14 I Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 Two Wizards suspended for season By Brain Mahoney ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER NEW YORK Washington Wizards teammates Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton were suspended without pay for the remainder of Wednesday by NBA commissioner David Stern, who said guns in the workplace ■will not be tolerated." Stern delivered the punishment after meeting with Arenas, turn ing his indefinite suspension into a suspension without pay. Both players have admitted tak ing guns into the Wizards' locker room, a violation of the collective Players preparing for altered Pro Bowl By Steven Wine ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER FORT LAUDERDALE. Fla. Chad Ochocinco took a snap and tested his punt ing leg, then later tried out as TV commen tator while his opponents __ practiced. The NFC defense lined NI ' L up with three No. 90s side ===■ by side Julius Peppers. Darnell Dockett and Jay Ratliff. Donovan McNabb pumped his fist in mock celebration when he completed a short pass to an unguarded receiver. "Ah, that was awesome right there! Woo!" McNabb shouted. The Pro Bowl s always a little different, even at practice. And this year's game is different from other Pro Bowls. NFL all-stars held their first workouts Wednesday in preparation for Sunday's showcase, which has a new venue and a new place on the league calendar. As a one-year experiment, the game has been moved to Miami from Honolulu, its home since 1980. And for the first time, it's being played the week before the Super Bowl instead of in its customary slot the week after the NFLs title game. The switches paid off in ticket sales. The league expects a sellout, and the crowd of more than 70,000 will be the largest for a Pro Bowl since 1959 in Los Angeles. One thing hasn’t changed: Enthusiasm Send a unique Valentine's Day message to someone special. For more into e-mail mvcoliegianad <> gmail.com or call 814-Bbs-253] I^, LADY LION BASKETBALL THE BJC PSU vs. Purdue THURSDAY, JAN. 28 AT 7:OOPM WOMEN'S track's field gymnastics ASHENFELTER TRACK PENN STATE NATIONAL FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JAN. 29-30 ALL DAY » Mia Da 111 a SATURDAY, JAN. 30 AT 7:OOPM bargaining agreement, following a dispute on a team flight. Stern said the players expressed remorse but added, “neverthe less, there is no justification for their conduct." “The issue here is not about the legal ownership and possession of Arenas guns, either in one's home or elsewhere." Stern said in a statement. "It is about possession of guns in the NBA workplace, which will not be toler ated." - $13,435 per game, Verizon Center. 1 Arenas, who is forfeiting about $147,200 per game, had already for participating remains lukewarm. More than a dozen players turned' down the chance to play, citing injury. In addition, the Colts and Saints won't be represented because they're preparing for next week's Super Bowl, also in Miaitii. As a result, 31 of the 87 Pro Bowl players are replacing those selected earlier, and the defections keep coming. On Wednesday. Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter replaced the Chargers' Nate Kaeding. "We still have a lot of good players," the Packers' Aaron Rodgers said. "I don't think it waters down the game." Rodgers is only quarterback playing among the six originally chosen. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, who were select ed to start, are preparing instead for the Super Bowl. That's the drawback to scheduling the Pro Bowl as a lead-in to the title game. "It's unfortunate it has to be before the Super Bowl." McNabb said. "It doesn't do any justice for the guys who are playing in the Super Bowl game. But all of us who are here would love to be playing next week." Along with seven Colts and seven Saints, absent players include Tom Brady. Philip Rivers, Brett Favre, Steven Jackson. Sidney Rice and Brian Cushing. That still leaves a lot of talent on hand, including Chris Johnson. Adrian Peterson, Andre Johnson. Antonio Gates. DeMarcus Ware and Ray Lewis. It's old hat to Lewis, chosen for the 11th been suspended indefinitely this month. Crittenton, who met with Stern on Tliesday, will lose about Arenas, who is Cnttenton scheduled to be sentenced March 26, is in the sec ond season of a six-year, $lll mil lion contract. He has asked the players' asso ciation not to contest the penalty while Crittenton’s plans are unclear. His agent, Mark EN'S NASTICS HALL vs. William & Mary '/ - Michigan * SATURDAY, FEB. 13 AT 12:00PM lAY, JAN. 31 AT 2:OOPM REC HALL Bartelstein, told The Associated Press that, "David Stern has done what he thinks is right for the league. We’re going to look at it and talk about it with Javaris and the players' association" The Wizards have 38 games left in a woeful season that was thrown into turmoil when news of the confrontation involving the guns broke on Christmas Eve. The team has distanced itself from Arenas since Stern indefi nitely suspended him, removing his posters from the Verizon Center. Crittenton has been injured and wasn't playing, any way. The team said it supported Stem's ruling. "Their poor judgment has also Associated Press Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (right) hands off to the Panthers' DeAngelo Williams in practice Wednesday for the Pro Bowl. The game will be held in Miami this year the week before the Super Bowl, as opposed to its traditional location in Hawaii after the Super Bowl. time, the most of any player in this year's game. He said he decided without hesita tion to take part. "I love it too much. " Lewis said. "It s one of the greatest accomplishments you can have outside of the Super Bowl. Whether it's your first time or your 11th time, it's the same reward. You understand these times will never be again." At the other end of the spectrum is Redskins linebacker London Fletcher, the league's most prolific tackier over the past decade. He made the Pro Bowl for the first Emms? f ©EBto time as a replacement for the Saints Jonathan Vilma. "Once I knew I was going to the Pro BowT. I was so excited about it,” Fletcher said. "It has been a long time coming, but I'm here now"' Fletcher would have been just as happy playing in Honolulu, where the game will return in 2011 and 2012. The site for 2013 is undecided. "It's a good idea to have it here in Miami," Ware said. "It's a little bit differ ent." "ft The Daih- Collegian NITTANY LION BASKETBALL THE BJC ® COACHES VS. CANCER GAME WOMEN'S TENNIS SARNI TENNIS COMPLEX PSU vs. Akron FRIDAY, JAN. 28 AT 5:081 The Daily Collegian violated the trust of our fans and stands in contrast to everything Iformer owner] Abe Pollin stood for throughout his life,” the Wizards said in a statement. "It is widely known that Mr. Pollin took the extraordinary step of changing the team name from Bullets' to ‘Wizards’ in 1997 pre cisely to express his abhorrence of gun violence in our community. We hope that this negative situa tion can produce something posi tive by serving as a reminder that gun violence is a serious issue.” Piper Hall, a spokeswoman for Arenas' lawyer, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press that nei ther Arenas nor his lawyer, Ken Wainstein. would comment “at this time.”
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