Brian Westbrook Espn

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Lined up in the slot, he could run a slant, beat a linebacker and take off with no one able to catch No. 36. His defining moment with the Philadelphia Eagles came on an 84-yard punt return that stunned the New York Giants in 2003.

Out of the backfield, he was a 1,000-yard rusher who always kept defences guessing — and flailing.

But in his later years, it was injuries that defined Westbrook more than his dynamic offensive skills. His age, salary and lengthy list of beaten body parts led the Eagles to release him Tuesday and save the team US$7.5 million due next year.

“I think we all know that Brian is one of the all-time great Philadelphia Eagles,” coach Andy Reid said. “For what we’ve done here over the years, Brian has been just a huge part of building this program to the level that we’re at now. My heart will always be a Brian Westbrook fan as we go forward here.”

A former all-pro, the 5-foot-10 Westbrook led the league in yards from scrimmage in 2007 with 2,104. He rushed for 1,333 yards and accounted 12 touchdowns that season.

But he spent much of last season on the sidelines, missing eight games with a pair of concussions and an ankle injury. Westbrook had only two touchdowns in 2009.

Reid said he called Westbrook with the news Tuesday morning. Reid said Westbrook should still have an opportunity to play for another team and said he thinks Westbrook still wants to play. “I don’t know that for a fact, but I think he might want to do that.”

LeSean McCoy, who rushed for 637 yards with four touchdowns in 16 games as a rookie, will become Philadelphia’s No. 1 running back.

Westbrook’s season went south on Oct. 26 when his helmet collided with Washington linebacker London Fletcher’s right knee and he suffered a concussion. Westbrook missed the last five games after suffering his second concussion in three weeks against San Diego on Nov. 15. He was cleared to return for the post-season.

He has rushed for 5,995 yards in eight seasons in Philadelphia and caught 426 passes for 3,790 yards. The 30-year-old Westbrook has scored 68 touchdowns rushing, receiving and on punt returns.

“He had no weaknesses,” Reid said. “There wasn’t any one thing that you could pick out that he was not good at; he was brilliant. There are just certain guys that are just football smart and he was one of those guys.”

Westbrook, a third-round pick out of Villanova in the 2002 draft, is Philadelphia’s career leader in yards from scrimmage (9,785). He also ranks second in yards rushing (5,995) behind Wilbert Montgomery and third in receptions (426) behind Harold Carmichael and Pete Retzlaff.

Cormier ban appealed

QUEBEC — The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies are appealing the latest Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s decision to uphold the season-long suspension of their forward Patrice Cormier.

Cormier was banned from playing until the end of the season, including the playoffs, after elbowing Quebec Remparts defenceman Mikael Tam on Jan. 17.

The Huskies called the sanction “excessive” and appealed the decision of the league’s disciplinary committee. But QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau said last Friday the league found the suspension to be justified and reasonable and upheld it.

The Huskies said in a short statement Tuesday they are appealing that decision to an independent arbitrator.

Cormier’s hit sent Tam in convulsions on the ice and he suffered a brain injury and had a few broken teeth. He told a news conference after the incident he doesn’t remember taking the hit.

Cormier, 19, of Cap-Pele, N.B., was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the second round of the 2008 NHL entry draft, but was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers Feb. 4 as part of the deal that sent Ilya Kovalchuk to the Devils. He was also the captain of Canada’s silver-medal winning entry at the 2010 IIHF world junior hockey championship.

NFL salary cap in doubt

NEW YORK — NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith says in a memo to players and their agents that it is likely no new collective bargaining agreement will be reached and the upcoming season will be played without a salary cap.

In the memo distributed Tuesday, Smith outlines the union’s talks with the league, but makes it clear he doesn’t think a new deal will occur before the March 5 deadline — giving the NFL its first uncapped season since 1993.

Smith says the union’s most recent proposal contains an offer to keep the current capped system for another year to allow both sides to continue negotiations. He added that another general bargaining session is scheduled for Thursday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

Kornheiser suspended

MELVILLE, N.Y. — ESPN has suspended Tony Kornheiser from Pardon the Interruption for two weeks after comments he made on his radio show poking fun at the wardrobe of SportsCenter anchor Hannah Storm.

Kornheiser revealed the network’s action on his radio show Tuesday, referencing his “intemperate and stupid remarks” about Storm. He had apologized directly to Storm and on the air but still was “sent to the sidelines” for two weeks.

Last week Kornheiser called Storm’s outfit “horrifying” and said she wore a “typically very, very tight shirt so she looks like she’s got a sausage casing wrapped around her upper body.”

He said her “Catholic school plaid skirt” was “way too short for somebody” her age. Storm is 47.

During his comments about Storm, Kornheiser also made a thinly veiled reference to ESPN host Chris Berman’s weight.

“Tony Kornheiser’s comments about Hannah Storm were entirely inappropriate,” said John Skipper, ESPN’s executive vice-president for content. “Hurtful and personal comments such as these are not acceptable and have significant consequences. Tony has been suspended from PTI for two weeks. Hannah is a respected colleague who has been an integral part of the success of our morning SportsCenter.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 3:53 pm and is filed under Sports News.