Florida Sentinel Bulletin

Last week’s offensive performance on the road against the Dallas Cowboys has caused Tampa Bay Buccaneer head coach, Greg Schiano to look back and grab LeGarrette Blount with hopes that the big running back can get the Bucs ground game going.

The Bucs will host this year’s Heisman trophy winner, Robert Griffin, III, and the Washington Redskins on Sunday in a 4:25 p. m. game at Raymond James Stadium.

Last Sunday’s the performance of by the Buccaneer defense, the team should have come out victorious. However, offense generate less than 200 yards for an entire game, Schiano had to sit down with his coaching staff, and redraw its strategy.

The Bucs will still use first round draft pick Doug Martin in the running game, but with a 1-2 record, Schiano feels if the team establishes itself on the ground, it will make quarterback Josh Freeman’s job a lot easier.

The Bucs go into the game favored by 3 points, but they know they will have to perform a lot better this Sunday, and take advantage of every opportunity.

The Bucs will be without the services of starting defensive end, Adrian Clayborn, who is lost for the year with knee injury. Several other players are banged up, but expected to play.

NEW YORK — So long, replacements refs. The NFL’s regular crews will be back at work starting Thursday night.

After two days of marathon negotiations — and mounting frustration among coaches, players and fans — the NFL and the referees’ union announced that a tentative agreement had been reached to end a lockout that began in June.

Commissioner Roger Goodell, who was at the bargaining table Tuesday and Wednesday, said the regulars would call the Browns-Ravens game at Baltimore.

The tentative eight-year deal must be ratified by 51 percent of the union’s 121 members.

The replacements worked the first three weeks of games, triggering a wave of outrage that threatened to disrupt the rest of the season. After a missed call cost the Green Bay Packers a win on a chaotic final play at Seattle on Monday night, the two sides really got serious.

The NFLRA said the current defined benefit pension plan will remain in place for current officials through the 2016 season or until the official earns 20 years’ service. The defined benefit plan will then be frozen.

Retirement benefits will be provided for new hires, and for all officials beginning in 2017, through a defined contribution arrangement. The annual league contribution made on behalf of each game official will begin with an average of more than $18,000 per official and increase to more than $23,000 per official in 2019, and a partial match on any additional contribution that an official makes to his 401(k) account.

Apart from their benefit package, the game officials’ compensation will increase from an average of $149,000 a year in 2011 to $173,000 in 2013, rising to $205,000 by 2019.

Pictured: MIKE CAREY AND ED HOCHULI

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Mundy was fined $21,000 for his v hit on Oakland Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey.

The fourth-quarter, helmet-to-helmet collision left Heyward-Bey unconscious, until he was lifted onto a stretcher and taken to a local hospital. He was released the next day with a concussion and neck strain. He’s expected to make a full recovery.

The injury happened as Heyward-Bey ran across the end zone for a pass from Carson Palmer. Mundy hurled his body and lowered his helmet into Heyward-Bey’s facemask.

MOBILE, Ala. – An attorney for Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley asked a judge Wednesday to approve a pre-trial diversion program, instead of putting the player on trial facing charges of drunken-driving and fleeing police.

Fairley was charged with driving under the influence and attempting to elude police following a May 27 arrest.

His Mobile County District Court trial was set to start Wednesday morning, but attorney Sid Harrell instead filed paperwork requesting Fairley attend an anti-DUI course after stipulating to a first-time DUI.

When Tampa Bay Buccaneer head coach, Greg Schiano boarded the plane with the team to travel to Texas, he should have done a head count.

From the Buccaneer’s performance Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, it was obvious the offense didn’t make the trip.

The Bucs fell 16-10 to the Cowboys, and it was apparent throughout the course of the game that the Buc defense would continue to give the offense opportunities.

The defense recorded four sacks of Tony Romo, three takeaways, and held the Dallas ground game to 38 yards on 23 carries.

It appeared the play calling was generic, and the Buccaneer offense never could get any rhythm going.

Buccaneer quarterback Josh Freeman finished the evening 10 of 28 for 110 yards.

The Buccaneer offense and special teams need a lot of work before they host Robert Griffin, III and the Washington Redskins next Sunday.

