samedi 30 avril 2016
Lakers' hire makes for one proud papa
The news that Luke Walton will become the next Los Angeles Lakers coach drew lots of praise throughout the league.
However, the biggest praise came from his father, Hall of Famer Bill Walton. And he did so in typical dad fashion, tweeting a picture of Luke as a young child.
Who would have ever thought that little Luke Walton would be the head coach of the Lakers, so happy for him http://pic.twitter.com/DjBQA4jnYe
— Bill Walton (@BillWalton) April 30, 2016
Interestingly, as Luke's name was being suggested for a number of coaching jobs, Bill had suggested he stay with the Golden State Warriors, saying on ESPN's First Take last month: "It doesn't get any better than what he's got right now ever in life, and money will not make that happen again. It's there now. Head coaching jobs, they're open for a reason, and what he's got, just stay there."
But with Luke in Los Angeles, Bill is still a very proud papa.
Lakers' hire makes for one proud papaRaiders trade up to draft QB Cook in 4th round
The Oakland Raiders traded up in the fourth round to select Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook.
The Raiders gave up picks in the fourth (No. 114) and fifth (No. 154) rounds to the Cleveland Browns on Saturday to take Cook with the 100th overall pick.
Before the start of the fourth round, multiple teams had shown interest in trading up for the first pick of the round, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Browns owned the first two picks of the round. They used the first to take Wisconsin outside linebacker Joe Schobert and then sent the second to the Raiders.
Cook had been projected by many to go higher in the draft to a team looking for a potential starting quarterback. But instead he ended up in Oakland, where he will compete with Matt McGloin to be Derek Carr's backup.
Cook had a successful college career, starting 40 games the past three years for one of the nation's top teams and becoming the winningest quarterback in school history. He threw for 71 touchdown passes and 9,194 yards in his career but completed just 57.5 percent of his passes. Questions about his leadership skills also pushed him down the board.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Raiders trade up to draft QB Cook in 4th roundA-Rod gifts HR bat to young fan at Fenway
Alex Rodriguez might have made a new friend in Fenway Park -- of all places -- when he gave his bat to a young fan after hitting a home run.
The fan, 8-year-old David Moss, is an Arizona native who attended Friday night's game with his mother and sister and was welcomed at Fenway by multiple members of the Red Sox, including slugger David Ortiz.
Moss' father died in September before he and his son could meet Ortiz in person, according to MLB.com. Ortiz recounted the Moss family's story to Rodriguez, and the Yankees designated hitter greeted David before his first at-bat of the game in the top of the second inning.
"I asked (Rodriguez) if I could have his bat," Moss told MLB.com. "He said, 'If I hit a home run, you can have my bat.'"
The 40-year-old Rodriguez honored his promise after belting a solo home run off Red Sox left-hander Henry Owens. After touching home plate, Rodriguez gestured to the Yankees' bat boy to give him the bat before heading over to Moss' seat behind home plate and leaning the bat up against the padded wall.
It was the 691st career home run for Rodriguez, who has had several memorable moments at Fenway as part of the Yankees' historic rivalry with the Red Sox, including his famous altercation with then-Boston catcher Jason Varitek in July 2004 that incited a benches-clearing brawl.
According to MLB.com, a fan sitting near Moss also heard about his family's story and gave them tickets above the Red Sox dugout so that David could get an autograph from Ortiz. The Red Sox beat the Yankees 4-2 on Friday night thanks to Ortiz's go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning.
A-Rod gifts HR bat to young fan at Fenwayvendredi 29 avril 2016
Tunsil doesn't appear at press conference
Miami Dolphins first-round draft pick Laremy Tunsil did not appear at his introductory press conference Friday, one day after slipping in the draft amid a series of social media posts on allegedly hacked accounts belonging to him.
Tunsil made it to South Florida from the NFL draft in Chicago and suffered an unknown medical reaction, according to Dolphins vice president Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Adam Gase. It was another strange episode to what's already been a tough week for Tunsil.
"We're trying to find that out right now," Gase said when asked to describe what happened to Tunsil. "We have our doctors looking at him."
On Thursday night, a social media video was posted just before the draft of Tunsil wearing a gas mask and smoking a substance through a plastic tube. The offensive lineman also admitted Thursday that he took cash from an Ole Miss coach, which sent shock waves throughout the program.
Tunsil was suspended seven games last year for taking improper benefits while in college. Tunsil improperly used three loaner cars without paying, according to the NCAA.
The NCAA launched an investigation into improper benefits after Tunsil and his stepfather, Lindsey Miller, filed domestic charges against each other last year. Tunsil said he attacked Miller after his stepfather assaulted his mother, Desiree Polingo. Miller said Tunsil's attack was unprovoked and that he was trying to stop his stepson's contact with agents. The criminal charges against both men were dropped in August.
Miller's attorney Matthew Wilson told ESPN on Friday that his client was not responsible for leaking the video of Tunsil smoking from the bong on Twitter, which was posted shortly before the draft started Thursday night before being deleted.
There appeared to be another hack after Tunsil was chosen, with an image going up on his Instagram account showing a text message conversation, allegedly between Ole Miss assistant athletic director John Miller and Tunsil, about paying rent and electric bills for Tunsil's mother. Tunsil's Instagram account was deleted a short time later.
Tunsil spoke at a news conference after his selection and the alleged hack.
"I'd have to say yeah," Tunsil said when asked by a reporter if he took money from a coach.
The Dolphins did an extensive background check on Tunsil during the pre-draft process and said he was the No. 2 overall player on their board. According to the team, Tunsil was very forthright with all of his transgressions during its communication, and that helped Miami make the final decision to select him with the No. 13 pick.
ESPN college football writer Mark Schlabach contributor to this report.
Tunsil doesn't appear at press conferenceDucks fire Boudreau after 4 straight Pacific titles
Bruce Boudreau, who coached the Anaheim Ducks to the Pacific Division title for the fourth consecutive season only to lose in the Stanley Cup playoffs, was fired Friday, the team announced.
"I would like to thank Bruce for his hard work and dedication to the franchise," general manager Bob Murray said in a statement. "This was a very difficult decision to make. Bruce is a good coach and character person, and we wish him the best of luck in the future."
The Ducks finished atop the Pacific standings with a 46-25-11 record for 103 points, one better than the Los Angeles Kings. Anaheim, however, was on the losing end of a deciding Game 7 against the Nashville Predators in the first round of the playoffs.
It was the fourth consecutive season that Boudreau led Anaheim to the division title only to lose Game 7 at home, each time after holding a 3-2 lead.
Boudreau had a regular-season record of 208-104-40 with the Ducks. Prior to joining Anaheim, Boudreau coached the Capitals from 2007-11. He has a career record of 409-192-80.
