidence to lead his team to a possible win, and even to the playoff.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Michael Vick can still have $16 million roster bonus from Falcons
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Tuesday that Michael Vick, currently a quarterback in the Philadelphia Eagles, can still keep the more than $16 million roster bonuses he earned while playing in the Atlanta Falcons jersey.
The Court’s decision backed Judge David Doty’s rule, which said the money was not subject to forfeiture since Vick had already earned the bonuses before his dogfighting conviction. After the ruling, the NFL accused Doty, who has long handled matters arising from the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, of bias and sought to end his oversight of its contract with the players union.
However, the court backed Doty’s ruling on Vick’s bonus case because it found the contract’s forfeiture language ambiguous. So Doty has not done anything wrong and can still keep oversight of contract.
Vick’s current contract with the Eagles can pay him $1.6 million for 2009 season, and even the team decides to keep him in Philadelphia for next season, he won’t earn more than $5.2 million, so to keep the Falcons’ $16 million means quite a lot for Vick’s life.
The Court’s decision backed Judge David Doty’s rule, which said the money was not subject to forfeiture since Vick had already earned the bonuses before his dogfighting conviction. After the ruling, the NFL accused Doty, who has long handled matters arising from the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, of bias and sought to end his oversight of its contract with the players union.
However, the court backed Doty’s ruling on Vick’s bonus case because it found the contract’s forfeiture language ambiguous. So Doty has not done anything wrong and can still keep oversight of contract.
Vick’s current contract with the Eagles can pay him $1.6 million for 2009 season, and even the team decides to keep him in Philadelphia for next season, he won’t earn more than $5.2 million, so to keep the Falcons’ $16 million means quite a lot for Vick’s life.
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