Luck starts throwing with non-NFL football during minicamp

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Andrew Luck is throwing again.

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Dunlap participates in Bengals camp after skipping OTAs

CINCINNATI (AP) Defensive end Carlos Dunlap is participating in the Cincinnati Bengals' minicamp this week after missing voluntary offseason workouts as his agent negotiates a contract.

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Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan skips mandatory minicamp

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee left tackle Taylor Lewan is skipping the Titans' mandatory minicamp while his agents negotiate a new contract for the two-time Pro Bowl lineman.

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The Latest: Capitals await Stanley Cup parade, day at Mall

WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on the Washington Capitals' Stanley Cup parade (all times local):

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Earl Thomas says he's skipping Seahawks mandatory minicamp

Earl Thomas is putting the pressure on the Seattle Seahawks for a new contract, saying he will not participate in any team activities until his contract situation is resolved.

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Melbourne beats Brisbane in National Rugby League

SYDNEY (AP) Defending champions Melbourne scored 24 second-half points to beat the Brisbane Broncos 32-16 in the National Rugby League on Sunday.

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San Jose Sharks likely to buy out Paul Martin

With Evander Kane’s extension on the book now, the San Jose Sharks salary cap is much more constrained than it was a year ago. Now, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports there is a “strong possibility” the Sharks plan on easing their salary cap by buying out defenseman Paul Martin next week when the window opens on June 15th. A buyout would save the team approximately $2.8M in cap space for next season.The Sharks signed Martin to a four-year, $19.4M contract back in 2015 to provide a veteran presence to their veteran team. Unfortunately after two solid seasons, Martin really struggled this year. The 37-year-old started the season playing two games, but he never recovered from an ankle injury from the offseason, prompting to miss the next two months of the season. When he returned in December, he found that his position had been taken by Joakim Ryan and the veteran was finally waived in January. He played with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda for 18 games before returning to his usual spot alongside Brent Burns. Howev

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Kevin Durant fires back at critics who accuse him of ruining the NBA

Kevin Durant gets a lot of criticism for a lot of things. One popular talking point is that he ruined the NBA by joining the Golden State Warriors and permanently throwing off the league’s competitive balance, making it virtually impossible for any other team to best them.Durant says if that’s the case, then he should be getting paid more.“My responsibility is to my skills. My responsibility is to myself,” Durant told Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports. “I’m not worried about the NBA. That’s their job. They make too much money. They ain’t paying me enough to dictate the NBA. I should be making more money if all that’s on me. My responsibility is to whatever team I play for. All that other stuff, that’s on y’all.”Durant is, frankly, correct. The league’s competitive balance is not his concern, and the way the cap works made his move to Golden State possible. While some narratives about him clearly do bug him, he now has two titles and a Finals MVP to show for both of them, so things have definitely worked out for him

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The top five American League MVP candidates

Now that the MLB season is in full swing with the All-Star Game on the horizon, the MVP race for each league is beginning to heat up. The candidates for MVP listed below all come from the three powerhouse squads in the American League: Boston Red Sox,  New York Yankees and Houston Astros.5. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees Despite getting off to a slow start, Judge and the Yankees currently sport a 40-18 record and sit atop the Al East standings by a half-game over the Red Sox. With Gary Sanchez and Giancarlo Stanton getting off to awful start at the plate — not to mention the Yankees getting bit by the injury bug early on — Judge has been able to keep the Yankees’ winning ways going with his power at the plate and timely hitting. Judge is currently hitting .271 with 17 home runs and 44 RBI on the season. Judge is a big reason why the Yankees currently sit second in the MLB in runs scored, only five runs behind Boston. It’s remarkable the Yankees are in this spot given Stanton’s unbelievable struggles, Sanchez c

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Incredible stat shows how difficult and remarkable Cavaliers’ playoff run was

There is an argument to be made that leading this Cleveland Cavaliers team to the NBA Finals stands as one of LeBron James’s more impressive career achievements, and there’s one stat that may back that up further.After being swept Friday night by the Golden State Warriors, the Cavaliers finished the playoffs with a negative point differential, having been outscored on the whole 2,263-2,225 — the first NBA Finalist since the 2002 New Jersey Nets to allow more points than they scored. Remarkably, the Cavaliers were only barely above water even before they played Golden State. They outscored opponents by just 21 points through the first three rounds of the playoffs, 1,821 to 1,799, with only their sweep of the Toronto Raptors keeping them above water. The Indiana Pacers outscored them 704-664 in the first round, and they only outscored the Boston Celtics by six points total in the Eastern Conference Finals. Much of that is due to the fact that, in losses, the Cavs fell victim to blowouts, while their wins tended

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WATCH: Bryce Harper crushes home run at 109.1 MPH

Even when he is slumping, Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper can still impress any time he steps into the batter’s box. He showed that on Saturday when he hit his 19th home run of the year..The 25-year-old’s solo shot, which traveled 437 feet, gave Washington a 6-4 lead in the fourth inning. Harper, who entered Saturday with a .228/.364/.507 slash line, leads the National League in home runs.According to StatCast, Harper’s blast came in at 109.1 mph with a launch angle of 25 degrees and had a 100 percent hit probability.

