European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 11, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 38 stars and stripes wednesday april 11 2007 nil suspends tac Mart for year Henry 8 games new policy will hold teams accountable the associated press new York Adam Pac Man Jones of Tennessee was sus Pended tuesday for the 2007 nil season and Chris Henry of Cincinnati received an eight game suspension both for numerous violations of the Nils personal conduct policy it is a privilege to represent the nil not a right nil com missioner Roger Goodell said in a statement announcing the suspensions these players and All members of our league have to make the right choices and Deci Sions in their conduct on a consistent basis Jones Offield conduct has included 10 incidents where he was interviewed by police the most recent took place in Las vegas during the Aba Allstar week end Las vegas police have recommended felony and Misdemeanour charges against Jones after a fight and shooting at a strip club that paralysed one Man Henry was arrested four times in a 14month Span resulting in two benching by coach Marvin Lewis and a two game league sus pension he was one of nine Ben gals arrested in nine months moments after announcing the suspensions Goodell released his strengthened conduct policy along with longer suspensions and larger fines for individuals who violate the policy Goodell will hold teams responsible As Well he did not say How he would punish those teams although stripping them of draft choices is considered one of the most effective ways to do so Falcons sign q8 Harrington flowery Branch a Joey Harrington signed a two year Deal with the Atlanta Falcons on monday becoming a leading contender to Back up starting quarterback Michael Vick Harrington the third Overall pick by Detroit in the 2002 draft started 11 games with Miami last season after being obtained by the dolphins in a Trade with the Lions he threw for 2236 Yards with 12 touchdowns and 15 interceptions Harrington was benched for the final game last season and then released by Miami Harrington was a disappoint ment in Detroit in part because he was chosen so High in the draft from 200205 he started 55 games with the Lions throwing for 10242 Yards with 60 touch Downs and 62 interceptions Harrington is expected to participate in a three Day minicams that begins on tuesday Kansas Forward Wright jumping to the Aba Lawrence Kan Julian Wright the versatile but inconsistent Power Forward who helped Kansas win two straight big 12 to sports of briefs ties is skipping his last two years to enter the Aba draft often inconsistent but at times spectacular with his Long Wing Span the 6foot8 Wright aver aged 127 Points and 63 rebounds in helping the Jay Hawks win their second straight big 12 tournament title in the regular season he averaged 12 Points and 81 re Bounds Julian is a versatile fabulous athlete who can do a lot of things very very Well said self who joined his Star player at the news conference Wright who lacks a three Point shot said he expects to go some where Between no 10 and no 16 in the first round by declaring for the draft Wright becomes eligible to participate in the Aba redraft Camp and try out for Aba teams if he does not hire an agent Wright can withdraw from the june 28 draft and return to school provided he does so by june 18 a Viking Marshall wins Pardon on cocaine conviction St Paul retired Minnesota Vikings lineman Jim Marshall had a felony drug conviction scrubbed from his record Mon Day by the state Board of Par dons Marshall who appeared in 282 consecutive games Over nearly two decades won a Pardon for his 1991 conviction on a cocaine pos session charge a clean Bill of health he sought so he can travel the world without restrictions to work for a nonprofit he confounded now 70 Marshall came to a hearing at the state courts build ing with his former coach Hall of Famer Bud Grant and lawyer Ron Meshbesher his application for the Pardon included letters of support from policemen and former Minnesota chief Justice am Sandy Keith its very important for me to regain my reputation Marshall told the Board which consists of gov Tim Pawlenty current chief Justice Russell Anderson and at Torney general Lori Swanson marshalls fou year prison sen tence for the crime was stayed and he completed probation in 1996 1 Marshall said he was humiliated by the arrest has been sober since then and has worked since to urge Young people to stay away from drugs Meshbesher said Marshall has had difficulty obtain ing visas for some countries be cause of his criminal record wooden hospitalized but is of los Angeles former Urcla basketball coach John wooden has been hospitalized for a possible reaction to arthritis medication but is doing Well according to his daughter the 96yearold Hall of Fame coach was admitted to a los Ange Les area Hospital sunday when he began suffering symptoms Simi Lar to those he experienced a year ago when he was hospitalized for diverticulitis inflamed pockets in the Colon doctors now suspect he suffered from a reaction to a combi nation of medications including one for arthritis Woodens Daugh Ter Nancy Muehlhausen said Hes absolutely doing Fine Muehlhausen said monday Hes laughing and cracking jokes he looks Good wooden had four blood transfusions since sunday she said doctors could keep him in the Hospital for a couple of More Days dad is in Good