Meggett, who played 10 seasons in the NFL and gained notoriety mainly as a punt and kickoff returner, was arrested Wednesday and charged with raping a 21-year-old woman in her North Charleston home. Meggett was already out on bond in connection with a rape charge last year, and is on probation for sexual battery against his girlfriend in 2006.

In September, he was charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct after a 17-year-old North Charleston woman told authorities she was raped by a man she knew as "Michael," according to police records.

Both South Carolina arrests occurred while Meggett was serving out two years probation for a 2006 sexual battery charge in North Carolina. Authorities there allowed the Charleston native to serve his sentence in South Carolina and have been notified about both of Meggett's recent arrests, said Pete O'Boyle, spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services.

Meggett, who lives in Summerville, retired from the NFL in 1998 after being released by the Patriots. That followed a charge that he assaulted a woman in a Toronto hotel. That charge was later dropped. Say goodbye now, Giants and Patriots fans, because no one's likely to see this guy again.

Meggett won the Walter Payton Award in 1988 and was a two-time Pro Bowler, the last in 1996, just two seasons before he was forced out of the NFL. Sad ain't the word.

Ex-NFL Player Meggett Facing Rape Charge in SC [Associated Press]

Irvin was stopped at a red light in North Dallas about 9:30 p.m. when the man in the car next to him motioned for him to roll down his window, When Irvin did, the man pointed a handgun at him. Then things got weird.

“The passenger pulled out a semiautomatic and I knew what time it was,” Irvin said. “But he said ‘Oh, that’s Michael Irvin, with the Dallas Cowboys.’.” Despite being scared, Irvin said he tried to keep the conversation going. “So we started talking about the Cowboys and everything,” he said. “Then they got back on the highway.” “I tell you what, I’m glad he was a Cowboy fan,” Irvin said.

I wonder if they discussed ties?

This all makes me realize that, despite his frequent asshattery, I kind of miss Michael Irvin. And I suspect that you do too.

Motorist Points Gun At Ex-Cowboy Irvin, Police Say [Dallas Morning News]
Michael Irvin Has The Gift Of Gab [Lewp's Weblog]

From WJHG-TV7:

Hartford Police Chief Ben Berry said 52-year-old Timothy Fowler had held an Alabama football party on Friday and a fight broke out during a card game. Berry said Fowler apparently swung a flashlight at another man, who then punched Fowler's face in the front yard. Berry said alcohol may have been a factor.

At least this story didn't include the term "shotgun blasts," which are always fun at a party. Rammer Jammer Cock the Hammer.

And of course who could forget this?

WETUMPKA, Ala. — Three Prattville High School students and a Montgomery teenager have been charged with murder in a fatal shooting that apparently occurred after an argument over whether Wetumpka or Prattville has a better high school football team.

Northwest Florida Corrections Officer Dead After Punch In Alabama [WJHG-TV7]
Is It Possible For Alabama Fans To Stop Murdering Others? [Fire Perno Blog]

Adrian Roberto Oliva is shown here stuffing exclusive Juventus training jerseys into a trash bag, and was planning to sell them on the black market. He was caught when the team noticed some jerseys missing and set up a hidden camera. Police then searched his apartment and found a few hundred more. Here's the jersey that caused all the fuss.

"He was arrested on this way to Spain where the goods were commanding an even a better price. Officers found 700 tops in his van and another 400, plus £1,800, in his apartment." Don't know why there'd be such a demand for Italian soccer jerseys in Spain. But anyway, Oliva will look right at home over the next few months, as Juventus' home jerseys are quite similar to what he'll likely be wearing in the pokey.

Update: Oliva was sentenced to two months straight of watching this video.

