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DALLAS -- Former Dallas Cowboys player Josh Brent was sentenced Friday to 180 days in jail and 10 years of probation for a drunken car crash that killed his friend and teammate, Jerry Brown. Mike Ditka Jersey On Sale . Brent was convicted Wednesday of intoxication manslaughter for the December 2012 crash on a suburban Dallas highway that killed Brown, who was a passenger in Brents car. Brent could have been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. Brent, a Cowboys defensive tackle, and Brown, a linebacker on the practice squad, also played together at the University of Illinois and were close friends. They were headed home from a night of partying with Dallas teammates when Brent lost control of his Mercedes and crashed. Officers who arrived on scene saw Brent trying to pull Browns body from the wreckage. Blood tests pegged Brents blood alcohol content at 0.18 per cent, which is more than twice the states legal limit to drive of 0.08 per cent. Prosecutors told jurors that the burly, 320-pound lineman had as many as 17 drinks on the night of the crash. One of Brents lawyers, George Milner, argued that Brent wasnt drunk and was only "guilty of being stupid behind the wheel of a car." He contended that Brent couldnt have had nearly as much to drink as prosecutors said he had, and that the police blood tests were flawed. Brents lawyers pushed their case for probation Thursday, calling a Dallas County official who testified that the county currently has 34 intoxication manslaughter cases that resulted in probation. Kevin Brooks, one of Brents lawyers, said the one-time defensive tackle would be easy to monitor because of "who he is and who he was." Brent retired from football last year. Browns mother, Stacey Jackson, has also publicly forgiven Brent. When asked Thursday if she holds Brent responsible for her sons death, she said: "Hes still responsible, but you cant go on in life holding a grudge. We all make mistakes." Prosecutors pushed for prison time for Brent, who went to trial only weeks after another Texas intoxication manslaughter case sparked widespread public outrage. In that case, a defence expert argued that the defendant, a 17-year-old boy who caused a drunken crash that killed four people, deserved leniency because his parents coddled him into a sense of irresponsibility -- a condition the expert termed "affluenza." The teen wasnt given prison time. On Thursday, prosecutor Rebecca Dodds emphasized Brents 2009 drunken driving arrest in Illinois to press the states argument that he deserves prison time. In that case, he served 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to a misdemeanour charge. "Probation doesnt work for Josh Brent," prosecutor Rebecca Dodds told the jury during closing statements in the punishment phase. Brent played in all 12 games for the Cowboys in 2012 before the crash. Brown made the practice squad that season. Mike Singletary Authentic . Teague one handed three pointerTheres something to be said about having the nerve to go up and take a shot from downtown late in a close playoff game, but what is there really to say when that shot is one handed? Teague answers that question with a simple Jordan like shrug of the shoulders. Brian De La Puente Authentic. -- Ryan Mallett played solidly in his first chance at quarterback for the New England Patriots.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Life off the field may be complicated for Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and the second-ranked Seminoles, but things are simple between the lines. Winston threw for 225 yards and four touchdowns as Florida State broke a school record for points in a game in an 80-14 victory against Idaho Saturday. An ongoing sexual assault investigation of the Heisman Trophy candidate continues to cast a shadow over the program while the team focuses on football. State attorney Willie Meggs told The Associated Press on Saturday it is unlikely that a final decision will be made before Thanksgiving on whether to charge the quarterback. Patricia Carroll, the lawyer of the accuser, claims Winston raped the victim on Dec. 7, 2012. Winstons lawyer Tim Jansen said the sex between the two was consensual. "The football field is a sanctuary to me," Winston said. "And its like that for all of our teammates. When all of us are on the field everything is just zoned out. We focus." Florida State (11-0), second in the BCS standings, is two wins away from a likely berth in the BCS championship game with the regular-season finale at Florida next week. This is the first 11-0 start for the program since the 1999 national championship season and the first time going undefeated at home since 2000. The Gators (4-7) lost 26-20 to Georgia Southern on Saturday and will be heavy underdogs next week. Florida State should go into the Atlantic Coast Conference championship without a loss and be favoured again. A trip to Pasadena for the title game is nearly within its grasp. Winston, a Heisman Trophy front-runner, played just one series in the second half. "Its not right for the game," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said when asked about getting Winston better stats with more playing time. "People know he played well. ... He played exceptionally well and hes on a great team. "To me, stats arent the key for awards. Its how well you play, how you dominate your opponent and what you do. Thats my opinion. People who look at numbers dont really know the player." The Seminoles have dominated throughout the season, but 66 points was the largest margin of victory since a 69-3 win against Murray State in the 2012 season opener. They topped the 77 points the Seminoles scored in 1995 against North Carolina State in 1995 to remain unbbeaten. Stephen Paea Jersey On Sale. . The 607 points scored by Florida State in 2013 broke the ACC single-season record set by the Seminoles last season. The 11 consecutive games of 40 points or more ties Texas 2005 single-season FBS record. Fisher, who criticized his teams focus early, admitted he was being picky, "but thats the elite standard we want to be held to." Devonta Freeman opened up the scoring with a 60-yard run on their seventh offensive snap of the game. That was the beginning of the punishing day for a run game that posted 336 yards rushing. He had 129 yards on 11 carries as the entire backfield got loose. Freeman is now the 14th player in school history to rush for 2,000. James Wilder Jr. carried an entire possession on his back in the second quarter. He capped a five-play, 85-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown with 5:54 left in the second quarter. Wilder carried the ball on four of those five plays and accounted for every yard. Karlos Williams added 114 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. Kenny Shaw recorded his first 100-yard game of the season in the last home game of his career. He finished with 107 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions. Kelvin Benjamin hauled in two touchdowns on his three receptions and now has a touchdown in six of his last seven games. "I dont think our high school basketball team scored 80 points," Shaw said. The Vandals (1-10) were never competitive and that began at the line of scrimmage. They had no answer for nose guard Timmy Jernigan and couldnt create running lanes or protect the quarterback. Jernigan had a team-high 6 tackles, including 4 1/2 for loss and a career-high 2 1/2 sacks. "You know, what do you say when you get beat 80-14?" Idaho coach Paul Petrino said. "I wouldnt say anyone on that team didnt play well." Taylor Davis threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, but three interceptions turned into 14 points for Florida State. Linebacker Telvin Smith returned one of the interceptions 79 yards for a score in the second quarter. The Seminoles have now scored a non-offensive touchdown in three consecutive games. Idaho managed just 59 rushing yards and threw four interceptions. Dezmon Epps finished with 126 yards on seven receptions. "Weve just got a real good vibe about us," Jernigan said. "We just look to dominate week in and week out." ' ' ' |