Murray said the Ducks' coaching search will begin immediately.
Ducks fire Boudreau after 4 straight Pacific titlesjeudi 28 avril 2016
Marlins' Gordon hit with 80-game ban for PEDs
Miami Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon has been suspended 80 games without pay for violating the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy, the league said early Friday.
The suspension is effectively immediately.
The speedy second baseman tested positive for exogenous Testosterone and Clostebol, performance-enhancing substances, MLB said.
The news was announced soon after the Marlins wrapped up a 5-3 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gordon played in the game, batting leadoff and going 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Marlins' Gordon hit with 80-game ban for PEDsPacers' George willing to play all 48 in Game 6
INDIANAPOLIS -- Pacers star Paul George said he is willing to play 48 minutes in Friday night's Game 6 against the Toronto Raptors if needed.
"If that's the direction that the game is going, I'm all for it," George said after Thursday's practice. "Whatever we got to do to win, I'm doing it."
George scored 39 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 8 assists in 41 minutes during Game 5, but it wasn't enough, as the Raptors came back from a 17-point deficit to take a 3-2 series lead. George admitted Thursday that he's "still not over" the end of Game 5, in which the Pacers blew a 13-point, fourth-quarter lead.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Pacers were 0-for-10 from the field, had three turnovers and scored just one point during the 6 minutes, 55 seconds that George was out of the game. The Raptors were 7-for-14, scored 19 points and didn't turn over the ball during the same stretch.
Pacers coach Frank Vogel was noncommittal about George playing all 48 minutes, saying only that it could happen "if necessary."
Vogel acknowledged after Game 5 that George seemed a little tired at the end of the third quarter when the coach pulled him out of the game for a few minutes. He offered no doubts, at least outwardly, in the way he handled George's minutes.
"We handled it the right way," Vogel said.
George has not played all 48 minutes of a regulation game in his career. He averaged 41.1 minutes a game during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 postseasons. The five games in this series are the first postseason action he has had since a gruesome broken leg suffered while training with Team USA in advance of the 2014 World Cup of Basketball. George is averaging 37.8 minutes a game in this series heading into Game 6.
For his part, George feels confident he can play at a high level for an entire game.
George said that if he does play all 48 minutes Friday, the conversation about his playing time would happen during the game, not before it.
"I wouldn't do that today," he said. "That will probably be something that's within the game. I'll go over and tell [Vogel]. It just depends on how the game is going. I'll go over and talk to him."
George was frustrated after Game 5 but said he didn't want to call out his teammates for failing to protect the large lead. He stood behind Vogel's decision again Thursday.
"Coach is getting a lot of criticism for taking me out," George said. "Both times he took me out we were in the driver's seat looking comfortable. Up 15 [to start the second quarter] and up 13 [to start the fourth] both times. We're supposed to do our job, maintain that lead, extend that lead. We didn't know the game was going to go that direction."
For his part, Vogel tried to turn the page as soon as the game ended. He maintained his stance after Thursday's practice.
"We got outplayed," Vogel said. "We got to understand that it's a 48-minute game, like we said the other night. We didn't give a game away because that would imply you have something and you don't earn a victory after 36 minutes. We got to play better in the fourth quarter, especially when you're up. They're going to change the game, different lineup, more pressure, more 3's, quicker shots. And you got to win the fourth quarter a lot of times differently than you won the rest of the game. So we learn our lesson from it and come back and win Game 6."
Pacers' George willing to play all 48 in Game 6Raiders' Davis: Want to move team to Vegas
LAS VEGAS -- Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis says he wants to move the team to Las Vegas and is willing to spend a half billion dollars as part of a deal for a new stadium in the city.
Davis upped the ante in a bid to move the team to this gambling city, appearing Thursday alongside soccer great David Beckham and billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson before a committee studying the idea of a $1.4 billion stadium.
He repeated what he said he told Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval a few weeks ago, saying the Raiders want to turn the Silver State into the "silver and black state."
Davis noted the Raiders played in Las Vegas in an exhibition against Houston in 1964, and said with help building the stadium it won't be another 50 years before they play here again.
Raiders' Davis: Want to move team to Vegasmercredi 27 avril 2016
Dana White: McGregor kept himself off UFC 200
The UFC officially announced its main event for UFC 200 on July 9 in Las Vegas on Wednesday -- and it doesn't feature featherweight champion Conor McGregor.
A light heavyweight title unification bout between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones will headline the landmark event. Originally, McGregor (19-3) was supposed to fight Nate Diaz at UFC 200, but the UFC pulled the Irish star last week, after he refused to fly to Las Vegas for a press conference.
"I didn't prevent him from fighting at UFC 200. He knew what the deal was. I told him what the deal was. He opted to do that."
Dana White, on Conor McGregor not fighting at UFC 200
UFC president Dana White has admitted removing McGregor from the card is an "unpopular" decision, but a necessary one. During a press conference in New York on Wednesday, White said it ultimately was McGregor's decision to not fight at UFC 200, as he was aware of the demands.
"I didn't prevent Conor from fighting at UFC 200," White said. "Everybody, if you look at [last week's] press conference -- Joanna Jedrzejczyk came in from Poland. Claudia Gadelha came in from Brazil. This is what we do. This is how it works.
"I didn't prevent him from fighting at UFC 200. He knew what the deal was. I told him what the deal was. He opted to do that."
White referenced Cormier (17-1) as another example of a champion willing to promote. Cormier, who is based in San Jose, initially refused to fly to New York as it would force him to miss his son's school play. The UFC made arrangements to film the play and stream it to Cormier's phone, in order to get him to New York.
"He said he wanted to see his kid's performance and believe me, I understand that. I have kids, too," White said. "I respect that. So, we streamed it live to him so he could watch his kid's performance. There were things Conor needed and I was willing to make sure Conor would have the things he needed when he landed in Las Vegas, when he came to New York or wherever else we went.
"This isn't we say, 'hey, you have to do this.' I will bend and try to make it work for these guys and girls. That's the truth, the whole truth."
McGregor, 27, re-tweeted a sarcastic post on social media just as the UFC's New York press conference got underway. Essentially, the post inferred UFC 200 would not produce the same level of business it would have had McGregor remained involved.
White spoke highly of McGregor on Wednesday, however, and said he would still fight later this year. White has said McGregor's next fight will likely need to be a featherweight title defense against either Jose Aldo or Frankie Edgar, unless he wants to vacate his belt.
