Louisville officials are not happy with the NCAA’s decision that mandates the school vacate its 2013 men’s basketball championship in the wake of an embarrassing sex scandal
Phil Kessel Jersey , and interim President Greg Postel did not hide his disappointment.
It’s the first time a Division 1 men’s basketball program has been stripped of a national title. While acknowledging the scandal was unacceptable, Postel believes the school’s cooperation with the NCAA should have counted for more than it did.
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Louisville announced that an NCAA appeals panel had upheld sanctions against the men’s program. As a result, the Cardinals have to vacate not only the championship, but 122 other victories and return about $600,000 in conference revenue from the 2012-15 NCAA Tournaments.
NBA
DALLAS (AP) – The Dallas Mavericks have hired outside counsel to investigate allegations of inappropriate conduct by former team president Terdema Ussery in a Sports Illustrated report that described a hostile workplace for women.
Ussery was accused of making sexually suggestive remarks to several women. He spent 18 years with the team before going to the sports apparel company Under Armour in 2015. Ussery, who was investigated by the team over similar claims in 1998, denied the allegations in a statement to SI.
The report said team website reporter Earl Sneed was twice accused of domestic assault while working for the Mavericks, including a guilty plea in a case that was dismissed when he met the conditions of the agreement.
The team said Sneed had been fired, and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told SI that he fired human resources director Buddy Pittman after learning details of the magazine’s report. Pittman and Sneed declined to comment to SI.
NFL
MIAMI (AP) – The Miami Dolphins decided receiver Jarvis Landry is worth any headaches he causes, even if the cost is $16 million.
Landry was given a non-exclusive franchise tag after leading the NFL with 112 catches in 2017. The move by the Dolphins came on the first day that teams could assign franchise tags.
The tag’s value is expected to be about $16 million. Landry made $894,000 last season.
Landry has said he wanted to remain with the Dolphins, and they said they wanted him back. But his volatile personality has been cause for a concern – especially on a team that went 6-10 last year in part because of poor discipline.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Andrew Luck delivered some good news to Indianapolis Colts fans.
He feels better. He ruled out additional surgery. And he’s eager to play football after spending the last 13 months rehabbing from shoulder surgery. If all goes well, the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback might even return in time for the start of April’s offseason workouts.
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Injured Pittsburgh Steelers Ryan Shazier doesn’t just plan to play again following a spinal injury. He says he wants to make it all the way to the Hall of Fame.
Shazier opened up to teammate Roosevelt Nix on Nix’s podcast, Shazier’s first public comments since injuring his spine in a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 4.
Shazier told Nix, who released the podcast on Tuesday night, that he plans to walk again on his own and return to a career that was on the verge of stardom before the injury, one that required spinal stabilization surgery and left him in the hospital for two months.
NASHVILLE
Sidney Crosby Jersey , Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee Titans kicker Ryan Succop has agreed to terms on a multiyear contract extension.
Succop scored a career-high 136 points in 2017 to tie Al Del Greco’s 1998 franchise record. His 35 field goals and 42 field-goal attempts were both career highs. He went 31 of 33 on extra-point attempts.
During the 2017 season, Succop set the NFL record for most consecutive successful field-goal attempts from inside 50 yards. His streak, which began in 2014, lasted 56 attempts to break the mark of 46 that Matt Bryant had set from 2013-15.
HOUSTON (AP) – The Houston Texans have released veteran linebacker Brian Cushing.
Cushing, who was a first-round pick in 2009, is the franchise’s all-time leader in tackles with 664, but his career has been marked by two suspensions for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancers.
Cushing has had several major injuries in his career and played 12 games combined in 2012 and 2013 because of knee injuries and a broken leg. He missed three games in 2016 because of a sprained knee ligament and sustained a concussion in Houston’s season opener against the Jaguars last season.
BASEBALL
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) – The Arizona Diamondbacks sent infielder Brandon Drury to the New York Yankees and received outfielder Steven Souza Jr. from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team trade that included five players plus two to be named later.
The deal was announced one day after former Diamondbacks slugger J.D. Martinez agreed to a $110 million, five-year contract with Boston, pending a physical. Arizona has moved quickly to fill that hole in the outfield, signing speedy Jarrod Dyson to a $7.5 million, two-year contract on Monday before trading for Souza.
Souza will be the starter at one corner outfield position, with Dyson subbing at all three spots.
Drury gives the Yankees a new option at third base or second base, where New York was projected to start a pair of rookies.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy isn’t sure his surgically repaired right knee will be ready in time for opening day.
Murphy underwent an operation to repair cartilage shortly after last season, a procedure than included micro-fracture surgery.Texas was expected to be one of the major leagues’ top power teams this season despite being in rebuilding mode.
The Rangers proved that premise to be true when they flexed their considerable muscle on Friday and ripped five home runs, three of them in the first two innings
Tom Kuhnhackl Jersey , to set the tone in an 11-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox in the first game of a three-game series at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.
The White Sox will try to get back on track with left-hander Carlos Rodon (1-2, 3.70 ERA) taking the hill Saturday to oppose ageless Rangers right-hander Bartolo Colon (4-5, 4.72).
The Rangers’ win provided a night off for closer Keone Kela, who on Wednesday saved his 20th game in 20 chances, the longest season-opening streak in club history. Kela broke Francisco Cordero’s 2004 record of 19 consecutive saves and now has converted 22 straight chances dating to May 2017.
The 22 consecutive saves constitute the third-longest streak in Texas history. Kela is nine saves shy of tying Joe Nathan’s club record of 31 consecutive converted saves in 2012.
“It’s a nice comfort zone to have,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about Kela. “Most of the saves have been clean innings. (It has been fun) to watch the maturation process of Key out there on a nightly basis being able to calm it down and just go pitch by pitch.”
It looks as if the White Sox will be without right-hander Miguel Gonzales for a while longer. Gonzales, who has been on the 60-day disabled list since April 18 with right rotator cuff inflammation, returned from his rehab assignment after experiencing soreness in a throwing session after the start for Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday.
“It’s a little setback,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria told mlb.com about Gonzales’ situation. “He still felt a little something so he’s going to be re-seen, re-evaluated, and we’ll see where we go from there.”
Gonzalez opened the season in the rotation but was 0-3 with a 12.41 ERA before landing on the disabled list. This is the second time he has had to restart his rehab.
Rodon is scheduled to make his fifth start of the season. It will be his third start on the road and fifth career start against Texas. He picked up the win in his last start on June 24 at home against Oakland when he allowed two runs and seven hits with three strikeouts in eight innings.
Rodon is 1-0 with a 3.91 ERA and .245 opponents’ average in his previous starts against the Rangers.
Colon will head to the mound for the 17th time this season and make his 15th start. He enters with 244 career wins, most in MLB history by a native of the Dominican Republic. He recently passed Juan Marichal (243) and is one win shy of matching Nicaragua’s Dennis Martinez (245) for most victories by a native of Latin America.
Colon ranks among AL leaders in pitches per inning (fifth, 15.0) and SO/BB ratio (ninth, 4.15) but has also permitted 19 home runs, third most in the AL. He will pitch on an extra days’ rest after taking loss in the Rangers’ 2-0 defeat on Sunday at Minnesota.
The former White Sox pitcher (12 starts in 2009) did not face Chicago in the clubs’ earlier series. He is 11-8 with a 3.84 ERA in 24 career appearances (all starts) against Chicago.
