By JOSH HELLER
By JOSH HELLER
Staff Writer
1.Gurriel Suspended, But Not for World Series
Following a racial gesture in Game 3, the MLB suspended Astros first baseman Yulieski Gurriel. But, he won’t be sitting out any games in 2017. In Game 3, the Astros pounded on Dodgers starter Yu Darvish, putting up four earned runs on six hits in Darvish’s mere 1.2 innings of work. In this scoring outburst, Gurriel hit a solo homer off of Darvish, but the problem came in the dugout.As Gurriel was sitting in the glory of his big blast, with plenty of cameras on him, Gurriel made a slanted eye gesture, talking about Darvish.Gurriel was very much a target of criticism on social media, with plenty of fans yearning for a World Series suspension. However, Commissioner Rob Manfred and the rest of the league could not drop the big hammer.The league decided to suspend Gurriel for the first eight games of 2018, and the Puerto Rican will not miss any games in the Astros pursuit of the trophy.The situation resonates with many hockey fans. In Game 4 of last year’s Western Conference Finals between the Ducks and Predators, Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf called a referee a homophobic slur. Instead of any big suspension to ward off this behavior in the future, Getzlaf was fined a “mere” $10,000.If professional sports leagues are serious about shutting down this type of behavior, they need to hand out actual, severe punishments. The MLB had the perfect chance to hit this out of the park, but instead, they whiffed.
2. McElwain, Florida Part Ways
Following a 3-4 start to the season, Florida football head coach Jim McElwain and Florida have mutually agreed to part ways. According to McElwain, after the team’s loss last week, his family members and players on the team received death threats (the school did not verify this). Florida suffered a 42-7 loss at the hands of Georgia this past Saturday. McElwain, hired in December of 2014, led the Gators to a 22-12 record and back-to-back SEC East titles. The school reportedly owes McElwain a buyout of $12.76 million, but the two parties are expected to reach a settlement for less. With McElwain gone, defensive coordinator Randy Shannon will take over the team in the interim. The Gators will head on the road this Saturday to take on the Missouri Tigers, who are 3-5 on the season.
3. Packers’ Bennett Could Retire at Season’s End
After signing a three-year contract this past offseason, Packers tight end Martellus Bennett might be hanging up the cleats after just year-one. The 30-year-old tight end cashed in on a successful 2016 with the Patriots, getting a three-year deal worth $21 million. Bennett, who is from northern Illinois, spoke of the several trips home to see his wife and daughter. Bennett has struggled a bit this season, with just 24 catches for 233 yards and no touchdowns. With Rodgers out for possibly the rest of the season, Bennett may not get the chance to put up the numbers he is capable of. Hundley struggled in his first start as a Packer, and it could be a sign of things to come for the next nine weeks in Green Bay.
4. Bills Trade Dareus to Jaguars
After giving the Bills plenty of headaches, Buffalo finally called it quits, and dealt star defensive lineman Marcell Dareus to Jacksonville. The 27-year-old out of Alabama made the Pro Bowl in his 2013 and 2014 seasons, and up to this week, he had just one sack and four tackles in his five games. In exchange for Dareus, Jacksonville sent Buffalo a 2018 sixth rounder, which could turn into a fifth rounder depending on Dareus’ performance. Jacksonville has had a solid defensive line, manned by Yannick Ngakoue, Abry Jones, Malik Jackson, Calais Campbell, and Dante Fowler Jr. In just his first game as a Jag, Campbell had four sacks, and has put up six additional sacks in the team’s last six games. If Dareus can get rid of the off-the-field headaches, he could return to Pro Bowl-caliber. But until then, the Jaguars took a risk, and the Bills got rid of some head pains.
5. Ducks’ Fowler Out Three to Seven Weeks
As the Ducks got back two of their top defensemen, it is Cam Fowler who will hit the shelf for a while. Fowler is expected to be out three to seven weeks following a knee injury, where he could not put any weight on his knee as he made his way off the ice. The 25-year-old offensive defenseman inked an eight-year, $52 million deal in the offseason. Fowler was a steady part of the team’s top defensive pair, and on the first power play unit. Anaheim, who has been incredibly injury-riddled so far this season, will lose Fowler and fellow defenseman Kevin Bieksa, who injured his hand following a fight last week. Luckily for the Ducks, the blow is softened by the return of two other defensemen, Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm. Second-line center Ryan Kesler remains out recovering from hip surgery, with no clear timetable in sight. Anaheim was a pick by many to win the Stanley Cup, let alone the Western Conference. With Lindholm and Vatanen just returning, and Ryan Getzlaf finally getting healthier enough to play, things are looking up for the Ducks. But things could get even better when Fowler, Bieksa, and Kesler return.
