lucylily's blog: "ght"

GREAT FALLS, Mon. -- Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf could spend 15 months locked down in Montana, first in a secure drug treatment facility and then in a pre-release living centre as part of a judges sentence following Leafs guilty plea for breaking into a house and illegally possessing painkillers. District Judge Kenneth Neill sentenced Leaf on Tuesday to seven years with the Department of Corrections, with two years suspended if he abides by the conditions. Neill recommended that Leafs sentence start with nine months at the Nexus Treatment Center in Lewistown, which he would be unable to leave, followed by time in a pre-release centre. Leafs attorney said he expects the 36-year-old Leaf to spend six months in the pre-release centre if he successfully completes the treatment. At that point, he could be eligible for monitored release. Leaf, who was shackled hand and foot, told the judge he was humiliated and embarrassed for himself and his family and added that jail "has been a sanctuary" since his April arrest. "I have enjoyed my time in there more than my previous 15 years," Leaf said. Leaf was taken No. 2 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1998 NFL draft after a standout career at Washington State, but his rocky and short-lived professional career earned him the reputation as one of the biggest busts in NFL history. As a result of the Montana case, a prosecutor in Texas also is seeking to revoke Leafs 10-year probationary sentence from a 2010 plea agreement for stealing prescription pain medication from a players home while he was a coach at West Texas A&M. An investigation also found he obtained nearly 1,000 pain pills from area pharmacies in an eight-month span. The prosecutor, James Farren of Randall County, Texas, indicated that he thinks prison time may be needed in his state. Farren said he hoped to file a formal request for extradition Wednesday. Farren said his understanding with Montana authorities is that Leaf would agree to waive extradition and would return to Texas soon to allow a judge there to decide what to do about Leafs probation violation. Leafs attorney, Kenneth Olson, said that his family members fear he may take his life if his addiction problems arent fixed. He said Leafs problems with pain killers began years ago and persist despite past treatment efforts. Olson said Leaf relapsed after he went through chemotherapy for a brain tumour. The defence attorney said the more intensive lockdown treatment offered by the program in Lewistown could help. "If he is successful in treatment and dedicates himself to helping others, he has great potential to do that," Olson said. "The fact is Ryan is at a very serious crossroads in his life." Leaf admitted that he broke into a home in Cascade County, Mont., on April 1. He then admitted that a few days earlier, on March 28, he illegally possessed oxycodone that was not prescribed to him. He pleaded guilty last month to one count each of felony burglary and criminal possession of a dangerous drug. Under the agreement, Cascade County prosecutor John Parker agreed to dismiss two other counts of burglary and drug possession. Prosecutors say the investigation into Leaf began in March, when Great Falls postal workers tipped the Central Montana Drug Task Force that Leaf was receiving frequent packages and paying more than $500 cash on delivery for each. In his statement Tuesday, Leaf said the prison time would be "bliss" for friends, family and everyone else tired of hearing about his drama. The former quarterback dismissed his attorneys assertion that NFL injuries are to blame for his problems, saying he has simply been "lazy and dishonest."www.panthersfootballofficialshop.com/Authentic-Brandon-Lafell-Jersey-Bv-43.html . LOUIS -- Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina has been suspended one game and fined by Major League Baseball for making contact with umpire Mike Everitt during an argument Sunday.www.panthersfootballofficialshop.com/Authentic-Luke-Kuechly-Jersey-Gn-96.html . Listen to all the action live on TSN Radio 690, beginning at 7pm et/4pm pt. The club announced that goaltender Carey Price, who suffered a lower body injury at the end of regulation in Game 4, will be out for the remainder of the series. http://www.panthersfootballofficialshop.com/Authentic-Chase-Blackburn-Jersey-Cn-52.html . From that point through May 26, John Gibbons and company play 30 out of 35 games against their own division, including the next 13 