Sports – Page 537 – North Platte Post Archive

Attorney in NCAA Lawsuit asks about Pac-12 Letter

Posted on May 22, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — An attorney who brought an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA is requesting more information about a letter Pac-12 presidents sent to leaders of the four other major football conferences proposing sweeping changes to the collegiate model.

Michael Hausfeld sent a letter to Arizona State President Michael Crow on Thursday asking what voice athletes would have under the Pac-12’s proposed reforms. Hausfeld’s law firm released a copy of the letter.

The Associated Press first reported details of the Pac-12 presidents’ letter Tuesday. The story included comments from Crow.

Hausfeld is representing former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon and 19 other former athletes who claim the NCAA unlawfully profits off of athletes while restricting their ability to earn income while in college.

Hausfeld and Crow did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

5 College Players Waiting for Hall of Fame to Call, Including Crouch

Posted on May 22, 2014May 22, 2014

To be eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame, players must have been named to one of five All-America teams recognized by the NCAA and be 10 years removed from playing in college. They must also be nominated by their school. National Football Foundation members are given a ballot with dozens of eligible players each year and then the NFF’s honors court picks the inductees from the top vote-getters.

Now that Alabama star Derrick Thomas is in the Hall of Fame, here are five of the best players who were on this year’s ballot still waiting to get into the Hall:

Eric Dickerson, RB, SMU (1979-82) — One of the greatest running backs to ever play, but being a part of an SMU program that was given the death penalty by the NCAA for paying players is a big stumbling block.

Brian Bosworth, LB, Oklahoma (1984-86) — The Boz was a two-time All-American who played for some of coach Barry Switzer’s best Sooner teams. He was also a vocal and flamboyant critic of the NCAA and was suspended for what would have been the final game of his college career for a failed steroid test.

Ricky Williams, RB, Texas (1995-98) — The 1998 Heisman Trophy winner now takes Thomas’ place as the Hall of Fame’s most obvious omission. He left Texas as major college football’s career rushing leader with 6,592 yards.

Eric Crouch, QB, Nebraska (1997-2001) — The 2001 Heisman Trophy winner left Nebraska as the school’s career leader in total offense.

Jerome Brown, DT, Miami (1983-86) — A dominating defensive tackle on some of the Hurricanes’ greatest teams. He was killed in a car crash in 1992 at the age of 27.

Gonzalez Out of Lineup with Swollen Finger

Posted on May 22, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is out of the lineup Thursday against San Francisco with a swollen left index finger.

Rockies manager Walt Weiss said before the game that Gonzalez’s injury is a “day-to-day thing” and he doesn’t believe it’s “any more serious than that.”

Gonzalez has been dealing with inflammation in the finger all month and aggravated it again at the plate Wednesday night. He’s also bothered by tendinitis in his left knee.

Asked if he could see Gonzalez going on the disabled list to heal up, Weiss said, “if it gets to a certain point, it’s certainly an option.”

The smooth-fielding outfielder downplayed his recent spate of ailments, saying “just another stripe for a zebra.”

Gonzalez is hitting .276 with seven homers and 29 RBIs.

Royals Send Slumping Moustakas to Omaha

Posted on May 22, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals sent third baseman Mike Moustakas to Triple-A Omaha on Thursday in their latest attempt to break one of their franchise cornerstones out of his prolonged slump.

The team announced the move in a brief statement while traveling from Kansas City to Anaheim. The Royals open a three-game series against the Angels on Friday.

Utility man Jimmy Paredes was recalled from Omaha in a corresponding move.

Moustakas had slowly lost playing time to Danny Valencia. The former No. 2 overall pick heads to Omaha toting a .152 average with four homers and 17 RBIs in 40 games.

Moustakas has been the everyday third baseman the past two seasons, but he’s struggled to live up to expectations. He hit.233 with 12 homers and 42 RBIs a year ago.

Giants Hit 3 Solo Homers in 5-1 Win over Rockies

Posted on May 22, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Hunter Pence hit one of San Francisco’s three solo homers and reliever Yusmeiro Petit threw three sharp innings after starter Matt Cain left with a strained right hamstring as the Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 5-1 on Wednesday night.

Pablo Sandoval and Brandon Crawford also connected for the NL West-leading Giants, who won at Coors Field for just the fifth time in 15 games dating back to last season.

Cain didn’t allow a hit through three innings, before giving way to Petit (3-1). He and four other relievers limited the best offensive team in the majors to just five hits.

Jhoulys Chacin (0-3) worked 5 2-3 innings and allowed three runs, including a homer to Pence in the fourth and another to Sandoval two innings later.

Guthrie Strong in Royals’ 3-1 Win over White Sox

Posted on May 21, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jeremy Guthrie, Wade Davis and Greg Holland combined on a four-hitter and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1 Wednesday night to avoid being swept in their three-game series.