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Alex Ovechkin brings Stanley Cup to Nationals game, has a blast

Alex Ovechkin does not appear to have stopped partying since the Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup on Thursday night.Ovechkin and his Capitals teammates came to the Washington Nationals game on Saturday with the Cup in tow, and nobody seemed to be having a better time than the captain.First, the Capitals and Nationals took a group picture together with the Cup. Ovechkin was tasked with throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, but his first attempt went a bit awry, so he demanded a do-over. Perhaps the best part? Ovechkin, who clearly cannot get enough of the trophy, kept raising it above his head, even during the game while action was taking place. Ovechkin has waited a long time for this and it has showed in his reactions. Live it up, Ovi.

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WATCH: Warriors drops $400,000 in champagne after going back-to-back

The Golden State Warriors will soon turn it up back in Oakland to celebrate ther back-to-back championships after disposing of the Cleveland Cavaliers in a four-game Finals sweep.After that, and like we’ve seen with their past two championships, the Warriors will make their way to Las Vegas.But that’s not where the celebrations will start. Instead, Golden State’s initial party took place inside their locker room in Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena, the second time the Warriors have celebrated on the Cavaliers’ home court.In the process, two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Co. turned it up to the tune of $400,000 in champagne for their post-game celebration.The details come to us courtesy of TMZ Sports, and are all sorts of ridiculous. A total of 300 bottles of Moët & Chandon 150 Impérial Golden Luminous ($1,250 each) and 150 Nectar Imperial Rose bottles ($1,500 each). We’ll let you do the math from there.The scene was pretty darn awesome within the locker room itself. pic.twitt

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Tim Tebow says he continues to improve in his second minor league season

Former NFL quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow believes he is only getting better in his second season in the minor leagues.The 30-year-old outfielder is in the midst of his first season at the Double-A level with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. He has learned a lot in the past two seasons and continues to make adjustments with each passing game and week.“I think that I have learned a lot,” Tebow said, via MLB.com “I am also continuing to make those adjustments and learning to improve based on the pitchers, series, games, all of that. I think, as a hitter, you have to have a short memory and also continue to be able to learn. I think that I am improving every day. I still think that there are a lot of things that I know I will improve on, and can improve on, and I am making those strides every day.Tebow, a left-handed hitter, improved his slash line from .226/.309/.347 between A-ball and High-A last season to .245/.339.377 with a .716 OPS in 51 games played.The outfielder is displaying some power wi

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Steve Kerr weighs in on David West’s cryptic Warriors drama talk

Friday night, the Golden State Warriors secured a third NBA championship in four years, joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls as the only franchises to pull off such a remarkable accomplishment.Despite what seemed to be relatively “easy road” to the third title — in some respects — longtime NBA veteran and current Warriors big man David West is letting people know it didn’t come without bumps in the road. The 2017-18 Warriors campaign was unlike any other the team experienced in their four-year span of excellence. The Warriors had to deal with real injury adversity for the first time since Stephen Curry’s ankle issues early in his career. Curry missed a large chunk of the second half of the season and even the first round of the playoffs with a sprained MCL.Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was asked about West’s cryptic comments and echoed the same message. “It was the hardest year of my short coaching career,” Kerr said. “Four years but this was the most difficult one for sure. We ha

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Cardinals rookie Chase Edmonds to pay off sister's student loans

Once college football players and amateur athletes in general make it to the professional ranks, one of their first decisions is what they will do with their initial checks. For some, it’s all about giving back to those who helped most in their careers. We’ve seen the stories. Rookies buying their mothers that first house or a brand-new car.For rookie mid-round pick Chase Edmonds of the Arizona Cardinals, his initial paychecks will be used to pay off his sister’s college loan debt.Having earned a full scholarship to Fordham, Edmonds had no idea how much the bills can pile up for others going to school without a full ride. That included his sister, Morgan.“When you’re on full scholarship you don’t realize these bills. These things add up,” Edmunds told ESPN. “When my mom told me Morgan’s debt at the time, I said, ‘Wow. If I ever can make it to the NFL that’s something that I would love to do, just to surprise her and pay that off for her so she can really live free and do whatever she wants with her money.'”Mo

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Report: Warriors could pursue Trevor Ariza in free agency

Despite the utter dominance of the Golden State Warriors over the past four years, it is expected their roster may need some retooling this offseason. With Kevin Durant needing a new deal and Stephen Curry’s super-max salary kicking in, Golden State will have a luxury tax bill for the ages. Two moves that are an option is to let Zaza Pachulia and Nick Young walk, given their salaries combined for $8 million this season with a payoff of virtually no production outside of a couple minutes per game. One of the players the Warriors could pursue to add to the bench is Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza. According to Chris Haynes, that’s an option the Warriors may consider. “That’s a name I’m hearing that could be intriguing,” said Chris Haynes [of Trevor Ariza] on Tim Kawakami’s podcast. Haynes also referenced how the Rockets pursued Andre Iguodala to take away from the Warriors last offseason. Ariza would likely need to take a substantial pay-cut in order to join the Warriors in free agency. Going into the off

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Marvin Bagley III Slams Ayton Chatter as ‘Disrespectful’

The NBA Draft is right around the corner. And while the Phoenix Suns haven’t taken Arizona center DeAndre Ayton yet, that’s what all reports are indicating. However, another draft prospect isn’t too happy about that. In fact, Duke’s Marvin Bagley III thinks all the chatter surrounding Ayton is disrespectful. Per ESPN:“I definitely believe I’m the No. 1 pick,” Bagley says. (He’s not, of course). But we’ll let him continue. “…and if the Suns take me I’ll definitely show them why. … DeAndre, he’s going to do what he’s going to do. That’s his plan.”In his lone season with Duke, Bagley put up 21 points, 11.1 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per contest over 33 games. However, most mocks have Bagley going No. 3 — after both Ayton and Luka Dončić. However, the Duke forward is using all of this speculation as motivation.“It’s disrespectful and I use it as drive every single day,” he adds. “At the end of the day, this is all talk right now. Eventually we’ll have to go on the court and we’ll have to play. That’s where all the t

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Report: LeBron James, Cavaliers have not talked about his future with team

The Cleveland Cavaliers were embarrassed in Game 4 of the 2018 NBA Finals by the Golden State Warriors Friday night. It was a culmination of the most lopsided NBA Finals sweep in the history of the league.The backdrop here is obviously LeBron James’ future with the team. Following the loss, the three-time champ noted that he “had no idea” what his future might hold as the planet’s best player prepares for free agency next month. For James, it’s going to be as much about his family as anything else.A lot has been written and talked about regarding James’ future. He’s not guaranteed to return to the Cavaliers. And if Friday night’s scene inside Quickens Loans Arena in Cleveland was any indication, James might very well have played his final game with the Cavaliers.According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, James has not even talked to the Cavaliers’ brass about his future with the team.“Sources close to James told ESPN that no conversations with Cleveland’s brass about the four-time MVP’s future with the franchise had

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Icon to eyesore: Storied Akron Rubber Bowl awaits demolition

AKRON, Ohio (AP) Billy Graham saved souls there. Karl Wallenda once walked on a tightrope above the gridiron. The Rolling Stones performed there in 1972, getting fans so worked up that a couple dozen got arrested. And there was football. Lots of football.

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Report: Michael Porter Jr. was ‘extremely impressive’ in Mavericks workout

When discussing the top names in the upcoming NBA Draft, you’d be wise not to forget Michael Porter Jr.According to ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla, Porter was “extremely impressive” in his workout for the Dallas Mavericks, who hold the No. 5 pick. However, Fraschilla interprets this as a bit of gamesmanship on the part of the Mavericks, who are hoping someone else falls into their laps with that pick. Hey, maybe that Maverick staffer is telling the truth. Porter, after all, thinks he deserves to go even higher than fifth as he looks to get his career on track in the NBA following an injury-hit season at Missouri.

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Icon to eyesore: Storied Akron Rubber Bowl awaits demolition

AKRON, Ohio (AP) The glorious past of the Akron Rubber Bowl couldn't save it from the wrecking ball.

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Joel Embiid: LeBron James ‘needs’ to sign with 76ers

Joel Embiid is doubling down.The Philadelphia 76ers center made quite clear Friday night that he thinks LeBron James should leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and join him in Philly, and he left no doubt as to his thinking when out and about Friday.TMZ Sports caught up with Embiid, who promptly told them that James “needs a new team — Sixers.”Recall that Embiid had already made a preliminary pitch to James on Twitter, too. Embiid will not be the only player trying to convince James to join his team. However, he may have something of an advantage, as the Sixers are viewed by many as one of the more realistic options if the superstar does ultimately leave Cleveland this summer.

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Adam Silver: No White House invite for NBA champs 'saddens me’

The Golden State Warriors are NBA champions for the third time in four years. But they aren’t going to be visiting Donald Trump’s White House. In fact, if the Cleveland Cavaliers would’ve won, they wouldn’t be visiting either. LeBron James said as much earlier this week. But President Trump would make it official a day later in order to get the last word. So what does NBA commissioner Adam Silver think about all this? Per ESPN:“It’s a bit of resignation that this is where we find ourselves,” Silver starts. “Championship teams, not just in our sport but in other sports, aren’t getting to celebrate in that way, something that has historically been apolitical in Washington, but I have to put it in the greater context of where we find our country.”In other words, Commissioner Silver isn’t going to get in the way of his players expressing themselves. That’s something NFL commissioner Roger Goodell — along with each and every owner — could learn from. But that’s neither here nor there. However, at the end of the da

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Tyronn Lue plans on returning to Cavaliers next season

Despite a disappointing end to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ playoff run, coach Tyronn Lue has no intention of stepping aside as the team’s head coach.Lue said after Cleveland’s season-ending loss to the Golden State Warriors that he planned to be back next season despite the health issues he dealt with during the year. Lue battled health issues late in the regular season, but was able to return and coach the entire playoffs without incident. His performance in the postseason was met with some criticism, but ultimately he got Cleveland to the Finals. Now we’ll see if he has LeBron James to work with next year.

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White Sox activate Carlos Rodon, designate Chris Beck

The White Sox have activated left-hander Carlos Rodon from the 60-day disabled list and designated righty Chris Beck for assignment, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times was among those to report.The 25-year-old Rodon will make his season debut against the Red Sox on Saturday after missing the first couple months of 2018 while working back from arthroscopic left shoulder surgery. Rodon underwent the procedure last September to repair a “significant” case of bursitis that helped limit him to 69 1/3 innings. However, he looked strong during his four-start rehab assignment, including three outings with Triple-A Charlotte, where he pitched to a 1.42 ERA with 22 strikeouts against five walks in 12 2/3 innings.Rodon hasn’t been nearly that dominant during his major league career, but he has emerged as a solid starter since going third in the 2014 draft. Overall, Rodon has recorded a 3.95 ERA, 9.22 K/9, 3.76 BB/9 and a 45.1 percent groundball rate across 373 2/3 innings. He’s currently making a $2.3M salary i

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Nationals activate Adam Eaton, release Rafael Bautista

The Nationals have activated outfielder Adam Eaton from the 60-day disabled list, per a team announcement. In corresponding moves, the Nationals released outfielder Rafael Bautista and optioned right-hander Wander Suero to Triple-A.Eaton hasn’t played since April 8 because of a right ankle issue, one which required surgery in early May, thus continuing an injury-plagued tenure in Washington for the 29-year-old. Since the Nationals acquired Eaton from the White Sox in a December 2016 blockbuster, he has played in just 31 of a possible 223 regular-season games. Eaton missed all but 23 games last season after tearing both his left ACL and meniscus at the end of April.When Eaton has been healthy enough to take the field for the Nationals, he has continued to post the type of strong production he offered in Chicago from 2014-16. Across 140 plate appearances since last year, the lefty-swinger has slashed .308/.400/.508 with four home runs and nearly as many walks (17) as strikeouts (20). He’ll now rejoin a crowded

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Lacob: Kerr expected to sign extension this summer

After the Warriors captured their third championship in four seasons on Friday, owner Joe Lacob said that the organization expects to sign head coach Steve Kerr to an extension, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne writes.Kerr, 52, has one year left on the original five-year, $25M pact he signed with Golden State prior to the 2014/15 season. With three championships to his credit, the organization wants to keep Kerr in his current role.“We’ll get it done this summer,” Lacob said. “Let him rest a little bit. But we’ll get it done. He wants to be with us. We want him long term. He obviously has some health issues he’s still working through, but we’ll get it done. I think as long as he feels comfortable doing it long term, we want him.”Health issues have been a recurring theme during Kerr’s tenure as head coach. Last season, Kerr missed a month-and-a-half of the postseason due to painful migraines and nausea that stemmed from back surgery he underwent two years prior. Kerr also missed the first 43 games of the 2015/16 season

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The Golden State Warriors are not a dynasty

In 2014, I broke down the qualifications an NBA team must reach in order to be considered a dynasty. I did this by extracting the eight most important traits of the NBA’s two greatest dynasties — the Boston Celtics of the 1960s and the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s — and then measuring where other potential dynasties fell on that spectrum. The conclusion drawn then was that a team needed to reach six of the following eight milestones in order to be considered a dynasty: Had the best player in the league for all or most of the period in question. Had multiple Hall of Famers in or near their primes. They had, without question, the best coach of their era. They won at least three championships in a row. None of their championships came with glaring asterisks. Even if you consider the league particularly weak in a given stretch (which people have for these teams), there was never any question that their championships were won fairly, on the court. They had at least one regular season, be it through overall record, w

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Friday's Sports in Brief

BASKETBALL

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Edelman apologizes for PED test: ‘I don’t know what happened’

Julian Edelman acknowledged on Friday that he has been suspended four games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug use policy, and the star receiver apologized for the failed test.In a statement that was included in his Instagram story, Edelman says he does not know how he tested positive after having taken “many, many tests” throughout his career and passed them. Edelman has been open about training with Alex Guerrero, Tom Brady’s personal trainer and the co-founder of the TB12 Performance Center, this offseason. That led to some speculation that it may have been a supplement Guerrero gave him that triggered the positive test, but Guerrero has tried to distance himself with a statement of his own.Edelman, 32, missed all of last season with a torn ACL.

