NEW YORK -- Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweathers two-game suspension from the NFL for multiple helmet-to-helmet hits was cut in half Wednesday on appeal. Ryan McMahon Jersey . Two days after Meriweather was told he would miss time for repeated violations of player safety rules, hearing officer Ted Cottrell reduced the punishment to one game. Cottrell was jointly appointed by the league and the players union. Meriweathers suspension by NFL vice-president of football operations Merton Hanks came for repeated hits to the head and neck area of defenceless players, including two in Washingtons 45-41 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Meriweather was flagged for a helmet-to-helmet hit when tackling receiver Alshon Jeffery on a 28-yard completion with about two minutes left in the third quarter. He also was penalized for a helmet-first hit on Brandon Marshall in the end zone on an incomplete pass with a little more than four minutes remaining in the game. "All of these officials, if theyre going to make a mistake, they want to protect the player, so if its anywhere close to being a helmet-to-helmet, they are throwing a 15-yard flag, and thats what theyre being told to do. If you get anywhere around that head, youve got a chance to hurt your football team," Washington coach Mike Shanahan said Wednesday in Ashburn, Va. "Were constantly emphasizing it, but its tough in the heat of battle for these guys. Youre very competitive. You want to get after them. Then all of a sudden, a guy might duck at the last second, and all of a sudden you have helmet-to-helmet, and they dont even look at intent." In Week 2, Meriweather was fined $42,000 for a helmet-first hit on Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy, forcing Lacy out of the game with a concussion. Later that same day, another helmet-first hit gave Meriweather himself a concussion, knocking him out of the game. Meriweather will lose about $70,000 in salary when he sits out Sundays game at the Denver Broncos. He is not allowed to participate in any football activities with the team during the suspension. "Its unfortunate that the league felt like it needed to suspend him," Redskins linebacker London Fletcher said. "If a receiver sees you and he ducks, sometimes youre going to hit the guy, and the intent was to not even hit the guy, so thats the tough position defenders are in. ... A lot of times you cant avoid the situation." The suspension could leave the Redskins without their two starting safeties when they face Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Strong safety Reed Doughty got a concussion when the Bears attempted an onside kick in the fourth quarter. Meriweather said after last weekends game that he thought both hits against the Bears were legal. He said hes tried to change his game to suit the NFLs tackling rules. "I wasnt trying to be dirty. I wasnt trying to hurt nobody," he said. "I didnt lead with my -- didnt launch with my -- head. I used my shoulder like they told me to do." Redskins cornerback Josh Wilson said Wednesday: "You just got to adjust. I feel like he is. Hes trying to be a better player. But sometimes its hard to lose that reputation in the end." Jake McGee Jersey . -- Antoine Bibeau bought the Val-dOr Foreurs valuable time at the Memorial Cup with his 51-save shutout Friday. Kyle Freeland Jersey . With the Pirates in the thick of the race in the NL Central, the timing couldnt be better. Liriano struck out a season-high 11 in seven innings to win consecutive starts for the first time this season and Pittsburgh beat the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Tuesday night. http://www.rockiesgearproshop.com/Rockies-Dj-Lemahieu-Kids-Jersey/ . Top-ranked Rafael Nadal was also taken to three sets but emerged with a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 win over Tobias Kamke of Germany, while second-seeded David Ferrer joined Murray in making an early exit after a 6-4, 7-5 loss to Daniel Brands of Germany.BOCA RATON, Fla. -- All talk and no major changes didnt make this a dull NHL general managers meeting. A handful of GMs considered the three-day get together an excellent use of time because of the amount and quality of ideas that were discussed, including expanded video replay, coachs challenges and three-on-three in overtime. "Theres been a lot of discussion about a lot of different aspects of the game," Mike Gillis of the Vancouver Canucks said. "In my six years now, I think its one of the most productive meetings weve ever had." Ultimately only three things are set to be recommended for consideration to the competition committee: changing ends in overtime for a longer change, making faceoff violators move back instead of being tossed out and altering the faceoff circles to push players on the outside further away from each other. Those must go to the competition committee in June and then potentially to the board of governors for approval. A more liberal interpretation of kicked-in goals - allowing them to count if a players skate blade is on the ice - does not need to be approved by those parties. Commissioner Gary Bettman says the recommendations made represented the best ways to tweak a game that got rave reviews this week at Boca Beach Club. The feeling was that GMs didnt want to make changes just for the sake of it. "Were not looking at any core fundamental problems," Bettman said. "Thats a testament to the work the general managers do on an ongoing basis. In a meeting like this you can have a good, candid discussion, you can raise ideas and talk about why they work and why they dont work." Figuring out why a lot of ideas dont work, or at least bringing up unsolved issues that could lead to unintended consequences, was a large part of what the general managers did. Three-on-three in overtime, longer overtimes, video review, a coachs challenge system and goaltender interference engendered plenty of conversation and debate, but there was no consensus to move ahead with immediate changes in those areas and others for next season. Bettman said more "homework" can be done on those issues before the competition committee meets in June and then the GMs re-convene during the Stanley Cup final. But even though not much came of this meeting, count Craig MacTavish of the Edmonton Oilers as someone who believes one of the best changes was one that wasnt made. "I am happy there wasnt more done about video review," MacTavish said. There could be tweaks in thhat area in the not-too-distant future, including giving the situation room in Toronto more leeway on goals and possibly even putting video monitors in penalty boxes so that referees can make a better determination of goaltender interference. Ian Desmond Jersey. A last-minute goal by the Philadelphia Flyers against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night was waved off and likely could have been reviewable in that process if it were available. Calgary Flames president of hockey operations Brian Burke wondered if that might get a look during the pre-season. Hes all about ideas being discussed and tried out. "I just keep putting the stuff on the agenda, and I figure sooner than later some will pass," he said Tuesday. The lockout eliminated one opportunity to throw scenarios and possibilities around, as the GMs didnt have their normal three-day Florida meeting last year. Kevin Cheveldayoff of the Winnipeg Jets thinks thats why this was such a productive meeting. "I think theres lots of maybe pent-up thoughts from the last time that were able to have a multi-day discussion like this," Cheveldayoff said. George McPhee of the Washington Capitals thinks these meetings are always productive because of the exchange of ideas. "Even if we dont implement a new rule theyre productive because youve had comprehensive discussion about it and you do whats right for the game," McPhee said. The GMs dismissed a few things that they dont think need to change, such as goaltender fights. That was a hot topic at Novembers one-day setup meeting, which came soon after the incident involving Ray Emery of the Flyers and Braden Holtby of the Capitals. There simply wasnt enough support to even consider changes there after one event. "The rules are what they are and from a whole variety of constituencies, including the players, there doesnt seem to be any change in the consensus right now," Bettman said. "To effectuate a change there would have to be a change among the constituent groups and Ive been told is that if you ask the players it would be 99 to one that you leave it the way it is. So, it is something well continue to look at it, but there was nothing to report." There wasnt much to report overall. Thats not necessarily a bad thing. "There are no major announcements or major changes," Bettman said. "There will be some recommendations, some things people will look at ... but you should continue to enjoy the game principally the way its being played." Cheap Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Orioles Jerseys Cheap Mets Jerseys Cheap Phillies Jerseys Cheap Nationals Jerseys Cheap Cubs Jerseys Cheap Reds Jerseys Cheap Brewers Jerseys Cheap Pirates Jerseys Cheap Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Rockies Jerseys Cheap Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Padres Jerseys Cheap Giants Jerseys ' ' '