The White Sox had scored 14 runs and hit five home runs in the first two games.

Guthrie, who is winless in seven starts since an April 9 victory over Tampa Bay, left after seven innings with the score 1-1. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out two.

Wade Davis (3-1) struck out two in a flawless eighth and has tossed 10 scoreless innings in his last nine appearances. Greg Holland logged his 13th save in 14 chances, but not before giving up a single to Dayan Viciedo and walking Adam Dunn in the ninth.

Left-hander Jose Quintana (2-4) gave up three runs on eight hits over 7 1-3 innings for Chicago.

Pac-12, Big Ten Commissioners Talk Autonomy Plans

Posted on May 21, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott and Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany believe it’s time for the NCAA model to change and for autonomy to be given to the five major football conferences.

Two of college football’s biggest powerbrokers spoke out on the topic Wednesday during an event in downtown San Francisco to promote the bowl game at the new 49ers’ stadium. The upgraded bowl will be played between teams from the Pac-12 and Big Ten on Dec. 30 in Santa Clara.

Scott says there is “broad support” to let schools from the five major conferences — which also includes the SEC, ACC and Big 12 — decide how their own legislative process works in many areas affecting their athletes. Delany says “I hope we can develop some momentum and act, and act in a way that maybe we haven’t been able to act over the last 25 years.”

Huskers Open Big Ten Tournament with Walk-Off Win

Posted on May 21, 2014May 21, 2014

Omaha – Headed into the bottom of the ninth down by three runs, the No. 20 Nebraska baseball team (38-18) plated four runs in its final at-bat, capped by a walk-off sacrifice fly by Tanner Lubach, on its way to a 7-6 opening-round victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes (30-27) in front of one of the largest crowds in Big Ten Tournament history. The win sets up a 5 p.m. meeting tomorrow with the Michigan State Spartans, who opened the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Illinois.

The victory was the Huskers’ sixth walk-off of the season and marked the 14th time this season the Huskers have won a game when they trailed or were tied after the sixth inning.

After cutting OSU’s lead in half in the fifth with three runs, the Huskers went hitless over the next three innings. With All-American closer Trace Dempsey on the mound in the ninth, freshman Ben Miller snapped the hitless streak with a leadoff single and was replaced on the bases by fellow freshman Quinn McGill. Dempsey then hit Steven Reveles and walked Ryan Boldt to load the bases with no out. With a right hander on the mound, Darin Erstad called on lefty Christian Cox to pinch hit and the junior worked a full count, but struck out for the first out of the inning. Michael Pritchard was up next and worked a four-pitch walk to force home NU’s first run of the inning. With clean-up hitter Pat Kelly due up and the tying run at second base, the Buckeyes turned the ball over to Tyler Giannonatti. Kelly, who was named first-team All-Big Ten for the second straight season on Monday, came through with a two-RBI game-tying single, his third hit of the day. The Buckeyes then intentionally walked Blake Headley to load the bases and setup a potential double-play ball, but the game was not meant for extra innings as Lubach lifted a 1-0 offering from Giannonatti into shallow center field and Pritchard beat a throw home by Troy Montgomery to complete the Husker comeback.

The improbable comeback marked the fourth time this season the Huskers have defeated the Buckeyes in their final at-bat of the game.

Kelly was 3-for-5 with three RBIs to lead the Huskers, while Pritchard chipped in a pair of RBIs without getting a hit. Kelly leads the Huskers with 21 multi-hit games and 16 multi-RBI games on the year.

The ninth-inning rally wouldn’t have been possible without the work of Nebraska’s bullpen. Following OSU’s six-run fourth inning, three Husker relievers combined to allow just one hit over 5.0 scoreless innings. Luke Bublitz tossed a scoreless fifth before Jeff Chesnut and Austin Christensen each threw 2.0 innings of relief, including a pair of perfect innings from Christensen, who earned the win to improve to 3-0 on the year.

After the teams combined to score no runs on four hits through the first three innings, the Buckeyes broke the game open in the top of the fourth. OSU sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs on six hits. Aaron Gretz got the scoring started when he dropped a base-loaded double on the left-field line that scored two runs. The Buckeyes then executed a squeeze bunt and NU starter Chance Sinclair saw his day come to an end after Gretz scored on a wild pitch. Bob Greco took the mound and gave up three straight singles that scored a pair of runs before getting Pat Porter to bounced into an inning-ending fielder’s choice.

