Janikowski ordered to attend anger management

Raiders Pro Bowl kicker Sebastian Janikowski has been ordered to attend anger management classes as the result of an incident in 2010 in which he allegedly shoved a woman in a nightclub in Walnut Creek as first reported by the Contra Costa Times.

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop one misdemeanor count of false imprisonment as well as a conditional dropping of misdemeanor battery charge so long as he stays out of trouble for the next year.

The woman who filed the charges, one Ms Syrena Nicholson, claims she was backstage at the club when she was confronted by an angry Janikowski who blocked her way from leaving.

"He shut the walk-in door and started yelling at me that I had been taking pictures of him at the show," Nicholson told the Times. "I had never seen him before in my life. I kind of know who he is now, but I don't keep track of sports."

As a result, in addition to the 30 hours of anger management, Janikowski will also serve 30 hours of community service.

In the week following the incident, Janikowski missed a chipshot field goal against the Cardinals in Arizona that would have given the Raiders the win.

It was the first run in with the law that Janikowski had had in quite a while. At one time, Janikowski had been known for his partying and brawling. He had been arrested three times in a four year span beginning with his time at Florida State and then continuing after he was drafted by the Raiders in the first round of 2001 draft.

He was picked up for a DUI in just his second season with the team for which he pleaded no contest. About a year later, he was allegedly part of a fight outside of a Walnut Creek restaurant, but the case was dropped for lack of evidence.

For the record, however, this most recent incident was nearly two years ago. It is a somewhat minor incident for a player who had been known as a problem child early in his career but had stayed out of trouble for the seven years in between. He has also since had a career season, earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

But the man nicknamed "The Polish Cannon" could probably benefit from some anger management. It is a heck of a lot better than the possible 18 months in jail he was facing if he had been convicted of those charges.