NFL-NEWTON
Panthers quarterback in auto accident
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β A Carolina Panthers spokesman says quarterback Cam Newton will remain hospitalized overnight after suffering fractures to his lower back in a two-car crash near the team’s stadium early this morning.
Spokesman Charlie Dayton says Newton was in fair condition, had no other internal injuries and would not need surgery. The injury is similar to what Dallas quarterback Tony Romo has been playing through, but Dayton said it was unclear if Newton would be able to practice or play Sunday against the Buccaneers.
Television footage shows Newton on a stretcher being placed in an ambulance, while photographs by the Charlotte Observer show him smiling as he was being assisted by police.
NFL-BROWNS
Manziel to start
UNDATED (AP) β Rookie Johnny Manziel (man-ZEHL’) will make the first start of his NFL career when the Browns take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Cleveland on Sunday.
The 22nd player taken in last year’s NFL draft gets the nod over Brian Hoyer, who has led the Browns to a 7-6 record but has played poorly the last five games. Manziel has been on the field for just 18 plays this season, including a relief role in which he completed 5 of 8 passes and scored on a 10-yard touchdown run against Buffalo.
Following the announcement, Bengals’ coach Marvin Lewis apologized for a second time for calling Manziel a “midget.” He says the comment was insensitive and offensive to “people of short stature”. Lewis called the 6-foot quarterback “a midget” during a radio show on Monday night and later issued an apology.
NFL-PACKERS
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) β The son of Bart Starr says the former Green Bay Packers quarterback is making slow, but steady progress after recently suffering two strokes, a heart attack and seizures. Speaking at a fundraising event near Green Bay, Bart Starr Jr. told the crowd about a text he had received that said his dad had taken his first steps in about three months. Starr Jr. said his father wants to return to Green Bay when Brett Favre’s jersey is retired.
MLB-TRADE
Cubs get Montero from D’backs
SAN DIEGO (AP) β All-Star catcher Miguel Montero has been traded from Arizona to the Chicago Cubs in a deal that relieves the Diamondbacks of having to pay $40 million over the next three years.
The 31-year-old Montero hit .282 this year with 18 homers and 86 RBIs. He is owed $12 million next season and $14 million in each of the final two years of a $60 million, five-year contract.
Arizona receives minor league right-handers Jeferson Mejia and Zack Godley in Tuesday’s swap.
Chicago’s other major league team has been pulling off major deals at the winter meetings. The White Sox have received right-handed pitcher Jeff Samardzija (suh-MAHR’-juh) and Michael Ynoa (IHN’-noh-ah) from Oakland for four prospects. Samardzija was 7-13 with 202 strikeouts and a 2.99 ERA for the Cubs and Athletics last season.
And a person familiar with the negotiations says closer David Robertson has agreed to a four-year, $46 million with the White Sox. Robertson took over from Mariano Rivera as the New York Yankees’ closer last season and saved 39 games in 44 chances.
Also in the majors:
β Francisco Liriano isn’t going anywhere. A person familiar with the negotiations says the 31-year-old left-hander is staying with the Pittsburgh Pirates, agreeing to a $39 million, three-year contract. Liriano was 7-10 with a 3.38 ERA last season, one year after going 16-8 with a 3.02 earned run average.
β A person familiar with the negotiations says the Atlanta Braves have agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent infielder Alberto Callaspo. The 31-year-old infield hit .223 for the A’s this year.
β The Los Angeles Angels have acquired catcher Drew Butera from the Los Angeles Dodgers for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Butera batted .188 in 61 games with the Dodgers last season.
β The Rays have reached a deal with St. Petersburg that would allow the team to search for new stadium sites on both sides of Tampa Bay. The agreement is pending a vote Thursday by the St. Petersburg City Council and would allow the Rays to evaluate sites on the east side of the bay in Hillsborough County, where Tampa is located. The team has played in St. Petersburg since it’s inception and has often ranked near the bottom in major league home attendance.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Cavs extend streak
UNDATED (AP) β The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to turn their 5-7 start into a distant memory.
The Cavaliers picked up their eighth straight win by downing the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors 105-101. LeBron James scored 35 points, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 48 seconds left remaining. James’ jumper from the top of the key gave Cleveland a 102-99 lead and tied him with Mark Price for the franchise record for 3-pointers at 802. He scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as Cleveland rallied from a 10-point deficit early in the period.
