ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) – The Oakland Raiders are finalizing a deal
with Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to make him their
new head coach. A person familiar with the process said Wednesday that the
contract is in the process of being completed. The person spoke on
condition of anonymity because the team is not publicly discussing
the search. Fox Sports and ESPN first reported Tuesday night that
the Raiders had chosen Allen to replace the fired Hue Jackson.
The 39-year-old Allen will be the first new Raiders coach to
come from the defensive side of the ball since late owner Al Davis
hired linebackers coach John Madden before the 1969 season.
ASPEN, Colo. (AP) – Shaun White insists he knew what he was
getting into when he decided to get on the slopestyle course at the
Winter X Games last year. “I was like, ya know, if I go out there, I’m gonna get owned,” he said. White says that was all part of the plan. After taking two years off from slopestyle to focus on his Olympic halfpipe routine, the
two-time Olympic champion wanted to see for himself just how much
ground he had lost in slopestyle. He finished 13th last year but says he learned a lot. On Friday, he returns to the Winter X slopestyle course with
different goals – and with an eye on 2014, when slopestyle joins
halfpipe on the Olympic program in Sochi.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Danilo Gallinari celebrated a contract
extension by scoring 21 of his 23 points in the first half and the
Denver Nuggets routed the Sacramento Kings 122-93 on Wednesday
night for their fifth straight victory and fifth in a row on the
road.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Colts owner Jim Irsay is upset Peyton
Manning took his complaints public this week.
Shortly after introducing new coach Chuck Pagano on Thursday,
Irsay said Manning should have kept his thoughts “in the family.”
When asked whether a decision on Manning was next, Irsay went into
a long answer, calling Manning a “politician” and suggested he
was “campaigning” publicly.
In an interview this week with The Indianapolis Star, Manning
said morale at the team complex was “not the best.”
Irsay did not say whether the next move in Indy’s overhaul will
be about Manning’s $28 million bonus, due March 8. Instead, Irsay
says the decision will be made solely on whether Manning is healthy
enough to play.
