Update on the latest sports
APCOLLEGE BASKETBALL-COVID-NCAA OFFICIALS
NCAA officials out of tourney due to pandemic
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — One referee scheduled to work the NCAA men’s basketball tournament has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him and five others who went out to dinner with him out of the tournament. Their excursion ran counter to a protocol that called on all players and staff to eat at their NCAA hotels, but because the refs’ rooms weren’t ready and there was no food available, they were given a pass. It resulted in a big shake-up of the officiating corps for the games, 52 of which take place Thursday through next Monday at different arenas in Indianapolis, Bloomington and Purdue.
NEW MEXICO-PITINO
Lobos hire Pitino
UNDATED (AP) — Richard Pitino is the new men’s basketball coach at New Mexico, hours after Minnesota finalized his firing following eight seasons on the job
The 38-year-old Pitino succeeds Paul Weir, who went 58-63 in four seasons for the Lobos.
Pitino went just 54-96 in Big Ten Conference play with only three finishes in the rugged league higher than 10th place. He took the Gophers to the NCAA Tournament twice and went there five other times as an assistant at Louisville and Florida.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-GEORGE MASON
George Mason fires hoops coach
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — George Mason has fired men’s basketball coach Dave Paulsen after six seasons in which the team never went to the NCAA or NIT tournaments. The Patriots had four winning seasons under Paulsen and went 95-91 with a 47-57 record in Atlantic 10 Conference play. The Patriots were 13-9 this past season and lost in the quarterfinals of the A10 tournament. Paulsen had one year remaining on his contract, which was previously extended.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-ALL AMERICA TEAM
Gonzaga, Baylor dominate AP All-America teams
UNDATED (AP) — The Associated Press has released its men’s All-America team and it is dominated by Gonzaga and Baylor.
Both teams were atop the rankings most of the season. Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert and Baylor’s Jared Butler are on the first team. They are joined by unanimous pick Luka Garza of Iowa, Ayo Dosunmu of Illinois and dynamic freshman Cade Cunningham of Oklahoma State. Gonzaga’s Drew Timme and Jalen Suggs are also second-team All-Americans. Baylor’s Davion Mitchell made the third team.
MLB-RED SOX-LEBRON JAMES
Report: James becomes partner in group that owns Red Sox
BOSTON (AP) — LeBron James reportedly owns a piece of Xander Bogaerts.
The Boston Globe first reported that the Los Angeles Lakers All-Star forward has reportedly become a partner in Fenway Sports Group, making him a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox. Fenway Sports Group is the parent company of the Red Sox as well as the Liverpool Football Club of the English Premier League and the Roush Fenway Racing NASCAR team. James has had a relationship with FSG since 2011, when he signed a marketing deal in exchange for an ownership stake in Liverpool.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun likely will start the regular season on the injured list because of a lingering groin injury. Calhoun was limited to 29 games during the shortened 2020 regular season because of a hamstring injury. That was after he had recovered from a broken jaw sustained when he was hit in the face by a fastball during a spring training game last March.
— Infielder Maikel Franco and the Baltimore Orioles have finalized an $800,000, one-year contract. Franco hit .278 with 16 doubles, eight homers and a team-high 38 RBIs for the Kansas City during last year’s pandemic-shortened season. Franco has a .253 average with 110 homers and 381 RBIs in seven major league seasons with Philadelphia and the Royals.
—The Seattle Mariners lost a potential arm out of the bullpen after Roenis Elias was scheduled to undergo surgery for an elbow injury suffered during spring training in Arizona. Manager Scott Servais says multiple doctors looked at the injury following an initial MRI and all seem to agree surgery will be the best course. Elias was a non-roster invitee to spring training. He did not pitch in the majors last year due to a flexor strain.
NFL-FREE AGENCY
QB Fitzpatrick headed to Washington, Saints keep Winston, Titans rebuild rush
UNDATED (AP) — A person with direct knowledge of the move tells The Associated Press that Washington has agreed to sign veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The 38-year-old gives Washington more experience at football’s most important position after it released Alex Smith. The team now has Fitzpatrick, journeyman-turned-playoff standout Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen under contract at quarterback.
Washington also has the 19th pick in the draft and could use one of its first few selections on a QB of the future.