"I've said it a million times, Conor asked to fight Nate Diaz and Conor wants to fight Nate Diaz," White said. "Conor doesn't back down from fights, man. One of the things that has made Conor popular and as big as he is, is this dude wants to fight. He comes to fight. He comes out guns blazing. Conor is fun. Conor is a stud. I have a lot of respect for Conor. Conor and I just had -- you know, you have to show up and do the PR. You have to do it."
White told ESPN he wasn't aware of any change made to ticket prices once McGregor was off the event. Tickets to UFC 200 go on sale to the general public on Friday.
Dana White: McGregor kept himself off UFC 200Bosh still wants to play; Heat noncommittal
Chris Bosh and his wife appeared to break weeks of silence about his status with the Miami Heat with social media posts Tuesday that reaffirmed his desire to return to the court. But the Heat re-stated their position there are no plans for him to play.
Bosh's wife Adrienne, who is active on social media and in the Miami community, started a hashtag on Twitter Tuesday that read #BringBoshBack and retweeted several tweets from media members about how the Heat miss Bosh in their series with the Charlotte Hornets. Bosh himself later posted a video on social media of him shooting in an empty AmericanAirlines Arena with the message "Still got it."
The coordinated effort followed two losses to the Hornets to even the series 2-2. Bosh was in Charlotte with the team but has avoided interviews for months.
The two sides have been in an unusual stalemate since March 10, when Bosh released a statement from his personal public relations firm saying "I remain positive that I will be able to return this season."
Following the posts, the Heat repeated their position since February as spokesman Tim Donovan told ESPN: "There is no update. He is out still indefinitely."
The team has never officially given a reason for Bosh's absence and coach Erik Spoelstra and president Pat Riley have not echoed Bosh's position that he will play again this season.
For Bosh to be cleared to return to playing he would have to be cleared by Heat doctors. Bosh has not been cleared and the Heat don't believe any NBA team would likely clear him under the circumstances, a source told ESPN.
Bosh has been sidelined since the All-Star break with an undisclosed medical condition. In his March statement, he said he was "currently is not dealing with active blood clots." Bosh suffered blood clots in his lungs in 2015 that ended his season. As he recovered, he was placed on blood-thinning medication that made it impossible for him to play contact basketball.
Bosh still wants to play; Heat noncommittalChris Sale is awesome and will win the Cy Young Award
I know, it's April. First rule of April: Don't bet on April.
But it's late April! And I'm betting on Chris Sale.
White Sox win again!
Chris Sale tosses another solid game allowing just 1 R in 8 IP as he moves to 5-0 on the year. http://pic.twitter.com/RjX8IWqWmL
— Baseball Tonight (@BBTN) April 27, 2016
Chris Sale is not human... Nearly a month into the season and he has more wins than the Atlanta Braves. Untouchable.
— Scott Phillips (@phillipshoops) April 27, 2016
Chris Sale continues his 30-wins pace.
— Bill Veeck (@Bill_Veeck) April 27, 2016
Those tweets tell us what happened as Sale and the Chicago White Sox steamrolled the Toronto Blue Jays in a 10-1 victory Tuesday night. Sale allowed only a seventh-inning home run to Edwin Encarnacion, throwing 100 pitches over eight innings. As I watched on TV, he seemed in cruise control, with the Blue Jays hitting harmless fly balls and three infield popups. I loved the pitch efficiency. He threw fewer pitches in just six of his 31 starts last season and averaged barely five innings per start in those six games.
That's one reason both Sale and pitching coach Don Cooper talked about pitch efficiency before the season. Sale led the American League and set a White Sox club record with 274 strikeouts last year. But he also had a 4.33 ERA in the second half and gave up 45 hits and eight home runs in 37 innings in September. Sale insists he wasn't tired, and Cooper told the Chicago Sun-Times in January, "There were a few things going on with that that I'd rather not even talk about. Things that might have been going on."
Assuming it wasn't health -- and given his strikeout rate, there certainly wasn't anything wrong with his stuff -- or fatigue, since Sale said it wasn't, you wonder if Sale was tipping his pitches. That's just speculation on my part, but some of the numbers bear that out. Six of the eight home runs he allowed in September came off fastballs, and batters hit .363/.407/.638 against his fastball that month. That fastball had the highest swing-and-miss rate among starters in the majors at 27 percent prior to September -- a rate that dropped to 23 percent in September.
Maybe Cooper was alluding to something else, but tipping pitches is certainly something you wouldn't want to discuss. Still, Cooper made the point to mention pitch efficiency in that article. "I'm looking for Chris Sale to be a little economical with his pitches," Cooper told Rick Morrissey. "Let's get 'em out quicker. Let's get strikeouts when [you] need them."
I'm always a little hesitant when I hear talk about pitch efficiency, because strikeouts are good things. Only a few pitchers are able to have some measure of control over the hard contact they allow -- Jake Arrieta appears to be one of those guys, and Dallas Keuchel was expert at it last season. Sale, at least in 2015, was not one of those pitchers; among 78 qualified starters he ranked 74th in wOBA allowed when a ball was put in play. In other words, when he did give up contact, opponents hit it hard. (The White Sox also had a poor defensive team, which, of course, hurt his numbers.) He was better in this area in 2014, when he ranked 19th out of 89 qualified starters, lending more credence to the tipping pitches theory.
That said, the new approach is producing excellent results so far. He has gone at least seven innings in all five starts yet hasn't reached 110 pitches in a start, something Sale did 15 times last season. His strikeout rate has dipped from 32.1 percent to 23.2 percent, but his BABIP is a miniscule .186 (defense matters!). And batters aren't teeing off on his fastball:
Batters hit .363 against Chris Sale's fastball last September. In 2016? Not so much. http://pic.twitter.com/Rxu3qhehzi
— David Schoenfield (@dschoenfield) April 27, 2016
One White Sox fan on Twitter said Sale is changing speeds better on his fastball; that gets to the idea of trying to induce more weak contact. I suspect Sale will still crank up the strikeouts when needed. He just hasn't needed to.
Given the slow starts for Cy Young contenders David Price, Chris Archer, Keuchel and Corey Kluber, Sale's hot start probably makes him the Cy Young favorite at this moment (many picked him before the season, of course). Remember, he had a 2.17 ERA in 2014; if he hadn't missed five starts that year he likely would have beaten out Kluber for the award. This looks like the season Sale will win out.
Oh, and the White Sox are 15-6 and have the best record in the American League.
Chris Sale is awesome and will win the Cy Young Awardmardi 26 avril 2016
Source: Raiders owner, Nevada officials to meet
Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis will attend a meeting with Nevada tourism officials Thursday in Las Vegas to discuss relocating to a proposed domed stadium there, a source in the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development confirmed to ESPN.