spirits Muehl Hausen said he lost a lot of blood but has gained his strength Back thanks to the transfusions Texas expected to hire Wichita states Turgeon Wichita state coach Mark tur Geon is expected to be introduced tuesday As Texas Basket Ball coach according to a person close to the program who requested anonymity because the hiring haunt been announced Texas called a news con Ference for tuesday afternoon to announce a replacement for Billy Gillispie who left the aggie for Kentucky last week sports information director Alan Cannon declined to give any additional de tails about the news conference Sturgeon toured the Texas Campus on monday and then returned to Wichita state where he was to meet with his team late monday night the expected hiring of Stur Geon had previously been reported by other Media the 42yearold Turgeon has been at Wichita state for seven seasons leading the shockers to the round of 16 in the Mcaa tournament in 2006 As a no 7 seed Turgeon is 12890 since arriving at Wichita state in 1999 Purdue football player suspended after arrest West Lafayette ind Purdue linebacker Jeff Lindsay was charged with Public intoxication and suspended indefinitely from the team the latest arrest of a football player at the school the 19yearold freshman was arrested by Campus police Satur Day and charged with Public intoxication minor consumption and resisting Law enforcement Lindsay posted bail and was released from Tippecanoe county jail that afternoon Lindsay arrest came eight Days after wide receiver Selwyn Lymon was stabbed in the Chest outside a nightclub in West Lafay Ette less than an hour later safety torn Williams was arrested on a Drunken driving charge will iams also has been indefinitely suspended  wizards guard Gilbert Arenas grimaces after spraining his left knee in a collision with the bobcats Gerald Wallace on april 4 Aba injuries reveal shallow Talent Pool by Michael Lee the Washington Post Washington three Days before losing Gilbert Arenas to season ending knee surgery Washington wizards coach Eddie Jordan tried to keep in perspective the obstacle facing his team with Caron Butler also out with a season ending hand injury weve seen worse Jordan said speaking of the under manned opponents the wizards repeatedly have faced throughout a season that has been filled with debilitating injuries to Star play ers the wizards played All the Way into All but ensured a playoff crushing in juries to their Al stars immediately turned the focus to next season but several teams seasons were deemed irrelevant months ago after their stars went Down the teams with the three worst records in the Aba Memphis Boston and Milwaukee can at tribute their Falls into lottery abyss to the absence of Allstar performers Pau gaol missed the first 22 games because of a foot injury suffered last september in the world championships in Japan and when he returned to the grizzlies they already were making sum Mer vacation plans the celtics started an 18game losing Streak with Paul Pierce on the shelf be cause of foot and Elbow woes and the Bucks made a dramatic shift from playoff contender to challenging for no 1 Overall pick when Michael reads knee Buck led on a meaningless Dunk on the night Charlotte bobcats Forward Gerald Wallace crashed into Arenas left knee and essentially knocked out the wizards playoff Hopes the celtics and Bucks hit the court in Milwaukee in a War of attrition or As coach Doc Rivers put it the Battle of the unfit test the celtics not Only were miss ing Pierce they were in such dreadful shape that they needed a waiver to sign Kevinn Pinkney to a 10day contract just to put nine healthy players on the court the Bucks were missing All five play ers were expected to be Start ers at the beginning of the season Redd Charlie Villanueva an Drew Bogut Maurice Williams and Bobby Simmons its been 21 years in this league and i dont think Ive Ever seen anything like this on my team or coaching a team its Michael Bucks guard Michael Redd missed 20 games earlier in the season with a knee injury and Mil sit out the teams fast six games been amazing said Rivers whose team entered the weekend with a league High 254 games lost to injury this season Rivers was asked How some teams have become so dependent on one Star that they Are helpless in his absence i think if s the league unfortunately Rivers said the defending Champion Miami heat is still in position to win the Southeast division de spite dealing with the extended absences of Shaquille Oneal and dwyane Wade the Houston rockets Are ranked fifth in the Western conference even though Yao Ming missed 32 games with a fractured Bone under his right knee the los Angeles lakers re main in Contention for the sixth seed in the West despite losing an astounding 246 games to injury but other teams such As the los Angeles clippers with Sam Cassell and Shaun Golden state Jason Richardson and Baron Davis and new or leans Peja Stojakovic David West and Chris have been scrambling to get into the play offs despite injuries to key play ers throughout the season Dallas can survive Miami can Phoenix is so deep they have Veteran players who can pick up the Slack Rivers said but theres a lot of teams that Are Shal Low when i played there were 23 teams its 30 now you take away seven teams and disperse the Tal ent around the league everyone would be deep i think that what it shows All the teams that have won have had health