investigation – Syndication Server

NFL investigation could cost George Pickens

The league will look into the final play of the Steelers loss to the Browns to see if there should be any punishment on George Pickens.

According to Cleveland Browns writer Mary Kay Cabot, the NFL is going to be investigating a fight at the end of the Pittsburgh 24-19 loss to the Browns on Thursday night. The fight happened between Steelers wide receiver George Pickens and Browns cornerback Greg Newsome at the end of the game.

“The NFL will review George Pickens instigating a fight with Browns cornerback Greg Newsome after the Hail Mary at the end of the Browns’ 24-19 upset of the Steelers, and a fine could be coming,” Cabot said.

After watching the play more times than I care to admit, I’m not at all convinced Pickens was the instigator of the scrum. It looks like Newsome is basically riding Pickens down the field the last 10 yards as the two are locked up and Pickens takes the offensive once the two are at the back of the end zone.

This in no way condones Pickens’ behavior on the play but we cannot rule out Newsome’s involvement. The problem is Pickens has become a problem and is on the NFL’s radar. The league could review his attempt to trip Cleveland safety Grant Delpit after a play and fine him for that move as well.

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Amid Montana investigation, deer left to roam with arrow in back

Authorities are requesting public assistance in an attempt to identify the person who fired the arrow.

Authorities in Montana are investigating a poaching case involving a mule deer buck that’s still carrying an arrow that somebody shot into its back.

According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, wardens responded to a call from a Billings Heights resident about the wounded deer on Nov. 2.

Wardens located the deer and decided that it had been shot the same day, within city limits where hunting is banned. (Montana’s archery deer-hunting season ended Oct. 20.)

An image released to the media shows the arrow deeply embedded into the top of the deer’s back, near its spine. But the deer apparently has full mobility, so FWP decided against a capture effort.

Injured mule deer. Photo: Montana, Fish, Wildlife & Parks

“FWP does not believe the arrow wound will be fatal for the deer and at this time are not planning to capture the deer to remove the arrow,” the agency stated Tuesday in a news release.

Anyone with potentially helpful information is asked to call the regional warden at 406-860-7805, or submit a report via tipmont.mt.gov.

Virginia high school faces recruiting questions after 30 football players transferred this spring

Hayfield Secondary School is under investigation by the Virginia High School League for recruiting improprieties related to its football team.

A Virginia high school raised eyebrows internally when 30 new students transferred to the school this spring with the intention of playing on the football team.

Hayfield Secondary School (Alexandria, Va.) is now under investigation by the Virginia High School League (VHSL) for the net gain of 23 new students at a time when enrollment was dropping countywide, according to the Fairfax County Times. The association does not allow transfer or enrollment of school “made because of athletic ability,” according to its handbook.

This February, head coach Darryl Overton joined the school after departing Freedom High School (Woodbridge, Va.), where he led the team to back-to-back state championships in 2022-23 and went 89-19 over nine seasons at the helm. In an interview with the Washington Post, he said that Hayfield presented an opportunity Overton “felt like I needed to take advantage of an couldn’t let go past.” According to WaPo, Hayfield had more than 130 players on its football team last year, while Freedom had 54.

This spring, Hayfield’s director of student services and an assistant principal noticed what the Fairfax County Times called “curious paperwork” and reported it to the school principal.

A parent, Regina Dorsey, spoke to the Fairfax County Times and made allegations about ongoings within the football program that have led to the investigation. The outlet wrote that there had been reports of recruitment improprieties, bullying, and more, including:

“… high fees paid to an outside fundraiser for the football team, conflict-of-interest concerns with a nonprofit that Overton runs, Playmakers Elite Athletic Training, and questions over whether school officials improperly declared football players “homeless” so that they could transfer to Hayfield through a loophole for homeless youth.”

The Fairfax County Times spoke with Cesar Zambrana, the founder of 1st Teamsports LLC, which helps high school teams raise money. Zambrana told the outlet that the fundraising funds were split 80-20 between the Hawks’ nonprofit booster program and the fundraising company.

The loophole accusation was related to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, which allows homeless youth to enroll in a school without all documentation.

