WHILE THEY understand the public's concern over what might be perceived as an apparent hazing incident involving Prince Amukamara, several New York Giants insist that throwing the second-year cornerback into a tub of ice water was a football tradition and not bullying.
Amukamara and Jason Pierre-Paul, the Pro Bowl defensive end who threw him into the metal ice tub, maintained Monday that they are friends and there was nothing personal involved. Neither would say what triggered the obscenity-laced incident.
Most players on the Super Bowl champions seemed more concerned that punter Steve Weatherford actually posted the video, and that it might give youngsters the idea that bullying and hazing are OK.
"First of all, absolutely none of us condone bullying," defensive captain Justin Tuck said. "And you don't want to put anybody in a situation where they can get hurt. With that said, we just got to do a better job of being conscious of how that looks and how people can perceive it."
Coach Tom Coughlin said after Monday's practice that he has now outlawed any locker-room antics that could lead to injury and warned players about their language. He once again lectured the team about the use of social media and talked to all the players involved, except Pierre-Paul, whom he plans to address soon. Coughlin declined to say whether any of the players were fined.
Weatherford posted the video of the recent training camp incident on Saturday night. He took it down Sunday and apologized Monday to teammates and fans.
The video shows Pierre-Paul carrying Amukamara over his shoulder in the locker room at the University at Albany and seemingly slamming him into a tub of ice water. Amukamara gets out quickly, but the look on his face seems to indicate he is upset.
Weatherford seemed to take the fallout the hardest. He was near tears talking about it.
"It's just disappointing because I pride myself on being a good example. Obviously that was a lapse in judgment," he said. "Everyone in this locker room loves each other; we all get along great. It was simply horsing around."
Noteworthy *
No alcohol or illegal drugs were found in Junior Seau's system when he shot and killed himself at his home in May, authorities said. The full autopsy results were released by the San Diego County medical examiner's office in a 16-page report for the former NFL linebacker, who was found by his girlfriend with a single gunshot wound to his chest.
Seau did have Zolpidem, often found in the sleeping aid Ambien, and traces of the anti-inflammatory drug naproxen in his system when he died that were "consistent with therapeutic use," wrote Deputy Medical Examiner Craig Nelson. The autopsy showed no underlying hemorrhaging or contusions on Seau's brain, which appeared to be normal.
Questions remain about why Seau, 43, decided to kill himself on May 2 at his suburban Oceanside home. No suicide note was found, according to the autopsy report, and family and friends said Seau didn't appear distraught or depressed.
Investigators said the gun Seau used to kill himself was an unregistered .357-caliber revolver that had five hollow-point bullets inside. They also found his cellphone lying on his bed. The phone had its memory chip missing.
* Rookie Ryan Tannehill won Miami's starting quarterback job over Matt Moore, and Tennessee picked Jake Locker as its starting QB over Matt Hasselbeck. Tannehill and Locker were the eighth overall picks in the last two drafts.
* Jacksonville will play one home game a year in London from 2013 through '16, a source told the Associated Press.
* Dallas receiver Dez Bryant will be treated for tendinitis in his right knee after an MRI revealed no tear to a ligament or tendon. Bryant injured his knee during a joint practice with San Diego.
* Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Orakpo (shoulder) and safety Brandon Meriweather (knee) escaped serious damage from scary-looking injuries in Washington's second preseason game.
* Buffalo cut three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Shawne Merriman. General manager Buddy Nix said the decision was based in part on the potential the Bills saw in two younger players who had been competing with Merriman, 28, for the fourth defensive-end spot. Also, Vince Young has the inside track to win the backup quarterback job, coach Chan Gailey said.
* Kansas City Pro Bowl linebacker Tamba Hali will miss the season opener against Atlanta without pay after violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, the league said. Hali will be fined an additional game check and be eligible to return in Week 2.
* Indianapolis receiver Austin Collie has been diagnosed with at least his third concussion in less than 22 months.
* San Francisco running back Brandon Jacobs (knee) and La-Michael James (ankle) sustained less-serious injuries than had been feared in Saturday's preseason loss to Houston. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Jacobs could be healthy in time to start the season opener, and James said he's ready to practice already.
* The agency that operates the home of the St. Louis Rams released a revised renovation plan that it believes will put the 17-year-old stadium among the top tier in the NFL.
