PANTHERS-ALEXANDER SUSPENDED
NFL suspends Panthers DE Alexander for 4 games
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The NFL has announced Panthers backup defensive end Frank Alexander has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2014 regular season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
The league announced Friday Alexander will be eligible to return to the active roster on Sept. 29, one day after Carolina visits the Baltimore Ravens.
Under NFL rules Alexander is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games.
Alexander, a fourth-round draft pick in 2012, played in 12 games and had 15 tackles and one sack last season. He played in 16 games a rookie with 2.5 sacks.
WELLS FARGO
Cabrera, Flores tied for lead at Quail Hollow
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Angel Cabrera hit a pair of superb short-game shots for a 3-under 69 that gave him a share of the lead with Martin Flores on Friday in the Wells Fargo Championship.
Cabrera loves Quail Hollow because he hits driver on just about every hole. But it was a pitch-and-run on the par-5 seventh hole and perfectly judged flop shot out of the rough on the next hole that enabled him to share the lead.
Flores played in the morning and had a 68. They were at 9-under 135, one shot ahead of Justin Rose, who had a 67.
Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy both went the wrong direction. Mickelson shot 75 and was seven shots behind. McIlroy shot 76 and made the cut on the number.
NASCAR-TALLADEGA
Talladega could get another driver into the Chase
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — David Ragan’s surprise victory last season at Talladega Superspeedway gave his fledgling Front Row Motorsports team a taste of the potential inside the organization.
Back at Talladega to defend his win, the stakes are far greater Sunday.
Should Ragan win again this year, the victory could be worth a spot in the 16-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field.
Under new Chase qualifying rules enacted this season, drivers can become eligible for NASCAR’s 10-race championship format with a victory as long as they are ranked inside the top-30 in the standings.
Although there have been no surprise winners yet this season, Talladega is the lottery ticket that can change the fortune for one lucky driver.
KANSAS-GRAHAM
Kansas signs guard Graham after Tharpe departs
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas signed touted point guard Devonte’ Graham on Friday, one day after starter Naadir Tharpe announced he would be transferring closer to his home in Massachusetts.
The 6-foot-2 Graham originally signed with Appalachian State but did not enroll, instead playing at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. His stock skyrocketed during his season at the prep school, and Graham wound up with offers from major schools.
He ultimately picked Kansas over North Carolina State.
Kansas coach Bill Self said that Graham would be “an immediate impact guy for us. That’s not to take away from the other guards we have but this is a situation that we just got a lot better.”
Graham averaged 17.2 points and 5.0 assists for Brewster Academy.
GLF-WELLS FARGO-DE JONGE
De Jonge ties Quail Hollow course record with 62
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Brendon de Jonge has tied the course record at Quail Hollow Club with a second round 62 at the Wells Fargo Championship, an 18-shot improvement over his first round 80.
De Jonge missed a 19-foot birdie putt on the final hole Friday that would have broken the course record set by Rory McIlroy in the final round in 2010.
De Jonge shot 80 in the first round.
De Jonge’s 18-shot turnaround was the second-largest from one round to the next since Kevin Stadler shot 81-61 at the 2008 Frys.com Open, according the PGA Tour.
The Zimbabwe native says he went out not expecting to make the cut after his poor opening round, but left the course Friday tied for 26th place.
Says de Jonge, “Golf is a strange game.”
DUKE-OBI
Rice post player Sean Obi transferring to Duke
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Duke says big man Sean Obi is transferring in from Rice.
The Blue Devils formally announced Obi’s transfer on Friday.
Obi is a 6-foot-9, 265-point post player who must sit out this season. He will have three years of eligibility beginning in 2015-16.
He averaged 11.4 points and a Conference USA-leading 9.3 rebounds as a freshman at Rice, and reached double figures in 17 of 30 games.
He becomes Duke’s fifth Division I transfer under Mike Krzyzewski, joining Dahntay Jones, Roshown McLeod, Seth Curry and most recently Rodney Hood.
