YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Shutdown Corner
    • "You bought us a WHAT?" RG3 and Rebecca Liddicoat in July, 2012. (Getty Images)

      On July 18, 2012, Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III signed a four-year, $21,119,098 contract that is fully guaranteed. That's commensurate with his status as the second-overall pick in the draft, and it pretty much insures that unless he really messes up the numbers, he'll never have to worry about money again.

      Still, Redskins fans have decided to help RG3 out a bit with the expenses on his upcoming nuptials to the future former Rebecca Liddicoat by finding the couple's wedding registry on the Bed Bath & Beyond website ... and fulfilling all sorts of orders.

      This was confirmed by Griffin on Twitter.

      Now, before the expected outrage that fans of a player making this much money would pitch in to buy these things for the happy couple (who are tying the knot on July 6), Griffin has an answer for that. The fans found his registry without his prompting and threw down of their own volition.

      I didn't ask the fans to buy me anything. They found it on their own and decided to get what they could. SMH at all these Debbie downers — Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) May 19, 2013

      SMH, indeed. Now, it should be pointed out that according to the registry site when this was published, not everything had been purchased -- the most expensive item, a $499.99 Calphalon Contemporary Non-Stick 12-Piece Cookware Set, still had a "0" in the "Purchased" column.

      However, those in RG3's thrall did apparently buy the $439.99 Palm Harbor 2-Piece Outdoor Wicker Seating Set, the $399.99 KitchenAid® 5-Quart Tilt-Head Designer Series Stand Mixer with Glass Bowl (in lovely Candy Apple), the $299.99 11-Foot Outdoor Round Cantilever Latte Solar Umbrella with Steel Frame, the $249.99 Calphalon® Precision Series 16-Piece Cutlery Knife Block Set, and the $199.99 Shark® Rotator™ Professional Lift-Away

      Read More »from Redskins fans buy all sorts of things on Robert Griffin III’s wedding registry
    • Peyton Manning's cap number decreased in renegotiated contract (USA Today Sports Images)

      Last week, the Denver Broncos and quarterback Peyton Manning agreed to a renegotiated contract with the primary intent on adding insurance language for the 2014 season. The new contract, which was originally reported by Mike Klis of The Denver Post, was initially believed to have no cash or salary cap implications, but that was not the case, a source with knowledge of the contract details confirmed to "Shutdown Corner".

      Under the new terms of the contract, Manning will still earn the $40 million in guaranteed money over the next two seasons, but the payouts of those amounts has been tweaked.

      Instead of earning $20 million in fully guaranteed base salaries in 2013 and 2014, Manning received a $10 million salary advance and his base salaries in 2013 and 2014 have been lowered to $15 million in each season. The $10 million salary advance is treated like a signing bonus and will be prorated over the next four seasons, reducing Manning's cap number from $20 million to $17.5 million in both 2013 and 2014.

      However, the downside to the cap savings the next two seasons is that Manning's cap number will increase by $2.5 million, going from $19 million to $21.5 million, in both 2015 and 2016 as the Broncos will have veered, slightly, from the "pay as you go" approach they had been taking with the 37-year-old quarterback.

      Read More »from Broncos QB Peyton Manning’s renegotiated contract cleared $2.5 million in cap space in 2013
    • Rob Gronkowski with the children of Newtown. (Rich Gregory, CTPost.com)

      On Dec. 14, 2012, America's collective heart was broken by the school shootings in Newtown, Conn., when twenty children and six staff members were killed. Six months later, as a community tries to put things back together as only they will know how ... well, sometimes, it's just about having fun outside and trying to forget for a while. Sometimes, it's just about being a kid. On Saturday, the New England Patriots helped more than 500 kids, ages 6 to 14, do just that at Newtown's Blue and Gold Stadium, when they held a "Football For You" camp.

      "As a part of the New England community, I think all of us were devastated when we saw what happened here," Patriots owner Robert Kraft told Richard Gregory of CTPost.com, "and if it can happen in the town of Newtown, it could happen in any city or town in America."

      Kraft had just been covering a child in a football drill as a defensive back, while Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski threw the child a pass. Kraft got his feet tangled up with the child's, which caused Gronkowski to call a pass interference penalty. Kraft and Gronkowski were two of over 30 members of the Patriots organization on hand for the clinic.

      "I hope they leave here with a good experience," Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo said. "They've been through a lot these last couple months. It's the rebuilding process. They'll never be forgotten, but at the same time, these kids are very strong, their families are very strong, the parents out here in the stands are very strong. And hopefully we can come out here and provide a little temporary relief and some smiles."

      Mayo has two children of his own. He talked about how the Newtown shooting just made him want to be closer to his own kids, and how he admired the strength of the Newtown community. Mayo also mentioned that such strength was similar to what he saw after the Boston Marathon bombings on Apr. 15.

      "We saw it in Boston right after the horrible events on Patriots' Day, the same way the community came together."

