Friday, September 27, 2002

APOLOGY: Randy Moss, Minnesota Vikings EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – Associated Press reports Randy Moss insisted he wasn't looking for trouble when he pushed a traffic officer with his car. "I don't know if trouble is out to find me, but I'm certainly not out to find trouble," the Minnesota wide receiver said Thursday. Police charged Moss with two misdemeanors for pushing the traffic officer with his car Tuesday after she stepped in front of it to stop him from making an illegal turn. The officer was slightly injured when she fell off the car. While making no direct mention of the traffic officer, Moss apologized Thursday to teammates, family and friends and "everyone who really cares and feels a part of me or this team." The 25-year-old player faces a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and $1,000 on each charge. He'll be arraigned Oct. 2. Police also said they found a marijuana cigarette in Moss' car, an amount that would qualify as a petty misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $200. But no drug charge has been filed, and Moss said the marijuana did not belong to him. Other people have had use of the car, he said. Moss Contends Media's Purple Prose Ruining His Reputation 12:41:01 PM

APOLOGY: Jeremy Shockey, New York Giants NEW YORK -- Associated Press reports New York Giants rookie Jeremy Shockey apologized for comments about gays made two weeks ago during an appearance on Howard Stern's radio show. During the Sept. 10 interview, Stern asked Shockey if he thought there were any gay players in the NFL. "I don't know, Shockey said. "I don't like to think about that. I hope not. The star tight end also was asked if he had any gay teammates at the University of Miami. "No," he said. "I mean, if I knew there was a gay guy on my college football team, I probably wouldn't, you know, stand for it. You know, I think, you know, they're going to be in the shower with us and stuff, so I don't think that's going to work." 12:31:11 PM

DENIAL: Jodi Turner, Accused Mets Extortionist NEW YORK -- Newsday reports the lawyer for the Long Island woman accused of extortion by Mets pitcher Grant Roberts and his representatives denied that his client, Jodi Turner, made any threats against Roberts and blasted the allegations of extortion as an attempt to shift the focus away from alleged use of marijuana by Roberts and other Mets. The Queens district attorney's office has opened an investigation into the extortion allegation, and it plans to speak soon with both Roberts and Turner. The photograph in question, a picture taken in December 1999 while Roberts was playing in the minor leagues, accompanied a Newsday story based on multiple sources and published last Friday that said at least seven Mets were suspected of using marijuana this season. 12:26:05 PM

NO THANKS: HS Team Turns Down Parent-Hired Stripper BOSTON – Boston Herald reports a group of high school football players turned a bikini-clad stripper away from their pregame party after a school parent hired her to perform for the boys, police and players said yesterday. "It was the right thing to do," said Matt Beane, a varsity player from Bridgewater who attended a bonfire where Darren DeSisto, the father of a 15-year-old player, brought the woman to entertain the team. On the night of Sept. 12, just before the Trojans' first game of the season against North Attleboro, DeSisto hosted a traditional cookout for the players at his home and then accompanied them to a nearby lake for a bonfire. It was there that DeSisto introduced a stripper to the group of 15- to 17-year-olds who "intimated" she was going to take it all off, said Raynham Deputy Police Chief Lou Pacheco, whose son is a fullback on the team. Police conducted an investigation and determined that DeSisto will face no criminal charges. 12:15:49 PM

USOC PROBE: Hilary Clinton, Michael Bloomberg NEW YORK -- Associated Press reports the U.S. Olympic Committee is reviewing possible 2012 Summer Games bidding rules violations involving Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.  Under rules strengthened after the Salt Lake City bidding scandal, the USOC restricts contact with board members and bans cities from international promotional activities. The New York Times and Daily News reported Friday that the USOC is looking into Clinton's contact with U.S. and International Olympic Committee member Anita DeFrantz, and Bloomberg's comments last week in Greece about New York's 2012 bid. Clinton spokeswoman Karen Dunn said the senator invited DeFrantz to Congress' special meeting in New York on Sept. 6 at the request of Daniel Doctoroff, Bloomberg's deputy mayor for economic development and a bid organization founder. 11:20:36 AM

APPEAL DENIED: Edith Rumsas CHAMBERY, France -- Agence France-Presse reports the wife of Tour de France third-place finisher Raimondas Rumsas lost another appeal Thursday to be released from the prison where she has been detained since her July arrest in possession of drugs. Edith Rumsas has been held in custody at Bonneville women's prison for nearly eight weeks on suspicion of provoking, inciting and offering drugs for consumption. 12:51:30 AM

BANNED: Janine Whitlock, English Pole Vaulter LONDON -- Associated Press reports English pole vaulter Janine Whitlock has been suspended for two years after testing positive for the banned steroid methandienone. Whitlock tested positive three months ago, but the two-year suspension was not given until after a disciplinary committee reviewed the tests. Whitlock, who has set 36 national records, is ineligible to compete until July 19, 2004. 12:47:42 AM

RULING: OneWorld, America's Cup AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Reuters reports OneWorld has isolated its crew from a rancorous espionage scandal involving a former team member and are glad to have their America's Cup challenge out of the court room and on the water, the U.S. syndicate said on Friday.  A U.S. judge ruled on Thursday that former OneWorld lawyer and operations manager Sean Reeves had breached a confidentiality agreement by keeping and disclosing information about their team. OneWorld, the Seattle-based syndicate of telecommunications investor Craig McCaw, had accused Reeves of trying to sell design secrets to their rivals in an espionage saga of claim and counter-claim that has dragged on for more than a year.  The judge ruled that OneWorld were entitled to up to $314,000 in "liquidated damages" and said that Reeves must pay their legal fees, estimated at up to $500,000. But Reeves, who denies trying to sell OneWorld design secrets, has vowed to continue fighting his former employers. 12:43:05 AM

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