Juventus Caretaker Caught Red-Handed Over 2,000 Stolen Training Tops [Mail Online]

Here's Hope Jacoby, 23, an athletic trainer at Tustin High School (Calif.) who was arrested recently on suspicion of engaging in sex acts with an underage boy. She has worked with athletes at the school for a year, according to the Los Angeles Times, and that may be an understatement. Oh, and she was busted in the way we have all become accustomed: Sending photos of herself to students via text message. Way to finish out 2008, Hope!

Hope Jacoby, 23, who has worked with athletes at the school for the last year, was arrested last week on suspicion of oral copulation of a minor and unlawful sex with a minor, said Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino. Sheriff's deputies were informed of the unlawful acts by someone who saw a text message photograph, Amormino said. The boy was between 14 and 17 years old.

I know you're asking "Is there a MySpace page?" Well of course there is. In case it's been taken down by the time you get there, here's an exceprt:

About me: Let's see. there's a lot to tell...maybe. My names Hope ~I love goin out. Im a huge fan of the hug. I hug all my friends, and think its an important way to say hi and bye. If I dont hug you, I probably dont like you. Either that or you make me totally nervous, so I wont do it. I believe in karma, however i also think that no matter how good of a person you are, bad things are gonna happen to you. I like hanging out with guys cuz they're a lot easier to talk to. They don't like drama, and neither do i. ~I may come off as full of myself, but i promise it's a front. I don't have the highest self-esteem, but i don't think i'm a bad person either. It's a weird position to be in. Wow this is long. stop reading.

Hat tip to Barstool Sports and their NSFW headline.

Tustin High School Athletic Trainer Arrested On Sex Charges [Los Angeles Times]
Hope's MySpace Page

Anyway, Boston's new hanging socks logo made its television debut last week; it's apparently the hat of choice for bank robbers. This suspect allegedly hit a TD Banknorth in Chicopee, Mass.; the story catching the eye of Dan Lamothe of Red Sox Monster, who is a native of Chicopee.

Yes, you got it: Less than 24 hours after the new "hanging Sox" hat was unveiled by Red Sox management as an option for some games in 2009, it became an accomplice in the apparent robbery of the bank I first used as a big-eared 7-year-old.

If this story wasn't already getting weird enough, police also told The Republican that they believe this robbery is connected to two other robberies in the area, including one in West Springfield that led police to release this photograph:

No, Mr. Lamothe didn't Photoshop that last one. It's the AL East bandit! His crime spree will end, of course, when he wears an Orioles cap and no one takes his demands seriously.

Police Seek Suspect In Robbery Of Chicopee Bank [Mass Live.com]
'Hanging Sox' Allegedly Commit First Bank Robbery, Still At Large [Red Sox Monster]

But who was that friend? Could it have been ... hmmm?

The facts are these: Williams, a highly-recruited 19-year-old defensive end from Washington Court House, Ohio, was arrested by Beavercreek police and charged with shoplifting three shirts valued at $80 from the Macy's in the Mall at Fairfield Commons. His explanation? It wasn't me, officer!

From the Columbus Dispatch:

"I took the blame for somebody; I didn't do anything," Williams said last night. He said he was with a friend, and as they were walking out of the store, the alarm went off. His friend told him he had the three shirts, and Williams agreed to take the shirts — and the blame.

"If he got in trouble for this, he would be in jail," Williams said, explaining that his friend has been in legal trouble previously. "So I took his back." Williams didn't name the friend.

The best part? Williams evidently returned a call from a Columbus Dispatch reporter before informing the team or his parents.

If he's suspended, that's no Fiesta Bowl for you, young man. The Buckeyes' defense has already lost defensive back Eugene Clifford (misdemeanor assault in a bar fight) and defensive tackle Doug Worthington (drunken driving on campus) this season, although Worthington is now back on the team.

Humorous aside: When coach Jim Tressel decided to offer him a scholarship, he sent Williams a text message. Williams said the exchange went like this:.

“I told him it would be a great honor. I’ve always wanted to be a Buckeye and it would be a tremendous honor to play for him.” Williams said Tressel then sent him a message back saying, “Wow!!!!!!”