The outlet also wrote:

Sources say Overton and his coaching staff allegedly targeted single mothers in the Hayfield school district, particularly those with children playing football or other sports at Hayfield, allegedly offering them money in exchange for using their address for transfer students, effectively making the mothers guardians of the transfer students, according to sources.”

In an interview with the Fairfax County Times, VHSL executive director John Haun cited a rule against proselytizing, which is defined in the handbook as a school representative subjecting “a student from another school to undue influence by encouraging him/her to transfer from one school to another for League activities.”

Read the full story at the Fairfax County Times.

Moose attack in Alaska kills man, prompting investigation

Troopers say the moose charged two men in Homer, kicking one of them. It was not clear what prompted the attack.

A cow moose attacked and killed a man Sunday in Homer, Alaska, sparking an investigation by state agencies.

The Alaska State Troopers explained in a news dispatch that the moose charged two men, kicking one of them.

“Medics arrived on the scene and declared the victim deceased,” the dispatch reads, adding that the moose “has left the area.”

It was not clear why the moose charged the men. The animals generally do not attack people unless they feel threatened or are being harassed by people or their dogs – or if they’re protecting their young.

From the Alaska Department of Fish and Game:

“While moose are generally perceived to be less dangerous than bears, more people in Alaska are injured by moose than by bears each year.

“Moose will usually flee when threatened but under certain circumstances, they can become aggressive. People can be hurt when moose charge, stomp and kick to protect themselves or their young.”

Moose are the largest members of the deer family. Cow moose in Alaska can weigh as much as 800 pounds, while bull moose can be twice that size.

–Moose image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Oregon elk hunter shoots and kills wolf, prompting investigation

An elk hunter in Oregon has reported killing a wolf in self-defense, prompting wildlife officials to investigate.

An elk hunter in Oregon has reported killing a wolf in self-defense, prompting wildlife officials to launch an investigation.

The Oregon State Police stated Monday that the hunter claimed to have been threatened by the wolf as he tracked elk on Nov. 2 along a ridge in Grant County.

The hunter told OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers that the wolf emerged from the trees and stared him down as he yelled and waved his arms in an attempt to frighten the animal.

“The wolf then reportedly looked at the hunter from a distance of approximately 30 yards and started coming directly toward the hunter,” OSP described in a news release. “The hunter stated he feared for his safety and fired one round, striking the wolf and killing it instantly.”

Troopers who visited the scene determined that the wolf was about 18 yards from the hunter when he shot the animal. A second wolf also emerged but ran off after the hunter fired into the air.

Wolves are protected in Oregon and there is no general sport-hunting season for the animals.

OSP said a report on the incident will be submitted to the Grant County District Attorney’s Office.

The agency added: “Preliminary investigation revealed the hunter acted reasonably in shooting the wolf for personal safety and appropriately notified officials immediately upon shooting the wolf.”

–Generic wolf image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Search fails to locate grizzly bear responsible for Montana attack

A Montana field investigation following the Sept. 8 mauling of a man by a grizzly bear has failed to locate a dead or injured bear.

A Montana field investigation following the Sept. 8 mauling of a man by a grizzly bear has failed to locate the bear believed responsible for the attack.

Rudy Noorlander was seriously injured during the attack in the Madison Range south of Big Sky. He remains in critical but stable condition.

One of Noorlander’s companions fired at the bear moments after it attacked, causing the animal to flee.

KateLynn Noorlander, Rudy’s daughter, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for medical costs. She stated that her father was trying to help hunters locate a deer they had shot when the bear charged him during a surprise encounter.

“Rudy aimed his gun at the bear but his firearm misfired, making his best choice of defense his fists as he did not have any time to get his bear spray from his backpack,” KateLynn stated in the GoFundMe post.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks explained Wednesday in a news release that an aerial search failed to locate a dead or injured bear.

“FWP grizzly bear specialists and game wardens, as well deputies from the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, revisited the attack site Tuesday,” FWP stated. “They searched the area near the attack site from the ground and with an infrared drone and didn’t locate a dead or wounded bear.

“However, they found signs of high bear activity, including the remains of a cached animal carcass, whitebark pine middens and bear scat. This evidence indicates the bear attacked defensively in a surprise, close encounter with the victim.”

