duncan228
12-02-2009, 02:05 PM
From Woods to Leinart: Top sports scandals (http://www.ocregister.com/sports/sports-221801-woods-scandalsin.html)
By Brian Perdue
The Orange County Register
In the wake of Tiger Woods' SUV accident – and the alleged rumors of an affair – here's a look at some of the biggest scandals in recent sports history.
We didn't include the most shocking scandals (OJ or Steve McNair), but our list involves athletes whose reputations were severely impacted by off-the-field allegations.
TIGER WOODS: This photo taken Nov. 27 and provided by the celebrity Web site TMZ.com shows a Cadillac Escalade that Tiger Woods crashed into a tree outside his home in Windermere, Fla. What really happened that night? Truth, where art thou?
FRANK GIFFORD: In 1997, the tabloid The Globe hired flight attendant Suzen Johnson to seduce Frank Gifford in a hotel room equipped with cameras installed by the newspaper. The scheme worked. The Globe published photographs showing Gifford with Johnson. The New York D.A. considered filing criminal charges against The Globe, but the case was dropped at Gifford's request.
KOBE BRYANT: In the summer of 2003, the sheriff's office of Eagle, Colo. arrested Bryant in connection with an investigation of a sexual assault complaint filed by 19-year old hotel employee Katelyn Faber, who accused Bryant of raping her in his hotel room. Bryant said the sex was consensual. The case was dropped after Faber refused to testify in court, and a subsequent civil suit by Faber was settled out of court.
MARV ALBERT: In 1997, NBC sportscaster Marv Albert after being booked in Arlington County, Va. on assault and forcible sodomy charges. A 42-year-old woman who had had a 10-year sexual relationship with him accused Albert of throwing her on a bed, punching her, sodomizing her, and forcing her to perform oral sex on him. After the bite marks on the woman were proven to be Albert's through a DNA test, Albert pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery, and the sodomy charge was dropped.
EUGENE ROBINSON: In January, 1999, the former NFL defensive back was arrested in a prostitution sting after offering $40 for oral sex the day before he played for the Falcons in Super Bow XXXIIIl. Charges were dropped after he completed an AIDS education program. Hours before his arrest, Robinson received the Bart Starr Award from the Christian group Athletes in Action for his "high moral character."
ROGER CLEMENS: In 2008, a New York newspaper reported on an alleged long-term relationship between Clemens and Mindy McCready, a country music singer, that began when she was a teenager. Clemens denied the sexual relationship, even though he said McCready was a friend of the family. McCready said their relationship lasted for more than a decade and ended when Clemens refused to leave his wife.
MATT LEINART: In 2008, photos of the former USC quarterback "entertaining" several young ladies at his home in Arizona, where he plays for the Cardinals, surfaced. Photos included chummy group shots in the hot tub and Leinart holding a beer bong for a woman we assume to be 21.
STEVE PHILLIPS: The former baseball executive and ESPN analyst revealed in October that he had an affair with a 22-year-old ESPN production assistant. A month earlier, Marni - Phillips' wife of 19 years - filed for divorce. A few weeks after his admission, Phillips was fired by ESPN.
Wade Boggs: In 1989, Wade Boggs' four-year extramarital affair with Margo Adams, a California mortgage broker, became public. After Boggs ended the relationship the year before, Adams filed a $12 million lawsuit for emotional distress and breach of oral contract.
MIKE PRICE: In 2003, after being hired as Alabama's head football coach, Price's contract was rescinded after a news report surfaced involving Price and strippers.
DENNY NEAGLE: In 2004, the former Major League Baseball pitcher was found engaged with a prostitute and three days later caught speeding while drunk. The incident was a public humiliation for Neagle and ended his marriage.
RICK PITINO: A former mistress tried to extort money from Pitino - who reported her to the police. Pitino admitted to having had a sexual encounter with Cunagin in 2003 but claimed it was consensual.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS BOAT PARTY: In 2005, several top players for the Vikings, including quarterback Daunte Culpeper (pictured), rented two house boats on a lake and flew in prostitutes for the party. Several Vikings performed sex acts in front of crew members.
