Nightmare Clients for the Week of July 1st-July 8th

1. San Diego Chargers rookie linebacker Anthony Waters faces misdemeanor assault and battery charges after an incident this week in which the former Clemson star is alleged to have beaten a man on the head and body [Waters faces assault and battery charges after incident]. According to an arrest warrant and an incident report, the windshield of Waters’ car was smashed on Tuesday when Colby Sarvis allegedly threw a rock at the vehicle. Waters pulled to the side of the road, a confrontation ensued, and Waters and a friend, Brian Rogers, are alleged to have beaten Sarvis. Waters, 22, and Rogers are charged with simple assault and battery. Sarvis was charged with malicious damage to personal property.

2. Oakland Raiders running back Dominic Rhodes was suspended Tuesday for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy [Rhodes suspended for violating substance abuse policy]. The league does not disclose reasons for substance abuse suspensions, but Rhodes pleaded guilty in the offseason to reckless driving charges in Indiana after prosecutors agreed to drop drunken driving charges against him. Rhodes, who spent his six years in Indianapolis, signed a two-year contract in the offseason with the Raiders that could be worth up to $7.5 million. He is expected to split time with last year’s starter LaMont Jordan as the Raiders try to improve a running game that averaged 3.9 yards per carry in 2006. Because of the suspension, Rhodes will forfeit $352,941 of his scheduled $1.5 million base salary for 2007.

3. Detriot Tigers infielder Neifi Perez was suspended 25 games for using performance enhancing drugs. Though you really have to question how much they enhanced his performance considering his batting average was a mere .172 [I Knew His Numbers Were Too Good]. Perez became the first player penalized for testing positive for a stimulant under Major League Baseball’s drug program. It was the second offense for Perez in the past year, mandating the 25-game suspension.

4. Buccaneers veteran cornerback Torrie Cox has been suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the upcoming season for a repeat violation of the substance abuse policy. Cox, an emerging player who was expected to compete for the starting nickel job in training camp, will forfeit $140,006 of his scheduled 2007 base salary of $595,027. The four-year Tampa Bay veteran is permitted to participate in training camp and the preseason. Cox’s suspension begins Aug. 31 [Cox suspended for violating NFL’s substance policy].