The investigation has concluded but the area remains under an emergency closure implemented by the Custer Gallatin National Forest.

Colts player under investigation for potential gambling violations

An unnamed Colts player is under investigation for gambling violations.

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An unnamed Indianapolis Colts player is under investigation for potentially violating the NFL’s gambling policy, first reported by Matt Rybaltowski of Sports Handle on Monday.

The Colts released a statement acknowledging the league’s investigation but had no further comment.

A Colts statement on the report of betting allegations against a player:

“We are aware of the NFL’s investigation, and we will have no further comment at this time.”

— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) June 5, 2023

According to the report from Sports Handle, the player in question is under investigation for placing wagers on his own team and “appears to have made the wagers through an account opened by an acquaintance.”

Bear kills dog in Jasper National Park, a warning for pet owners

The mauling of a dog by a bear Saturday in Canada’s Jasper National Park underscores the risk associated with bringing pets into the wilderness.

The fatal mauling of a dog by a bear Saturday in Canada’s Jasper National Park underscores the risk associated with bringing pets into the wilderness.

Parks Canada, which manages the country’s national parks, confirmed Monday that a black bear attacked and killed one of two dogs being walked by visitors on the Wabasso Lake Trail.

Jasper National Park, in Alberta, described the incident in a news release: “They were approached at close range by a black bear and the bear attacked one of the dogs. The hikers then deployed bear spray in an effort to deter the bear.”

Parks Canada did not mention the type of dog or whether its was illegally allowed off-leash. But Jasper National Park stated: “This is a sad reminder that all pets should be kept under control and on-leash at all times within a national park.”

A team of human-wildlife confrontation experts responded to the incident, which remains under investigation. The area is closed while experts try to locate the bear involved in the attack.

–Generic black bear image courtesy of Alan D. Wilson

How the Washington Commanders allegedly scammed ticket holders and the NFL, explained

Snyder may have finally broken the camel’s back.

Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you confused as to why people are talking about the Washington Commanders allegedly hiding revenue from the NFL? We’re here to help.

On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Reform laid out a troubling case to Lina M. Khan, Chair of the Federal Trade Commission. The Washington Commanders, under the supervision of team owner Daniel Snyder, have allegedly been the backdrop of decades of unlawful accounting that withheld millions of dollars owed to season ticket owners and hid money from the NFL’s revenue sharing system.

It’s a stunning report, but not a surprising one given the ongoing circus that has defined the Washington football franchise in the Snyder era. It could lead to serious discipline — and potential criminal charges — for Commanders’ leadership.

The 20-page letter, CC’ed to the Attorneys General of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. as well as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, alleges years of shady accounting that intentionally withheld $5 million in refundable security deposits from an estimated 2,000 fans. The team also purposefully misreported ticket sales in order to hide it from the league’s revenue-sharing program. It’s the latest accusation for a franchise defined by its toxic work culture and unavoidable failure at most levels.

Let’s talk about what that letter entails.

Montana elk hunters kill grizzly bear in self-defense

Hunters in Montana claim to have killed a grizzly bear recently in self-defense as they processed an elk carcass in the backcountry.

Hunters in Montana shot and killed a grizzly bear recently in what they described as a self-defense encounter as they processed an elk carcass in the backcountry.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks stated in a news release Wednesday that “a small group of hunters” shot the bear as the animal charged toward them on Oct. 3 east of Gardiner.

The hunters were not injured and the incident is under investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

ALSO ON FTW OUTDOORS: Deer hopelessly tangled in hammock gets helping hand

The encounter occurred during Montana’s early rifle-hunting season in Hunting District 316. The bear was a 3- to 5-year-old female without cubs.

It was not clear how quickly the hunters had acted in processing the elk carcass to avoid attracting grizzly bears. Bears are extremely active at this time of year as they try to add calories before hibernating.

“Activities that are deliberately quiet or fast moving, such as hunting, mountain biking or trail running, put people at greater risk for surprising a bear,” Fish, Wildlife & Parks stated. “Bears will be active throughout the general hunting season.”

–Grizzly bear image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons