NEW YORK (AP) – Now that the NFL has uncovered a big-money
bounty program for players in New Orleans, it likely will zero in
on other teams Gregg Williams worked for.
That means the Titans, Redskins, Jaguars and Bills probably
should all expect to hear from the league soon.
Williams has admitted and apologized for running a bounty pool
of up to $50,000 over the last three seasons that rewarded players
with thousand-dollar payoffs for knocking targeted opponents out of
games while he was the Saints’ defensive coordinator.
He’ll meet today with NFL investigators in the New York area,
according to two people familiar with the NFL’s investigation of
the bounties.
NFL-BILLS-JOHNSON
Bills extend Johnson
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) – Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie
Johnson has signed a contract extension, terms of which haven’t
been revealed.
The four-year veteran led the team with 76 receptions last
season and has topped 1,000 yards receiving the last two seasons.
The 25-year-old Johnson was selected by the Bills in the seventh
round in 2008 out of Kentucky. He has 170 catches for 2,189 yards
and 19 touchdowns in 48 NFL games.
T25-AP POLLS
Why change?
UNDATED (AP) – It’s a pretty sure bet the top of both the men’s
and women’s AP college basketball polls will be identical to last
week when they are released later today.
Men’s No. 1 Kentucky, second-ranked Syracuse and No. 3 Kansas
all went 2-0 last week.
The top three in the women’s poll — Baylor, Stanford and Notre
Dame — also picked up a pair of victories last week.
PGA-MCILROY-NO. 1
McIlroy supplants Donald
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) – It’s Rory McIlroy’s
(MAK’-ihl-royz) first official day as the top-ranked golfer in the
world.
The Irishman’s two-stroke win at the Honda Classic on Sunday
pushed him past former No. 1 Luke Donald of England.
At the age of 22, McIlroy is the second-youngest to earn the top
ranking, behind Tiger Woods.
Woods has to be feeling better about his game after an
8-under-par 62 in Sunday’s closing round got him a share of second
place.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Top 2 teams in Central go head to head
UNDATED (AP) – Something’s got to give tonight in the Windy
City, where the Bulls and Pacers ride six-game winning streaks into
their matchup at United Center. Chicago is an NBA-best 31-8,
including 14-2 at home, and leads second-place Indiana by six games
in the Central Division race.
Western Conference leader Oklahoma City is a game behind the
Bulls headed into its home outing against Dallas, the L.A. Clippers
are at Minnesota, Milwaukee hosts Philadelphia, Utah is at
Cleveland, Orlando plays at Toronto, Washington is home to Golden
State, Sacramento is at Denver and Portland hosts New Orleans.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Coyotes can pass Stars
UNDATED (AP) – There are just three games on tonight’s NHL
slate.
The Phoenix Coyotes skate into Pittsburgh tied for the NHL’s
Pacific Division lead with Dallas after suffering back-to-back
losses. The hometown Penguins have won five straight and are fourth
in the Eastern Conference playoff race, two points better than
Philadelphia.
Buffalo is at Winnipeg. The Jets are one point ahead of
Washington for the final playoff berth in the East. The Sabres are
just two back.
Edmonton at Anaheim rounds out the schedule.
MLB-RED SOX-ABUSE ALLEGATIONS
More accusations
BOSTON (AP) – Eight more men have come forward to say they were
abused by a now-dead former Boston Red Sox clubhouse manager.
The men, including two former Baltimore Orioles bat boys, are in
addition to two former Red Sox clubhouse attendants who said in
December they were abused by Donald Fitzpatrick, who died in 2005.
Lawyer Mitchell Garabedian says the statute of limitations for
legal action has expired, so the men are seeking $5 million
settlements from the Red Sox or Orioles. He’s exploring possible
legal action in two cases.
Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty in Florida in 2002 to attempted
sexual battery on a child under 12. The Red Sox settled a lawsuit
with seven Florida men claiming Fitzpatrick molested them. He
resigned from the Red Sox in 1991.
