The officer whose butt was slapped by Odell Beckham Jr. does not plan on pressing charges, according to NOLA.com.
Earlier this week, an arrest warrant was filed for Beckham after he slapped an officer following the College Football Playoff National Championship. He was in the locker room of LSU, his alma mater, which had just beaten Clemson to win the championship. The officer was warning players to stop smoking cigars inside when Beckham slapped his butt.
On Friday, the officer reportedly signed an affidavit stating he does not plan to press charges.
According to CBS, Louisiana statute 14.34.2 mandates that those guilty of simple battery of a police officer "shall be fined not more than $500 and imprisoned not less than fifteen days nor more than six months without benefit of suspension of sentence."
The Browns have released a statement regarding the situation: "We are aware of the incident and have been in contact with Odell and his representatives on the matter. They are cooperating with the proper authorities to appropriately address the situation," said a spokesperson.
Beckham was also seen handing out cash to players immediately after the game. That incident is currently under investigation by LSU, the NCAA and the SEC.
Donald Trump Likens LSU Tigers To The Military, Hilarity Ensues
Well, that was weird.
Joe Burrow and the LSU Tigers had one of the best seasons in college football history. They were able to cap off the year with a huge win in the National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers. Whenever a team wins the National title, it is customary for that team to come to the White House and meet the president. Ever since Donald Trump took control of the White House, these meetings have been quite bizarre as he usually includes some peculiar antics.
This time around, Trump was particularly jol, albeit erratic. Near the end of his speech to the LSU players, Trump turned the whole thing into a mini-rally as he began to harp on impeachment and how he's a great president. He also spoke about the U.S military and its counter-terrorism efforts. He even likened the Tigers to the military, which got a huge laugh from the crowd and even the players.
Admittedly, some of the players seemed to be uncomfortable with the whole situation, including Burrow who truly couldn't believe what he was hearing. Trump can definitely be a bit of a wild-card and this was one of those times. At this point, we just hope the Tigers got better food than Clemson, who was treated to a smorgasbord of fast food.
Victor Cruz Weights In On Odell Beckham Jr.’s Recent LSU Scandal
OBJ has found himself in some trouble.
Odell Beckham Jr found himself in a compromising position recently while celebrating the LSU Tigers’ recent National Championship win. Beckham Jr. was in the locker room after the game and could be seen handing out money to some of the players. This goes against NCAA rules and many fans were up in arms over what went down. In fact, Beckham is currently being investigated by the school even though many people maintain the money he gave away was fake. OBJ also has a warrant out for his arrest thanks to an incident in which he smacked a cop on the butt.
TMZ recently caught up with former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, who gave his opinion on the whole ordeal. As Cruz explains, he doesn’t see what the big deal is about Beckham’s antics and that it seems as though people are always looking for reasons to go after him.
“At this point, it feels like they’re just picking on him ’cause he is who he is,” Cruz said. “His alma mater just won the national championship. Let him have some fun. I think he didn’t do nothing wrong … I think he’s good.”
Do you agree with Cruz’s assessment? Let us know in the comments below.
Shannon Sharpe Scolds OBJ For LSU Money Scandal: Watch
This isn't something LSU wants to be dealing with.
Immediately after their huge win in the National Championship game, the LSU Tigers were back in their locker room celebrating some of their success. Former Tigers star Odell Beckham Jr was a part of the festivities and made a lot of it about himself. OBJ was seen giving money to players while also smacking the butt of a police officer, something he now has a warrant for. It's been a weird time for the Tigers as now, the school is under investigation for Beckham's bizarre stunt.
Former NFL star Shannon Sharpe isn't having any of Beckham's antics and recently spoke out about them on Undisputed. Sharpe knows how much that win meant to some of the players and felt as though OBJ took their shine away when realistically, he should have stood back and let them enjoy the win.
"I'm disappointed in Odell making himself a part of the story, putting his team and players in harm's way," Sharpe said. "Why do that? This was their moment, this was not about you Odell."
It remains to be seen what will happen to Odell in this situation. Not to mention, the players who he gave money to could be subject to some harsh penalties. Be sure to stay tuned as we will bring you the latest on this story.
Odell Beckham Jr. Arrest Warrant Issued: Report
NOLA police issue "simple battery" warrant for the arrest of OBJ.
Ever since the LSU Tigers defeated Clemson to win the National Championship on Monday night there have been more news stories about ex-LSU star Odell Beckham Jr. than the actual players themselves. And the hits just keep on coming.
According to reports, the New Orleans Police Department has obtained a "simple battery" warrant for the arrest of Beckham stemming from an incident that occurred during the post-game celebration. In case you missed it, Beckham was seen playfully smacking a cop's ass for attempting to spoil LSU's cigar-smoking fun following their 42-25 victory at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
According to ESPN, Louisiana statute defines simple battery as "battery committed without the consent of the victim." The punishment can include a fine of up to $1,000 and imprisonment for no more than six months.
In addition to his locker room antics, OBJ also caused a headache for the University after handing out wads of cash to LSU receivers Justin Jefferson and Jontre Kirklin immediately following the victory. LSU issued the following statement in regards to that incident:
"We are aware of the situation regarding Odell Beckham Jr. interacting with LSU student-athletes and others unaffiliated with the team following the championship game Monday night," the LSU statement reads, per ESPN. "Initial information suggested bills that were exchanged were novelty bills. Information and footage reviewed since shows apparent cash may have also been given to LSU student-athletes.
"We were in contact with the NCAA and the SEC immediately upon learning of this situation in which some of our student-athletes may have been placed in a compromising position. We are working with our student-athletes, the NCAA and the SEC in order to rectify the situation."
