News

May 08, 2023

TALKING POINTS

Guzan secures 50th career clean sheet; Atlanta, LAFC play to scoreless draw LOS

Guzan secures 50th career clean sheet; Atlanta, LAFC play to scoreless draw

LOS ANGELES — Brad Guzan made eight saves in the 50th clean sheet of his career to help Atlanta United play LAFC to a scoreless draw on Wednesday night.

Atlanta (6-4-8) has not won an away match against a Western Conference opponent since the 2019 season against Portland. LAFC (7-1-6) has yet to lose a match at home this season. The home side had won the three previous meetings between Atlanta and Los Angeles.

LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy earned his fifth clean sheet of the season.

Atlanta, which extended its unbeaten streak to five games, hosts D.C. United on Saturday. LAFC plays at the Houston Dynamo on Saturday.

Six individual champions crowned at outdoor track and field championships

AUSTIN, Texas — Arkansas’ Carey McLeod completed an NCAA indoor/outdoor long jump sweep and Arizona's Jordan Geist accomplished the feat in the shot put Wednesday night at the outdoor track and field championships.

Arkansas took the top two spots in the long jump behind McLeod's mark of 27 feet, 1¼ inches on his first attempt, followed by teammate Wayne Pinnock.

The Razorbacks topped the team standings with 21 points. Stanford was second with 18, followed by Arizona with 16 and LSU with 15.

Geist won the shot put on his last collegiate throw, reaching 69-1¼.

South Alabama junior pole vaulter Kyle Rademeyer cleared his only attempt at 18-8¼ to win the event. Rademeyer and Akron's Hunter Garretson were the only two to clear the winning mark, but Garretson did so on his second attempt.

Kenneth Ikeji became Harvard's third NCAA champion in the hammer throw — and first since 1962 — with a personal best of 255-7.

Tzuriel Pedrigo won his second NCAA title in three years with a javelin throw of 261-9 to set LSU's program record.

Stanford's Ky Robinson edged teammate Charles Hicks in the 10,000 meters, finishing in 28 minutes, 10.96 seconds. Leo Neugebauer of LSU led the decathlon with 4,591 points at the halfway mark.

The men's events continue Friday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

IOC recommends terminating boxing body's Olympic status

GENEVA — The IOC finally ran out of patience with the International Boxing Federation on Wednesday and set a date to terminate its Olympic status this month.

While boxing will still be on the program at the 2024 Paris Games, the International Olympic Committee said its executive board has asked the full membership to withdraw its recognition of the IBA at a special meeting on June 22.

IOC members rarely vote against recommendations from their 15-member board and the IBA's ouster is likely a formality.

The IOC had already suspended the IBA's recognition in 2019 over long-standing financial, sports integrity and governance issues. The Olympic body oversaw the boxing competitions itself at the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021 and will do so again for Paris.

An IOC statement said the boxing body "has failed to fulfil the conditions set by the IOC ... for lifting the suspension of the IBA's recognition."

The IBA criticized what it called a "truly abhorrent and purely political" decision by the IOC and warned of "retaliatory measures."

"Now, we are left with no chance but to demand a fair assessment from a competent court," the boxing body's Russian president Umar Kremlev said in a statement.

The IOC-IBA standoff has also put boxing's place at the 2028 Los Angeles Games at risk, though that should now be resolved.

The IOC previously stressed it has no problem with the sport or its athletes — just the IBA and its current president Kremlev, plus financial dependence on Russian state energy firm Gazprom.

Florida player Montour streaks home for birth of child between Stanley Cup Final games

SUNRISE, Fla. — Brandon Montour took a baby break between the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final.

With wife Ryian going into labor earlier than expected, the Panthers defenseman left Las Vegas not long after the series opener and flew back to Florida on a private jet. Montour made it in time to be there for the birth of the couple's first child, a son they named Kai.

Montour returned for Game 2 and played 26:13, the most of anyone on either team.