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Report: Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Real Madrid

Not even three consecutive Champions League triumphs is enough to keep Cristiano Ronaldo happy. According to ESPN FC’s Dermot Corrigan, the Portuguese superstar is looking to move on from Real Madrid. But to where? Well out of Spain, for starters.“Cristiano Ronaldo remains determined to leave Real Madrid this summer, but he and his camp have ruled out any move besides a few specific destinations within Europe, a source close to the player has told ESPN FC.”The options appear to include France, England and maybe Italy. Could we see a reunion with Manchester United ahead of next season? Perhaps. The possibility of playing under a fellow Portuguese manager in José Mourinho could very well entice Ronaldo to make that move. But United would have to sell of some players first. They already have two new signings done while still tracking the likes of Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld. And he will not come cheaply, just as CR-7 won’t. Not only that, but United would have to factor in that Ronaldo turns 34 next Feb

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Report: 'Zero truth' to rumors Pats are trading Gronkowski

The Internet was briefly set ablaze on Friday with rumors and speculation that the New England Patriots were on the verge of trading Rob Gronkowski, but one of the team’s most connected beat reporters says that is not happening.Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston is reporting that there is “zero truth” to any talk of a Gronkowski trade being imminent. For what it’s worth, one of Gronkowski’s brothers also dismissed the rumors as “fake news.” Gronkowski has openly said that he is seeking a new contract, but the Patriots reworked his deal last season and seem open to doing the same again for 2018. Given all the drama that has unfolded in New England over the past several months, it would not have been the most stunning development for Gronk to be traded.The latest bombshell news regarding the Patriots is that star receiver Julian Edelman has been suspended four games for a PED violation. That news actually leaked on Reddit before ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported it, and that same Reddit user may have helped spark t

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Rumors swirling that Patriots could trade Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski has seemingly been on rocky ground with the New England Patriots since the end of last season and possibly before that, and rumors are continuing to swirl that the team could part ways with the star tight end.The Internet seems to have determined — whether on the basis of fact or not — that some major news regarding the Patriots is set to drop in the near future. An anonymous Reddit user actually broke the news of Julian Edelman’s four-game suspension before Adam Schefter tweeted it on Thursday. That same Reddit user said Thursday night that he has been sitting on “more MAJOR Patriots news” but has not been able to verify it.Where does that lead us to Gronkowski? Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who grew up in the Boston area and has been invited to team-sponsored Patriots celebrations in the past, said Friday that he has heard rumors that Gronk may not be a Patriot by the end of the day. Jerry Thornton, who has covered the Patriots for many years with Barstool and a brief stint with WEEI,

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Report: 'No truth' to rumors Josh Jackson has been suspended indefinitely

Josh Jackson appears to be having some sort of issue with his playing status at Virginia Tech, but he may not be in danger of missing the entire upcoming season as was previously rumored.According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, any reports that have been swirling this week about an indefinite suspension for Jackson are inaccurate. Jackson’s father, Fred Jackson, told Mike Barber of The Richmond Times-Dispatch that his son is still a member of the football team at Virginia Tech but more will be known about his status in the coming days. Barber later reported that the Hokies are optimistic Jackson will be able to play this season. All signs point to Jackson dealing with some sort of academic ineligibility issue that is being reviewed by the NCAA. If he violated team rules in some way, the Hokies probably already would have made an announcement.Jackson completed over 60 percent of his passes last season and threw for 19 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions. He was poised for a breakout year in 2018, but

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Watson won't measure his Saints return by previous stint

Watson won't measure his Saints return by previous stint

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Terrell Owens won't attend Hall of Fame induction

Terrell Owens won't attend Hall of Fame induction

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Celtics reportedly 'scared' Kyrie Irving will leave in free agency

The Boston Celtics made their way to the Eastern Conference Finals with both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward sidelined to injury this past season. It was a tremendous performance from the young team, one that should set Boston up for years to come.Though, as we’ve seen throughout the NBA world, nothing is a given. Championship windows close quickly. The unforeseen happens.When it comes to the Celtics, that could include Irving himself leaving the team in free agency following the 2018-19 season. In fact, this one report suggests that the Celtics are worried that’s going to happen.“I think they’re scared. I think they’re scared and should be scared to some degree of Kyrie Irving walking in 2019,” Yahoo! Sports NBA insider Chris Mannix said on his recent podcast. “I know he had a great year, but you know there are people in Cleveland that will tell you that the Knicks should be considered a real threat for Kyrie Irving.”There have been some rumor swirling about that Boston might look to trade Irving this summer