Dion Waiters came off the bench for 18 points and Kevin Love added 17 for the Cavs.
Also in the NBA:
β LaMarcus Aldridge had 23 points and 11 rebounds in Portland’s fifth consecutive win, a 98-86 decision over Detroit. Wesley Matthews added 19 points to help the Trail Blazers deal the Pistons their 13th straight loss, one short of the team record set in 1979-80 and tied 21 years ago.
β Marc Gasol (gah-SAHL’) scored 30 points and Mike Conley added 22 in the Grizzlies’ 114-105 victory over Dallas at Memphis. Zach Randolph finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who withstood the Mavericks’ 18 3-pointers.
β Utah ended its nine-game losing streak as Derrick Favors scored 21 points and Gordon Hayward added 20 in a 100-96 decision over San Antonio. Enes Kanter added 12 points and 15 rebounds to help the Jazz send the Spurs to just their second loss in 12 games.
β Oklahoma beat Milwaukee 114-101 behind Kevin Durant’s scored 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Russell Westbrook scored 28 points for the Thunder, who have won five of six since a 3-12 start.
β Chris Bosh scored 10 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter as Miami topped Phoenix 103-97 to end a four-game losing streak. Bosh scored seven straight down the stretch, and Luol Deng (LOO’-ul dehng) finished with 23 points in the Heat’s ninth straight win over the Suns.
β Kobe Bryant capped his 32-point night by hitting four free throws in the final minute to lift the Los Angeles Lakers past Sacramento 98-95. Carlos Boozer added 15 points and nine rebounds to the win.
β It’s now a nine-game losing streak for New York after Tyreke (ty-REEK’) Evans poured in 27 points and Anthony Davis added 18 and three blocks to lead New Orleans past the Knicks 104-93. Omer Asik had 16 points and 14 rebounds as the Pelicans won their second straight to move back to .500 at 10-10.
MEN’S BASKETBALL-T25 SCHEDULE
Louisville, Villanova enjoy Garden party
UNDATED (AP) β Fourth-ranked Louisville and No. 7 Villanova kept their perfect seasons intact by winning their games in the Jimmy V. Classic at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
The Cardinals are 8-0 after Terry Rozier scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed six rebounds in a 94-74 romp over Indiana. Montrezl Harrell had a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Chris Jones contributed a career-best 24 points to go with nine rebounds and six assists.
Dylan Ennis scored 18 points and the 9-0 Wildcats used a 15-4 run to pull away in the second half of a 73-59 victory against Illinois. Darrun Hilliard and Daniel Ochefu (OH’-sheh-foo) both scored 12 points for Villanova, which held Illini leading scorer Rayvonte Rice to 10 points on 4 of 13 shooting.
In other top-25 action:
β Third-ranked Arizona crushed Utah Valley 87-56 as freshman Stanley Johnson contributed 14 points to lead a balanced attack. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored 12 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for the 9-0 Wildcats.
β Eleventh-ranked Wichita State beat Seton Hall 77-68 behind Ron Baker’s 22 points. Fred VanVleet added 18 points and eight assists, while Darius Carter had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the 6-1 Shockers.
β Bryce Dejean-Jones scored 11 of his 22 points while 14th-ranked Iowa State opened on a 24-9 spurt in a 73-56 win over Missouri-Kansas City. Monte Morris chipped in 13 points with five assists for the Cyclones.
β Steve Vasturia scored a career-high 19 points on 7 of 7 shooting as No. 25 Notre Dame ripped Mount St. Mary’s 93-67. Zach Auguste added 19 points and eight rebounds to the rout.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-LOUISVILLE
Freshman cleared by NCAA
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) β Fourth-ranked Louisville just got a little deeper.
The NCAA says that Cardinals freshman forward Shaqquan Aaron can begin playing on Dec. 20 after sitting out nine games for receiving housing-related extra benefits. Aaron has missed seven games but practiced for Louisville while his amateurism was being determined by the sanctioning body.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Hawks stay hot
UNDATED (AP) β The Chicago Blackhawks continue to climb up the NHL’s Western Conference standings since a 7-6-1 start.
