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Arbitrator's decision could affect whether he plays this weekend
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Oct 23, 2008
BEREA: Browns Pro Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow is appealing his one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team that would force him to sit out this weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Adam Kaiser, a counsel to the NFL Players Association who is representing Winslow, said Winslow's expedited grievance will be heard by an arbitrator Friday or Saturday in Cleveland and could affect his playing status for Sunday if the ruling is in his favor.
Kaiser said Winslow could also recoup all or part of the game check that he would forfeit under the suspension. That amounts to $235,294, 1/17th of his $4 million base salary in 2008.
Kaiser said Winslow ''has every right to testify'' and whether General Manager Phil Savage will appear is ''up to the Browns.'' He said the Browns' side can't merely be handled by an attorney because ''they have to put on witnesses.''
Winslow is not allowed to practice or work out at team headquarters until Monday.
Some of Winslow's teammates were surprised to learn of the suspension, announced in a statement Tuesday from Savage. Others preferred not to talk about Winslow so they could focus on
the Jaguars. The Browns defeated the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants 35-14 while Winslow was hospitalized with what Winslow revealed Sunday was the second staph infection of his career.
After the loss Sunday against the Washington Redskins, in which he caught just two passes, Winslow said he was upset Savage didn't call him during his three-night stay at the Cleveland Clinic and said he felt ''like a piece of meat.''
Among those not expecting a suspension was quarterback Derek Anderson.
Asked if he was surprised, Anderson said, ''A little bit. Obviously they made a decision and went with it. I just play here.
''When we didn't have him last time nobody blinked, nobody stressed out about anything. Steve [Heiden] is a darn good tight end and he can step in.'' Heiden missed practice with a sore pectoral Wednesday but expects to play.
Browns player rep Darnell Dinkins said he didn't know of Winslow's absence until he arrived for work.
Players didn't agree with the premise that Savage might be trying to send a message that those who speak their mind will pay for it.
''I can't speak for another person's actions or why they did certain things. I just know me,'' defensive end Shaun Smith said. ''I'm going to speak about how I feel about everything. You've just got to suffer the consequences when you say certain things.''
Dinkins said, ''Everybody knows we're all grown men. If you make your bed you have to lay in it. I'm not Kellen Winslow and I don't really understand what's going on with him and the team. But I'm sure he felt he did what he needed to do.
''It's like airing your dirty laundry sometimes. We've got to learn in the heat of battle, as a man, you've got to watch what you say.''
Receiver/returner Joshua Cribbs said the Browns know they must uphold the integrity of the NFL and the team.
''What's done is done,'' Cribbs said. ''We talked with him as a team and as individuals and his head is in the right place right now. Kellen always says what he feels, he speaks his mind and he is a good person. He has a lot of emotion and he brings that same emotion to the game, so we can't fault him in that.
''We have advised him to keep it amongst the team. He understands and he is going to own up to everything like a man.''
Coach Romeo Crennel said the Browns had a ''mutual agreement'' with Winslow and his representatives to keep the nature of Winslow's illness confidential. Crennel said the players were not told Winslow had staph because ''he was in the hospital and that's a personal issue.''
Dinkins said no players had come to him saying they were upset the Browns didn't tell them Winslow had staph, which he first contracted after knee surgery after his 2005 motorcycle accident.
''I don't feel like I'm at risk here,'' Anderson said. ''They talked to us and made a list of things, 20-30 precautions they've gone through, to ensure the safety of our guys. Guys are carriers of it.
''You just have to take precautions. I probably overkill it. Any kind of scratch or open wound, I make sure it's clean. Guys get a little scratch and it's no big deal and it gets infected a couple weeks later.
''It's a scary thing, but I'm not too worried about it. I'm still going to shower here.''
No players who spoke Wednesday seemed alarmed about the team's seventh staph infection in the past four years. Co-captain Hank Fraley said he would take questions only on the Jaguars. Another co-captain, Andra Davis, was reluctant to discuss Winslow.
''I'm not worried about staph. I've never had staph,'' Davis said. ''I'm worried about the Jaguars.
''What's happened, happened. We can't get involved in the decisions made around here. Three-and-four sounds a lot better than 2-5, right?''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: Browns Pro Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow is appealing his one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team that would force him to sit out this weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Lyndhurst, OH
Posted 08:56 AM, 10/23/2008
Savage and the Browns will lose on this one. When Winslow wins his appeal Savage might be forced to put down his BlackBerry and FACE the public like a real man.
Posted 09:35 AM, 10/23/2008
winslow crying again. remember this is the idiot who wrecked his motorcycle being a fool. time to come down on this guy. he also got paid while sitting on his butt while coming back from trying to be so cool. I think he could aford the hit in pay. might help him with taxes too if obama is elected.
Posted 10:04 AM, 10/23/2008
Winslow needs to GROW up and be a man. He is doing all this so he can have 'bargaining power' when he goes for a new contract. He is mad cause the Browns did not give him a new contract over the summer cause they KNOW he is a bust. He had ONE good year but his first 2 he never played and this year he has been a non factor.
But you did not see this 'soldier' offering to give some of his salary BACK his first 2 years when he wasn't playing.
Winslow is ALL about the money and is not a team player. The Browns will be better of without that whiner.
