Falcons' Calvin Ridley Suspended Through at Least 2022 Season for Betting on NFL Games

All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The good news for the Atlanta Falcons, who have not had a winning season since 2017, is that they just opened up $11.1 million in salary-cap room for the 2022 season.

The bad news for the Dirty Birds is the reason for that windfall is the team will be without receiver Calvin Ridley, a former first-round draft pick who became the first NFL player suspended for gambling since 2019, Monday, and will be forced to sit out at least the 2022 season.

The NFL said in a statement that over a five-day stretch in November 2021, when he was on the non-football injury list to address his mental health and away from the team, Ridley placed bets on games.

While the NFL did not indicate what contests he placed bets on, multiple reports said the bets involved multiple teams — including the Falcons, whom he picked to beat the Jaguars in Week 12. The Falcons won that game 21-14.

In a letter NFL commissioner, Rodger Goodell, sent notifying Ridley of his suspension, he praised the player for admitting to his actions when the league brought him in for questioning but chided him for putting the reputation of the game at risk.

"There is nothing more fundamental to the NFL's success — and to the reputation of everyone associated with our league — than upholding the integrity of the game. This is the responsibility of every player, coach, owner, game official, and anyone else employed in the league," Goodell wrote. "Your actions put the integrity of the game at risk, threatened to damage public confidence in professional football, and potentially undermined the reputations of your fellow players throughout the NFL."

Full release on Calvin Ridley’s suspension pic.twitter.com/MXgyZqaJfE

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 7, 2022

The investigation found no evidence inside information was used or that any game was compromised in any way. The league also noted that there was no evidence the Falcons staff nor players were aware of the transactions.

The Falcons, who now have only one receiver — rookie Frank Darby — from the 53-man roster last season under contract, issued the following statement on the action taken against the receiver.

"We were first made aware of the league's investigation on Feb. 9. We have cooperated fully with the investigation since receiving notice and support the league's findings and actions. We are moving forward in the 2022 season with the decision that was made. With the decision that was made by the NFL, any further questions on the investigation should be directed to the league office."

I know I was wrong But I’m getting 1 year lol

— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) March 7, 2022

Ridley said he bet $1,500 total denied having a gambling problem in a series of tweets following the announcement. He also seemed surprised by the severity of his punishment.

"I know I was wrong But I'm getting 1 year lol." he wrote.

UME Gives Old School R&B Fans Reason to Celebrate

Old school music fans have a reason to celebrate this weekend.

Friday, Universal Music Enterprises reissued five classics from the R&B era dominated by pop music fused together with elements of jazz, funk and rap.

Guy’s “The Future” (Expanded Edition), Heavy D & The Boyz’ “Big Tyme “(Expanded Edition), Jodeci’s “Forever My Lady,” Jodeci’s “Diary of a Mad Band” (Expanded Edition), and Christopher Williams' “Changes” (Expanded Edition) arrived at all digital service providers today.

The classic albums from Uptown Records include unreleased tracks, remixes and more.

“The Future,” which the label said in a statement embodies the spirit of the “New Jack Swing” music era, was the second full album released by New York R&B phenomenon Guy. Comprised of Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall, and Damion Hall, the group’s soulful harmonies propelled the album to No. 1 on the Billboard R&B Albums Chart in 1990. It picks up 20 news tracks on the expanded edition.

Hits like “We Got Our Own Thang,” “Somebody For Me,” and “Gyrlz, They Love Me,” helped Heavy D & The Boyz “Big Time” reach platinum status when it was released in 1989. The expanded edition includes seven new tracks from the New York hip-hop powerhouse and its charismatic frontman — which were the first group signed to Uptown Records.

Jodeci’s debut album “Forever My Lady” soared to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top R&B Albums Chart upon its release in 1991, eventually going triple-platinum in the U.S. The reissued version adds 24 new tracks to the classic album.

