HomeSPORTSFive for Five: The Five Sports Stories You Need to Know

Five for Five: The Five Sports Stories You Need to Know

By JOSH HELLER
Staff Writer

1. Revis Charged After Altercation in Pittsburgh

Following an altercation with two men in Pittsburgh, Jets’ cornerback Darrelle Revis was arrested and received criminal charges.

Revis was down in Pittsburgh to visit his family, when he was approached by two men (one filming him on his cell phone) asking if he was in fact Darrelle Revis.

Revis said it was him, and the one continued filming. Revis tried to grab the phone and delete the video, which led to a confrontation.

Revis threw the phone into the road, and the second man tried to help find the filmer find the phone. Per the police report, things eventually escalated, and Revis punched the two men, and the cell phone video confirmed this.

Following the incident, Revis was charged with four first-degree felonies and one misdemeanor. The charges were two counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of robbery, conspiracy, and terroristic threats.

The police issued a warrant for Revis on Friday, and he turned himself in to the department. That same day, Revis was arraigned in court, and released from police custody.

Revis is set to appear in court next Thursday, and according to Sports Illustrated’s Michael McCann, Revis could face up to 20 years of jailtime if found guilty.

2. Betances, Yankees Battle in and Out of Arbitration Court

Saturday started out well for Yankees fans, as the team won their arbitration case versus reliever Dellin Betances, but comments from the team’s president had many fans embarrassed of their team.

When the two parties went to court over Betances’ 2017 salary, the pitcher was hoping for $5 million, while the team had a figure at $3 million. The Yankees said they had no interest in working on a contract to avoid arbitration, and once they went to court, the Yankees got their way at $3 million.

Nothing was wrong with this, until Yankees’ President Randy Levine made plenty of comments about Betances, saying he “doesn’t have the stats” to get $5 million. Levine also called Betances’ agents’ offer “half-baked,” and that it had “no bearing in reality.” Levine’s eye-popping quote was one that really stirred the pot: “It’s like me saying I’m not president of the Yankees, I’m an astronaut. No, I’m not an astronaut and Dellin Betances is not a closer.”

After Levine made these comments, Betances had to do the uncomfortable thing and confront the media after not only losing his arbitration case, but being ripped apart by his team’s president. Betances said he kept being told how much the team loved him, but then he was ripped apart by the team for an hour-and-a-half. Betances had one quote that may make Yankee fans shake in their boots, saying that he thinks free agency “will be a little easier when the time comes.”

There was no need for Levine to make any of these comments. He could have said that the team won their case, and left it at that. But he dragged it this far, and put a young pitcher in a terrible situation.

Betances has been one of the best Yankees for the past few seasons, and many would not be surprised if he decides to leave this circus come next offseason. If this turns out to be true, Yankees fans will be calling for Levine’s head.

3. Reyes Has Tommy John, Out for 2017

After the first day of spring workouts, Cardinals’ top pitching prospect Alex Reyes is already looking towards 2018.

Reyes, number 14 on MLB Pipeline’s Top-100 Prospects, was sent for an MRI on the first day of spring workouts after he was not medically cleared to practice.

The test showed that he had a partial UCL tear. Even after seeking a second opinion, Reyes was sent for Tommy John surgery, and he will be out for all of 2017.

Reyes performed very well in his late call-up last season, and he was expected to compete for a spot in the Opening Day starting rotation. It looks likely that the Cardinals will now enter Opening Day with a rotation of Adam Wainwright, Carlos Martinez, Mike Leake, Lance Lynn, and Michael Wacha.

4. NHL Player Safety Under Scrutiny

Following two controversial suspensions in the league last week, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety has been put under the microscope.

It started last week when Gustav Nyquist and the Red Wings took on Jared Spurgeon and the Wild. Spurgeon and Nyquist were battling on the boards when Spurgeon cross-checked Nyquist to the ice, with no penalty. Nyquist got back to his feet, and jabbed his stick in Spurgeon’s face, just below the eye.

Spurgeon, miraculously, only left the game for a little while before returning. Nyquist received a four-minute penalty for high-sticking.

In the NHL’s explanation of Nyquist receiving just six games, their main reasons were that it was Nyquist’s first offense, and there was no serious injury on the play. Nyquist just barely missed Spurgeon’s eye, which has ended players’ careers in the past.

Nyquist had the option to appeal, but doing so could have resulted in a longer suspension, so no appeal was made. He will lose nearly $160,000 in salary during the suspension.

Just one day later, Anaheim Ducks’ center Antoine Vermette slashed an official and received an automatic 10-game suspension. Vermette committed the slash in a game against the Wild, where his frustration showed after losing a faceoff.

The suspension was met with understanding by fans, most of which fine with 10 games. The main argument that came about was confusion as to why Vermette only got 10 when compared to Nyquist’s six. After all, Vermette (though he did abuse an official) did not narrowly miss a career-ending injury to a player’s eye.

Now some people may be able to let the 10-game suspension go. But then, Commissioner Gary Bettman stepped in, and reduced the suspension to just five games. Ten games was fine, as Vermette did abuse an official. The league saw Flames’ defenseman Dennis Wideman cross-check an official and get suspended for 20 games (later cut to 10).

Many hockey personalities have called out the league for not being strict enough on its players. The Department of Player Safety has said they want to discourage players from committing this type of future behavior. But if a player gets just six games for almost ending a player’s career, and another one gets just five games for abusing an official, where’s the deterrent in that?

It appeared things were looking up for the Department when they suspended multiple-offender Raffi Torres for 41 games in October of 2015. Since then, the league has returned to their old ways, and this can be dangerous for the stars of the game.

5. Crosby Hits 1,000 Points

In just 757 games, one of the greatest to play hit the 1,000-point milestone.

Sidney Crosby, just 29, got his 1,000th point last Thursday on an assist to Chris Kunitz’s goal en route to a 4-3 overtime win over the Jets. He is one of just 86 players in the 1,000 point club, and he’s the fastest to ever join it.

Crosby, the former first-overall pick from 2005 (the “Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes”), is having a phenomenal year, second only to Connor McDavid in points.

Crosby, however, does lead the league in goals. This comes even after Crosby missed the Penguins’ first six games of the season with a concussion.

In addition to being a hands-down, first-ballot Hall of Famer, Crosby may go down as one of the game’s true legends. Crosby slots fifth all-time in assists and points per game (0.835 and 1.322, respectively).

The Penguins were led by Crosby, their captain and Conn Smythe winner (MVP of the playoffs), to a Stanley Cup last year, and they look poised to be one of the favorites again. Pittsburgh is currently third in the NHL in points, slotting in behind divisional-rival Washington and the Minnesota Wild.

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