Sports – Page 478 – North Platte Post Archive

Perez Helps Royals Struggle to 3-2 Win over Twins

Posted on July 30, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez triggered a go-ahead rally with a double in the sixth inning and made several spectacular plays behind the plate, helping the Kansas City Royals to a scrappy 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.

Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas had RBI doubles during the Royals’ charge, which wiped away a 1-0 deficit. Jason Frasor earned his first win since arriving in Kansas City by striking out Chris Colabello to leave the bases loaded in the sixth inning.

Scott Downs and Kelvin Herrera gave back a run in the seventh, but Herrera struck out Brian Dozier and Josh Willingham with runners on second and third to preserve a one-run lead.

Wade Davis worked a perfect eighth, and All-Star closer Greg Holland survived two wild pitches that sent Eduardo Nunez to third base by striking out Sam Fuld for his 28th save.

Lions RB Joique Bell Enjoys Homecoming at Wayne St

Posted on July 30, 2014

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell says a lot of people counted him out when he was undrafted out of Wayne State.

Four years later, Bell has established himself as player valued enough to get a multimillion-dollar contract.

Bell was back on his college field Wednesday night with his NFL teammates for a public practice.

He won the Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II Player of the Year in 2009, but no one drafted him.

Buffalo, Philadelphia, Indianapolis and New Orleans gave him chances over his first two years in the league. Bell played in every game the previous two seasons for the Lions, putting him in a position to get a $9.3 million, three-year deal in March.

NFL Retirees Lose Round in Concussion Settlement

Posted on July 30, 2014

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal judge has rejected an attempt by seven former professional football players to intervene in a tentative class action settlement of concussion claims that would cost the NFL at least $765 million.

Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody issued an order in Philadelphia late Tuesday denying the NFL retirees’ motion to intervene in the case.

The players object to the settlement, calling it a “lousy deal” for ex-players whose symptoms don’t qualify them for compensation. Brody’s order said that players who object to the deal can raise their concerns at a fairness hearing scheduled for Nov. 19, or opt out of the settlement.

Brody gave preliminary approval to the settlement earlier this month.

The group includes 2008 Pro Bowl player Sean Morey, now Princeton University’s sprint football coach.

Meat Processors for Hunters Helping the Hungry

Posted on July 30, 2014

LINCOLN – Twenty-one meat processors will participate in the 2014 Hunters Helping the Hungry program. Administered by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Hunters Helping the Hungry provides ground venison to Nebraskans in need.

Deer hunters may donate deer at any contracted Hunters Helping the Hungry processor beginning with the start of the archery season on Sept. 1, 2014. The most up-to-date list of processors accepting deer for the program will be available at OutdoorNebraska.org/HHH.

Participating meat processors include Amherst – Belschner Custom Meats Inc.; Bayard – Bayard Processing; Bridgeport – KDK Meats LLC; Broken Bow – Broken Bow Pack; Elwood – SteakMaster Inc.; Franklin – Franklin Locker; Humphrey – Country Butcher; Johnson – Pelican’s Meat Processing; Lindsay – Melcher’s Locker; North Bend – Bob’s Custom Meats LLC; North Platte – Kelley’s Custom Pack LLC; Oakland – Oakland Processing; Omaha – B. I. G. Meats Inc., Stoysich House of Sausage; Orleans – Harlan County Meat Processors; Oxford – Oxford Locker Inc.; Panama – Panama Locker; Ralston – Van Fleet Meats; Table Rock – Den’s Country Meats; Ulysses – The Butchery; Wahoo – Wahoo Locker.

Founded in 2012, Hunters Helping the Hungry is allows hunters to donate deer at participating processors. The deer is processed into ground venison, which is then distributed to food pantries and soup kitchens. The processing is paid for entirely by donations. Learn more about this unique program at OutdoorNebraska.org/HHH or contact Teresa Lombard at 402-471-5430 or teresa.lombard@nebraska.gov.

Players Describe Punch that Killed Soccer Referee

Posted on July 30, 2014

LIVONIA, Mich. (AP) — A man who witnessed a soccer player fatally punch a referee says the victim wasn’t expecting the attack during an adult-league game in suburban Detroit.

Bassel Saad is charged with second-degree murder in the death of referee John Bieniewicz (BEN’-uh-wits).

During a probable-cause hearing Wednesday, Jamal Saleh testified that the 44-year-old referee “did not see the punch coming.” Saleh played for Saad’s team during the June 29 game in Livonia.

Two players from the opposing team also testified that Saad knocked Bieniewicz to the turf with one punch after the referee said he was throwing Saad out of the game.

Saad’s attorney says prosecutors’ second-degree murder case is extremely weak.

The hearing will determine whether to send the case to trial. It is scheduled to resume Thursday.

Report: College Sports Shows Dip in Gender Hiring

Posted on July 30, 2014

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A report on the NCAA and its member institutions shows fewer women holding jobs in college sports and only a small improvement in racial diversity.