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Report: Some top NBA GMs want out of their jobs to join 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers have an unexpected position to fill in their front office this offseason, and it sounds like there are going to be plenty of candidates lining up for the job.ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on “SportsCenter” Thursday that some respected general managers around the league have already been trying to find out if there is a way they can get out of their current job to join the Sixers. That isn’t exactly shocking, as the 76ers are currently in a position to win for years to come. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have finally come into their own, and they look like they could be one of the best duos in basketball in the near future. Philly’s young, exciting core is one of the reasons they are considered a potential top destination for LeBron James and other free agents this offseason.Former GM Bryan Colangelo was pushed out by the Sixers despite blaming his wife for the embarrassing social media situation he found himself involved in recently. Had it not been for the Twitter debacle, Colangelo

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Report: DeAndre Jordan wants to play for Rockets

The Houston Rockets couldn’t finish the job this season. An injury Chris Paul took that opportunity away from them. And while there’s a way for them to land LeBron James this offseason, we don’t know what the King wants yet. However, we do know what DeAndre Jordan wants. And apparently, it’s to join the Rockets. According to USA Today’s Kelly Iko, Jordan is very serious about making this happen.“The 10-year veteran has remained focused on the possibility of playing in Houston, two league sources told Rockets Wire.”So there’s that. First, the Rockets have to make sure they take care of a couple of players. After all, Houston already possesses the talent that is Clint Capela. Capela is five years younger than Jordan — who at this point is mostly just a superior rebounder to him. This season, Capela put up 13,9 points per game to Jordan’s 12.0. They are both equally bad at free-throw shooting (56 percent to 58 percent). Capela edges Jordan in effective field goal percentage as well (65.2% to 64.5%). And he block

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Report: Cavaliers ‘beyond’ making grand pitch to LeBron

The biggest story line of the upcoming NBA offseason undoubtedly will be the future of LeBron James. The speculation has been rampant, and endless conjecture has been forwarded in an effort to predict what James intends to do once he becomes a free agent by exercising the player option in his current contract.The fact remains, however, that James conceivably could opt to remain in Cleveland and enjoy the comforts of home. That said, according to one NBA insider, James should not expect the Cavaliers to pull out all the stops in a bid to keep him in the fold. Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, who seeems to be about as plugged in to all things Cavaliers as any other media member — appeared on Cleveland’s 92.3 The Fan this week and speculated the Cavs are not about to wine and dine James.“Frankly I think they’re beyond that,” Lloyd said of the Cavaliers, as transcribed by Dime Mag. “I don’t think there’s gonna be some big sell this summer, I really don’t. I think it’s gonna be, ‘You wanna come back or not? This is ho

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Twins have special evening planned for second annual Prince Night

Thursday would have marked Prince’s 60th birthday and on Friday night at Target Field, the revered late musician will receive a great tribute from his hometown major league team. The Twins are set to host the second annual Prince Night at the downtown Minneapolis ballpark, and many special things are planned to honor the memory of the iconic, Minnesota-born superstar who never strayed too far away from his home state. Some of the highlights of the evening dedicated to Prince, who passed away in April 2016 from a drug overdose, via the Star Tribune: • Twins players and staff will wear Prince-themed T-shirts during batting practice. The shirts will be auctioned off at twinsbaseball.com to fund music grants for the Minneapolis Public Schools. • A Prince Model C guitar will be on display on the Home Run Porch in left field in the high-tech Digital Clubhouse. • Postgame Prince-themed fireworks. Perhaps the best part of the evening — and the one that will resonate most with Prince fans — is how the first 10,000 fan

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Adam Silver reacts to Bryan Colangelo resigning from 76ers

NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday reacted to the news that the scandal surrounding the Philadelphia 76ers had reached a resolution with Bryan Colangelo’s resignation.“You never want to see someone’s job end over an unfortunate circumstance like this,” Silver said, via a tweet from the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn. “I certainly understand from the 76ers standpoint that bond has been broken. It’s not even necessary to assign any fault.” The unflattering revelations surrounding Colangelo allegedly using burner accounts on Twitter were laid out in great detail in a report from Ben Detrick of The Ringer published last week. After the 76ers launched an investigation into the matter, the team announced via statement that Colangeloo had resigned his position of president of basketball operations and general manager. The organization’s plan moving forward was also spelled out. Colangelo subsequently also issued a statement Thursday in which blame was placed on his wife for the anonymous Twitter accounts, which

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Trump 'not going to invite' NBA champion to White House