Davis is scheduled to appear at the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee meeting at 11 a.m. ET, Thursday in Las Vegas. The meeting will include more on a $1.3 billion stadium project being proposed by casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and real estate agency Majestic Realty.
The Raiders have signed a one-year lease for the 2016 season at the Oakland Alameda Coliseum. The lease includes two one-year options for 2017 and 2018, but financial developments have added incentives to relocate. The team's rent tripled in the agreement and they lost revenue from stadium naming rights, when O.co opted out of its agreement in early April.
Davis has met with Adelson and toured UNLV's Sam Boyd Stadium as a potential temporary home. The location for the proposed Las Vegas stadium is a 42-acre lot on Tropical Avenue, a few blocks off the Strip.
Davis declined comment in regards to Thursday's meeting to ESPN. Thursday is also the first day of the NFL draft.
Los Angeles remains an option for the Raiders, if the San Diego Chargers elect to remain in San Diego instead of joining the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, California.
The Chargers have until Jan. 15, 2017 to decide whether to join the Rams in L.A., according to a relocation agreement between the two teams. The deadline could be extended until Jan. 15, 2015, if a referendum for public financing in San Diego is not approved prior to Nov. 15 of this year. A $1.8 billion stadium project for the Chargers has been proposed.
Source: Raiders owner, Nevada officials to meetSources: Warriors' Kerr gets Coach of Year honor
Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors has won the NBA's Coach of the Year award for the 2015-16 season, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN on Tuesday that Kerr is expected to receive the trophy prior to Game 5 at home Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Complications from two offseason back surgeries forced Kerr to miss the first 43 games of Golden State's title defense -- with interim coach Luke Walton posting a record of 39-4 in Kerr's absence -- but he ultimately won the balloting in a very deep field not only for his coaching but his role in building the culture that put the Warriors on a path for a record-setting 73 wins.
Fueled by a 24-0 start, which bettered the previous league record for an unbeaten launch to an NBA season by nine games, Golden State went 73-9 in the regular season to trump the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls for the best single-season mark in league history.
Kerr finished second in Coach of the Year balloting behind Atlanta's Mike Budenholzer last season, which was Kerr's first season as a head coach. That team went 67-15 en route to winning the Warriors' first championship in 40 years.
Sources: Warriors' Kerr gets Coach of Year honorManziel indicted in alleged attack on ex-girlfriend
DALLAS -- Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel was indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday on a misdemeanor charge stemming from a domestic violence complaint by his ex-girlfriend.
The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner and Texas A&M star was accused by ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley of hitting her and threatening to kill her during a night out on Jan. 30. Crowley said in court documents that Manziel struck her so hard that she temporarily lost hearing in one ear.
The indictment accuses Manziel of striking Crowley and "forcing (her) into a vehicle and against a vehicle dashboard."
Manziel faces a charge of misdemeanor assault related to family violence, which carries up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine.
His attorney, Jim Darnell, issued a statement Tuesday saying Manziel "will certainly" plead not guilty.
"We certainly respect the decision of the grand jury but of course they only hear part of the case: What the D.A. chooses to share with them. We don't know what that was," the statement said. "This case will now be assigned to a court in Dallas County where the parties are able to join the issue. Johnny will certainly plead 'not guilty' and we believe the evidence will support that plea. Out of respect for Ms. Crowley, we will not try the case in the press. We do, however, believe that Johnny will be acquitted at the conclusion of the case."
Dallas police referred the case to a grand jury in February, asking the Dallas County District Attorney's Office to present the misdemeanor assault case.
Manziel was cut by the Browns in March after two tumultuous seasons marked by inconsistent play and off-the-field headlines about his partying and drinking, including one stint in rehab. His future in the NFL is uncertain at best, and might be nonexistent without a second stint in treatment that two agents have demanded. The league also has tougher standards regarding domestic violence cases after revising its policy in August 2014 following the Ray Rice case, which could complicate any attempt by Manziel to return.
The first agent, Erik Burkhardt, cut ties with Manziel after last season. Burkhardt's replacement, Drew Rosenhaus, dropped Manziel last week. His marketing agency dropped him before the charges were filed, and Nike confirmed last week that it no longer has an endorsement deal with Manziel.
Crowley alleged that the 23-year-old quarterback accosted her at a Dallas hotel and later struck her when they drove back to her apartment in Fort Worth. She was granted a protective order that requires Manziel to not see her for two years, stay at least 500 feet from her home and place of work, and pay $12,000 in legal fees.
Crowley alleged she and Manziel had a confrontation in the hotel room that eventually continued downstairs to the valet station. She said he forced her into a car and a valet disregarded her pleas for help.
The two eventually drove to where her car was parked in front of a Dallas bar, she said in an affidavit. She said Manziel got into the driver's seat and began to drive. Crowley said Manziel stopped when she tried to jump out of the car, but then he dragged her back inside and hit her.
She said Manziel threatened to kill himself as he drove her back to Fort Worth, about 30 miles west of Dallas, where police were called.
Dallas police said Feb. 5 that they were investigating the case, a day after they issued a statement saying they considered the case to be closed.
In the wake of the allegations, Manziel's father said the family had made two recent, unsuccessful attempts to get him into a rehab clinic. Manziel -- who entered the NFL with a reputation for partying and drinking -- spent 73 days last winter in a Pennsylvania treatment center specializing in care for alcohol and drug dependency.
Manziel was cleared of any wrongdoing last year after he and Crowley got into a heated roadside argument near his home. Witnesses to that incident saw Manziel arguing on the side of a highway with his girlfriend and pulling her back into his car as she tried to leave the vehicle. He was not arrested, and Crowley told police she didn't want to press charges.
Manziel indicted in alleged attack on ex-girlfriendMale-only Troon 'should not host Open'
Former No. 1 pick QB Russell would 'play for free'
JaMarcus Russell, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft who hasn't played since 2009, said he will "play for free" if a team gives him another chance.
Russell was 7-18 as a starting quarterback, completing 52.1 percent of his passes for 18 touchdowns, 23 interceptions and a passer rating of 65.2. The Oakland Raiders, who drafted him, released Russell in May 2010.
"God makes things happen for a reason," Russell said in a video for Sports Illustrated. "Who's to say? You might see me back. You never know, man. You never know. ... Whatever it is -- I can be a water boy and work my way into a scout team. It doesn't matter. I'll go play for free."
Russell reportedly sent letters to NFL teams last season asking for another chance.
"I am willing to lead the scout team for free for one year just to get experience in your system," Russell wrote in a letter to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, according to Sports Illustrated.