The report, released Wednesday by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, gave college sports a B grade for racial hiring practices and a C-plus for gender hiring. The racial score of 82.3 points in 2013 increased from 81 points in 2012, while the gender score decreased from 81.3 points in 2012 to 75.9 in 2013.

College sports has the lowest grade for racial hiring, and only ranks higher than the NFL for gender hiring, among all college and professional institutions the Institute studies.

The Institute also produces report cards on the NBA, WNBA, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer.

Harris, Thomas Return to Limited Action

Posted on July 30, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Demaryius Thomas and Chris Harris Jr. are participating in limited drills as the Denver Broncos practice in a steady cool rain at Sports Authority Field.

Harris passed his physical Tuesday after getting medical clearance from Dr. James Andrews, who repaired his left ACL in February, a month after he was injured in the playoffs against San Diego.

He lined up for the team’s walk-through Wednesday as did Thomas, who missed the first week of camp following the death of his grandmother in Georgia. He returned Monday in time for the team’s evening walk-though.

Both are expected to participate in individual and non-contact drills but won’t do any 11-on-11s as they ease their way back into the mix.

Chiefs QB Smith Focusing on Football, Not Contract

Posted on July 30, 2014

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith says that the time is approaching where he will shelve all talk about a contract extension and focus solely on football for the remainder of the season.

The Chiefs have been discussing a new deal with Smiths’ representatives for months, though the sides remain far apart. Smith said after practice Wednesday that he’s yet to set a date to break off negotiations, but he acknowledged that “at some point mentally it’ll come to me.”

Smith is due $7.5 million this season, the final year of his contract, and many expect him to get an extension similar to what Colin Kaepernick received from the San Francisco 49ers.

Kaepernick signed a six-year, $126 million deal that includes $61 million guaranteed.

Huskers Fan Day Set for Friday

Posted on July 30, 2014

Husker football fans will get their first opportunity to see the 2014 team Friday afternoon at Nebraska Football Fan Day presented by U.S. Cellular. Friday’s festivities represent the best opportunity for fans to meet and greet this year’s team before the start of practice next Monday.

Fan Day will run from 2 to 3:30 p.m. inside Memorial Stadium with all Husker players and coaches that will be part of fall camp in attendance and available to the fans.

Fans may enter Memorial Stadium through Gates 3 and 24 on the southeast and southwest corners of the stadium. Gates will open at 2 p.m. The majority of players will be seated on the field at Memorial Stadium, while true freshmen will be located in the stands throughout West Stadium.

Fans are asked to respect players and coaches, as well as other fans by limiting their autograph requests to one item per player or coach. Any apparel items fans are wishing to have autographed should be in hand, rather than being worn. These policies will help accommodate as many fans as possible within the 90-minute Fan Day window.

Also as a reminder, autographs obtained for players and coaches are for personal use only. Any re-sale of an autographed item is prohibited and re-sale of an item with a student-athlete’s signature could jeopardize the player’s eligibility.

Free parking for Fan Day will be available in the 14^th and Avery Parking Garage, the Champions Club parking lot (west of Memorial Stadium), Lot 8 (north end of Osborne Athletic Complex) and Lot 5 (northeast of Memorial Stadium). Parking is also available in the Stadium Drive parking garage, but fans will be charged for that garage.

Restrooms for fans will be available near Gates 2 and 24, as well as under the northeast corner of the stadium near Gate 15. Fans will not have access to the Osborne Athletic Complex, or the new construction areas in East Stadium. Drink stations will be available near the 50-yard line on the West sideline with water, Pepsi products and Gatorade.

Huskers Authentic Team Store will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fan Day and will have brand new adidas products, as well as this year’s media guides and schedule posters.

The Nebraska Athletic Department encourages fans to participate in Fan Day through social media by adding #Huskers to photos on Twitter or Instagram and by posting photos to Facebook.com/Huskers. Nebraska Athletics will sort through social media posts using the #Huskers hashtag. Posts will be placed on the big screen at Memorial Stadium throughout the afternoon. These posts will also be collected and displayed on Huskers.com.

Chiefs S Commings Leaves Field with Ankle Injury

Posted on July 30, 2014

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Oft-injured Chiefs safety Sanders Commings was carted off the practice field Wednesday after getting juked to the ground by running back Jamaal Charles and hurting his right ankle.

Commings broke his collarbone in his first practice as a rookie and was finally getting up to speed. He was trying to tackle Charles in the open field when he whiffed, turning his ankle in such a way that he was unable to put any weight on it.

Commings was in a heated competition for a backup job, and the Chiefs hoped he would push veteran Husain Abdullah for the free safety spot that opened when Kendrick Lewis departed.

Meanwhile, right tackle Donald Stephenson returned to practice after missing Monday’s workout with a left ankle injury. The Chiefs had Tuesday off.