In other moves:
— Quarterback Jacoby Brissett agreed Tuesday to a $7.5 million, one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins, where he’ll replace Ryan Fitzpatrick as the backup to Tua Tagovailoa. The five-year veteran was the backup for the Indianapolis Colts last year. He went 7-8 as a starter with them in 2019, and was 4-11 as their starter in 2017.
— The New Orleans Saints are bringing back quarterback Jameis Winston on a one-year contract. The move comes after Drew Brees’ decision over the weekend to retire. It provides Winston a chance to compete with Taysom Hill to be New Orleans’ next starter under center. Winston entered the NFL with high expectations after winning the 2013 Heisman Trophy and being selected first overall by Tampa Bay in the 2015 NFL draft. But the Buccaneers replaced him last year with Tom Brady and Winston joined the Saints as a backup.
— The Denver Broncos have exercised their $7 million guaranteed option on superstar linebacker Von Miller. The move engages the final season of Miller’s six-year, $114.5 million contract he signed in the aftermath of his Super Bowl 50 MVP performance.
— The Baltimore Ravens agreed to a four-year contract with linebacker Tyus Bowser and a three-year deal with defensive lineman Derek Wolfe before they became free agents. A person familiar with the deal said that Wolfe’s new contract is worth $12 million. Bowser’s contract is worth a reported $22 million.
— The Dallas Cowboys are bringing back one of their special teams aces in cornerback C.J. Goodwin and adding veteran Ty Nsekhe as a backup tackle as their quiet opening to free agency continues. Agent Drew Rosenhaus says Goodwin has agreed on a $3.5 million, two-year contract. Nsekhe’s agency says the 35-year-old has accepted a one-year deal.
—The Carolina Panthers addressed their offensive line by agreeing to terms with free agent offensive linemen Pat Elflein and Cameron Erving. Elflein received a three-year, $13.5 million deal with $6 million guaranteed, while Erving agreed to a two-year, $10 million contract with $8 million guaranteed.
—The Tennessee Titans are releasing a pair of starters in cornerback Adoree Jackson and right tackle Dennis Kelly to clear salary cap space. Kelly signed a three-year, $21 million deal a year ago. A knee injury just before the start of the season limited Jackson to three games in 2020.
— The Tennessee Titans have agreed to terms with linebacker Bud Dupree and defensive lineman Denico Autry. The 6-foot-4, 269 Dupree has 39 1/2 career sacks, and he had eight in 11 games last season for Pittsburgh before an injured right knee ended his season. Autry has 30 1/2 career sacks, 7 1/2 sacks of those last season for Indianapolis.
— The Patriots have agreed to terms on a three-year, $22.5 million contract with free agent receiver Kendrick Bourne. His agent says the deal is for three years and $22.5 million. Bourne is coming off his best season in 2020, catching 49 passes for 667 yards for San Francisco.
— The Jacksonville Jaguars and former Seattle cornerback Shaquill Griffin have agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $44.5 million. The deal includes $29 million guaranteed. Griffin will be an immediate starter opposite CJ Henderson and could help the Jaguars have one of the league’s best coverage tandems.
— The Chicago Bears and defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. have agreed to a three-year contract extension through 2023. Edwards had a career-high four sacks and seven quarterback hits after signing with Chicago prior to last season.
— The Las Vegas Raiders are planning to release star center Rodney Hudson as part of a major overhaul of the team’s offensive line. A person familiar with the move says Hudson will be released with two years left on his current contract. The Raiders have also agreed to trade right tackle Trent Brown to New England and cut left guard Richie Incognito.
— The Cleveland Browns plan to sign free agent defensive end Takkarist McKinley. A first-round pick for Atlanta in 2017, McKinley has agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract.
NCAA TOURNAMENT-GRADUATION RATES STUDY
Study: NCAA Tourney teams still have racial graduation gap
UNDATED (AP) — A diversity report found that a significant graduation gap continues to exist between white and Black basketball players on teams competing in this year’s NCAA Tournament, particularly on the men’s side.
The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at Central Florida examined the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for the teams competing in the upcoming NCAA Tournament and found that white male student-athletes graduated at a rate 13.5 percentage points higher than Black male student-athletes.
White players on average had a GSR of 93.8%, compared to 80.3% for Black players. The gap was slightly lower on the women’s side with white players recording a graduation rate of 97.9% compared to 91.8% for Black players.