President Donald Trump removed any speculation as to how things will play out once an NBA champion is crowned by telling reporters on Friday morning that “we’re not going to invite either team” to the White House, referencing either the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, who will play Game 4 in the NBA Finals on Friday night. Conjecture abounded concerning whether an invitation to the eventual NBA champion — which is expected to be the Warriors, given the team’s 3-0 lead in the series — would even be extended in the first place. The fact that the Warriors did not attend a White House ceremony last year after winning the NBA title — spurned by Trump uninviting the team after critical comments about his administration from myriad members, including head coach Steve Kerr, of the organization.Further lending to the likelihood no invitation would be coming was how both Stephen Curry and LeBron James both stated earlier this week that neither the Warriors nor Cavaliers would attend a White House ceremon

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Trump says NBA champion won’t be invited to White House

The tradition of championship teams visiting the White House has reached an abrupt stop as players and personnel voice their concerns about Donald Trump. And now, the President is trying to shift the narrative.Friday, Trump said that the eventual NBA champion — whether the Golden State Warriors or Cleveland Cavaliers — will not be invited to the White House, per CNN’s Jim Acosta. Without surprise, though, this is an attempted face-save by the President. Cavaliers superstar LeBron James recently said neither team would visit anyway, something Warriors standout Stephen Curry reaffirmed.The simple truth of the matter is Trump’s statement is akin to “You said you’re not coming to my party so you’re uninvited.”As this story simmers, the attention will soon shift to whether the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals will visit the nearby White House — or if they get uninvited due to low attendance like the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Julian Edelman reportedly facing four-game suspension for PED violation

New England Patriots wide receiver is working his way back to full strength after he suffered a torn ACL prior to the 2017 season, and he may have more time to recover than he initially expected.ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Edelman is facing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy. The 32-year-old is currently in the process of appealing. The Patriots have added some depth to an already serviceable group of wide receivers this offseason, and Edelman’s impending suspension could help explain why.Edelman has been Brady’s favorite target when healthy over the past several years. He caught 98 passes for a career-high 1,106 yards in 2016.

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Tom Brady did not ponder retirement, has 'great relationship' with Bill Belichick

Tom Brady spoke with the media for the first time at mandatory minicamp on Thursday, and as expected the Patriots quarterback downplayed any talk of a rift between him and his coach or the organization.When asked where his relationship with Bill Belichick currently stands, Brady described it as “great.” He also said he chose not to attend voluntary workouts for “personal” reasons. Brady, who is known for saying nothing at all while speaking quite a bit during his media sessions, gave his most brief response when asked if he contemplated retiring this offseason. For what it’s worth, Brady would not commit to attending OTAs going forward, which will be voluntary leading up to training camp once minicamp has concluded. It’s possible that he still intends to work out on his own with his personal trainer Alex Guerrero during that time.Belichick was asked about his and Brady’s relationship earlier in the week, and his response was quite similar. No matter what the two future Hall of Famers say, there’s something di

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T.O. won't attend Hall of Fame induction

(STATS) - Don't bring the popcorn.

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Financials are clear: Kyler Murray is right to choose baseball

Kyler Murray is likely looking at five million reasons to choose a future in baseball over football. Besides the difference in the injury risks of playing centerfield compared to quarterback, it just makes more financial sense to make it in the MLB instead of the NFL.The base salaries of professional baseball contracts are guaranteed while the vast majority of football contracts are not. In Murray’s case, it looks like he’s going to have his cake and eat it too. He will still lead national championship contender Oklahoma this fall before shifting his focus to the diamond full time in the spring. But let’s look at exactly why that’s the best move for him.“[W]e just felt like Kyler was a unique talent, and it’s something that you come across rarely in what we do. The risk of the football was, in our opinion, outweighed by the upside on the baseball field,” said Oakland A’s scouting director Eric Kubota, per MLB.com’s Jane Lee. That the team is willing to draft such a risk with the 9th overall pick shows how muc

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Chris Bosh reiterates desire for NBA comeback

As his former Miami Heat teammate LeBron James heads into the summer with a decision to make, 11-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer Chris Bosh is still talking about a potential comeback.Having not played since the 2015-16 due to serious blood clot issues, most figured the 34-year-old big man might have already moved on from his playing career.That’s not the case.In a recent appearance on Fox Sports’ "Undisputed," Bosh made it clear that he’s looking to return to the NBA hardwood. The Heat moved on from Bosh back in July of 2017 as a way to help with their salary cap situation. Though, the move was also indicative of an organization that didn’t think Bosh could return from his blood clot issues.Since, Bosh has noted on multiple occasions that he’s received medical clearance. Whether that will lead to NBA teams showing interest in the champion remains to be seen.Bosh averaged 19.1 points and 7.4 rebounds in his final season with the Heat back in 2015-16. Physically, he certainly still has something to offe

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Report: Mets open to trading deGrom or Syndergaard