Members DeVanté Swing, Mr. Dalvin and brothers K-Ci, and JoJo, who left behind their gospel past to release some of the raciest and replayed R&B of the time, followed up that effort with another classic in 1993’s “Diary of a Mad Band.”

On the strength of chart-topping hits like “Cry For You," “Feenin’” and “What About Us” it went quadruple-platinum in the United States and moved six million units worldwide. Fifteen new tracks are featured on the definitive version.

Crooner Christopher Williams’ second album “Changes” peaked at No. 63 on the Billboard Top 200 in 1992. Its lead single “I’m Dreamin’,” however, reached the top spot on the Billboard US R&B Songs Chart and was made even more popular by its inclusion in the end credits of the cultural movie phenomenon “New Jack City.” The expanded edition adds 11 tracks.

Find links to the expanded editions below for all DSPs:

Listen to Guy's The Future (Expanded Edition)—HERE.

Listen to Heavy D & The Boyz' Big Tyme (Expanded Edition)—HERE.

Listen to Jodeci's Forever My Lady (Expanded Edition)—HERE.

Listen to Jodeci's Diary of a Mad Band (Expanded Edition)—HERE.

Listen to Christopher Williams' Changes (Expanded Edition) —HERE.

Brett Hankison Found Not Guilty on All Charges Stemming From Deadly Police Raid That Killed Breonna Taylor

Breonna Taylor, 26, was killed on March 13, 2020

by officers executing a "no-knock" warrant.

Nearly two years after her death triggered protests across the country against police brutality and calls to
"arrest the cops that killed Breonna Taylor,” the only police officer charged in the fatal “no-knock” police raid that led to the death of the 26-year-old EMT, has been found not guilty of wanton endangerment.

A Kentucky jury cleared former police officer, Brett Hankison, on Thursday of charges he endangered neighbors when he fired shots into an apartment during a 2020 drug raid that saw officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department execute a search warrant at the wrong home and ended in Taylor’s death.

Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, had been in bed when the plainclothes cops arrived just after midnight but got up when they heard banging at the door. In earlier court proceedings, Walker said they both called out for the intruders to identify themselves. When they received no answer, according to Walker, and the door was broken off its hinges, he fired a warning shot.

BREAKING: Brett Hankison, the only cop charged over the police raid that killed #BreonnaTaylor, was found not guilty.

He was charged for wanton endangerment — not for killing Taylor, but for firing shots into a neighbor's home. A grand jury cleared the officers who shot Taylor. pic.twitter.com/lTry8NRwY0

— AJ+ (@ajplus) March 3, 2022

Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly was struck in the thigh by that bullet. Mattingly, officer Myles Cosgrove and Hankison responded with 32 shots of their own in return. Taylor was struck six times. Cosgrove who was responsible for 16 of those rounds was determined to have fired the shot that killed Taylor.

Hankison, 45, admitted to firing 10-rounds blindly through Taylor's patio doors and bedroom window from outside at the trial, but he said he did it to save his fellow officers.

When asked if he did anything wrong during the raid, Hankison replied: “Absolutely not." He added, “She didn’t need to die that night.” Following the exchange, Breonna Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, stormed out of the courtroom.

POWERFUL words spoken by Breonna Taylor's mom Tamika Palmer today. And she's so right. This is now bigger than Breonna. This is about bring our communities together and creating the change we want in America. #SayHerName #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/wKsnSAvowr

— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) August 13, 2020

Hankison was the only officer involved to face charges related to the botched raid. A grand jury found that the two other officers who fired on Taylor that night acted in self-defense after Mattingly was shot. That jury found that several bullets Hankison fired went into a neighboring unit where a pregnant woman, a man and a child were home.

While Taylor’s family has yet to get the justice it sought, led by Palmer and other activists some progress has been made in her name. After Kentucky Attorney General David Cameron’s office declined to seek charges against any of the officers in connection to Taylor’s death, protestors filled the streets for months. Eventually, a $12 million settlement was reached between the family and the city of Louisville, Kentucky. It included a major reform package that banned “no-knock” raids amongst other changes.