The Huskers cut OSU’s lead in half in the bottom of the fifth with three runs, starting with an RBI double by Jake Placzek. Pritchard then hit a dribbler out in front of the plate and OSU Tanner Tully tried to cut down Reveles at home, but the Husker shortstop slid under Gretz’s tag for the second run of the inning. Kelly kept the runs coming with an RBI single, before Tully got Headley to fly out for the second out of the inning. Tully, the 2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, then walked Lubach to load the bases, just his seventh walk of the season in 91.0 innings of work. With the tying runs on bases, Austin Darby stepped to the plate and was unable to keep the rally going with his third strikeout of the game.

Nebraska and Michigan State meet in tomorrow night’s winner bracket game at 5 p.m. on the Big Ten Network, with the winner getting Friday off and moving to Saturday’s 9 a.m.game against a team from the loser’s bracket.

Chiefs Sign Quarterback Murray to Contract

Posted on May 21, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have signed quarterback Aaron Murray, their fifth-round pick, leaving only first-round pick Dee Ford among their unsigned players from this year’s draft.

The Chiefs announced the signing Wednesday. They open a three-day rookie minicamp Saturday.

Murray was considered a first-round talent a year ago, but he had this past season cut short by a torn ligament in his knee. The former Georgia star is also considered small for the position, standing 6-foot and weighing about 200 pounds.

Still, the Chiefs believe Murray could push second-year pro Tyler Bray for the No. 3 job, and perhaps even supplant Chase Daniel as the backup to starter Alex Smith.

Stephens Returns to Nebraska

Posted on May 21, 2014

Lincoln – One of the most successful players in Husker history is back in Nebraska again, as Coach Connie Yori announced the addition of Amy Stephens to NU’s 2014-15 coaching staff on Wednesday, May 21.

Stephens, an Alliance, Neb., native who ranks among the top five Huskers in history in points (1,976, 4th), assists (444, 5th) and steals (280, 3rd), rejoined Yori’s staff for the second time. Stephens was also a member of Yori’s first Nebraska coaching staff in 2002-03, before being named the head coach at Drake in 2003.

“We’re really excited to have Coach Stephens back at Nebraska,” Yori said. “She is an outstanding coach and person, and we think she can really help our players in their individual skill development and with our team defense. Her head coaching experience is invaluable, and she has tremendous experience in recruiting as well. She is a great fit for our program right now.”

Stephens spent nine seasons as the head coach at Drake, compiling a 151-130 record. In 2008, Stephens led the Bulldogs to the Missouri Valley Conference title. The previous season, she guided Drake to the Missouri Valley Tournament title and an automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Tournament. She also led the Bulldogs to four WNIT bids.

Stephens spent the 2013-14 season as the associate head coach at Memphis after spending 2012-13 as an assistant coach at Saint Louis.

Stephens will be Nebraska’s defensive coordinator while playing a major role in opponent scouting and recruiting.

“I’m so excited to be back at Nebraska,” Stephens said. “Coach Yori has done an unbelievable job in building Nebraska’s program to a consistent conference championship contender and a top-25 national program. I feel extremely fortunate to have another chance to work at Nebraska and contribute to the continued rise of this program.”

The 46-year-old Stephens was the first assistant coach hired by Yori in 2002, as she was named to Yori’s first Husker staff on June 27, just one day after Yori officially began her coaching duties as the ninth head women’s basketball coach in school history.

Stephens came back to the Husker program after spending eight extremely successful seasons at Nebraska-Kearney. She compiled a 197-43 record with the NCAA Division II Lopers. UNK averaged nearly 25 wins per season, won five Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles and made seven consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. She was a four-time RMAC Coach of the Year. The Lopers also had an NCAA Division II record 87-game homecourt winning streak during Stephens’ stint at UNK. She was a WBCA national coach-of-the-year finalist in 2000.

Although Stephens was one of the most successful head coaches at the NCAA Division II level for the past eight seasons at Nebraska-Kearney, she jumped at the opportunity to join Yori’s Nebraska staff.

Before beginning her career as a head coach at UNK in 1994-95, Stephens served as an assistant coach at Iowa State for two seasons (1992-93 and 1993-94). She spent one season as an undergraduate assistant coach at Nebraska (1990-91), before spending one season (1991-92) as an assistant coach at Omaha South High School.

Stephens started 113 games during her Nebraska career and earned Kodak All-District V honors as a senior in 1988-89. She was also a first-team All-Big Eight Conference selection as a senior. As a junior in 1987-88, Stephens helped the Huskers to their only Big Eight title and the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. She was a member of the 1989 U.S. National Team and played professionally in the Women’s Basketball League in Germany.

In February 2000, Stephens claimed one of five spots on Nebraska’s All-Century Team as part of the school’s celebration of 25 years of women’s intercollegiate athletics. Stephens was also inducted in the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame in 1999.

Stephens earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education from Nebraska in 1991 and completed her master’s degree in educational administration from Nebraska-Kearney in 1997.