"I know that my name does not carry much weight in the NFL right now, but I am more than the image that others have bestowed on me," Russell wrote. "I've been labeled as a bust, I have been labeled as lazy and I have been the targets of many insults by the media. The blame for any negative press that I've received rested squarely on my shoulders. ... My tribulations have humbled me. I am a better man because of my struggles, and I simply desire an opportunity [to] redeem myself. I do not want my legacy to be a trail of unfulfilled dreams and missed opportunities."
Russell has tried to mount a comeback before. In 2013, he worked out for the Chicago Bears. Russell had lost nearly 50 pounds and his conditioning was better than it had been at the end of his Raiders tenure, but his throwing was inconsistent. The Bears did not take him to training camp, and he didn't catch on with any other team.
Former No. 1 pick QB Russell would 'play for free'Schwartzel is latest to skip Olympics
lundi 25 avril 2016
Woods plays first holes since August
CP3 breaks hand vs. Blazers, doesn't return
PORTLAND, Ore. - Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul suffered a fracture in his hand during Monday's playoff game against the Portland Trail Blazers and did not return.
Paul suffered the injury while defending Trail Blazers guard Gerald Henderson and was taken out of the game with 6:07 left in the third quarter of Game 4.
Paul's fracture was in the third metacarpal, in the center of the palm of his right hand.
An angered Paul walked off the floor to the locker room after being briefly checked by a trainer, shaking his head and kicking what appeared to be a team bag while making his way off the court.
Paul, who had 16 points in 24 minutes, shook his head and looked distraught on the bench as the team's head athletic trainer Jasen Powell looked at his right middle finger and wrist.
He was taken back to the locker room where the injury was confirmed and Paul was ruled out for the rest of the game.
The Clippers took a 2-1 series lead into Monday night's game.
CP3 breaks hand vs. Blazers, doesn't returnWoods registers to play at US Open
Clayton: Possible trade fits for Sam Bradford
The only surprise of Sam Bradford's trade demand is that it blind-sided Philadelphia Eagles management.
The two-year contract Bradford signed this offseason could have been interpreted as more of a one-year "prove it" deal based on the dollars, but at least that gave Bradford some assurances he'd have a chance to show he can be the future in Philly. Now, from a franchise standpoint, Bradford looks like a "bridge" quarterback, assuming the team does what we expect and drafts a quarterback with the No. 2 pick on Thursday night.
Once that reality was clear, Bradford had to be upset. The problem for Bradford is that depending on how this draft goes, he might not have many suitors. Trading a $17.5 million-a-year contract isn't easy. The San Francisco 49ers learned that with their messy Colin Kaepernick situation. Kaepernick, working on a $19-million a year deal, is still in San Francisco after the Broncos asked him to take a big pay cut and other teams weren't interested.
So who could factor into the trade market for Bradford? Here are some possibilities.
Denver Broncos
If the Eagles are willing to take a hit on the finances, this could work. That works as long as he makes an adjustment in his contract. The Broncos have a little less than $7 million of cap room. Bradford has $17 million coming to him next year, so he would either have to restructure on a long-term deal or possibly waive the $4 million guarantee. From the Eagles standpoint, they would have to accept an $11 million cap hit for the $11 million signing bonus. From the cap perspective, they would save $1.5 million because they won't have to pay his $7 million salary. The Eagles might be able to justify it financially because they would be paying $7 million a year to Chase Daniel to be the backup and around $6 million a year for their drafted quarterback. Plus, they would be getting out of a $22 million obligation for Bradford at $11 million in sunk costs (the dead money from the signing bonus).
The other question is what the Eagles can get for Bradford in a trade. Elway placed a fourth-round value on Kaepernick. He'd likely offer a third-day draft choice this year and a conditional choice next year for Bradford.
New York Jets
Bradford might also be a fit here for a low draft choice. Ryan Fitzpatrick's demands make the Bradford contract more palatable. The question then is for Bradford: what is he willing to do to make it work long-term for the Jets? You can't have everything. Bradford has made $78 million in his first six years and is well-paid in this contract. What he needs more than anything is a home. He might have to take less on a multi-year deal to avoid moving on to a fourth team before the age of 30.
Cleveland Browns
It's probably not an option, but the Browns could at least consider bringing Bradford in to compete against RGIII if they don't want to take a QB in the draft, period. The Browns have 12 draft choices and might trade down to acquire more. They have more than $43 million of cap room, so Bradford's deal is not a problem. What Sashi Brown has to do is match up Bradford's skills against other quarterbacks in this draft class who could be available.
Clayton: Possible trade fits for Sam BradfordAfter March 3 hearing, ruling against Tom Brady not a surprise
Monday’s ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals to reinstate New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's suspension doesn’t come as a surprise after what unfolded during the March 3 hearing. That wasn’t a good day for Brady, which set the stage for this ruling.
A Patriots spokesman said the team will not have a comment on the ruling. We’ll await word from the NFL Players Association, as this isn’t necessarily the end game, with the possibility of more appeals.
But for now, here’s the outlook:
The Patriots open the season on a Sunday night against the Arizona Cardinals, which at this time means third-year quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will be under center. Garoppolo, the 2014 second-round draft choice out of Eastern Illinois, hasn’t started a regular-season game, but got a good feel for what life might be like in the hot seat last preseason when Brady’s status to open 2015 was still uncertain.
The Patriots host the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, followed by two more home games -- against the Texans on a Thursday night in Week 3, and then the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.
The club doesn’t have a third quarterback on its roster at this time, and perhaps this leads the Patriots to consider veteran Brian Hoyer, who was released by the Texans last week and spent the 2009-2011 seasons in New England.
After March 3 hearing, ruling against Tom Brady not a surpriseSource: Bradford demanding trade from Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles have been informed that quarterback Sam Bradford wants to be traded and he will not be showing up for their offseason program any longer, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Bradford is upset at the Eagles' trade last week for the No. 2 overall pick, presumably to draft a quarterback.
Bradford, who re-signed with the Eagles earlier this offseason, "is mad and wants to show everyone who's best," a source told Schefter last week.
Source: Bradford demanding trade from EaglesMcIlroy chooses French Open over WGC
Scot Matthew fades at Swinging Skirts
Lee claims maiden European Tour title
dimanche 24 avril 2016
McGregor tweets he's back on UFC 200 card
Conor McGregor is back on UFC 200 -- at least, according to the fighter's social media feed.
McGregor, 27, announced via Twitter late Sunday evening that he is back on UFC 200 on July 9 in Las Vegas.
UFC officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment by ESPN.
Happy to announce that I am BACK on UFC 200!
Shout out to @danawhite and @lorenzofertitta on getting this one done for the fans. #Respect— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 25, 2016
The UFC pulled McGregor (19-3) from its landmark event last week after he refused to fly to Las Vegas to participate in promotional duties. At an official UFC 200 news conference in Las Vegas on Friday, White repeatedly stated McGregor would not appear on the card.