Stephen A. Smith Roasted After Predicting A Victory For Clemson
Smith got a taste of his own medicine.
Stephen A. Smith has been known for his strong takes on everything that has to do with sports. On Monday, Smith made the bold prediction that the Clemson Tigers would defeat the LSU Tigers in the National Championship game. In the end, Smith was sorely mistaken as the LSU Tigers exploded for 42 points in a huge win over Clemson. Quarterback Joe Burrow had a phenomenal game with five passing touchdowns and a running touchdown.
On First Take this morning, Smith had to face the wrath of Marcus Spears and Ryan Clark who are mainstays on First Take. Of course, both of those men are LSU fans and they made sure to give Smith a piece of their minds . In fact, Smith was left speechless in what could very well be a first for the First Take host.
Smith has been wrong about his predictions before but this time was truly special. Clark and Spears were waiting to give Smith a taste of his own medicine and it made for some entertaining television. If you're a Cowboys fan, this must have been a truly satisfying sight to see.
The First Take host will probably think twice before betting against LSU again.
Odell Beckham Jr. Gives LSU Players Stacks Of Cash After Title Game
OBJ congratulates LSU's receivers with wads of cash.
The NCAA probably isn't going to be happy about Odell Beckham Jr.'s antics following LSU's victory over the Clemson Tigers in the National Championship. That said, we highly doubt the former Bayou Bengal is at all concerned with the NCAA this morning.
As seen in the footage embedded below, OBJ was seen handing out wads of cash to LSU receivers Justin Jefferson and Jontre Kirklin on the field after the 42-25 victory.
Jefferson, who had nine catches for 106 yards, and Kirklin are juniors and therefore eligible to enter the 2020 NFL Draft. Assuming they do so, the NCAA really can't do anything about Beckham's generous title game reward. Jefferson, in particular, is expected to forego his senior season after he recorded 111 receptions for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns this season.
In addition to handing out stacks of money in plain sight, OBJ also celebrated with the team in the locker room - dancing and joking about selling Jefferson's game-worn cleats for $200,000 - all while former Ohio State star Ezekiel Elliott looked on. Check out that footage in the IG post embedded below.
LSU Tops Clemson To Win The CFB National Title, Fans React
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow was a beast.
Last night was huge for college football fans as the LSU Tigers took on the Clemson Tigers in the National Championship game. Both teams came into this matchup with undefeated records and fans were curious to see which quarterback would end up on top. Of course, the two QB's were Joe Burrow for LSU and Trevor Lawrence for Clemson. In the end, Burrow and LSU came out on top with an impressive 42-25 win. Burrow threw for five touchdowns and ran for one as his team hoisted the championship trophy.
This season was one to remember for Burrow as he broke multiple touchdown records while also winning the Heisman. This Spring, Burrow will be drafted into the NFL and many people think he will go to the Cincinnati Bengals with the first overall pick.
Fans were quick to react to the win on social media, as many LSU fans were happy about the huge win. LSU has been in Alabama's shadow for a while now although this year they were able to get the weight off their backs and come through with a season to remember. Coach O was a phenomenal source of inspiration to the team and with Joe Burrow at quarterback, they were pretty well unstoppable.
Check out what fans had to say, below.
LSU, Clemson Players Struggle To ID Nas, Seinfeld & Other ’90s Icons: Watch
LSU & Clemson players fail miserably during a game of "Name The 90s."
The 2019-20 college football season comes to a close tonight in New Orleans, as the Tigers from LSU and Clemson do battle at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. All of the hype surrounding the battle of the unbeatens, not to mention all of the money that will be gambled on tonight's title game, makes it easy to forget that these kids are just that - kids.
For example, the AOL icons, which are forever engrained in the brains of those who lived through the '90s and early 2000s, are completely foreign to many of the LSU and Clemson players. To further highlight their youthfulness ahead of tonight's title game, ESPN recently played a game of "Name the 90s" with players from each team, where they struggled to identify music icons such as Nas, TLC and Britney Spears, as well as classic TV shows like Seinfeld and Martin.
Check out the footage in the tweet embedded below.
As I alluded to earlier, there will be millions of dollars gambled of the outcome of tonight's National Championship, so it's worth noting that LSU is currently favored by 5.5 points (up from the 3.5 they opened as), and the over/under point total for the game is 69 points. You can catch the action tonight at 8pm ET, airing on ESPN.
The Rock Narrates LSU’s Epic Hype Video Ahead Of National Championship: Watch
LSU drops off final hype video, featuring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
The LSU Tigers will look to complete their undefeated season tonight in Atlanta, as they take on the unbeaten Clemson Tigers in the National Championship game. Ahead of the highly anticipated showdown, LSU Football dropped off one final hype video, narrated by the most electrifying man in sports entertainment, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
Sure, The Rock reps for The U, but the video clip shown below will have LSU players and fans ready to run through a brick wall.
For those interested on the gambling aspects of tonight's title game, LSU has been pegged as 5.5-point favorites (up from the 3.5 they opened as), with an over/under point total hovering at 69 points. Nice.
The Bayou Bengals are led by their Heisman-winning quarterback Joe Burrow, who is considered among many to be the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Burrow and the Tigers cruised to a 37-10 victory over fifth ranked Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and then proceeded to steamroll the Oklahoma Sooners in the Peach Bowl behind Burrow's 493 passing yards and eight total touchdowns.
The National Championship is scheduled to kickoff at 8pm ET tonight, airing on ESPN.