NFL-SCHEDULE
Ravens to host Steelers
BALTIMORE (AP) β There’s an AFC North matchup tonight in the NFL as the Ravens host the Steelers. The game may be a classic matchup of divisional rivals but much of the talk surrounding the game involves former Baltimore running back Ray Rice and his discipline by the NFL.
The controversy around the latest video of Rice knocking his then-fiancee to the floor of an elevator continues to build as people question just when the NFL really knew about that video.
The NFL has called in former FBI director Robert S. Mueller (MUHL’-ur) to examine how it pursued and handled evidence in the domestic violence case. The move late Wednesday came hours after The Associated Press reported that a law enforcement officer said he sent an NFL executive a video in April that showed Rice striking his then-fiancee at a casino. Commissioner Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL’) has maintained that no one in the NFL saw the video until it was released by TMZ Sports Monday.
The law firm where Mueller is now a partner, WilmerHale, is familiar with the NFL. The firm has represented Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, and several former members of the firm have taken positions with NFL teams.
Women’s organizations, members of Congress and players have called for more detail about the NFL’s handling of the Rice case. The criticism intensified after the law enforcement official’s account.
As far as the game tonight, the Steelers are coming off a last-second win over the Browns last Sunday while the Ravens were losers in their home opener.
This has been an intense rivalry in which 10 of the last 12 games have been decided by three points or fewer.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Busy day schedule
UNDATED (AP) β Five games are on the agenda in baseball this afternoon. In Cleveland the Indians and Twins are playing a makeup game for the one rained out last night. That contest will be followed by a second game late in the afternoon.
In Cincinnati the National League Central-leading Cardinals are playing the Reds while Oakland is in Chicago to play the White Sox and Arizona is visiting San Francisco.
On tap tonight, the Yankees are home to the Rays, Pittsburgh is at Philadelphia, the Mets are entertaining the Nationals, the Angels are playing at Texas, the Royals are back home to play the Red Sox and the Marlins are playing the Brewers in Milwaukee.
PGA-TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Who wants $10 million?
ATLANTA (AP) β The final FedEx Cup tournament starts today in Atlanta. It’s the Tour Championship and the field consists of the last 30 men standing from four weeks ago when the FedEx playoff began. At stake is $8 million to the winner of the tournament, but to the man with the most points after the four tournaments goes a check for $10 million.
The top five in the standings, Chris Kirk, Billy Horschel, Bubba Watson, Rory McIlroy and Hunter Mahan (MAY’-han), can take the big money prize with a win in the tournament. The other players have a chance to win the playoff title with a victory, but would need help from the players at the top of the standings.
The first event of the playoff was The Barclays and the winner was Mahan. Event No. 2 was the Deutsche (DOY’-cheh) Bank and the winner was Kirk. Last week Horschel won the BMW Championship in Colorado, beating Watson by two strokes.
LPGA-EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Round one today
EVIAN-LES-BAINES, France (AP) β The Evian (ay-vee-AWN’) Championship is the fifth and final major of the year in women’s golf. The first round is in progress in France with the clubhouse lead held by Karrie (KAHR’-ee) Webb at 6-under with Suzann Pettersen (PEHT’-ur-suhn) and Brittany Lincicome (LIHN’-sih-kohm) at 4-under.
On the course, Hyo-Joo Kim was 8-under after 15 holes of play.
The winners of the first four majors were Lexi Thompson in the Kraft Nabisco, Michelle Wie (wee) in the Women’s Open, Mo Martin at the Women’s British Open and Inbee Park the LPGA Championship.
PISTORIUS
Judge issues partial ruling
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) β In a lengthy verdict phase climaxing Oscar Pistorius’ trial, the judge said he can’t be found guilty of murder but that he was negligent in the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, raising the possibility he’ll be convicted of culpable homicide.
The judge said she felt the double-amputee Olympian acted negligently when he fatally shot Steenkamp through a toilet door in his home in the predawn hours of Valentine’s Day last year.
In a moment of high drama, she then stopped reading out her judgment in the six-month-long trial and adjourned until Friday. A formal judgment in the case that has riveted much of South Africa and the world is expected on Friday.