"I tried to get there as quick as I could," Montour said Wednesday recalling his whirlwind journey. "Luckily I was there for it all and got to experience it with her."

The baby's due date was June 18, and the plan was to induce labor on June 14. Ryian instead went into labor just before Game 1 started, but Montour didn't learn that until General manager Bill Zito and coach Paul Maurice told him just after the final horn, and the journey began.

Montour said he left Las Vegas as the only passenger on the plane around 2 a.m. Eastern Sunday, arrived in Boca Raton around 6:30 a.m. and that Kai was born around noon. With little time to waste, he was back in Vegas by 10 p.m.

"Monty's a physical specimen — he can handle a little fatigue," said Maurice, a father of three. "It was a good way for him to get used to becoming a father, right? Or a mother, for that matter. Sleep (deprivation) is your life for the next 12 years. He flew back and forth a couple of times, was there for the birth, which was really a good thing to happen."

Colts keep Rodgers out of practice as NFL investigates gambling allegations

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers Sr. did not practice with his teammates Wednesday, two days after the team said it was aware of an NFL investigation into gambling allegations about one of its players.

Neither the Colts nor the league have publicly identified Rodgers as the target of the investigation.

On Monday, Rodgers issued a statement on Twitter saying he made an "error in judgment." The post came hours after media reports linked him to the investigation.

Coach Shane Steichen would not say whether Rodgers will remain out until the matter is resolved.

"It's an ongoing investigation with the NFL right now," Steichen said. "Beyond that I won't have much to say."

He repeated the same comment to most of the questions that were asked about Rodgers and the gambling issue.

Linebacker E.J. Speed told reporters league officials spoke to Colts players about gambling a few days ago. Steichen said the meeting was part of the league's annual presentation to all 32 teams and had been arranged prior to Monday's reports.

Rays slugger Brandon Lowe shut down 2 to 3 weeks by back injury

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays slugger Brandon Lowe won't participate in baseball activities for two to three weeks because of another back injury.

"He’ll have a lot of rehab work, core work," Rays manager Kevin Cash said before Wednesday night's game against Minnesota.

Lowe went on the 10-day injured list with a lower-back issue on Monday and is hitting .199 with nine homers and 29 RBIs in 50 games. He struck out 63 times in 176 at-bats.

Lowe was limited to 65 games last season by injuries, including a stress reaction in his lower back. He hit 39 homers and drove in 99 runs in 2021 but went deep just eight times and had 25 RBIs last year,

Cash said the current injury is different from the back problem last season.

Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks, out since May 28 with right hip inflammation, is expected to either throw batting practice or pitch in a rookie-level Florida Complex League game on Friday. The right-hander is 0-1 with five saves and an 1.54 ERA in 13 appearances.

Right-hander Calvin Faucher was placed on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation and converted reliever Luis Patiño was recalled from Triple-A Durham.

Faucher is 1-1 with a 5.21 ERA in 13 relief outings, Patiño went 3-3 and had a 7.64 ERA in 10 starts and six relief appearances at Triple-A Durham.

Ex-Florida State football player acquitted in fatal shooting

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A South Florida jury agreed Wednesday that a former Florida State football player acted in self-defense when he fatally shot one man and injured another several hours after he scuffled with his girlfriend.

Travis Rudolph, 27, was found not guilty of one count of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder by a Palm Beach County jury, the Palm Beach Post reported. The 12-member panel also chose not to convict Rudolph on lesser offenses, including second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Rudolph was first arrested in April 2021 after four men went to his home several hours after he fought with his girlfriend, investigators said. At some point, Rudolph armed himself with a semi-automatic rifle and opened fire on them as they drove away, killing Sebastien Jean-Jacques and wounding Tyler Robinson.

Rudolph testified that the men were armed and shooting back at him. Investigators said they never found evidence of the fleeing men returning fire.

