Former New York Giants' wide receiver Plaxico Burress was indicted on gun charges Monday, and now faces up to 15 years in jail. At minimum, he could expect to serve 3 1/2 years.

A Manhattan jury indicted Burress on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, as well as one count of reckless endangerment. He remains free on $100,000 bail for the time being.

Jurors did not believe Burress' claim that he didn't mean to commit a felony when he fumbled his illegal firearm - a .40 caliber Glock - inside a crowded nightclub and shot himself in the thigh in November 2008. Burress' public apology also did nothing to move the jury.

Burress' teammate Antonio Pierce was with him the night of the shooting, but escaped and was not indicted. Prosecutors had been saying that he played a role in hiding the weapon. He told the jury that he helped Burress while he was bleeding and later returned the gun to Burress' home in Totowa, NJ.

Unlike Donte Stallworth of the Cleveland Browns, who hit and killed a man while driving drunk in Miami earlier this year and got off with just 30 days in jail and years of probation, Burress is likely to get the book thrown at him. Both NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg and District Attorney Robert Morgenthau have been calling for him to serve serious jail time if convicted.

There is little doubt that you have to be tough to play in the National Football League. Former Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow once claimed he was a "soldier" and maybe he wasn't lying. The current Tampa Bay Buccaneer discussed his staph infection with the print edition of ESPN The Magazine in which he explained the procedure he underwent on his groin area so he didn't have to miss action:

"They had to drain it. They had a scalpel. They cut into it. I had to clean it every day with a Q-Tip, for two and a half weeks. It was the most painful thing I've ever been through."

"I was real disappointed when no one came to my defense. They don't want to get suspended or have conduct detrimental to the team, but you've gotta be a man sometimes."

Pittsburgh Steelers superstar quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is reportedly facing sexual assault charges. Pro Football Talk writes:

In a complaint that reads like the rape allegations made several years ago against NBA star Kobe Bryant, Harrah's employee Andrea McNulty alleges sexual assault against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in a lawsuit filed last week in Washoe County, Nevada.

But lawyer David Cornwell strongly denied the allegations Monday night, in a statement released to PFT. "Ben has never sexually assaulted anyone; especially Andrea McNulty," Cornwell said.

No criminal charges have been filed and the lawyer for the former Miami University star adds:

"The timing of the lawsuit and the absence of a criminal complaint and a criminal investigation are the most compelling evidence of the absence of any criminal conduct," Cornwell said. "If an investigation is commenced, Ben will cooperate fully and Ben will be fully exonerated."

Some of the biggest sports legends in history will be on hand for the 30th National Sports Collectors Show at the IX Center later this month. The show runs from July 29th-August 2nd this year and features the likes of Bob Feller, Jim Brown, Troy Aikman, Bo Jackson, and Joe Montana who will be participating in autograph signings.

Below you will find all the information on the event including schedule of events and hours of operation.

Show Hours

Wednesday, July 29: 5pm to 9pm
Thursday, July 30 through Saturday, August 1: 10am to 6pm
Sunday, August 2: 10am to 5pm

Admission

Single-day admission tickets are $15 if purchased in advance. Week-long VIP passes are available, starting at $119

Tickets can be purchased by following this link.

Las Vegas Oddsmakers must be fans of Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini. According to various online sportsbooks, the team will win about 7 games this season. While 7 victories will not be cause for a celebration down Euclid Avenue, if the prognosticators are correct it would be a major step in the right direction. The team, who won 10 games in 2007 and had Clevelanders thinking big going into the 2008 campaign, fell on their face last season and won only 4 games.

Here are the over/unders for total victories for all the teams in the NFL this season.

It appears that Brett Favre hasn't yet realized that he is past his prime. The St Paul Pioneer Press is reporting the aging quarterback has put a $30,000 deposit on a residence in the area so he can play for the Minnesota Vikings. They also reported:

A Brett Favre signing with the Minnesota Vikings is expected to be announced in time for the start of the team's single-game ticket sales July 20.

Former N.F.L quarterback Steve McNair was shot dead in downtown Nashville Tennessee.Early reports indicate a possible mugging. He was with a female acquaintance, who also was killed. McNair was a three time Pro Bowler in his career and ranks second all time in Titans/Oilers history for most major passing categories.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement:

“We don’t know the details, but it is a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to the families involved,”.. Bud Adams said in a statement,“He was one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans. He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl.”

Until now, pregnant football fans have been relegated to purchasing oversized men's t-shirts to show their support of the sport. But now, "View" host Elizabeth Hasselbeck has teamed up with the NFL and Reebok to create a new line of football jerseys especially for pregnant women.

Hasselback, a footballer's wife herself who also happens to be pregnant, said:

“The NFL has a tremendous amount of female fans. Watching a game can be a real family bonding experience, and I can tell you that the women behind the games are truly the most intense of the fans.”

The new shirts will feature sayings such as "Kicker" and "#1 Draft Pick" across the belly. The shirts will retail for $15 to $17.50, and will launch not this year, but during the fall 2010 football season.

Maurice Clarett has made a request for early release from prison. Ron O'Brien, who is the prosecutor in Franklin County, has recommended that the former star running back at Ohio State stay in prison as he has not presented a strong case that he should be released early.

Clarett wants to pursue a comeback to the NFL and says that he has been contacted by teams willing to employ the troubled star.

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and the Ohio Parole Board will have the final say-so in the matter but the recommendation by O'Brien will likely hinder his chances.

The AP reports:

Clarett's attorney, Percy Squire, says his client has an opportunity to play NFL, arena or Canadian professional football if he's released within the next few months. NFL teams have contacted Clarett in prison, but Squire wouldn't identify which teams.

Squire said that while March doesn't seem that far off, time is crucial for the 25-year-old Clarett.

"Whether he is permitted to go in the summer of 2009 versus the summer of 2010 can make a huge difference," Squire said.

"We're talking a matter of months here, but it could have a huge impact on his ability to pursue a livelihood. Waiting another year could basically eliminate any opportunity for him to ever play."

Us Clevelanders don't really want to hear about it but the Pittsburgh Steelers are showing off "the one for the thumb". Jostens designed the ring and Steelers owner Art Rooney II had this to say about the bling-bling:

"Our Super Bowl XLIII ring is going to be cherished as a symbol of the team's outstanding accomplishments during the 2008 season We appreciate the great work Jostens put into making this ring one of the most spectacular in NFL history."