Brief Sports News
NEW YORK (AP) — New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady must serve a four-game ”Deflategate” suspension imposed by the NFL, a federal appeals court ruled, overturning a lower judge and siding with the league in a battle with the players union.
A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled 2-to-1 that Commissioner Roger Goodell did not deprive Brady of ”fundamental fairness” with his procedural rulings. The split decision may end the legal debate over the scandal that led to months of football fans arguing over air pressure and the reputation of one of the league’s top teams.
It also fuels a fresh round of debate over what role, if any, the quarterback and top NFL star played in using underinflated footballs at the AFC championship game in January 2015. The Patriots won the contest over the Indianapolis Colts, 45-7, and then won the Super Bowl.
The ruling can be appealed to the full 2nd Circuit or to the U.S. Supreme Court, but it would likely be a steep and time-consuming climb even if the courts took the unusual step to consider it.
DALLAS (AP) – Johnny Manziel is expected to be indicted Tuesday on allegations that he attacked his ex-girlfriend in January, an attorney for the troubled former NFL quarterback said.
Robert Hinton told The Associated Press that prosecutors have notified him they expect a local grand jury to sign off on a misdemeanor assault charge for family violence for the 23-year-old Manziel. The Class A misdemeanor carries up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine.
Hinton, a longtime Dallas defense attorney with ties to the district attorney’s office, said he expected a judge to set a bond soon after Tuesday’s indictment and that Manziel would then present himself for booking. He said there have not yet been any discussions about reaching a deal to end the case before trial.
Brittany Dunn, a spokeswoman for the Dallas County district attorney’s office, previously declined to confirm media reports Monday that Manziel had been indicted. Prosecutors announced last week that they had presented a misdemeanor assault case against Manziel.
PRO BASKETBALL
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Stephen Curry will miss at least two weeks for Golden State with a sprained ligament in his right knee, dealing a blow to the Warriors’ hopes of following a record-breaking season with a second straight championship.
The Warriors said an MRI on Curry’s knee determined he had a Grade 1 sprain of the MCL and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
That timetable would lead to Curry missing the rest of the first round of the playoffs and likely at least the first four games in round two if the Warriors are able to advance.
Golden State leads Houston 3-1 in its first-round series. Game 5 is Wednesday night in Oakland.
Curry was injured on the final play of the first half of Sunday’s 121-94 win in Houston when he slid awkwardly on a wet spot on the court and fell. He immediately grabbed his knee and jogged with a limp to the locker room.
NORTH CAROLINA ACADEMIC PROBE
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) – The NCAA has charged North Carolina with five violations, including failing to sufficiently monitor its academic support program for athletes, in its long-running fraud scandal.
The governing body added the failure-to-monitor charge in its latest Notice of Allegations that UNC released. The NOA also included a women’s basketball adviser tied to improper assistance on research papers.
The document used to specify violations is similar to a version sent last May in the multi-year case, containing lack of institutional control among five potentially top-level charges.
But the NCAA removed a charge of school athletes receiving improper benefits through access to problem courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies (AFAM) department between 2002 and 2011.
UNC has 90 days to respond, jumpstarting a case stalled since August.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
NEW YORK (AP) – Candace Parker was left off the U.S. women’s basketball Olympic roster, according to people familiar with the decision.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist won’t be one of the 12 players revealed when the team is announced, likely Wednesday, for the Rio de Janeiro Games in August. The people spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t been announced yet.
The 30-year-old forward was informed of USA Basketball’s decision not to include her for Rio last week, the people said.
Parker helped the U.S. win gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. She was the team’s leading rebounder in the London Games four years ago. She is a two-time WNBA MVP and was fifth in the voting for the award last year despite sitting out the first half of the season to rest injuries. When Parker did return, she averaged 19.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and a career-high 6.3 assists.
With Parker off the team, it is likely that Elena Delle Donne and Breanna Stewart, who play the same position as Parker, will make their first Olympic rosters.
BASEBALL
DETROIT (AP) – Detroit Tigers center fielder Tyler Collins directed an obscene gesture at booing home fans after losing a ball in the lights.
”To be at home and to hear boos after that play hit a trigger inside of me and I lashed out completely inappropriately,” Collins said after Detroit beat the Oakland Athletics 7-3. ”I’m absolutely embarrassed it happened and I’m very sorry to everybody in Detroit.”
Collins extended the middle finger on his left hand and waved it from right to left, and also appeared to yell an obscenity at the fans. He said he could not see the flyball hit by Oakland’s Marcus Semien, and an error charged to left fielder Justin Upton allowed Semien to reach third, bringing on the boos.
”Clearly, it’s something that can’t happen,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. ”I spoke to Tyler immediately in the dugout, in the tunnel, after it happened and I spoke to him after the game. He regrets it.”