OMG! shplftng? :( nt kewl!!!

Freshman: I Took The Blame, Not The Shirts [Columbus Dispatch]

On Saturday Hairston began taunting her husband at the Days Inn in Neptune Beach once she realized the Gators were beating the Bulldogs. They said when her husband grabbed his bags and tried to leave the room, Hairston bit the man on his thigh. A police report states that Hairston then punched her husband in the face several times with her fists before fleeing the area on foot.

Quite unbelievably, alcohol may have been involved. Here's some video.

Police: Wife Bites Husband Over Fla.-Ga. Game [News4Jax]

Earlier prosecutor David Iles told the jury Walcott considered himself a “glorious physical specimen who is a treat and privilege for the fairer sex to behold.” Mr Iles added: “He thinks he is God’s gift.”

I think I'll use that as my bio if I ever write a book.

Walcott, aged 34, cried and held his head in his hands as a jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court took just 90 minutes to return unanimous not guilty verdicts on all counts. Walcott had been arrested on the street outside of one of the homes, which had installed security cameras due to a man — who fit Walcott's desription — exposing himself to the elderly residents. Walcott claimed innocence, noting that there was a person in the neighborhood who was "a dead ringer" for him.

But police thought it suspicious that Walcott was out at 3 a.m. So, handcuffs ensued.

His Polish lover Aga Michalska was brought in to vouch for his whereabouts on some of the nights it is claimed he was outside the homes, while another woman, Puja Dheiman, was called to explain how she was with him in a Birmingham nightclub on another occasion. His girlfriend of 11 years and mother of his baby Deborah Price gave evidence that she knew he was having affairs, but that he was not capable of flashing at elderly residents and staff at the homes.

And so the search continues for the real pervert, the man whom police have dubbed “The Darlo Flasher,” and is still on the loose. Could he now be in your town, exposing himself to your grandma?

Former Athlete Cleared Of Flashing [Express And Star]

Meet Lloyd Irvin, the 2008 IBJJF World No-Gi Champion in the super-heavyweight division, who is also involved in training MMA and UFC stars at his Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Maryland, among them UFC star Brandon Vera. In an "exclusive" with MMA site Bloody Elbow (your most trusted source for news), Lloyd tells of how gunmen broke into his home and held his wife, 4-year-old son and — surprise! — Vera, hostage in a robbery attempt. Then things went very Walker, Texas Ranger:

While one gunman held Irvin's family hostage, another gunman directed Irvin to the the master bedroom. According to Irvin, he led the gunman toward his bedroom. Once in the bedroom, Irvin said he noticed the other gunman was far enough away down the hall to make a move to disarm the attacker in his bedroom. Irvin, an expert in Sambo defensive gun and knife techniques, was able to get ahold of the gun in the attacker's hands, first separating the clip from the gun and then removing the gun from the attacker's hands.

At that point, the attacker in Irvin's room ran yelling to his accomplice that Irvin had his gun and both gunman fled the house. It's not clear what, if anything, they were able to take with them. Police were called to the scene and have launched an investigation.

Forgive me for being skeptical, and if this really happened, both Steven Seagal and I salute your bravery, Mr. Irvin. But it's hard to take a story seriously that 1. Hasn't run in any newspaper, even though it happened more than a week ago, 2. Has been reported only by an MMA site and a few message boards, and 3. Just happens to be tremendous advertising for your business, a martial arts studio. Hard to imagine someone with stones large enough to fake all of this, but some independent verification would be nice, and I can't find any.

I couldn't find the Sambo technique on video anywhere, but I suppose it's similar to this. Probably not very useful against someone coming at you with a piece of fresh fruit, however.