He offered to keep McGregor's scheduled opponent, Nate Diaz (19-10), on the event against a different opponent, but Diaz stated he was only interested in a fight against McGregor.
On Saturday, shortly after former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (22-1) defeated Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 197 for the interim light heavyweight title, White told ESPN.com it was "possible" Jones could headline UFC 200 against Daniel Cormier. Jones also said he felt he would be physically ready to compete by July 9 and wanted to headline the event. Cormier, who has been sidelined with a leg injury, is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.
"We try to give as much leeway as we can on things, but you have to show up and promote the fight," said White, during Friday's news conference. "Is it too much to ask to try to shoot a commercial for the fight? A lot of these guys came here from different parts of the world (to promote). But, you know, these guys all came. They have better things to do and they're here. It's part of the job.
"We gave Conor every opportunity in the world to get here, too. We get criticized a lot for bending too much for Conor and we do. Conor is a guy who has stepped up and fought big fights on short notice, and I respect Conor very much as a fighter and I like him, but you have to show up and do this stuff."
McGregor, from Dublin, said in a social media post last week he was willing to travel to a UFC press conference to promote the event on Wednesday in New York. In his discussions on the matter, White said he wasn't upset with the star fighter but asked how it would be "fair" to keep McGregor on the card after he skipped the commercial shoot in Las Vegas.
McGregor won the featherweight championship by knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds at UFC 194 in December. The finish set the mark for the fastest knockout in UFC title fight history. He was supposed to challenge Rafael dos Anjos for the lightweight title at UFC 196, but dos Anjos withdrew with a foot injury. Diaz stepped in on 11 days notice and handed McGregor his first defeat in the UFC, via second-round submission.
McGregor tweets he's back on UFC 200 cardReports: Manziel indicted on assault charge
Embattled quarterback Johnny Manziel has been indicted by a Dallas County grand jury on a misdemeanor assault charge, ABC News 8 in Dallas and CBS Radio in Dallas reported, citing sources.
The formal announcement is expected to come Monday. Manziel's case was heard by a grand jury on Thursday.
Manziel, a former Cleveland Browns quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner at Texas A&M, is accused of hitting his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley so hard that she temporarily lost hearing in one ear.
Crowley requested and was granted a protective order against the 23-year-old quarterback that prevents him from seeing her for two years.
Crowley says she and Manziel had a confrontation in a Dallas hotel room, which continued downstairs at the valet station. She said he forced her into a car and a valet ignored her pleas for help. The two drove to where her car was parked in front of a Dallas bar, she said in an affidavit. She accused Manziel of getting into the driver's seat and beginning to drive. She says when she tried to jump out of the car, Manziel stopped, dragged her back into the car and hit her.
Police said they have spoken to Crowley, interviewed several other witnesses and reviewed medical records. But they did not arrest Manziel, instead taking the unusual step of asking the district attorney's office to present the case to a grand jury. Typically, the grand jury hears only felony cases.
Manziel was cut by the Browns in March after two tumultuous seasons marked by inconsistent play and off-the-field headlines about his partying and drinking, including one stint in rehab. His future in the NFL is uncertain, and might be nonexistent without a second stint in treatment that two agents have demanded.
In a statement to ESPN and other media on Tuesday, Manziel said, "I'm hoping to take care of the issues in front of me right now so I can focus on what I have to do if I want to play in 2016. I also continue to be thankful to those who really know me and support me."
Manziel didn't have much impact during the little time he spent on the field for the Browns the past two seasons. He passed for 1,675 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions in 14 games.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Reports: Manziel indicted on assault chargeLakers' Scott out after worst season, sources say
The Los Angeles Lakers have fired coach Byron Scott after posting the worst record in franchise history in each of the two seasons since he was hired, sources told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on Sunday night.
Scott had said he expected to be back a week ago, two days after the team closed its 2015-16 season with a win over the Utah Jazz, which gave the Lakers a franchise-worst 17-65 record.
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak had said he and Lakers part-owner and executive vice president Jim Buss planned to have an "informal lunch" with Scott.
The Lakers have been in rebuilding mode since Kobe Bryant ruptured his Achilles in April 2013. All-Star center Dwight Howard left the team for less money elsewhere the following offseason, then All-Star center Pau Gasol did the same in the summer of 2014.
Bryant, meanwhile, wasn't the same dominant player since his Achilles injury. The five-time champion suffered consecutive season-ending injuries in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. He played 66 games this past season before retiring.
Information from ESPN's Baxter Holmes was used in this report.
Lakers' Scott out after worst season, sources sayEx-Pats defensive lineman Brace dies at age 29
Defensive lineman Ron Brace, a 2009 second-round draft choice of the New England Patriots, has died at the age of 29.
Brace's death was confirmed by the Springfield (Massachusetts) Police Department, which said an investigation is ongoing.
The cause of death is not suspicious, Springfield Police Captain Robert Strzempek told MassLive.com.
"We were deeply saddened to hear the news this morning of Ron Brace's death," the Patriots said in a statement. "Seven years ago tomorrow, we drafted Ron after his standout career at Boston College. During his Patriots career, the Springfield native was always eager to volunteer and give back in our communities, especially when those community initiatives were held in Western Mass. It is difficult to believe that someone so young and in the prime of his life is no longer with us. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ron's family, friends and the many former teammates who will mourn Ron's passing."
Boston College special teams coordinator/defensive line coach Al Washington, who played on the Eagles' defensive line with Brace, said on Twitter earlier Sunday that he had spoken with Brace two weeks ago to discuss coaching with his former teammate.
http://pic.twitter.com/QAQ9QvdTXY
— Al Washington (@CoachWash56) April 24, 2016
The 6-foot-3, 330-pound Brace played in 39 games (seven starts) for the Patriots from 2009 to 2012. He had signed with the Washington Redskins in 2013 but didn't play a regular-season game again.
Some of Brace's former Patriots teammates also expressed their sympathies on Twitter.
Rest in Peace bro...I'll always remember you smiling and telling jokes...gone way too soon 🙏🏿🙏🏿 (D-Mac) http://pic.twitter.com/jLTFtNkpWA
— Devin&Jason McCourty (@McCourtyTwins) April 24, 2016
Ex-Pats defensive lineman Brace dies at age 29Gone way to soon. R.I.P big fella. http://pic.twitter.com/hlsAFTvsZo
— Tavon Wilson (@TavonWilson27) April 24, 2016
Hoffman wins fourth PGA Tour title
Curry sprains knee, won't return to Game 4
HOUSTON -- Stephen Curry, who returned after missing the last two games with a sprained right ankle, banged his knee on the floor at the end of the first half and was not able to start the second half.
