NFL Notebook: Benson arrested

Friday, October 31, 2008 3:05 AM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend |

Associated Press

The NFL notebook ...AUSTIN, Texas — Chicago Bears running back Cedric Benson was charged with failing a sobriety test while operating a 30-foot boat, then resisting arrest before being hit with pepper spray and dragged ashore by officers.

Benson faces charges of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest after the incident Saturday night on Lake Travis, Travis County Sheriff's Department spokesman Roger Wade said Sunday.

Benson was released from jail early Sunday on a $14,500 bond. The charges are class B misdemeanors, each punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Benson was operating the boat with 15 passengers aboard when he was stopped by a Lower Colorado River Authority officer for a random safety inspection. He failed a field sobriety test on the officer's boat and was uncooperative when the officer tried to take him ashore.

"When Benson did not pass the test, he presented himself as a threat to the officer and argued about whether or not he would be taken to land to have a follow-up field sobriety test performed on land and refused to put on a life jacket," the authority said in a statement.

JETSHEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — Danny Woodhead took the football, cut quickly to his left and then disappeared.

The NCAA's career rushing leader was still somewhere on the New York Jets' practice field, but it was difficult to pick out his small frame among all the big bodies.

"He's hard to find for a couple of reasons," coach Eric Mangini said with a smile, "the obvious one and he's pretty quick and pretty elusive."

At 5-foot-71/2 — "People forget the half-inch" — he has heard about his small stature his entire football-playing life. Now in rookie minicamp with the Jets, Woodhead is hoping to make a big impression.

"A lot of other people have thought: 'You're the underdog, so you probably really want to do good,"' Woodhead said Saturday. "Honestly, I just think of it as being any other football player. I don't want people to feel sorry for me."

No need to. Not when he rushed for 7,962 yards in four seasons at Chadron State, compiled 9,479 career all-purpose yards — second-best in college football history — and was a two-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner.

PACMAN'S HOUSE

FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Pacman's trying to unload his pad.

The 30-acre spread owned by suspended cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones' was put on the market Thursday for $1.8 million by real estate agent Brad Pilz.