UPDATE: Irvin Speaks to Deadspin, talks about ordeal

No Holds Barred Message Board
BloodyElbow.com Exclusive: Lloyd Irvin, Family And Brandon Vera Attacked By Two Gunman In Irvin's Home Saturday Morning [Bloody Elbow]

From The Review Journal:

Simpson associate Thomas Riccio, after an in-studio interview Friday with radio talk-show host Anthony Crivello and retired Las Vegas police detective Phil Ramos, invited them to join O.J.'s entourage at an undisclosed location. "That's how certain he was," Crivello said during an interview on Saturday, a day after Simpson and co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart were found guilty on all counts, including armed robbery and kidnapping with a deadly weapon.

"He's been predicting a hung jury," said Ramos, who attended the trial and provided expert commentary on Crivello's show, "The Sicilians" on Fox Sports Radio KBAD-AM, 920. "The first thing that popped into my head," Ramos said, "was Sandy Murphy." He was referring to Murphy's overconfidence the day the jury began deliberating in 2000 when she and Rick Tabish were accused of killing casino operator Ted Binion in 1998.

Hope he remembered to cancel the DJ.

Simpson is being held in the Clark County Detention Center until his Dec. 5 sentencing, after which he is expected to be sent to state prison. An appeal cannot be filed until after sentencing. He is being kept in isolation at the detention center "for how own safety."

Simpson To Remain Isolated In Prison [Washington Post]
O.J. Simpson To Guests: Acquittal Party Is Off [The Zone Blitz]
Norm: Simpson Planned Acquittal Party [Las Vegas Review Journal]

Henry wasn't in the car that was pulled over near Billings, Montana, recently which contained three kilograms of cocaine and six pounds of marijuana (value: about $75,000). The car was being driven by a courier who was being paid $5,000 to deliver the drugs to a buyer in Billings, and when he was pulled over by the Highway Patrol he immediately turned over on Henry, who was the "money guy" in Denver. From the affidavit:

According to CS-1 (cooperating suspect-1), Henry was the money guy and was owed the $40,000 in the robbery of customer 3. As a result, Henry was threatening CS-1 and his family, demanding that CS-1 repay the $40,000 lost by customer 3. According to CS-1, Henry said CS-1, CS-1's family, customer 3 and customer 3's family were all "dead" if they did not come up with the money.

And it goes on. Here's the affidavit (PDF).

Fun reading at first, until you realize a bit of the way through that it's all dramatically, depressingly real. It's tough to watch a fall from grace like that, no matter how much you think the guy may deserve it. Anyway, Travis Henry is in a world of trouble right now.

Travis Henry Arrested on Coke Charges; read The Affidavit Here [Latest Word]

According to a report from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Chester Marcial "Chet" Ward, of the 4500 block of Duncan Road in Punta Gorda, allegedly sliced pages in the book his roommate was reading before holding a knife to his roommate's neck and threatening to kill him.

The report stated the roommate, who "was in fear of his life," went to a neighbor's home and called 911.

When deputies arrived, Ward admitted to being upset over points from his fantasy football league and that he asked his roommate to move out of the residence. Because the roommate was ignoring him, Ward told the deputies that he pulled out his knife and cut the book as a joke.

Just guessing, but it's a good bet that book had pictures.

Upset Fantasy Football Player Arrested For Allegedly Threatening To Kill Roomate [Charlotte Sun Herald]
Advice: Don't Take Fantasy Football Too Seriously [The Hazean]

'When she took my purse I had to do something so I ran after her and grabbed her as hard as I could," Wiliamson, a mother of seven, said. "She said she hadn't taken it at first, so I shook the life out of her until she finally gave it back. It makes me so mad when people try to take your things."

Said Simeon Williamson, 22:

"She can be very friendly but also pretty scary when she wants to be – you wouldn't have wanted to be the thief. And there's no controlling her – you just have to stand back and hope she's all right as she doesn't think about the consequences."

Somewhere, Matlock is smiling.

Olympian's Granny Fights Off Mugger [ ]
Olympic Supergran Chases Down Thief [Metro.com.uk]