Rudolph was Florida State's leading receiver in 2015 and 2016. He left the team early to enter the NFL draft in 2017. He eventually signed with the New York Giants and then the Miami Dolphins. He also spent time with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. The team released him after his arrest.

He gained national attention in 2016 when a video of him eating lunch with an autistic student during a team visit at a Tallahassee middle school went viral. Rudolph's father died a year later after a gun accidentally discharged at a West Palm Beach strip club.

Fiorentina captain Biraghi left bleeding from head by objects thrown by West Ham fans during final

PRAGUE — Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi was hit in the head by objects thrown from the stands by West Ham supporters during the first half of the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday, leaving him bleeding from a gash in his scalp.

The game was briefly held up after Biraghi was struck by empty beer cups and other objects as he was about to take a corner. He needed to have his head bandaged to stop the bleeding, while a stadium announcer urged supporters to stop throwing objects.

Some West Ham players also went over to urge their fans to stop, before play resumed.

The game was still scoreless at halftime.

All players at Women's World Cup to get at least $30,000 in prize money; winners to get $270,000

GENEVA — Every player at the Women's World Cup will be paid at least $30,000 by FIFA, and the 23 players in the title-winning team will each get $270,000.

The details confirmed Wednesday by FIFA fulfils a promise made in March to financially reward the 732 players taking part in the July 20-Aug. 20 tournament hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

It means more than half of FIFA's total prize money fund of $110 million must be paid to the players in the 32 team squads.

Players from the 16 teams which do not advance from the group stage are still guaranteed to get $30,000 -– more than the annual salary many get from their clubs.

FIFA said it is making "a huge investment in women's football and, for the first time ever, we are guaranteeing prize money for players."

The $110 million pool is more than three times the $30 million prize fund FIFA paid out at the 2019 Women's World Cup in France.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said at its annual congress in Rwanda that money should go directly to players.

The players’ union FIFPRO had challenged FIFA to secure a "global guarantee" that 30% of the prize money would go to players.

"Players are united behind simple yet concrete demands for greater professionalization of the FIFA Women's World Cup," FIFPRO said in March.

The 16 nations exiting in the group stage will get a total of $2.25 million from FIFA -- $690,000 to shares among the players and $1,560,000 for the federation.

FIFA will pay $10.5 million to the title-winning nation. The majority of that, $6.21 million, will be distributed among the players with the remaining $4.29 million going to the federation.

Nevada revisits Oakland Athletics stadium plan in special legislative session

CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Oakland Athletics’ search for a new home has drawn Nevada lawmakers into a special legislative session Wednesday to weigh whether the state should cover $380 million of the $1.5 billion stadium planned for the Las Vegas Strip.

Representatives from the Oakland A's and tourism officials, mirroring many of the talking points from a hearing just over a week ago, pitched the project as an economic success in a late afternoon presentation to senators, who have mostly kept quiet about how they will vote.

The bill has revived the national debate over public funding for private sports stadiums. A's representatives and some tourism officials argue the measure could add to Las Vegas’ growing sports scene and act as an economic engine, but economists and some lawmakers have warned that such a project would bring minimal benefits for a hefty public price tag.

The public funding would mainly come from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Backers have pledged that the creation of a special tax district around the proposed stadium would generate enough money to pay off those bonds and interest. The plan would not directly raise taxes.

The A's would not owe property taxes for the publicly owned stadium. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, would also contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.

The proposed 30,000-seat stadium would be the smallest in Major League Baseball.

Falcons lose top punt returner Avery Williams to season-ending knee injury

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons running back and return specialist Avery Williams is expected to miss the 2023 season after suffering a knee injury in a non-contact drill.

Falcons coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday that Williams is expected to have season-ending surgery on Thursday to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Williams suffered the injury during the team's offseason organized team activities practice on Friday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Though primarily a reserve player on offense, Williams was the Falcons’ primary punt returner in 2022. He had 18 returns for 292 yards, a strong average of 16.2 yards per return.

