NFL
The NFL is seeking an indefinite suspension of at least a year plus a fine to appeal a disciplinary official’s decision to suspend Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for six games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, it said a person familiar with the filing told The Associated Press.
The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the matter is not public knowledge, also said Watson would have to undergo treatment before he could be reinstated. The league initially recommended an $8 million fine and asked during settlement negotiations for at least a $5 million fine plus a 12-game suspension that never materialized, another person involved in the talks said in the PA.
The NFL’s appeal gives commissioner Roger Goodell or a designee the authority to impose a tougher penalty. League spokesman Brian McCarthy said it has yet to be determined whether Goodell or someone else will hear the appeal.
— By AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi.
MLB
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Juan Soto received multiple ovations in his first game with the Padres, and Brandon Drury made it even better, hitting a grand slam on the first pitch he saw with his new team to lead San Diego to a 9-1 win against the Colorado Rockies on an electric Wednesday night at Petco Park.
The Padres unveiled their new lineup with Soto batting second and Josh Bell hitting cleanup a day after being acquired from Washington in one of the biggest deadline deals ever. Drury also homered Tuesday from Cincinnati, adding a charge to the already festive atmosphere with a grand slam off Chad Kuhl with one out in the first.
Manny Machado, who has led the Padres most of the season, homered in the top of the fifth and ended the cycle one triple short in San Diego’s fifth straight win. Jake Cronenworth hit a two-run shot. The big beneficiary was left-hander Blake Snell (4-5), who struck out nine in six innings and won his third straight start.
GOLF
Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and nine other players who defected from Saudi-funded LIV Golf filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour on Wednesday, the first step in a legal fight that could define the boundaries of where they can compete the players
The suit, filed in US District Court in San Francisco, claims the PGA Tour has used monopoly power to try to crush competition and unfairly suspended players.
A separate motion was filed seeking a temporary restraining order to allow Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford to play in the FedEx Cup playoffs, the PGA Tour’s postseason, which begins next week.
The lawsuit also revealed that PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan suspended Mickelson for two months in March for his role in recruiting players for LIV Golf. It said Mickelson’s request in June to be reinstated was denied because he played in one LIV Golf event and was suspended until March 2024 to play in another.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
A recommendation to change the transfer rules for Division I college athletes that included unlimited opportunities to transfer schools with immediate eligibility was returned to a committee for further investigation by the DI Board of Directors of the NCAA on Wednesday.
The proposed transfer rules were among those that came out of the NCAA’s Transformation Committee and were moved by the Division I Council two weeks ago.
University of Georgia President and Board Chair Jere Morehead said in a statement that there were some questions about the proposed transfer package and that they would revisit the issue at their next meeting on Aug. 31.
The board adopted recommendations from the Transformation Committee that would allow schools to provide more financial benefits to athletes.
The proposed changes to the transfer rules also included the implementation of sport-specific windows during an academic year in which athletes would have to enter their names into the transfer portal to be immediately eligible the following year.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — UConn women’s basketball star Paige Bueckers tore the ACL in her left knee during a pickup game and will miss the entire 2022-23 season, the school announced Wednesday .
UConn said in a statement that Bueckers suffered the injury Monday and underwent an MRI that night. He did not say where the junior guard from Hopkins, Minn., was playing when the injury occurred. It was the same knee that he injured last year, which caused him to miss significant time.
In a statement posted on his Instagram account, Bueckers said he is relying on his faith to move forward.
Bueckers was named the 2020-21 AP National Player of the Year, becoming the first freshman to earn the honor. He averaged 20.1 points, 5.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game that season.
AUTOMATIC CARS
IndyCar fined Andretti Autosport $25,000 on Wednesday after the team used a water bottle to weigh down the car Alexander Rossi drove to end his 49-game losing streak.
Rossi’s car failed inspection after Saturday’s track win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar said the water bottle was used instead of ballast to ensure the car met the minimum weight requirement.
“From a sporting perspective, the car met the minimum requirements,” said IndyCar president Jay Frye. “From a technical point of view, the way they achieved the weight is not allowed.”
Rossi also finished with 20 points in the standings, but was eighth in the standings before the penalty and is a long way from the IndyCar title race. Rossi will leave Andretti at the end of the season to drive for the Arrow McLaren SP.
CHARLOTTE, NC (AP) — Kurt Busch will miss his third straight race with concussion-like symptoms when he sits out Sunday at Michigan International Speedway.
Busch was injured after crashing in qualifying on July 23 at Pocono Raceway. Ty Gibbs will replace him in the Toyota for 23XI Racing for his third drive in the #45.
“I continue to make improvements every day,” Busch posted on social media. “I know Ty will continue to do a great job representing the 23XI and the #45 Monster Energy team this weekend at Michigan. I’m working hard to get back to 100% and look forward to getting back in the car at Richmond Raceway. Thanks to everyone for the support continued and I hope to be back on the track soon.”
COURTS
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Arizona Cardinals catcher Marquise Brown was arrested and charged with speeding Wednesday morning.
Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves confirmed that Brown was arrested at 7:05 a.m. in Phoenix and booked into the Maricopa County Jail.
No other details were immediately available.
“We are aware of the situation regarding Hollywood Brown and have informed the NFL office as appropriate,” the Cardinals said in a statement. “We will comment further if appropriate.”
Brown was acquired in a draft day deal from the Baltimore Ravens and is expected to play a big role in Arizona’s offense, especially through the first six weeks when three-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins is down due to a suspension for violating league requirements. policy on performance enhancers.
OBITUARY
RIGA, Latvia (AP) — Latvian soccer player Andrejs Rubins, who played 117 times for the national team, has died at the age of 43, the country’s soccer federation said Wednesday.
Rubins wore the number 10 shirt when Latvia qualified for their only major tournament, Euro 2004 in Portugal, and started all three games, including a 0–0 draw with Germany.
The football federation did not give details about his death.
Rubins played for clubs in England, Sweden, Russia and Azerbaijan, including three years at Crystal Palace between 2000 and 2003. He retired in 2012.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Former world boxing champion Johnny Famechon has died in Melbourne after a long illness. He was 77 years old.
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame announced Famechon’s death in a statement on Thursday. Famechon was hit by a car while jogging in 1991 in Sydney, causing him to suffer a stroke and resulting in an acquired brain injury.
The Australian boxer’s most memorable world title win was his WBC points decision victory over Cuba’s José Legra at London’s Albert Hall in 1969. Famechon boxed professionally for over 20 years and held a record of 56 wins, 20 by knockout, six draws and five losses. .
Famechon defended his world featherweight title against Japan’s Masahiko Harada, six months after beating Legra and winning in a controversial points decision. In the world title rematch, Famechon knocked out Harada in the 14th round in Tokyo.
Famechon attempted to defend his WBC title in May 1970 in Rome against Mexican Vicente Saldivar, but lost the fight. Shortly thereafter he retired from boxing at the age of 24.
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