Jonathan Toews (tayvz) and Patrick Kane scored shootout goals and the Hawks picked up their seventh consecutive win by downing the Devils 3-2 in New Jersey. The Devils took a 2-1 lead early in the third period before Duncan Keith knotted the score with 3:13 left in regulation.
Bryan Bickell (BIK’-ul) also scored in the Blackhawks’ 12th victory in 14 games.
Elsewhere on ice:
β Pekka Rinne (PEHK’-uh REE’-nay) was sharp in Nashville’s 3-0 win over Colorado, handling 26 shots for his 35th career shutout and third of the season. Rookie Filip Forsberg notched his 12th goal of the season 2:23 into the game and assisted on James Neal’s empty-net goal.
β Tomas Plekanec (pleh-KAH’-nets) scored the tiebreaking goal with 4:16 left in Montreal’s 3-1 triumph over Vancouver. Max Pacioretty (pash-uh-RET’-ee) had an empty-net goal and an assist to back Carey Price, who faced just 15 shots in helping the Canadiens win for just the second time in eight games.
β Minnesota trailed 4-1 before erupting for four goals in the third period of a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders. Former Islanders Thomas Vanek and Nino Niederreiter (NEE’-dur-eye-tur) provided the tying and winning goals in the Wild’s first victory in four home games.
β Toronto beat Calgary 4-1 as James van Riemsdyk (van REEMZ’-dyk) had a power-play goal and an assist. Jonathan Bernier turned back 31 shots in the Maple Leafs’ sixth victory in eight games.
β Joe Pavelski scored twice and Logan Couture (koo-CHOOR’) had a goal and an assist in San Jose’s 5-2 win over Edmonton. The Sharks blew a 2-0 lead before Couture and Pavelski scored 81 seconds apart early in the second period.
β Alex Ovechkin (oh-VEHCH’-kihn) ended his four-game points drought by scoring the first and last goals in Washington’s 5-3 win at Tampa Bay. Marcus Johansson and Niklas Backstrom each had two assists in the Capitals’ third straight win.
β Jhonas Enroth posted his first shutout of the season and fourth of his career by stopping 31 shots in Buffalo’s 1-0 triumph over Los Angeles. Tyler Ennis scored the lone goal on a power play four minutes into the third period to send the Sabres to their seventh victory in 10 games.
β Adam Lowry scored twice in a 2:19 span of the third period to give Winnipeg a 4-2 lead in a 5-2 victory against Dallas. Blake Wheeler and Michael Frolik (froh-LEEK’) each had a goal and an assist to help the Jets win for the fifth time in seven games.
β Columbus earned its fourth straight win by downing Philadelphia 3-2 on Kevin Connauton’s goal at 1:58 of overtime. Boone Jenner scored in his career-best fourth straight game, and Scott Hartnell had a goal against his former team.
NHL-DUCKS
Ducks lose Perry and give goalie a new deal
UNDATED. (AP) β The Anaheim Ducks lost a forward and gained a goaltender on Tuesday.
Ducks forward Corey Perry will be out for three to four weeks with a knee injury suffered last Friday. Perry leads the Ducks with 14 goals despite missing six games with mumps last month.
Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov (EEL-yuh brihz-GAH’-lahv) has agreed to a one-year, $2.88 million contract to return to Anaheim. Bryzgalov had been out of hockey this year until getting the call from the Ducks, who need a dependable backup behind Frederik Andersen.
In other NHL news:
β NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is playing down the possibility of relocating struggling franchises in Arizona and Florida. There had been reports that Panthers ownership was trying to position the franchise for a move either to Quebec City or Las Vegas, two locales actively pursuing a hockey team. The NHL is still in the process of approving new ownership in Arizona, but the league doesn’t envision the Coyotes relocating in the immediate future.
β Islanders forward Anders Lee has been fined $2,286 by the NHL for elbowing St. Louis Blues defenseman Carl Gunnarsson last Saturday. Lee wasn’t penalized on the play.
SOCCER-PELE/HEALTH
Pele released from hospital
SAO PAULO (AP) β Brazilian soccer great Pele has left the hospital after a two-week stay.
Doctors said the 74-year-old Pele will continue his recovery process at home and will need to rest for about a week. He will also need to undergo physiotherapy to recover some of the muscle mass lost during the time he spent in the hospital.
