Meriweather, Marshall trade barbs after NFL-imposed suspension
Former Central Florida high school stars battle it out on and off the football field
Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather lashed out at Bears receiver Brandon Marshall Monday, dishing out the latest blows in a dust-up between the two former Orlando area high school stars.
The NFLsuspended Meriweather, an Apopka High graduate and University of Miami alum,, for two games after hitting Marshall, a Lake Howell High graduate and UCF alum, as well as fellow Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery up high when they were defenseless during Washington’s 45-41 win over Chicago on Oct. 20.
After the bruising hits, Marshall said Meriweather “needs to get suspended or taken out of the game completely” for regularly hitting defenseless receivers in the head and neck area.
Meriweather responded Eagles say QBVick is likely out for a month, C5 by attacking Marshall’s history of domestic violence issues.
"He feels like I need to be kicked out of the league? I feel like people who beat their girlfriends should be kicked out, too,” Meriweather said, according to the Washington Times. “You tell me who you’d rather have: Somebody who plays aggressive on the field, or somebody who beat up their girlfriend?”
Marshall said last year he suffered from borderline personality disorder and has taken steps to better control his temper.
In 2007, Marshall was arrested in a Denver suburb on suspicion of domestic violence. Longtime girlfriend Rasheedah Watley reported Marshall prevented a taxi she was in from leaving his house. Marshall completed anger management counseling and the charges were dropped two months later.
In June of that year, two incident reports were filed by Atlanta police, according to the Denver Post. A friend of Watley’s claimed Marshall hit her car and then threw a rock at the passenger door as Watley was riding in the passenger seat.
Watley also told police
Marshall cut her in the thigh and punched her in the face. She was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. Marshall was not present when police arrived. No charges were filed.
Later that month, Watley told Atlanta police Marshall punched and choked her at his condo, according to the Denver Post. She had a bruise and scratches. Marshall was not present when police arrived. No charges were filed.
Marshall responded to Meriweather’s comments Monday by posting on his Twitter account “There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing #MachineMarshall.”
Meriweather also pushed back at NFL officials, saying he would be forced to hit players at the knees because the league banned high hits in an effort to deter concussions.
“I guess I’ve just got to take people’s knees out,” Meriweather said, accordi ng to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “That’s the only way. ... I’d hate to end a guy’s career, you know, over a rule. But I guess it’s better other people than me getting suspended for longer.
“To be honest, man, you’ve just got to go low now. You’ve got to end people’s careers, you know? You’ve got to tear people’s ACLs and mess up people’s knees now. You can’t hit them high no more. You’ve just got to go low."
Hail to the Chiefs
Kansas City is half-perfect, 8-0 for the second time in franchise history, but the Chiefs are going to have to play better than they did Sunday to keep that record unblemished.
After building a twotouchdown lead in the second quarter, the Chiefs failed to put away the Browns after halftime and had to hold on for a 23-17 victory. The NFL sack leaders didn’t collect their first sack until the fourth quarter, and Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith was sacked six times.
Still, Kansas City is the league’s only undefeated team, and the only one that has yet to give up 20 or more points this season.
Smith, for one, doesn’t mind the Chiefs’ having a target on their back.
“We love it,” he said. “You want teams’ best shots. You want the stages to get bigger.”
None of the eight teams the Chiefs have beaten currently has a winning record. The second half of their schedule features two-game series against Denver and San Diego, and a penultimate game against Indianapolis that could be pivotal in the playoff picture.
The Chiefs, who were 2-14 last season, are the first team in NFL history to start 8-0 after posting the league’s worst record the previous season.
In the Super Bowl era, all 20 teams that have started 8-0 have gone on to reach the playoffs, with 12 of those teams advancing to the Super Bowl. Eight of them won it all.
Far from home
San Francisco players weren’t happy about the mushy condition of their practice fields in London, but firm footing wasn’t a problem for them at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
The 49ers destroyed Jacksonville 42-10, and during their current fivegame winning streak have outscored opponents, 174-61.
As for NFL fans in London, who paid top dollar to watch the winless Jaguars lose again, there’s good news and bad news.
Good news: You might have a team of your own in the coming years.
Bad news: That team could be the Jaguars.