      Read More »from Patriots hold ‘Football For You’ clinic for children of Newtown
    • Michael Vick is at a career crossroads. (Getty Images)

      According to reports, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick showed up to the first practices under new head coach Chip Kelly 'noticeably bigger' and very enthused about Kelly's high-tempo offensive system. Apparently, Vick also arrived with a point to prove, and a burr in his saddle when it comes to the criticisms levied against him regarding the sandlot nature of his game. On Wednesday, Vick went on Philly radio station 97.5 The Fanatic and laid it out to those who wonder if he'll ever play consistently and with the right kind of mechanics, as opposed to winging it and letting his athleticism rule the day.

      “I’m really tempted right now to just say no comment to that because like I said a second ago, you don’t last 12 years in the NFL not being able to read the defense,” Vick told the station, via Sheil Kapadia of Phillymag.com. “Those people who are talking and saying that are just ignorant, and they know nothing about football. Unless they turn on the film and watch my game and see what goes on, then they’ll replace those comments with the right comments.”

      But there are those who do watch tape, and are fairly informed on the subject, who believe that Vick holds on to the ball too long, fails to read defenses completely, doesn't correctly anticipate pressure, and runs himself into sacks that shouldn't happen. It's why Vick has started all 16 games in a season just once in his career, and it's why Vick was so turnover-prone in 2012, giving the ball up 11 times on fumbles. Vick led the NFL in fumbles in 2004 and 2010, but he doesn't want to hear the talk about the holes in his game.

      “It’s incorrect. Without getting sensitive about it, it’s incorrect. So I’d rather not talk about it.”

      Well, that's not entirely true.

      Read More »from Michael Vick: Critics are ‘ignorant’ and ‘know nothing about football’
    • Dwight Freeney is nearing a deal with the Chargers (USA Today Sports Images)

      As first reported by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney has agreed to a two-year deal with the San Diego Chargers.

      Freeney had a two-day meeting (Wednesday and Thursday) with the Chargers, who were in the market for pass-rush help after losing Shaun Phillips to free agency and Melvin Ingram to a torn ACL. Phillips led the Chargers with 9.5 sacks last season and his departure, to AFC West rival Denver Broncos, was expected to be cushioned by a larger role for Ingram, a 2012 first-round pick who suffered what will likely be a season-ending knee injury during the team's second day of OTA practices.

      The 33-year-old Freeney spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Indianapolis Colts, earning seven trips to the Pro Bowl while becoming that franchise's all-time leader in sacks with 107.5. Most of Freeney's production came during his first ten seasons as a defensive end in a 4-3 system. Last season, the Colts hired Chuck Pagano as head coach and, in a new 3-4 system, Freeney was moved to outside linebacker. Freeney posted just five sacks, his lowest total since notching 3.5 sacks in an injury-shortened 2007 season.

      Read More »from San Diego Chargers agree to two-year deal with Dwight Freeney
    • Seahawks DE Bruce Irvin was suspended by the NFL (USA Today Sports Images)

      Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin has been suspended for the first four games of the 2013 regular season after violating the NFL's policy against performance-enhancing drugs.

      Irvin, who is eligible to participate in training camp and the preseason, will miss games against the Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans before he is reinstated on Monday, Sept. 30. The four-game suspension will cost the 2012 first-round pick out of West Virginia $191,681 in base salary and could potentially void the guarantees on the $3,717,870 that remains on his four-year, $9.342 million rookie contract. The Seahawks could also seek to recoup a prorated portion ($307,902) of Irvin's signing bonus.

      According to Dave "Softy" Mahler of 950-KJR in Seattle, Irvin's suspension is due to unauthorized use of Adderall, a substance that led to 2012 suspensions of Seahawks cornerbacks Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman. Browner served his four-game ban, but Sherman challenged his suspension, which was overturned.

      "I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and Seahawks fans for making a mistake when I took a substance that is prohibited in the NFL without a medical exemption," Irvin said in a statement. "I am extremely disappointed in the poor judgment I showed and take full responsibility for my actions. I will not appeal the discipline and instead will focus my energy on preparing for the season so I can begin earning your trust and respect again. I look forward to contributing to the team the moment I return."

      Read More »from Seahawks DE Bruce Irvin suspended four games for violating NFL’s PED policy
    • Rob Gronkowski may need back surgery (Getty Images)

      New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will undergo a fourth surgery on his left forearm next week, but that is not the only medical issue that the two-time Pro Bowler is facing this offseason.

      According to Mike Garafolo of the USA Today, Gronkowski recently underwent an MRI on his back and will visit with back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins to determine if surgery is required to repair a disc issue that has been bothering the 24-year-old since last season.

      While at the University of Arizona, Gronkowski missed the 2009 season after having a disc shaved down and there were whispers prior to the 2010 NFL draft that Gronkowski had spinal stenosis, which both Gronkowski and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, vehemently denied. The back surgery kept Gronkowski out of the 2010 combine and would be enough to drop Gronkowski out of the first-round in the 2010 draft as the Patriots selected him with the No. 42 overall pick.

