Ex-NFL Teammates Head to Trial Over Number

The Washington Times ^ | 6-6-05 | JOSEPH WHITE

[JZelle]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Big-time sports has come this: Two former NFL teammates are on the verge of going to court to settle a dispute over a jersey number.

A crude, one-paragraph contract has led to Ifeanyi Ohalete, plaintiff, vs. Clinton Portis, defendant, on the docket for civil trial Tuesday in a district court in Maryland. Simply put: Ohalete wants the $20,000 he feels he is owed for giving Portis the jersey No. 26 when both were members of the Washington Redskins a year ago.

"It's certainly what we expect," Ohalete's attorney, John Steren, said Monday. "It's certainly what we're demanding."

Athletes' attachments to certain jersey numbers is ubiquitous on all levels, leading to spats when ordering uniforms for church league softball and deep-pocketed deals between marquee pros.

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Eli Manning, for example, had to pay for punter Jeff Feagles' family vacation to Florida to snag the preferred No. 10 after the New York Giants drafted Manning with the No. 1 overall pick in 2004. Feagles also got a new kitchen in his home from Plaxico Burress when he gave Burress his No. 17 after the wide receiver signed with New York.

[JZelle]

I wonder if Portis will wear his "Che" shirt to court.

[My2Cents]

Babies

[WinOne4TheGipper]

The Redskins cut Ohalete in training camp last year, so if Portis had just been more patient, he would have had his number. Just give him the $20,000 and get it over with Clinton!!!

[sonsofliberty2000]

I see one winner hear: Jeff Feagles.

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[MoodyBlu]

As a long time Broncos fan, I am so glad they traded Clinton "what a punk" Portis for Champ Bailey. Portis is a talent but also a head case. He fits in well with the other head cases in DC.

MoodyBlu

[bpjam]

Dude, Feagles is making out like a bandit. This is like domain squatting. He should just pick very popular numbers and keep trading it in to the next prima donna who gets traded to WASH.

Portis makes something like $6M a year and he can't come up with $20K? Why exactly do they expect me to be loyal to a team when this kind of punk is what my loyalty depends upon?

[Pompah]

I think these two idiots should sell tickets to a no holds barred fist fight in one of the big stadiums.

Winner gets the jersey number. And they split the purse
which will be a damnsight more than they'll get in a civil court.

[stylin19a]

This seems cut & dried. Written/attested contract for 40K.

[KarlInOhio]

King Solomon would have given one player #2 and the other #6.

Seems pretty simple to me. Portis signed a contract to pay for the number and should have to pay the last $20k on it.

[Bar-Face]

Portis is a head case? Shannyhanny ain't a head case. Bowlen ain't a head case? Holy wild horses Batman! That once proud franchise has turned into a laughing stock since the arrival of "The Mastermind" 10 or so years ago. Sorry but two Superbowl wins or fortyleven playoff appearances ain't gonna give that bunch the class they once had.

[wi jd]

The case settled for $18K.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/nfl/20050606-1719-fbn-numbergate.html

[Guillermo]

John Kruk traded his jersey number for a 12-pack.

Clinton Portis has made millions...if he said he'd pay the dough for the no, then he should pay, bro.