in a row. It breaks down like this, 13 at home and 17 away. 10 versus the Yankees, seven against Baltimore, seven versus Tampa Bay and six against John Farrell and the Red Sox.www.panthersfootballofficialshop.com/Authentic-Greg-Hardy-Jersey-Eb-27.html . -- Spring training has just started and already R.www.panthersfootballofficialshop.com/Authentic-Cam-Newton-Jersey-Pl-46.html . The Canucks were within a minute of the victory but missed a shot at an empty net. Instead, Patrick Marleau had a goal in the final minute of regulation and Raffi Torres scored at 5:31 of overtime to give the Sharks a 3-2 victory over Vancouver in Game 2 of their Western Conference quarter-final series Friday night.EDMONTON -- More than a week after rival Dario Franchitti knocked him into a spin in Toronto to send him down the championship standings, IndyCar driver Will Power has cooled off. From boiling mad to simmering frustration. "The guy (Franchitti) had a choice," said Power in an interview. "At no point was his front wheel ever ahead of my rear wheel. "He had the choice to fall behind me, and (instead) he hit me. Thats just a simple fact. Result: I end up not finishing, and he ends up with the win." Is it time to bury the hatchet, to talk it out? "Whats there to say? What have we got to talk about? "Its quite easy for him to say, Im happy to move on. I took out Will. Ive got a massive points lead. "Its great for him. He gets a big lead in the championship and goes on to win the race (in Toronto). "We just need to go out and have a good result in Edmonton and see what happens after that." The 30-year-old from Toowoomba, Australia, knows his margin for error is shrinking fast if he hopes to avoid a repeat of the 2010 campaign, when he jumped out to an early points lead only to see it shrink and finally evaporate to Franchitti. This year, as the IndyCar series shifts to Sundays race at Edmontons City Centre Airport, the driver points race has effectively been narrowed to a three-man fight. Franchitti leads with 353 points, 55 up on Power and 83 ahead of Scott Dixon, Franchittis teammate with Target Chip Ganassi. A race winner gets 50 points plus a possible three bonus points while the others get at least 10 points for just showing up, meaning the maximum point swing on any given weekend is about 43. In 10 races, Franchitti has won four events and Power, with Penske Racing, has taken three. With eight races to go, Power needs a better finish than the last two events, at Iowa and Toronto. At Iowa a month ago, it was a horror show. He started fifth but an early mistake by one of his crew sent him roaring out of pit lane right into the path of Charlie Kimball, who was entering his own pit box.dddddddddddd. Power T-boned the rookie, and while Power went back out after fixing the nose of the Dallara, the car was off kilter. A few laps later, fighting to stay on the lead lap, the No. 12 Verizon car stepped out and rear-ended the wall on Turn 2, collapsing and shredding the back wing and slamming Powers head, giving him a concussion. In Toronto, Franchitti pressed Power from behind and tried to make an inside move. The cars came together, and Power was sent spinning and out of contention. Power said Franchitti didnt have position and was reckless, labelling him a "dirty" racer. Franchitti said he did have position and that Power was needlessly crowding him. He labelled it a garden variety "racing incident." For Power, its more than an "incident" given how high the stakes have become. In the last two years he has shot up from relative obscurity to become one of the elite racers in the series. His friend, Canadian racer Alex Tagliani, said Power is being too hard on himself when things go wrong on track and, metaphorically, needs to stop squeezing the steering wheel so tightly. Actually the grip is fine, said Power. "I race how I race. I dont think anythings changed mentally in the car." He didnt say hed be looking for Franchitti in Edmonton, but noted drivers always know who is in their mirrors and react accordingly. Call it the Paul Tracy--Tony Kanaan Scale of Mayhem. "You know if its Paul Tracy and hes behind you and hes got a bit of a run on, you know what can potentially happen," said Power. "Hes very aggressive, and if he wants to get by hell make his own way by. Thats his reputation. "Any time Im racing Tony Kanaan I know hell always give you room. Hes a hard racer but hes always very clean. "Those are two different kinds of drivers, and imagine everyone else (as being) in between." ' ' '