Florida Sentinel Bulletin

Major League Baseball is commemorating Jackie Robinson Day on Sunday, April 15, 2012 with a League-wide 65th anniversary recognition. The Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson br0ke the game’s color barrier in 1947. To highlight this special occasion, all players and on-field personnel will once again wear Number 42.

“It gives us great pride to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Jack’s barrier-breaking accomplishments. This anniversary serves as a reminder of Jack’s enduring legacy and the profound impact he had on America. It is my hope that this commemoration serves as an inspiration to all as we look to unite behind our common goals,” Rachel Robinson, Jackie’s wife and founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation said.

The Foundation, established in 1973, provides four-year college scholarships, graduate school grants and extensive mentoring to a diverse group of academically distinguished students with leadership potential.

To honor Jackie Robinson Day, MLB Network will highlight the day’s celebrations throughout its signature studio show MLB Tonight, beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET. Additionally, MLB Network will re-air MLB Productions’ 2011 special Letters from Jackie: The Private Thoughts of Jackie Robinson on Sunday, April 15th at 11:00 a.m. ET.

The program focuses on Robinson’s role in the American Civil Rights movement, predominantly after he retired from baseball.

Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees center fielder, and Dennis Haysbert is the narrator. The story is told in Robinson’s own words, through correspondence he maintained during his lifetime with political figures including Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, and a young pen pal named Ron Rabinovitz, with whom Robinson kept in touch from 1955 to his death in 1972.

MLB Network will also air MLB Productions’ Pride and Perseverance: The Story of the Negro Leagues on Monday, April 16th at 11:00 a.m. ET. The documentary, narrated by Hall of Famer and Negro Leagues advocate Dave Winfield, traces the history of African Americans in the Negro Leagues and Major League Baseball, culminating with Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in 1947.

Yesterday, Howard University made an announcement that it was shutting down all of its intercollegiate athletic teams as it investigated a possible NCAA violation.

Hours after the announcement, the school clarified the confusing matter by saying most teams will still be eligible to compete, but that some student-athletes would be withheld as part of the investigation. The issue at hand is that allegedly some student-athletes abused the rules of textbook vouchers and spent the money by buying iPads and other frivolous items.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released safety Tanard Jackson after he failed a physical.

Jackson had 10 interceptions in 56 games with the Tampa Bay Bucs, but will now have to find work somewhere else.

In 2011, Jackson had 35 tackles and two interceptions, but was frequently injured.

Bill Parcells isn’t going to come out of retirement to rescue  the New Orleans Saints.

It was reported that Parcells will not fill in on an interim basis for suspended coach Sean Payton. Now, retired coach Tony Dungy is also not interested in leading, temporarily, what could be a pretty good football team.

Dungy is happy in retirement and will continue in his role on NBC’s “Football Night in America.” He also wants to be able to follow the career of his son Eric, who is a wide receiver at Oregon.

MIAMI — The Miami Marlins have suspended manager Ozzie Guillen for five games for comments he made in which he expressed admiration for Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Marlins bench coach Joey Cora will be the interim manager during the suspension. Guillen said he would fly back to Philadelphia, where the Marlins resume their series with the Phillies on Wednesday, to address the team.

Tuesday morning in Miami, Guillen apologized to the city, its Cuban-American community and all Latin Americans for the comments, which were published on Time magazine’s website last week.

Buccaneers RB LeGarrette Blount seems to be concerned that his days of having a firm hold on the featured-back job in Tampa could be limited.

Head coach Greg Schiano wants to see greater competition for reps, including at Blount’s position, and that apparently isn’t sitting well with the third-year back, who signed his exclusive-rights free-agent tender Wednesday.

Blount told CBS Sports at the NFL’s unveiling of its new Nike uniforms this week that he would not be happy if the Bucs spent the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft on the top back available — Alabama’s Trent Richardson.

Adrian Peterson, the Minnesota Vikings running back, has pledged to donate $1 million to the Oklahoma athletics department.

The largest financial gift ever to the athletic department from a former Sooners football player will help support construction of Headington Hall, a student housing facility, and establish the Adrian Peterson Football Scholarship Endowment.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. —Former NFL star Warren Sapp owes more than $6.7 million to creditors and back child support and alimony, according to a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in South Florida.

The court documents were filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Fort Lauderdale on March 30.

Sapp’s average monthly income is $115,881, according to the filings, and includes $45,000 for a final contract payment with Showtime, $48,000 for an appearance with CCA Sports and $18,675 as an advance for a book deal. His contract with the NFL Network ends in August, the filings show, and it was unknown if the contract will be renewed.

Sapp, a former defensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders during his 13-year NFL career, was also once a contestant on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

REPORT: SAPP ‘LIKELY’ OUT AT NFL NETWORK

When former NFL defensive tackle Warren Sapp recently declared bankruptcy, he listed his income at $45,000 per month from NFL Network on a contract that expires in August 2012. Sapp said in the paperwork he’s not sure if the contract will be extended.

According to Greg Bedard of the Boston Globe, it probably won’t be.

Bedard reports, citing two league sources, that Sapp’s employment is “likely over,” and that Sapp has not been on NFL Network in the two-plus weeks since he went on the air and outed former Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey as the player who blew the whistle on the Saints’ bounty system in 2011.

CHARLESTON, S.C. —What a week for the Williams sisters.

Serena gained a title, Venus found a renewed belief in her game and both showed a calm confidence at the Family Circle Cup.

Serena capped a dominant week with a powerful performance in the finals Sunday, defeating Lucie Safarova 6-0, 6-1 to win the championship. It was Serena Williams’ 40th career tournament title and her first win on clay since taking this event in 2008.

Sister Venus has similar hopes. The 31-year-old star and seven-time grand slam winner was playing just her second tournament since an autoimmune disease— Sjogren’s syndrome—kept her sidelined for more than six months.

Venus Williams reached the quarterfinals in her return, showing off some solid tennis of her own in her first clay-court event in two years. Venus nearly made it to the semifinals, missing out on her first matchup with Serena since 2009 when Samantha Stosur rallied to win.

Then Serena got a bit of sisterly revenge, ousting Stosur in dominating 6-1, 6-1 fashion.