The Golden State Warriors star slipped while guarding Trevor Ariza at the first half buzzer and banged his right knee on the floor. He grabbed the knee and limped off to the locker room.
He returned to the court after the half and moved laterally in a test of the joint, but he stopped and shook his head toward the bench. Shorty thereafter, he headed back to the locker room, with Shaun Livingston taking his spot in the starting lineup.
Curry had six points on 2-of-9 shooting, including 1-of-7 from the 3-point line.
It appeared that Curry slipped on a wet spot, started when Houston's Donatas Motiejunas slid across the court for a few yards near the 3-point circle.
The Houston Rockets had their own issues at point guard. Patrick Beverley strained his right leg, and the Rockets announced before the start of the second half that he would not return.
Curry sprains knee, won't return to Game 4Edwards bumps past Ky. Busch, wins 2nd in row
RICHMOND, Va. -- Carl Edwards bumped teammate Kyle Busch off his racing line in the last turn and passed him to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway on Sunday.
Edwards, who had fallen nearly 1.5 seconds behind his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate after a restart with 36 laps to go, gradually ran him down until the final lap. Then he slipped underneath Busch, a master blocker in late-race situations, and nudged him just enough to allow Edwards to get inside him for his second consecutive victory. It was also the fourth in a row for the Gibbs stable, and fifth in nine races.
"Kyle's an amazing teammate and it's like he got really slow there at the end," Edwards said. "Something happened that last lap, it's like his rear tires went off or something, and he went down into (Turn) one and I dove it in and I got to him, and I thought, `Man, I've got something here.' Then he went to get down to the bottom to park it in three and four and I'd already decided to go down there, so I thought, `Man, I'm going to give him a little nudge.'
"We've both got wins. We're racing for fun and getting these trophies. Just an awesome day."
After falling so far behind, Edwards was surprised to finally find himself in position to challenge for the victory.
"Man, I didn't think we had anything. Kyle was just so good for that run. I was just doing everything I could. He never spun his tires," he said. "If Dave (crew chief Rogers) hadn't screamed at me to just go get him, I don't know if I would have dove it in there that hard."
Busch seemed less than amused after being denied his third victory in the last four races.
"We just kind of gave it up a little bit there on the last lap, but I guess that's racing and we move on," he said. "... We had a really great car. ... We were fast, maybe not as good as Carl was on the long runs, but we did everything right, everything we were supposed to do."
Jimmie Johnson finished third, follow by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne and pole-sitter Kevin Harvick.
The race was the first scheduled for during the day at Richmond since 1997, and the racing made a huge fan of Johnson.
"We had multiple lanes that laid the rubber in the race track and we didn't have all those marbles build-up on the outside, where it really limited your opportunities up high," he said. "It was fun. The cars were slipping and sliding; there was a ton of fall-off. I enjoyed the long runs. I really like sizing-up guys that I'm racing with and seeing how that works out. And then, at the end we had a bunch of short runs."
Kahne was trying to hang on to a good finish at the end and missed the drama ahead of him.
"I didn't watch. I wish I would have. It sounded like a great battle," he said.
Edwards dominated the first half of the race, leading 120 of the first 200 laps, and he continued to lead until Kevin Harvick slipped underneath him with 170 laps to go. Edwards faded for a time, but wound up leading seven times for a race-high 151 laps.
Seven other drivers also led. With Busch, Harvick, Kurt Busch and Johnson also leading for at least 44 laps.
Game notes
Jimmie Johnson has three career victories at Richmond, but none since September 2008. ... Gibbs cars have won last three races, and four of the first eight. ... The race went green for the first 157 laps, the longest green-flag run to start a race at Richmond since 1979, and only the fourth time in the last 47 races in the premier series that the first 100 laps were run caution-free.
Back to school? Puig surprises prom in Denver
DENVER -- Yasiel Puig crashed a party Saturday night, but nobody seemed to mind.
Returning to his downtown Denver hotel Saturday night after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies, he surprised attendees at the Chatfield Senior High School prom. He took photos with party goers and posted some to his Twitter account, @YasielPuig. One of the photos was with members of the Chatfield baseball team. The school is located near Littleton, Colorado.
Tonight, I'm hitting the cutoff man. Sorry about last night, Skip. NOT!! 😝 Hahaha #ThrowNotLate #LetsWin #GoBlue
— Yasiel Puig (@YasielPuig) April 23, 2016
One group photo, with a large number of students, also contained a message in Spanish that translates to, "After we won, I came to surprise some students at their prom dance."
So did he actually dance? Somebody asked Puig before he went out for conditioning drills Sunday morning, and he said, "Yes," with a crooked smile.
Puig has had an amusing presence on Twitter this season, one that seems to coincide with his free-and-easy approach to the year so far. His posts have been both humorous and self-deprecating, mentioning multiple times his issue with hitting the cutoff man.
After his eye-opening throw from right field Friday to nail the Rockies' Trevor Story at third base, Puig hit the sarcasm button the following day.
"Tonight I'm hitting the cutoff man. Sorry about last night, Skip. NOT!! Hahaha #ThrowNotLate #LetsWin #GoBlue," the post read. The post even had an emoji face with its tongue sticking out.
Back to school? Puig surprises prom in DenverPower surge delays Game 4 between Spurs-Griz
MEMPHIS -- Officials stopped play in the second quarter of the Game 4 matchup Sunday between the San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies due to a power surge that forced off lights inside the FedEx Forum.
The surge occurred with 10:02 remaining in the second quarter with the Spurs leading 25-23.
After approximately five minutes, referees informed both teams that they could start warming up on the court. The lights are gradually coming back on, but officials haven't cleared the teams to continue the game.
Power surge delays Game 4 between Spurs-GrizSlattery ties for lead in China
samedi 23 avril 2016
Jones takes interim title with decision win vs. OSP
LAS VEGAS -- Jon Jones made his long-awaited return to the fight game on Saturday -- sort of.
Jones (22-1) easily defeated Ovince Saint Preux via unanimous decision to win the interim 205-pound title at UFC 197 inside MGM Grand Garden Arena, but he did not look like the lethal champion he has in the past.
It was Jones' first appearance since he was stripped of the official title last year, after he was charged with a felony hit-and-run in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The 28-year-old looked tentative in his comeback, but was nevertheless dominant. All three judges had it a sweep for Jones: 50-44, 50-45 and 50-45.
Even Jones, who picked up his 13th consecutive win in the contest, said he was disappointed with how it went.
