Florida Sentinel Bulletin

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson made some controversial comments about the NFL labor situation.

“It’s modern-day slavery, you know? People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too. With all the money,” Peterson continued. “The owners are trying to get a different percentage, and bring in more money.”

WAUKEGAN, Ill. — A woman was convicted Tuesday of killing the pregnant girlfriend of former Chicago Bear Shaun Gayle in what prosecutors alleged was a meticulously planned execution of someone she viewed as a rival for the football player’s affection.

After nearly four hours of deliberation, the Lake County jury found Marni Yang, 43, guilty of first-degree murder and intentional homicide of an unborn child. Yang faces a minimum 45-year prison term when sentenced later this year for the October 2007 shooting of Rhoni Reuter, 42.

Yang didn’t testify during the trial. However, Gayle testified he met Yang in 2005 and the two had a business relationship that turned sexual. In closing arguments, the prosecutor called the death of Reuter was a “carefully planned out execution.”

MINEAPOLIS — Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook says he did not pull a gun on a neighbor during an argument that led to his arrest.

Cook says that he was riding his bike near his Lynchburg, Va. home Saturday when a neighbor began yelling at him. He says the neighbor wrongly believed Cook had called police about the neighbor’s brother.

Cook said he had recently received a license to carry a concealed weapon, but denied pulling a gun on the man.

The team is not allowed to have contact with Cook because of the NFL lockout.

MASON, Ohio — The suburban home of Cincinnati Bengals football player Antwan Odom has been heavily damaged by fire.

Fire officials in the city of Mason north of Cincinnati say the defensive end and his family were out of town at the time.

Firefighters responded just after 2:30 a.m. Tuesday to what they describe as a very serious fire that collapsed the home’s roof. They say hot spots and unstable areas are delaying their investigation into the cause.

The Warren County auditor’s web site estimates the home’s value at nearly $1.2 million. It was built in 2000 and has nearly 6,000 square feet of space.

CINCINNATI — An Ohio judge says Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco dropped the ball when it came to paying clothes bills.

Hamilton County Municipal Judge Bernie Bouchard ordered Ochocinco to pay Exclusive Wear $11,717 for clothing the Cincinnati store says he never paid for.

The store, which is owned by AMM One Inc., says that on shopping trips in late 2008 and early 2009, the player took items including a $575 Al Wissam Bomber coat, $400 Mauri alligator shoes and $350 Laguna beach jeans, but never paid for them.

Attorney Joseph Honerlaw said Wednesday the store reminded Ochocinco repeatedly that he needed to pay up before filing legal action in December. Bouchard ordered the default judgment Tuesday after Ochocinco didn’t appear in court.

RICHMOND, Va.  — A co-defendant in the Michael Vick dogfighting case is in custody again, being held on alleged probation violations.

Quanis L. Phillips arrived at a hearing Tuesday without a lawyer. U.S District Judge Henry Hudson appointed an attorney and rescheduled the hearing for March 28.

Phillips was shot in the leg after a birthday party for Vick at a Virginia Beach nightclub in June. A probation officer says in court papers that Phillips lied when he denied speaking with the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback that night. He also says Phillips failed to report run-ins with police, skipped a required mental health appointment and tested positive for marijuana use.

In November 2007, Hudson sentenced Phillips to 21 months in prison and three years of probation.

Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison.

During an interview Mike Tyson was asked how he was able to get back down to his former fighting weight, to which the heavyweight champ replied:

“I became a vegan, then I lost 140 pounds…I always thought if you did cocaine, you’d stay skinny. I didn’t know you’d turn into a fat crackhead, and you know it’s nothin’ like a fat crack-head.”

Tyson was promoting his new television show about racing pigeons.

PETA Protests Pigeon Racing Outside Tyson’s Nevada Home

HENDERSON, Nev. — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals demonstrated outside Mike Tyson’s suburban home to protest the former boxing champion’s role in pigeon racing.

BY LEON B. CREWS
Sentinel Staff Writer

Throughout the history of professional sports, only one group of people completely revolutionized athletics, and at the same time provided an outlet for African American athletes.
That group is called the Harlem Globetrotters.

Originally known as the Savory Big Five, the Harlem Globetrotters were obtained by Abe Saperstein in 1926 in Chicago, Illinois. They played their first game January 7, 1927, and officially became the Harlem Globetrotters in 1930.

Aundre “Hot Shot” Branch is entering his 8th season with the team, and recalled as a child when the team would visit his native Houston, Texas.

“I found them very entertaining, and I wrote a school report on them. Now, with the experience I’ve gained as a layer, I could write a book about them.”

Branch is in Tampa as the team will mark their 85th season with their dazzling “4 Times The Fun” World Tour. They will be at the St. Pete Times Forum Saturday to showcase their world renowned family fun and basketball entertainment.

Also in celebration of their 85th season, the Globetrotters will introduce a new groundbreaking basketball innovation, a 4-point shot.

Branch explains that the 4-point shot will be taken 35 feet from the basket, 12 feet from the NBA 3-point line.

“We are trendsetters of everything you see today. The 4-point shot will eventually catch on with college and professional teams.”

Branch said although he played basketball in high school and ran track, he was better as a wide receiver playing football.

“It was just too hot in Houston for football, so I thought basketball would better suit me.”

“Being a Globetrotter means you don’t get to spend a lot of time with your family, because you’re basically working 10 months out of every year. When I do get to spend time with my kids, I pour it on and tell them I’m doing something positive and good, and just sharing God’s blessing.”

Branch said to all the kids out there, he wants them to get their education, give 110% all the time, work hard at being a great individual, and work hard on their skills.

“Nothing worth having is easy. You have to be respectful of others and mean it.”

To date, the Harlem Globetrotters have won 22,000 games and have competed and beaten some college teams, two of them were current NCAA champions.

A former Globetrotter, Mannie Jackson, bought the team in 1993 as they were facing bankruptcy. He became the first African American owner of the team.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is meeting Wednesday with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton before hosting a White House party to watch basketball.

In between, Pres. Obama will meet with the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Richard Eubank.

Clinton, national security adviser Tom Donilon, CIA Director Leon Panetta and other top officials have scheduled a White House session to examine the ramifications of a no-fly zone over Libya and other potential military options, but Obama is not scheduled to attend.

Pres. Obama’s hometown Chicago Bulls are playing the Charlotte Bobcats Wednes-day night. He has invited a bipartisan group of lawmakers from Chicago and Charlotte, N.C., to watch the game with him.