Lawyer Milloy gets DUI charge

By Herald wire services

Falcons safety Lawyer Milloy was arrested on DUI and speeding charges in suburban Atlanta early yesterday, just hours after his team lost to Tampa Bay.

“Any time any of our players are in this type of situation, we are extremely disappointed, myself and our organization,” coach Mike Smith said. “It’s something that is completely unacceptable.”

Gwinnett County police charged the 34-year-old Milloy with driving under the influence of alcohol and speeding in Flowery Branch. He was booked at 4:35 a.m. and posted a bond of more than $1,600 about five hours later.

Though Milloy spoke with Smith before the team meeting yesterday, he was not present in the locker room when reporters were allowed in from 12:35-1:20 p.m.

He did issue a one-sentence statement through his lawyer.

“I apologize to my family, my teammates, (Falcons owner) Mr. (Arthur) Blank, coach Smith, (general manager) Thomas Dimitroff and our great fans for the incident that occurred following Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay,” Milloy said.

Milloy played for the Patriots [team stats] from 1996-2002.

Ref takes hit

Ed Hochuli’s acknowledgement that he erred on a call late in Denver’s 39-38 win over San Diego on Sunday - he whistled dead an incomplete pass when replays showed a fumble - will mean lower grades for one of the NFL’s highest profile referees.

“Officials are held accountable for their calls. They are graded on every play of every game,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. “Ed has been an outstanding official for many years, but he will be marked down for this call.”

Also, San Diego outside linebacker Shawne Merriman had season-ending surgery on two torn ligaments in his left knee in Miami.

Earlier in the day, Merriman was fined $7,500 for a hit on Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme in his only game this season. . . .

Meanwhile, star Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson said he’d “be very surprised if I have to deal with this toe injury for another three weeks. Heck, I don’t think I’ll have to deal with it another couple weeks. So.” . . .

Redskins tight end Chris Cooley apologized for posting an explicit photo of himself studying his playbook in the nude on his Web site.

Collins keeping job

The Titans will stick with veteran Kerry Collins as their starting quarterback as long as they keep winning, coach Jeff Fisher said one day after the veteran led the team to a 24-7 win at Cincinnati.

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