      Gronkowski answered questions about his durability by appearing in all 36 regular and post-season games in his first two seasons in the league. Over that stretch, Gronkowski emerged as one of the top tight ends in the NFL and last year signed a six-year, $54 million contract extension that included over $18 million in guaranteed money. Gronkowski missed five regular season games and one playoff game in 2012 after breaking his left forearm on two separate occasions.

      Read More »from Report: Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski may need back surgery
    • Vince Young will graduate from Texas (USA Today Sports Images)

      Free agent quarterback Vince Young is still looking for a team that will allow him to continue his NFL career, but the No. 3 overall pick of the 2006 NFL draft has crossed a major life achievement off his to-do list as he has graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in education.

      Young places the achievement ahead of leading the Longhorns to a national championship win in 2005, Bruce Feldman of CBSSports.com reports.

      "This will rank No. 1 because it is what I came to school for," Young said. "I came here to get an education, and to win a national championship. And now, I get to put that smile on my mom's face."

      Young was a two-year starter for the Longhorns before declaring for the NFL draft following the 2005 season. In 60 games with the Tennessee Titans and Philadelphia Eagles, Young passed for 8,964 yards with 46 touchdowns and 51 interceptions, adding 1,459 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Young last appeared in a regular season game with the Eagles in 2011 and

      Read More »from Vince Young graduates from the University of Texas, ranks it above national championship
    • Jets running back Mike Goodson was arrested on Friday morning (USA Today Sports Images)

      New York Jets running back Mike Goodson was arrested on drug and weapons charges early on Friday morning, reports News 12 in New Jersey.

      According to the report, Goodson and another man, identified as Garrett Evans, were found intoxicated in a parked SUV along Route 80 in Denville, New Jersey, which is about 15 miles northwest of the Jets' headquarters in Florham Park. A loaded .45-caliber handgun was found in the SUV and when the 25-year-old running back was transported to a hospital for evaluation, marijuana was discovered in his possession.

      Both Goodson and Evans were released from the hospital and into the custody of State Police who transported the two men to the unit's Netcong's barracks. Mike Garafolo of the USA Today reports that Goodson was the passenger in the vehicle and that Evans has been charged with a DUI.

      Goodson played his college ball at Texas A&M and was selected in the fourth-round of the 2009 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers. Goodson spent three seasons with the Panthers before he was traded to the Oakland Raiders last offseason. In 40 career games, Goodson has rushed for 722 yards and three touchdowns with 59 receptions for 524 yards and one touchdown as a receiver out of the backfield.

      Read More »from Jets RB Mike Goodson arrested on drug, weapons charges
    • (Getty Images)

      Former West Virginia and current St. Louis Rams receiver Tavon Austin recently said that he can't believe how many people are crawling out of the woodwork asking for money now that he's set up as the eighth-selected player in the 2013 NFL draft. "Everybody wants to be around you," Austin told the Rams' official website. "My phone doesn’t stop ringing now. It feels like they’re counting my bank account now. So that’s probably the hardest thing for me."

      If Austin wants to know how tough it can really get, he should talk to Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith, who was selected with the ninth pick in the 2011 draft out of USC. Smith signed a four-year, $12.5 million deal and went about becoming one of the best young blockers in the game. Considering what he was going through, it's amazing that Smith would be able to get his head together enough to find the field at all. As he recently told the Dallas Morning News, Smith agreed to pay his stepfather, Roy Pinkney, and his mother, Frankie Pinkney, a substantial sum of money in four installments to insure that they would want for nothing. But that wasn't good enough for the Pinkneys, or some of Smith's own siblings.

      “There was a certain amount I agreed to give them, but it went way beyond that and I was just like, ‘I’m done,’” Smith said. “I feel like I shouldn’t have given them so much. There was nothing wrong with helping them out and making sure they were taken care of, but not something to where they live the same lifestyle as you.”

      According to the Morning News story (and as we recalled on Shutdown Corner at the time), things got a lot worse when Smith tried to set some boundaries.

      Last October, John Schorsch — Smith’s Dallas-based attorney at the time — said Smith’s “mom and/or the stepdad threatened the physical well-being of Tyron and the life of his girlfriend.” Smith filed a protective order against his parents last summer to keep them from having any contact with him. The order also prohibits contact from Smith’s parents through his siblings. During training camp last year in Oxnard, Calif., one of Smith’s brothers whom he said he hadn’t talked to “in a long time” showed up and had to be removed from the facility.

      Six months ago, his attorney said, Smith discovered that his family had taken more than $1 million from him. “There was money missing, but I just don’t know where it went,” Smith said in the report. “There were times I would check my statements and it wouldn’t make sense and I hadn’t authorized it at all. I just felt betrayed and I was like, ‘Who can I trust?’”

      Smith had been using a financial advisor recommended by his parents.

      Read More »from Dallas Cowboys LT Tyron Smith opens up about family financial nightmares

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