By Brian Perdue
The Orange County Register
In the wake of Tiger Woods' SUV accident – and the alleged rumors of an affair – here's a look at some of the biggest scandals in recent sports history.
We didn't include the most shocking scandals (OJ or Steve McNair), but our list involves athletes whose reputations were severely impacted by off-the-field allegations.
TIGER WOODS: This photo taken Nov. 27 and provided by the celebrity Web site TMZ.com shows a Cadillac Escalade that Tiger Woods crashed into a tree outside his home in Windermere, Fla. What really happened that night? Truth, where art thou?
FRANK GIFFORD: In 1997, the tabloid The Globe hired flight attendant Suzen Johnson to seduce Frank Gifford in a hotel room equipped with cameras installed by the newspaper. The scheme worked. The Globe published photographs showing Gifford with Johnson. The New York D.A. considered filing criminal charges against The Globe, but the case was dropped at Gifford's request.
KOBE BRYANT: In the summer of 2003, the sheriff's office of Eagle, Colo. arrested Bryant in connection with an investigation of a sexual assault complaint filed by 19-year old hotel employee Katelyn Faber, who accused Bryant of raping her in his hotel room. Bryant said the sex was consensual. The case was dropped after Faber refused to testify in court, and a subsequent civil suit by Faber was settled out of court.
MARV ALBERT: In 1997, NBC sportscaster Marv Albert after being booked in Arlington County, Va. on assault and forcible sodomy charges. A 42-year-old woman who had had a 10-year sexual relationship with him accused Albert of throwing her on a bed, punching her, sodomizing her, and forcing her to perform oral sex on him. After the bite marks on the woman were proven to be Albert's through a DNA test, Albert pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery, and the sodomy charge was dropped.
EUGENE ROBINSON: In January, 1999, the former NFL defensive back was arrested in a prostitution sting after offering $40 for oral sex the day before he played for the Falcons in Super Bow XXXIIIl. Charges were dropped after he completed an AIDS education program. Hours before his arrest, Robinson received the Bart Starr Award from the Christian group Athletes in Action for his "high moral character."
ROGER CLEMENS: In 2008, a New York newspaper reported on an alleged long-term relationship between Clemens and Mindy McCready, a country music singer, that began when she was a teenager. Clemens denied the sexual relationship, even though he said McCready was a friend of the family. McCready said their relationship lasted for more than a decade and ended when Clemens refused to leave his wife.
MATT LEINART: In 2008, photos of the former USC quarterback "entertaining" several young ladies at his home in Arizona, where he plays for the Cardinals, surfaced. Photos included chummy group shots in the hot tub and Leinart holding a beer bong for a woman we assume to be 21.
STEVE PHILLIPS: The former baseball executive and ESPN analyst revealed in October that he had an affair with a 22-year-old ESPN production assistant. A month earlier, Marni - Phillips' wife of 19 years - filed for divorce. A few weeks after his admission, Phillips was fired by ESPN.
Wade Boggs: In 1989, Wade Boggs' four-year extramarital affair with Margo Adams, a California mortgage broker, became public. After Boggs ended the relationship the year before, Adams filed a $12 million lawsuit for emotional distress and breach of oral contract.
MIKE PRICE: In 2003, after being hired as Alabama's head football coach, Price's contract was rescinded after a news report surfaced involving Price and strippers.
DENNY NEAGLE: In 2004, the former Major League Baseball pitcher was found engaged with a prostitute and three days later caught speeding while drunk. The incident was a public humiliation for Neagle and ended his marriage.
RICK PITINO: A former mistress tried to extort money from Pitino - who reported her to the police. Pitino admitted to having had a sexual encounter with Cunagin in 2003 but claimed it was consensual.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS BOAT PARTY: In 2005, several top players for the Vikings, including quarterback Daunte Culpeper (pictured), rented two house boats on a lake and flew in prostitutes for the party. Several Vikings performed sex acts in front of crew members.