Wednesday's Sports in Brief
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
The NCAA announced it is moving forward with a plan to allow college athletes to earn money for endorsements and a host of other activities involving personal appearances and social media content.
It’s a big deal — “unprecedented,” Ohio State President and NCAA Board of Governors chairman Michael Drake called it. But there are important details to be sorted out before NCAA membership votes on legislation in January and there are plenty skeptical lawmakers and lawyers watching.
While athletes will be able to cash in on their names, images and likenesses as never before, the money won’t come from the NCAA, schools or conferences.
The broad plan is to allow athletes to strike deals with third parties, but require them to disclose those agreements with their schools. The NCAA and schools want to regulate for improprieties so payments aren’t actually recruiting inducements or pay-for-play schemes.
NEW YORK (AP) — Oregon women’s basketball star Sabrina Ionescu and Iowa wrestler Spencer Lee shared the Sullivan Award as the country’s top amateur athlete.
They are the third co-winners in the 90-year history of the Amateur Athletic Union award, following Coco Miller and Kelly Miller in 1999 and Keenan Reynolds and Breanna Stewart in 2005.
The ceremony was done remotely and streamed on Facebook. The scheduled program at the New York Athletic Club was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
BASEBALL
Derek Jeter, Larry Walker and the rest of this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame class will have to wait another year for their big moment at Cooperstown.
The Hall of Fame announced it has canceled the July 26 induction ceremony because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the class will be included at next year’s induction festivities -- along with any additional new choices -- on July 25, 2021.
A record crowd of over 70,000 had been expected this summer in an outdoor field at the small town in upstate New York to honor Jeter, the former New York Yankees captain who came within one vote of unanimous election by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in January.
Jeter and Walker were to be inducted with catcher Ted Simmons and the late Marvin Miller, the pioneering players’ union head who negotiated free agency and transformed the sport.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays are the first Major League Baseball team known to plan furloughs of some full-time employees because of the coronavirus pandemic, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press.
Temporary cost-cutting measures will take effect on Saturday, the person said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision, first reported by the Tampa Bay Times — had not been announced. The Rays declined to comment.
PRO FOOTBALL
Former Packers quarterback Brett Favre says Aaron Rodgers was surprised by Green Bay’s decision to draft a quarterback in the first round.
Favre said on “The Rich Eisen Show” that he had spoken with Rodgers since the Packers traded up four spots in the first round to take Utah State’s Jordan Love with the 26th overall pick in the draft last Thursday.
Favre also told Eisen that “my gut tells me” Rodgers won’t finish his career in Green Bay. Rodgers, a two-time MVP, has four years remaining on his contract.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith was arrested on a charge of having sexual activity with a minor.
The 29-year-old Smith was booked into the Duval County Jail around 5 p.m. and released about five hours later on a $50,003 bond. He had no scheduled court date.
No details or police report was immediately available. According to Florida Statute 794.05, which was the listed charge in the jail log, unlawful sexual activity with certain minors is a second-degree felony and applies to any person age 24 or older who engages in sexual activity with a person 16 or 17 years old.
YORK, S.C. (AP) — A York County sheriff’s deputy drew his gun on Kansas City cornerback Bashaud Breeland, who is charged with resisting arrest among other offenses after he was seen smoking marijuana.
According to an incident report, Breeland faces a total of five charges, including resisting arrest and drug possession. He was released on $2,362.50 bond after spending more than nine hours in jail.
Breeland, 28, was a starter for the Chiefs last season. He had an interception and led the team with seven tackles in their 31-20 victory over San Francisco in the Super Bowl in February.
HOCKEY
Get used to the concept of pods and pucks if the NHL is going to have any chance of completing its season, with the most likely scenarios calling for games in empty, air-conditioned arenas during the dog days of summer.
What is emerging as the leading plan involves bringing teams back in a few empty NHL buildings to complete some, if not all, of the remaining regular-season games before opening the playoffs and awarding the Stanley Cup for the 125th time in the past 127 years.
The most aggressive timetable would have players returning to their home rinks as early as May 15, followed by a training camp and possible exhibition games in June, a person familiar with discussions told The Associated Press.
The regular season would then resume in July, with the Cup awarded in September, the person said Tuesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity because plans haven’t been finalized.
GYMNASTICS
Former U.S. Olympic coach Maggie Haney has been suspended for eight years by USA Gymnastics for verbal and emotional abuse of athletes.
USA Gymnastics confirmed the penalty in a statement. The decision came after two months of hearings that included Olympic champion Laurie Hernandez testifying against her longtime coach and world champion Riley McCusker writing a letter critical of Haney.
Haney is suspended from membership and any coaching of USA Gymnastics athletes or in member clubs for eight years, effective immediately, followed by a two-year probationary period. After the suspension concludes, USA Gymnastics said Haney may reapply for membership after submitting proof of completing certain specified Safe Sport courses.”