Lions eliminated from playoffs with 24-20 loss in Dallas
The Detroit Lions led the Dallas Cowboys for more than 50 minutes and held a 14-point lead for most of the first half Sunday, but fell apart late in the game to lose 24-20.
Now, midway through the fourth quarter, Detroit was driving with a 20-17 lead when referee Pete Morelli announced a pass interference penalty against Anthony Hitchens on a third-down pass to Brandon Pettigrew. But officials reversed the call without explanation, and Sam Martin had a 10-yard punt after the Lions tried to draw Dallas offside on fourth-and-1.
Lions coach Jim Caldwell said he got an explanation, but didn’t like it. “Not good enough,”
With the loss, the Lions still have just one playoff win in the Super Bowl era. The team held the No. 6 seed in the NFC after winning 11 games in the regular season
Dallas will face the No. 2 Packers in Green Bay next weekend.
Jennings leads Pistons to 114-95 win over Kings
Brandon Jennings scored 35 points as the Detroit Pistons beat the Sacramento Kings 114-95 Sunday for their fifth straight win.
Andre Drummond had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Greg Monroe had 14 points 11 rebounds for Detroit, which improved to 5-0 since Josh Smith was released in December. Detroit is 10-23.
Detroit, whose winning streak has been sparked by improved shooting, made 10 jumpers in the half, including six 3-pointers.
Wayne County courthouse assault suspect arraigned
A Wayne County Deputy was knocked out in an assault at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice at 9 a.m. Friday morning. Investigators say that the suspect who allegedly hit her, attacked another police officer a few weeks ago.
“It came out of nowhere, it was totally unprovoked,” said Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon. “The deputy was knocked unconscious.”
Napoleon talking about the attack that sent Crystal Dominguez, a seven-year veteran of the department, to the hospital.
The suspect, DeAndre Wilson, was being escorted to a court room by his case worker.
“As he was walking though the metal detector he was placing his jacket back on his person,” said. Lt. Gerard Wilson. “Once he had his jacket on, he turned toward officer Dominguez, striking her one time in the head area.”
Napoleon said that no one can remember an incident like this happening before, coming into court. He added that he can’t think of anything that could have prevented the attack.
Deputies apprehended Wilson immediately after. He is now in prison facing another felony charge of assaulting a police officer.
The reason he was in Wayne County Circuit Court to begin with, was because he had a court date after being accused of attacking a police officer in Taylor.
In that incident the Taylor officer was not injured but Napoleon says it underscores just how dangerous their jobs can be.
Napoleon said that Wilson was not restrained when he showed up to court and deputies were not warned ahead of time that he was there for attacking another officer. Dominguez regained consciousness at the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
Wilson was in court Saturday and charged with two counts of resisting and obstructing causing injury to an officer. Wilson’s bond was set at $300,000.00.
Detroit saw fewer homicides in 2014
Last year, Detroit saw its fewest number of homicides in decades, according to police.
The homicide rate, though, remains high as the city’s population declines.
There were 300 criminal homicides in Detroit in 2014, police said. That’s the lowest actual number of homicides since 1967.
Despite the drop, the city’s homicide rate in 2014 was about 44 homicides per 100,000 residents, based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimate for 2013 of 688,701. In 1967, when the city had 281 homicides and a population of more than 1.5 million, the rate was 18 homicides per 100,000 residents, according to a Free Press analysis.
Last year’s homicide rate is a decline from 2013, when the city had about 48 homicides per 100,000 residents.
Detroit Police Chief James Craig said his heart goes out to the 300 people who were homicide victims last year.
Recent victims of gun violence in Detroit include 22-year-old Christina Samuel of Detroit, and 16-year-old Paige Stalker of Grosse Pointe Farms. Both were gunned down as they sat with friends in vehicles.
Stalker, a student at University Liggett School in Grosse Pointe Woods, was killed Dec. 22 after a gunman opened fire on a vehicle she and four other teens were sitting in on Philip, near Charlevoix. Three other teens were injured in the shooting and one escaped uninjured.
Samuel, who graduated in May from Indiana Tech, was shot multiple times on Christmas Eve as she sat in a car on Carlisle, near Gratiot and 8 Mile, with a friend.
Samuel’s mother, Tracey Toston, previously told the Free Press that those responsible for her daughter’s death “just don’t understand the impact they make on somebody’s life.”
In addition to the criminal homicides, police said there were 26 homicides in Detroit in 2014 that were deemed justifiable.
Last year, the police department reported that Detroit had 333 criminal homicides in 2013, not including 15 homicides deemed justifiable. On Friday, police said the statistics for 2013 are actually 332 criminal homicides and 16 homicides deemed justifiable.
ESPN Anchor Stuart Scott Dead at 49
Legendary ESPN anchor Stuart Scott has died at the age of 49 … after a long battle with cancer.
The network made the announcement Sunday morning.
Scott joined ESPN in ’93 as the host of “SportsNight” … and eventually became a staple on “SportsCenter.” He became a national superstar using catchphrases like “Boo-yah,” “Call him butter, he’s on a roll” and “Cooler than the other side of the pillow.”
In July, Scott received the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPYs … and opened up about his battle with cancer.
“When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.”
President Obama released a statement about Scott’s passing … saying, “I will miss Stuart Scott. Twenty years ago, Stu helped usher in a new way to talk about our favorite teams and the day’s best plays. For much of those twenty years, public service and campaigns have kept me from my family – but wherever I went, I could flip on the TV and Stu and his colleagues on ‘SportsCenter’ were there.”
Scott is survived by two daughters — and at the ESPYs, said being a dad is the best thing he was ever able to do.
“Taelor and Sydni, I love you guys more than I will ever be able to express. You two are my heartbeat. I am standing here on this stage tonight because of you.”
Scott was a fighter all the way ’til the end — and had been doing intense MMA training in between cancer treatments. Scott’s sensei told TMZ Sports Scott REFUSED to let anyone take it easy on him in the ring and was known around the training facility as a “battle horse.”
Written by LBeasley (Lauren Beasley), Digital Producer of The Morning Heat and Sports Editor of Radio One Detroit
Keep up with the Morning Heat on Instagram and Twitter at @hiphopdetroit
Lions Eliminated From Playoffs with 24-20 loss in Dallas; Finish Season 11-6 was originally published on hothiphopdetroit.com