"We love Avery," Smith said. "He's got the mindset and I fully expect him to come back."

Williams, from Boise State, was preparing for his third season. He was a fifth-round draft pick in 2021 who used his versatility, including as a cornerback, to secure a roster spot.

Williams had 22 carries for 109 yards and a touchdown and 13 catches for 61 yards last season.

Conor Daly parts ways with Ed Carpenter Racing

Ed Carpenter Racing on Wednesday said it has ended its relationship with driver Conor Daly effective immediately and will announce a new driver for the No. 20 Chevrolet by IndyCar's next race.

Daly has been working with ECR since 2020, but did not run a full season with the team until last year when he brought sponsor BitNile to the team. BitNile has been supportive of Daly and sponsored him in the Daytona 500 this year.

"This is the most difficult decision I have made as a team owner because I respect Conor and know what he means to IndyCar and its fans," Carpenter said of the 31-year-old Indianapolis native.

"Our team has not been performing at the level we are capable of this year, and despite making technical changes and investments in the offseason, 2023 has been extremely challenging," Carpenter continued. "I have put a great deal of consideration into the current state of our team and realize it is my obligation to our employees, partners, and supporters to do whatever is necessary to elevate our team's competitiveness."

Daly is ranked 20th in the standings after Sunday's 15th-place finish in Detroit. His best finish this season was eighth in the Indianapolis 500 last month.

"Although we’ve mutually decided that it's in our best interests to take different paths, I’d like to thank ECR for the past three and a half seasons," said Daly. "I’m grateful to everyone who has supported me – past, present and into the future. I look forward to taking on the next opportunities that await, and I want to thank the fans for being with me on this ride."

Harvard women's hockey coach retires amid allegations she verbally abused, hazed players

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — One of the most decorated coaches in women's hockey history has stepped down after nearly 30 years leading Harvard's women's hockey program in the shadow of allegations by players that she engaged in abuses and other misconduct during her tenure.

The school said Tuesday that Katey Stone had made the decision to retire from coaching. The six-paragraph announcement came after The Boston Globe published a report in January detailing the accounts of multiple players who alleged Stone ran a program rife with verbal abuse, hazing and pressure to return prematurely from injuries.

Harvard initiated a review after one alleged incident last season, the Globe reported, but ultimately decided to keep her as coach.

Stone, 57, has not publicly addressed allegations raised in the Globe report.

In her retirement announcement, Stone listed her relationships with players as one of the things she was most proud of during her time at Harvard.

"The relationships fostered with my players over the years has been the very best part of my job," Stone said in the statement released through the university. "Their personal accomplishments both at Harvard and beyond, along with our shared achievements, will always be a point of great pride and inspiration for me.

"The decision to retire from any profession is never an easy decision; for coaches, stepping down from the bench, leaving the program you have poured your heart and soul into for this many years, is especially hard. I believe a coach knows in their heart when it is time for change and I look forward to supporting the next chapter in Harvard Women's Hockey."

Stone built Harvard into a national power after taking over as coach in 1994. Her run included 12 NCAA regional appearances, six trips to the Frozen Four, four national title game appearances and the 1999 national championship. She also led the Crimson to nine Ivy League championships and 12 Beanpot titles.

In addition, she served as the first coach of the U.S Olympic women's hockey team at the Winter Olympics in 2014, leading the U.S. to the silver medal.

The school said a search for Stone's replacement would begin immediately.

Condition of PSG goalkeeper Sergio Rico improving after accident with horse in Spain

SEVILLE, Spain — Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Sergio Rico is improving after a head injury sustained when he was hit by a horse in Spain 10 days ago, doctors said Wednesday.

Rico remained in serious condition in an intensive unit, but doctors said the injury was progressing favorably.

The 29-year-old Spanish goalkeeper, who previously played for Sevilla and is a reserve at PSG, got injured in Seville when he was headed to a mass with his relatives and was struck by a loose horse.

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