Florida Sentinel Bulletin

SAN FRANCISCO  – Barry Bonds is publicly referring to himself as a convicted felon these days, and he’s quick to point out that conviction was never for steroid use.

He appealed his obstruction of justice conviction from April 2011 on one count of giving an evasive answer to a 2003 grand jury investigating illegal steroids distribution.

“I went through the system. And that’s what it is,’‘ Bonds said Monday, attending the Diamondbacks-Giants while doing charity work through Big Brothers and Sisters of the Bay Area. “And that’s what I got. I went through the system. I’m in an appeal process right now. I was never convicted of steroids.’‘

The slugger said he met recently with Giants president and CEO Larry Baer about working for the club in some capacity, and Bonds has a personal services contract the Giants have said could go into effect once his legal proceedings were in the past.

Terrell Owens is not taking his firing from the Allen Wranglers lightly.

Wednesday the wide receiver was dropped from the team due to his bad performance, and absence at a charity event, but according to reports, he plans to take legal action against the team.

Sources close to the former NFL player said that the discrepancy over Owens’ failure to appear with his teammates at a children’s hospital is unfounded because the event was not mandatory. “

Mr. Owens’ legal team is addressing the details of the Wranglers release statement,” said his rep in a statement.

The rep also noted that the 38-year-old “played all games according to his contractual agreement and was proud to be part of the IFL and the Allen Wranglers,” and wishes the team “all the best moving forward.”

PARIS  – Venus Williams (pictured, left) followed little sister Serena out of the French Open.

The elder Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, lost to third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-2, 6-3 Wednesday in the second round.

Williams was playing at a major tournament for the first time since last August, when she withdrew before her second-round match at the U.S. Open. It was then that she revealed she had been diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, a condition that can cause fatigue and joint pain.

On Tuesday, Serena Williams (right) lost in the first round of a major tournament for the first time, falling to Virginie Razzano of France 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

TILLMAN’S CORNER, Ala.  – Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley has been arrested in Alabama on charges of driving under the influence and attempting to elude police, his second arrest in his home state in two months.

Alabama state troopers say the 24-year-old passed a state trooper early Sunday morning at 100 mph in his Cadillac Escalade in unincorporated Mobile County. After initially refusing to stop for the trooper’s emergency lights and siren, Fairley pulled over and seemed impaired. He was arrested without incident.

Fairley was also cited for reckless driving, no proof of insurance and open container.

ATLANTA  – Boxer Paul Williams was paralyzed Sunday after being involved in a motorcycle crash in the Atlanta suburbs and doctors said it is unlikely he will continue his career, his manager said Monday.

“From the waist down, he has absolutely no movement. He’s in very good spirits, though,’‘ George Peterson said from his home in Aiken, S.C. “He still believes he’s going to fight again.’‘

Williams, 30, severed his spinal cord after falling on his back and head when he was thrown from his motorcycle Sunday morning in Marietta, Ga., Peterson said.

Williams has been listed in serious but stable condition on Monday at an undisclosed hospital, Peterson said.

The crash happened Sunday morning in Marietta after Williams tried to avoid another car in the next lane that was negotiating a curve and then had to maneuver to avoid an oncoming car. Williams was in the area to attend his brother’s wedding Sunday afternoon, Peterson said.

“I know he’s going to make a statement after surgery, because he’s that kind of person,’‘ Peterson said. “He’s 100 percent coherent and still has the will to want to get back on the motorcycle.’‘

Williams was scheduled to fight Saul “Canelo’‘ Alvarez on Sept. 15 in Las Vegas, but that event has been canceled, Peterson said.

Williams won his first major welterweight title in July 2007 with a decision over Antonio Margarito. He struggled to land fights with the sport’s biggest stars because of his pronounced size advantages, a high-volume punching rate and his relative anonymity, but was considered one of the world’s top pound-for-pound stars.

He earned victories over Carlos Quintana, Winky Wright, Sergio Martinez and Kermit Cintron, but Martinez abruptly stopped Williams’ rise in November 2010 with a second-round victory in their rematch. Williams ended up face-down on the canvas with his eyes wide open in perhaps the most spectacular knockout in recent boxing history.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded tight end Kellen Winslow (pictured) to the Seattle Seahawks for a draft pick on Monday night and signed former Colts star Dallas Clark to replace him.

Earlier in the day, Winslow said that first-year coach Greg Schiano was ‘’kind of upset’‘ that Winslow has not been working out with the team during the offseason.

‘’That’s kind of shocking, but that’s what it is,’‘ Winslow said, adding that Schiano told him the coach “would help me out with a trade.”

Winslow has been one of Tampa Bay’s best offensive players since being acquired from Cleveland in a trade three years ago. He had 77 receptions for 884 yards and five touchdowns in 2009, 66 catches for 730 yards and five TDs in 2010 and 75 receptions for 763 yards and two TDs in 2011.

Tampa Bay received a conditional 2013 draft pick in the deal.

Winslow will join a tight end unit that already includes Zach Miller, who Seattle gave a big contract last offseason, and promising young prospect Cameron Morrah, who has struggled with injuries early in his career. The Seahawks lost tight end John Carlson in the offseason after he signed with Minnesota.

New Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano insists he wasn’t sending a message by trading tight end Kellen Winslow, just improving the football team.

Tampa Bay dealt Winslow to Seattle for a draft pick on Monday night and signed former Colts tight end Dallas Clark.

Winslow did not participate in a voluntary workout with the Buccaneers last week. He said in a radio interview Monday that Schiano had told him the team would likely trade the 28-year-old former first-round pick.

And a few hours later, Winslow was headed West.

Schiano on Tuesday said: “The only message I want to address is we need to be the best football team we can be.”

The 32-year-old Clark has been one of the NFL’s most productive tight ends for nine seasons with Indianapolis.

OKLAHOMA CITY  — Police have arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with a shooting that wounded eight people shortly after the Thunder-Lakers NBA playoff game in Oklahoma City.

Police say Rodney Hill was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon, but no other details have been released.

Capt. Dexter Nelson says the shooting didn’t appear connected to the playoff game, which Oklahoma City won to advance to the NBA Western Conference finals.

Police say a late-night fight escalated into gunfire, leaving eight people injured – including one critically – shortly after the game ended just a few blocks away.
A pregnant woman also was hurt in the fight.

HOUSTON — Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson is the latest former player to sue the National Football League and seek compensation for head injuries.

Dickerson is the lead plaintiff among 15 men named in the suit filed Monday in federal court in Houston. Other plaintiffs include former Minnesota Vikings player John Randle and the estate of Ernie Stautner, a longtime Dallas assistant coach and former player in Pittsburgh.