Sports

Vanderbilt pitcher drowns while fishing

Published on Fri, 06/03/2016 - 2:01pm

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Vanderbilt freshman pitcher Donny Everett drowned while fishing in Tennessee a day before the Commodores were to open the NCAA Tournament on Friday. He was 19.

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement Friday that Everett was with two teammates and two other people when he tried to swim across Normandy Lake near a bridge on Thursday. The lake is about 60 miles southeast of Nashville.

FIFA says Sepp Blatter, Valcke got $80M over 5 years

Published on Fri, 06/03/2016 - 1:59pm

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — FIFA’s top officials Sepp Blatter, Jerome Valcke and Markus Kattner awarded themselves pay rises and World Cup bonuses totaling $80 million over their last five years in office.

Some of the contracted payments appear to break Swiss law, and evidence will be given to American and Swiss federal prosecutors who are investigating corruption implicating the world soccer body, lawyers for FIFA said Friday.

Local makes hole-in-one in tournament

Published on Thu, 06/02/2016 - 3:11pm
Article Image Alt Text

In the annual Memorial Day golf tournament at the Livingston Golf Course, a Livingston man made a hole-in-one, winning the tournament.

George Denton, 79, made the hole-in-one on the eighth hole, which is a par 3, from 125 yards. He used a 9 iron, according to a Livingston Golf Course press release. He was witnessed by Steve Howes, George McClennen and Roger Currah.

Denton said Tuesday he golfs about three or four times a week and has participated in the Memorial Day Tournament almost every year since it began nearly 20 years ago.

Warriors feeling more calm going into second straight Finals

Published on Thu, 06/02/2016 - 3:07pm

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — There's a comfort level for MVP Stephen Curry and his teammates this time around on the big stage.

Coach Steve Kerr even senses a calm about the Golden State Warriors as they go into a second straight NBA Finals — a second straight against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, no less.

Everything was new last year. There were some serious nerves. Golden State's daily schedule and routine got disrupted, which Kerr called "a bit of a shock to our guys' system."

Serena Williams pulls out tough French Open quarterfinal win

Published on Thu, 06/02/2016 - 3:04pm

PARIS (AP) — Serena Williams' chest was heaving between points. Her footwork wasn't quite right. Miscue followed miscue, until she was a set and a break down in the French Open quarterfinals.

And as she so often does, Williams came through when she needed to, moving closer to a record-equaling 22nd Grand Slam title by figuring out a way to beat Yulia Putintseva 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 on Thursday.

Jeff Hornacek hired as Knicks coach after 32-50 season

Published on Thu, 06/02/2016 - 3:01pm

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks have hired Jeff Hornacek, who emerged last month as Phil Jackson's surprising coaching choice.

Jackson went with the former Phoenix Suns coach over anyone who had played or worked under him, even though he had said after the season he would likely pick somebody he already knew.

Hornacek takes over a Knicks team that went 32-50 last season, missing the playoffs for the third straight season. The Knicks finished the season with Kurt Rambis as interim coach after Jackson fired Derek Fisher in February.

US cyclist withdraws from Rio consideration citing Zika

Published on Thu, 06/02/2016 - 2:57pm

American cyclist Tejay van Garderen understands the chances that he might contract the Zika virus at the Rio Olympics are minimal, and that precautions could be taken to further reduce the threat.

With a pregnant wife at home, not even the smallest risk was worth it.

Van Garderen withdrew his name from consideration for the road cycling team Thursday, making him perhaps the first athlete to back out of the Summer Games because of the mosquito-borne illness blamed for causing birth defects including microcephaly, in which the baby's brain does not develop properly.

Venus Williams fails to join Serena in French Open

Published on Wed, 06/01/2016 - 2:54pm

PARIS (AP) — Finally back on court after two days of rain, Venus Williams warmed up for her fourth-round French Open match Wednesday in a zipped-up gray coat, something that seemed more appropriate for winter wear.

Once play began, the No. 9-seeded Williams never really gave herself a chance to join her sister in the quarterfinals, coming up short in a bid to get back to that stage at Roland Garros for the first time in a decade. Williams dropped eight games in a row during one early stretch and lost 6-2, 6-4 to No. 8 Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland.

Golden State and Cavaliers are the 14th NBA Finals rematch

Published on Wed, 06/01/2016 - 2:52pm

MIAMI (AP) — It’ll either be repeat or redemption.

A rematch will decide.

Cleveland and Golden State are about to reunite in the NBA Finals, starting Thursday night in Oakland, California. It’s the 14th Finals rematch.

A good sign for Cleveland, which lost to Golden State last season: Six of the last seven teams that lost the Finals one year won the rematch encounter.

IOC president is traveling to Brazil to check on Rio Games

Published on Wed, 06/01/2016 - 2:49pm

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — IOC President Thomas Bach will make a three-day trip to Brazil this month to check first-hand on final preparations for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and meet with acting President Michel Temer.

The International Olympic Committee said Wednesday that Bach would visit Brazil from June 14-16, less than two months before the opening ceremony of South America’s first games on Aug. 5.