"I was watching, imagining, anticipating techniques -- knowing when techniques would have landed, but just not going for it," Jones said. "Physically, I felt amazing. Mentally, I was like, 'Oh my God, I'm sucking. This isn't good.'"
In his postfight statements, Jones added "everything happens for a reason." Originally, Jones was supposed to fight for the official title in a rematch against Daniel Cormier. Cormier suffered a leg injury, however, and was forced to pull out of the event on April 1. Saint Preux (19-8) agreed to fill in on three weeks' notice.
"I was trying to be as confident as possible, but I really needed that fight," Jones said. "I didn't look at it as a warm-up fight, but as you can see, I needed that fight before I fight for my title."
Technically, Jones was crowned the interim champion, although that's a label he clearly has no interest in. As the UFC belt was presented to the former champ, Jones declined putting it on, saying, "it's not the right belt."
Jones was never in danger of losing the fight, he simply struggled to really put it away. He walked Saint Preux backward throughout and essentially landed strikes at will. His push kick to the body and legs was very efficient, and when he closed distance and moved inside, he landed hard elbows upstairs.
Saint Preux seemed even more tentative than Jones. He landed a small handful of right hands that got Jones' attention, but nothing more. He seemed content hanging back and conceding ground to Jones. He did display a good chin at times, standing up to a spinning kick to the head in the second round.
According to Fightmetric, Jones outlanded Saint Preux in total strikes 131 to 58.
"I just wanted to come out here -- Jon is the pound-for-pound best fighter to ever come through mixed martial arts," Saint Preux said. "For me to come in here and do what I did, I'm pretty proud of myself. I only had three weeks to get ready. I gave it everything I had. I did a pretty good job."
After a complete standup matchup the first three rounds, Jones took Saint Preux down in the fourth and fifth, which led to his best offense of the night. He moved into mount in the fourth and dropped hard elbows and punches that had referee Herb Dean right on top of the action. Saint Preux was eventually saved by the bell.
The win sets Jones up to fight Cormier (17-1) later this year. After Jones was stripped of the belt, Cormier stepped in and won the vacant title by submitting Anthony Johnson at UFC 187 in May. He recorded one defense in October, via split decision over Alexander Gustafsson. The two met in a grudge match at UFC 182 in January last year. Jones won a decisive unanimous decision.
"I'm really excited to fight Cormier," Jones said. "I'll be right back in practice, probably by Tuesday or Wednesday -- getting back to our original strategy."
Jones takes interim title with decision win vs. OSPDonald two shots off lead in Texas Open
Celtics' Thomas won't be suspended after hit
BOSTON -- The NBA assessed a flagrant-1 foul to Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas but he will not be suspended for Game 4 of an Eastern Conference first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks.
With 1:27 left in the first quarter of Boston's chippy 111-103 Game 3 victory on Friday night, Thomas and Dennis Schroder were hit with double technical fouls after jawing at each other. As the two were heading downcourt before the verbal exchange, Thomas could be seen throwing his left hand at Schroder's face.
Schroder said he couldn't believe Thomas was not called for anything right after that. After the game, Schroder told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he spoke to a referee at halftime who "apologized. ... He said he didn't see it."
"I'm not going to let nobody slap me in my face," the backup Hawks point guard told the newspaper. "I told him that. If you want to play like that, we'll play like that. I was mad."
Thomas, who scored 42 points to help the Celtics cut the Hawks' lead in the series to 2-1, said after the game that he wasn't worried about a potential suspension or fine.
"I'm not," Thomas said. "Because I didn't mean to hit his head. He got mad. He was talking. It's playoff basketball. That's what it's about. I'm not going to back down from anybody, and he knows that."
Thomas hit 12 of 24 shots, including 5 of 12 from beyond the 3-point line, and made 13 of 15 free throws. Schroder, who came in as a game-time decision with a sore ankle, scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting.
Celtics guard Marcus Smart was fined $5,000 for a flopping violation in the second half of Game 3.
Game 4 is Sunday night in Boston.
ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk contributed to this report.
Celtics' Thomas won't be suspended after hitCurry in no pain, expected for Game 4, Kerr says
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is experiencing "no pain" is his right ankle and is expected to play in the team's Game 4 contest against the Houston Rockets on Sunday, coach Steve Kerr said Saturday at practice.
Curry missed Games 2 and 3 after spraining his ankle in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series. The Warriors and Rockets split the two games Curry was out, and Golden State leads the series 2-1.
Curry in no pain, expected for Game 4, Kerr saysvendredi 22 avril 2016
Vote: Who's the best cornerback in the NFL?
Former Carolina Panthers All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman is headed to the Washington Redskins, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Friday.
Norman's deal is expected to be worth between $14 million and $15 million per year for five years.
But, is he the best cornerback in the league?
Vote: Who's the best cornerback in the NFL?White: Diaz's UFC 200 fight won't be vs. McGregor
UFC president Dana White said Friday that Nate Diaz will remain on the UFC 200 card, but that his fight will not come against Conor McGregor.
Diaz threw a wrench into White's plans at Friday's news conference, however, saying that he would like to fight McGregor, or not fight at all.
"Everybody knows what's been going on with the main event for UFC 200," White said. "Nate Diaz will fight, and we're gonna find him a new opponent."
Diaz, speaking after White, said, "I came here to fight Conor. I'm not real interested in anyone else."
McGregor was conspicuously absent from Friday's news conference, which came a day after he released a statement on social media stating he was not retired, despite a post earlier in the week that said he was stepping away from the sport.
Tuesday, in response to McGregor's earlier post, UFC pulled him from a scheduled rematch against Diaz at UFC 200 on July 9, saying McGregor had refused to fly to Las Vegas to participate in promotional obligations.
Asked Friday if he knows where McGregor is, White said, "I think he's in Iceland."
"We try to give as much leeway as we can on things, but you have to show up and promote the fight," White said. "Is it too much to ask to shoot a commercial for the fight? A lot of these guys came here from different parts of the world. But, you know, these guys all came. They have better things to do, and they're here. It's part of the job.
"We gave Conor every opportunity in the world to be here, too. ... I respect Conor very much as a fighter, and I like him, but you have to show up."
Asked if the Diaz-McGregor could still happen, White said, "I just don't see how that's fair."
McGregor, presumably watching Friday's news conference, responded to White's remarks on Twitter.
Everyone flew in. Respect.
But not everyone up there made the company 400million in 8 months.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 22, 2016
With the Diaz-McGregor fight off as the main event at UFC 200, White said that it is "possible" that light heavyweights Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier could fight in the event's headliner if Jones wins his fight Saturday against Ovince Saint Preux.
White: Diaz's UFC 200 fight won't be vs. McGregor