NFL-OWNERS MEETING
League owners discuss personal conduct policy, approve Bills sale
NEW YORK (AP) β NFL owners spent five hours discussing the league’s personal conduct policy, domestic violence and discipline for misbehavior during their fall meetings Wednesday.
Owners listened to a presentation on domestic violence after unanimously approving the sale of the Buffalo Bills to Terry and Kim Pegula. The presentation included a video from former NFL player Joe Ehrmann (EHR’-man), who asked viewers to imagine what it would be like to see a loved one being subjected to abuse.
The video was part of a 40-minute presentation put together by the league with the help of a group of outside advisers. The goal is to educate everyone in the NFL about the dangers of spousal abuse, child abuse, sexual assault and other domestic violence topics.
After the meeting, commissioner Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL’) said it’s up to a neutral arbiter to decide whether he should testify during an appeal of Ray Rice’s indefinite suspension. Goodell says he doesn’t think testifying is his decision and it’s not something he’s addressed. The union is appealing Rice’s suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Meanwhile, a new Associated Press-GfK Poll indicates most NFL fans believe Commissioner Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL’) should keep his job after his handling of recent domestic violence cases. Only 32 percent say Goodell should lose his job over the issue, with 66 percent saying he shouldn’t.
Support for his handling of the cases is much lower, though, with 42 percent saying they disapprove. The same percentage neither approve nor disapprove, with just 15 percent approving.
NFL-PETERSON
Trial date tentatively set
CONROE, Texas (AP) β A Texas judge has tentatively set a Dec. 1 trial date for Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson on a charge of felony child abuse for using a wooden switch to discipline his 4-year-old son earlier this year. Peterson is on paid leave and the Vikings’ final game of the regular season is Dec. 28.
There’s no guarantee the trial will begin Dec. 1, either. Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon (LIHG’-ihn) indicated he intends to file a motion to remove Judge Kelly Case after Ligon pointed out that Case had called attorneys in the case “media whores.” Case apologized, but a Nov. 4 hearing was scheduled on whether to assign a new judge.
NFL-BRONCOS
Report: NFL fines Thomas of Denver
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) β A person with knowledge of the penalty says that Denver’s Julius Thomas has been fined $8,268 for his chop block on Arizona defensive end Calais Campbell. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the fine hadn’t been announced yet by the NFL.
Campbell is expected to miss several weeks with a strained right MCL.
Thomas, who leads the NFL with seven TD catches, expressed remorse for hurting Campbell.
NFL-BROWNS
Cleveland’s defense is banged up
BEREA, Ohio (AP) β Browns defensive end Phil Taylor will miss the next few weeks after undergoing knee surgery following his injury in Sunday’s win over Tennessee. The Browns also report that Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden is not practicing because of an injured hip. Coach Mike Pettine (PET’-ihn) says he is cautiously optimistic that Haden will be able to play against the Steelers this Sunday.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Habs, B’s open with wins
UNDATED (AP) β The Los Angeles Kings raised their second Stanley Cup banner last night before one of their top rivals ruined the occasion.
Antti Niemi (AN’-tee nee-EH’-mee) picked up his 28th career shutout by stopping 34 shots in San Jose’s 4-0 victory at Los Angeles. Tommy Wingels had two goals, including the game-winner 5:43 into the game. Patrick Marleau (MAHR’-loh) added a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who blew a three-games-to-none lead to the Kings in the Western Conference playoffs last season.
Also on ice last night:
β Tomas Plekanec (pleh-KAH’-nehts) scored twice, including the game-winner with 43 seconds left in the Habs’ 4-3 triumph in Toronto. The tiebreaking tally came just 1:36 after Morgan Reilly knotted the score for the Maple Leafs. Max Pacioretty (pash-uh-RET’-ee) and P.K. Subban (SOO’-ban) also scored for the Canadiens, and Carey Price stopped 24 shots.
β Boston also used a late goal to pull out a victory. Chris Kelly beat Steve Mason with 1:51 remaining to give the Bruins a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia. Reilly Smith had a power-play goal and Carl Soderberg collected two assists for the B’s.
β Henrik Sedin (she-DEEN’) set up Radim Vrbata’s (vur-BAH’-tahz) game-winning goal before adding an empty-netter in Vancouver’s 4-2 win over Calgary. Alex Burrows and Zack Kassian had the Canucks’ other goals.
NHL-BLACKHAWKS/VERSTEEG
Versteeg out with lower-body injury
CHICAGO (AP) β Blackhawks forward Kris Versteeg (vur-STEEG’) will be sidelined for about three weeks after suffering a lower-body injury during Tuesday’s practice.
Hawks coach Joel Quenneville (KWEHN’-vihl) says Versteeg’s injury “is not a surgical case,” and he doesn’t think the winger will be placed on long-term injured reserve.
Versteeg had 10 goals and 19 assists in 63 games for Chicago after he was acquired in a trade with Florida last November.
NHL-BLUE JACKETS
Columbus loses Dubinsky
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) β Columbus will be without center Brandon Dubinsky for the next six weeks after he underwent abdominal surgery. He was injured in practice Monday. Dubinsky had 16 goals and 34 assists a year ago as one of the leaders on a young Blue Jackets team that made the postseason for only the second time in the franchise’s 13 years.
MLB-BECKETT
Veteran pitcher retires
LOS ANGELES (AP) β Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett, facing surgery for a torn labrum in his left hip that caused him to miss most of the last three months of the season, has retired at the age of 34. His career spanned 14-years and included two World Series championships. He threw a no-hitter in May, but landed on the disabled list for the third time in early August with a left hip impingement.
Beckett had a career record of 138-106 and a 3.88 ERA. He won the World Series with the Marlins in 2003 and Red Sox in 2007.
NBA-PENALTIES
Fines and suspensions from Wizards-Bulls game
NEW YORK (AP) β The NBA has doled out punishment stemming from an altercation between Wizards forward Paul Pierce and Chicago’s Joakim (JOH’-keem) Noah during Monday’s preseason game.
Wizards players DeJuan Blair, Nene, Daniel Orton and Xavier Silas were each suspended for one regular-season game for leaving the bench area during the incident. Noah was fined $15,000 for initiating the altercation by pushing Pierce in the chest. Pierce was fined $15,000 for hitting Noah in the forehead with his left index finger.
NBA-PACERS
New contract for the coach
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β The Indiana Pacers have worked out a long-term deal with coach Frank Vogel (VOH’-gul). The 41-year-old was entering the final year of his current deal, which began when he took over as interim coach in January 2011. He led the Pacers to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons and the win total has increased each season. Last season the Pacers had the best record in the Eastern Conference.
NASCAR
Petty inks Hornish
UNDATED (AP) β Sam Hornish Jr. has signed with Richard Petty Motorsports for a full-time ride in 2015. The three-time IndyCar Series champion last completed a full NASCAR Sprint Cup season in 2010. He’ll replace Marcos Ambrose and drive the No. 9 Ford for Petty. Ambrose is leaving NASCAR at the end of the season and return to his native Australia.
T25 FOOTBALL-EAST CAROLINA-SUSPENSIONS
Three ECU players suspended
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) β East Carolina football coach Ruffin McNeill has indefinitely suspended linebacker Yiannis Bowden, receiver Curtis Burston and linebacker Markel Winters for shooting BB guns within city limits.
A Greenville Police Department spokeswoman says witnesses on Tuesday saw three men in a car firing weapons toward the ground. The spokeswoman says the incident prompted a 10-minute lockdown at a nearby elementary school.