The Bucs finished the evening with 166 yards of total offense, 70 of them coming on their final drive.

It will be up to Schiano to get the team to be consistent in all three phases: offense, defense, and special teams, and hope that no key players are loss to injury.

Sidelined NFL player Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson recently opened up about how his off-the-field mistakes on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL.”

As the former Miami Dolphins wide receiver sat down with the show’s hosts, James Brown and Chris Collinsworth, this week Johnson appeared to want to lay his cards on the table and offer an interview that was honest and heartfelt about his tumultuous time with ex-wife Evelyn Lozada.

Admitting to past mistakes and their consequences, Johnson said:
“When you get a humble Chad Johnson that has lost everything and has to work his way back up, that’s a big deal,” admitted Johnson. “Because you’re not getting that same individual, you’re not getting that same fun guy….  I gotta prove a point. That’s the scariest thing in the world to have someone that has that drive.”

The former “Dancing With the Stars” standout also talked out about how he now feels about losing Evelyn:                                                                                                                                                                            “Being married, being a husband, being a lover, was an honor,” Johnson said in the interview. “And I lost that. And you know that saying … ‘You never know what you have until it’s gone.’ And now I finally know what they mean. I lost two of the things that really meant the most to me. That someone completed my world, completed me, period. But I just hadn’t made that transition to where I needed to be the best man that I could, or best husband that I could. I didn’t make it all the way, fully.”

Chad Johnson Gets Probation In Domestic Battery Case

Former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson has pleaded no contest to a domestic violence charge involving his then-wife, reality TV star Evelyn Lozada.

Johnson was sentenced Friday to a year’s probation and a counseling course under a plea deal with prosecutors. Johnson also must pay Lozada unspecified restitution.

A man who was exonerated after spending five years in prison for a rape he did not commit has another chance to pursue his dream of playing professional football.

Brian Banks, a highly recruited standout football player at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, will play for the Las Vegas Locos of the United Football League this season. Since his release from prison, Banks has tried out for NFL teams, including the Seattle Seahawks and former USC coach Pete Carroll.

“Congrats to Brian Banks!,” Carroll tweeted Wednesday. “Signed by the UFL’s Las Vegas club… we’re fired up for him!”

TORONTO  — Jon Jones successfully defended his light heavyweight title, surviving an early scare to submit former champion Vitor Belfort in the fourth round at UFC 152 on Saturday night.

Belfort came close with an armbar in the first round, but Jones’ reach, varied attack and ground and pound took a toll on the veteran challenger.

Unable to get his striking game going, Belfort tried to take the fight to the ground where he could use his jiu-jitsu. But he paid a price and finally fell victim to an Americana submission 54 seconds into the round. Jones improved to 17-1, and Belfort dropped to 21-10.

In the co-main event at the Air Canada Centre, Demetrious Johnson won a split decision – 48-47, 47-48, 49-46 – over Joseph Benavidez to become the UFC’s first flyweight champion.

Jones took down Belfort down 30 seconds after the opening bell, and the Brazilian responded with an armbar attempt that looked dangerous. Jones slammed Belfort down to the canvas and eventually wriggled free as the crowd began to chant “Vitor! Vitor!”

“I’ve never had my arm pop like that before,” said Jones, who said he would have let his arm break rather than tap out.

Jones remained on top and began to throw elbows, cutting Belfort. The doctor had a look at the battered challenger between rounds.

Belfort, who does his best work traditionally in the first round, came out punching in the second. But he had a hard time penetrating Jones’ reach. The champion began to pick away at Belfort, who pulled guard later in the round to bring the fight back to the ground.

Four Long Island University basketball players have been suspended after they were arrested on charges of assault in a brawl with the track team.

The fight broke out during a welcome-back party for students at the Brooklyn campus last weekend. Police say the four players were arrested Thursday after the track team members filed complaints. They were not seriously injured but were taken to a hospital.

The arrested players included Julian Boyd, a forward who was named the Northeast Conference player of the year last year, and two high scorers, Jamal Olaswere and Troy Joseph. The fourth player is C.J. Garner. The team is ranked No. 1 in the conference.

The school’s provost says no other students were implicated.