Florida Sentinel Bulletin

NEW YORK — Plaxico Burress is critical of Giants coach Tom Coughlin, quarterback Eli Manning and fans for the way they reacted when he was sent to prison on a gun charge in the October issue of Men’s Journal.

Burress, now with the Jets, says he wished Coughlin had shown some concern when he met with him after accidentally shooting himself in the leg in November 2008 and adds that Coughlin is “not a real positive coach.”

Burress says he was disappointed Manning never visited him or tried to communicate with him while he served his 20-month prison sentence. He also says the cruel letters he received from fans made him feel like “a human pincushion.”

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will open their 2011 regular season against the same team they ended their 2010 season.

The Bucs will host the Detroit Lions at Raymond James Stadium Sunday at 1 p.m. The last time the two teams met, the Bucs came up on the short end of a 23-20 score.

The Buccaneer defense will have to face a man known as “Megatron”  (6’5” wide receiver Calvin Johnson) on offense, and the offense will be looking at a force known as Ndamukong Suh.

The Bucs finished the 2010 season with a 10-6 record and just missed the playoffs. The Lions won all of their preseason games this year, and ended last season on a win streak.

Buccaneer head coach, Raheem Morris, knows his team has to be mentally and physically ready to challenge the Lions. Buc quarterback Josh Freeman and the offense did not show any rhythm or timing during the preseason and will not get a break against a Lion defense that is considered one of the best in the NFL.

The Buccaneer defense staggered out of the blocks, but finished strong, and Coach Morris is pleased with the depth on that side of the ball.

Sources indicate the Bucs are 3-point favorites over the Lions.

JACKSONVILLE, FL — The Jacksonville Jaguars have released veteran quarterback David Garrard, a stunning move that will save the franchise $9 million this season.

Whether it saves coach Jack Del Rio’s job remains to be seen. Team owner Wayne Weaver has said Jacksonville needs to make the playoffs for Del Rio to stick around for a 10th season. Del Rio made it clear late last season that he had grown tired of Garrard’s inconsistent ways.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Former NBA player and Michigan State star Jay Vincent has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison and ordered to pay more than $110,000 in restitution to the IRS for his part in a fraud scheme.

The 52-year-old Vincent received the sentence Friday in federal court in Grand Rapids. He pleaded guilty to fraud and tax charges.

The government says he and an associate defrauded 20,000 people out of about $1 million by charging them to become certified home inspectors. Prosecutors recommended nine years in prison. U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker sentenced Vincent to 68 months.

Former NBA star Magic Johnson wrote a letter to the judge asking for “mercy” for Vincent, calling his former college roommate “incredibly remorseful.”

Johnson and Vincent played on Michigan State’s 1979 national championship team.

DAEGU, South Korea — The United States won the women’s 4X100-meter relay Sunday at the World championships, with 100 gold medalist, Carmelita Jeter running the final leg.

The Americans, who won the World title in 2005 and ‘07, beat defending champion Jamaica down the stretch, winning in 41.56 seconds.

Jamaica was second in 41.70 and Ukraine took bronze in 42.51.

Bianca Knight ran the first leg and handed off to Allyson Felix, who won her record eighth World championship gold medal. Marshevet Myers ran the third leg and Jeter was last.

DAEGU, South Korea — Six days and a slow start later, Usain Bolt finally won gold at the World championships, running the fourth-fastest 200 meters in history to back up his showmanship with a stunning performance.

Bolt was slowest out of the blocks coming off his disqualification for a false start in the 100 final last Sunday that he blamed on “anxiety,” but drove through the bend and powered to the line in 19.40 seconds, just 0.21 seconds of the world record he set to win his first world title two years ago.

MIAMI – Quarterback Jacory Harris and 11 other Miami players who accepted extra benefits from former booster Nevin Shapiro will be allowed by the NCAA to play again, the first sanctions in a scandal that continues to overshadow the Hurricanes.

Of those, eight will miss at least one game, and all 12 must pay restitution.

The harshest penalties handed down Tuesday were reserved for those who took gifts from Shapiro while being recruited. Defensive lineman Olivier Vernon will sit out six games, while Ray Ray Armstrong – considered among the nation’s top safeties – and tight end Dyron Dye will miss four games apiece. Among the players sanctioned, only Vernon will miss more than one Atlantic Coast Conference game.

JACKSONVILLE — Running back Fred Taylor is retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons and nearly 12,000 yards.

Taylor will sign a one-day contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday so he can formally retire with the team that drafted him ninth overall in 1998.

The ceremony surely will be an emotional one, with family members, friends and former teammates on hand.

The former Florida star spent 11 seasons in Jacksonville and remains the franchise’s leading rusher with 11,271 yards. He ranks third with 286 catches and fourth with 2,361 receiving yards. More telling than his stats was his transition from a shy college kid who seemed to find trouble in Gainesville into a model player who became a team leader and a strong voice for league issues.

Coaches and teammates lauded Taylor as one of the hardest-working players in Jacksonville’s locker room. Media members and team personnel regarded him as the easiest to deal with, a class act on and off the field, regardless of wins or losses.

Taylor spent the last two seasons playing sparingly in New England, where he ran 106 times for 424 yards and four touchdowns.

CHARLOTTE, NC — Cam Newton was treated like a starter during his preseason finale. He led one efficient drive, threw a touchdown pass and exited.

Then, after the game, his coach made it official: Newton will start for the Carolina Panthers in their opener. Newton threw his first TD as a pro in Carolina’s 33-17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night.

“Even with this position given, it doesn’t stop here,” Newton said. “I can’t just sit back and say, `I’ve arrived,’ because we’ve got a long way to go. … The record begins now.”