LITTLE ROCK — Jets’ brawl doesn’t net dad’s love
The New York Jets are in a fighting mood.
About 20 players were involved in a sideline brawl during practice Monday after running back Joe McKnight and safety D’Anton Lynn tangled after a play.
Lynn, the son of Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn, shoved McKnight out of bounds after a swing pass from Greg McElroy.
An angry McKnight then fired the football at Lynn.
“That was a first,” Lynn said.
“That’s never happened to me before, so I lost my temper for a second.”
The two got into it, with McKnight charging Lynn and throwing a punch that didn’t land.
“If you’re fighting, I mean, are you going to just love-tap him?” McKnight said. “I mean, you’re going to try to hit him. It’s a fight.”
Offensive and defensive players ran over to the two and a pileup ensued, with players rolling through advertisement placards and into an area where reporters were watching. Several reporters scattered as the players jumped on each other and wrestled a few feet in front of a barricade where fans sit.
Coach Rex Ryan, along with several players, including Tim Tebow, ran over to break up the melee by pulling players off the pile.
It all lasted about a minute, and the Jets went back to team drills as if nothing happened - with none of the players suffering any apparent injuries.
The two said they would talk to each other, and things would be smoothed over.
“We’re not trying to hurt each other,” Lynn said. “I doubt he was trying to hurt me and I wasn’t trying to hurt him. It just kind of escalated for a minute. It was more wrestling than anything.”
Lynn did see the irony in the fact that he was fighting with a guy who’s coached by his father.
“Yeah,” D’Anton Lynn said with a smile. “He was probably rooting for Joe.” Get in the game
San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey is the first Major League Baseball player to develop and market his own official mobile game, offering a free game called “Buster Bash” for Apple mobile devices.
The game, available in Apple’s iTunes store Monday morning, offers fans the chance to mimic Posey’s path to the majors - from hitting Wiffle balls in the back yard of his boyhood home in Georgia to playing in the big leagues.
“Buster Bash” offers five levels tracing Posey’s career arc, with players seeing 10 pitches on each level in a home run derby-style format, swinging with a swipe of the finger across the screen of one of Apple’s mobile devices.
While the game is free, users can purchase extras for real money.
Signing days
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has learned a few tricks to signing autographs during his NFL career.
“You gotta make sure you get in and get out,” he told the Baltimore Sun. “You can’t really stay in one place too long. It’s not that bad for me. When I’m going there with my wife or a couple buddies, it can get a little bad.”
On the occasions when he signs for huge crowds after a Ravens practice, he uses another trick.
“I try to avoid eye contact and just sign as many things as I see in front of my face,” he said. “Because if I make eye contact and there’s someone ... and I can’t get to them, I feel bad.”
Quote of the day
“I came for that.” American hurdler Michael Tinsley (Pulaski Robinson) on earning the silver medal in the men’s 400-meter hurdles final Monday in London.
Sports, Pages 18 on 08/07/2012