The New York Mets started the 2018 season off on a bright note with  a 14-6 record through their first 20 games. Now as the team sits at 27-32 with injuries across the roster, the organization is considering a major change.According to Joel Sherman of The New York Post, officials in the organization indicated they would be crazy to not entertain open up the phone lines and take calls on players from contenders. That reportedly would include trading one of Noah Syndergaard or Jacob deGrom, the team’s two aces.It would be a dramatic step for a team that made it to the World Series back in 2015, in large part because of their top right-handed pitchers. But this would mark another down year for the Mets and given the desire for front-line starters under contract control, New York’s starters would be in massive demand.It’s likely deGrom would be the favorite among teams given he carries a 1.49 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 98 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings this season. The 29-year-old is also on pace for his second consecutive

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Draymond Green cracks joke about Game 5 outfit on cusp of sweep

The Golden State Warriors have the Cleveland Cavaliers on the ropes after a 110-102 victory Wednesday in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. And the seemingly unstoppable Warriors squad can deal the Cavs a knockout blow on Friday night in Game 4 at Quicken Loans Arena. With a series sweep tantalizingly in reach for Golden State, Draymond Green cracked a great joke about having a “pretty dope” outfit planned for Game 5. However, on the cusp of a sweep, Green hopes he does not have to break it out. Well played.Green is also getting it done on the court, averaging 10.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, 8.1 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in the postseason. Green again enjoyed a solid all-around effort in Wednesday’s Game 3 win with 10 points, four rebounds and nine assists. It’s consistent showings like the one Green put up in Game 5 that elicits such high praise from his coach, Steve Kerr.Still, it would be a shame if we could not see Green’s “pretty dope” duds planned for Game 5. Perhaps he can bump up the getup in the

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Colangelo in statement: I didn't know about wife's Twitter accounts

Bryan Colangelo resigned from his position as the general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, but he continues to insist he had no knowledge of the burner Twitter accounts that were apparently created by his wife.In a statement after the Sixers parted ways with Colangelo, the law firm the team hired to conduct an investigation into the social media activity said the evidence supports that Colangelo’s wife, Barbara Bottini, created the Twitter accounts and posted content. The firm also concluded that Colangelo was “careless and in some instances reckless” in sharing sensitive information about the team. Shortly after the law firm revealed its findings, Colangelo released a statement of his own in which he denied ever intentionally sharing information and said his wife “acted independently and without my knowledge or consent.” We have already seen evidence to support that the accounts were created by Colangelo’s wife, but you can understand why his reputation has been tarnished. Even if she acted wit

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Terrell Owens won't attend Hall of Fame induction

Terrell Owens says he will not attend the induction ceremony for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, an unprecedented decision by an enshrinee.

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Owens announces he will not attend HOF induction ceremony

Terrell Owens has never been shy when expressing his disdain for the Pro Football Hall of Fame voting process, and he is not going to change his mind now that there is a place waiting for him in Canton.On Thursday, Owens issued a statement announcing that he will not be attending the Hall of Fame induction ceremony next month. Hall of Fame CEO David Baker said the organization is "disappointed" in Owens' decision. It took Owens several shots to get into the Hall of Fame, and that had much more to do with his perceived attitude issues than it did with his numbers. Owens ranks second all-time in receiving yards with 15,934, third in receiving touchdowns with 153 and eighth in receptions with 1,078. His numbers have always made him worthy of being inducted into Canton, and he has publicly blasted the voters on numerous occasions.Basically, T.O. is sticking to his guns and making a point that his gripe with the Hall of Fame hasn’t ended just because he’s getting a gold jacket. He’s gone to war with the media over

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Sixers, Bryan Colangelo agree to part ways

The Sixers and president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo have agreed to part ways, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links). According to Wojnarowski, the club will hold a news conference this afternoon with team ownership to make the move official.Wojnarowski notes (via Twitter) that Colangelo’s departure is expected to be labeled as a resignation, but he won’t be leaving his post in Philadelphia entirely of his own accord. The veteran executive found himself mired in controversy last week after a report from Ben Detrick of The Ringer linked five “burner” Twitter accounts to Colangelo.Of those five anonymous Twitter accounts, which were strikingly similar in terms of content, tone, follows, and likes, four seemingly shared inside information on the 76ers and tipped team strategy — they also criticized current and former Sixers players, including Markelle Fultz, Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, and Nerlens Noel, and defended Colangelo’s track record with the franchise.After Detrick sent an inqui

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Ron Gardenhire: Red Sox fans' use of cell phone lights 'dangerous'

Wednesday’s game between the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park was briefly delayed when a sizable contingent of fans simultaneously used their cell phone lights. Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire believes that such antics create a “dangerous” environment for players, particularly for those taking at-bats. The situation came to a head during the seventh inning with Tigers outfielder Nicholas Castellanos stepped into the batter’s box and initiated a conversation with home plate umpire Mike DiMuro. Gardenhire then came out of the dugout and had a discussion with DiMuro, who afterward walked over to the Red Sox dugout.A brief delay ensued until Fenway security got control of the situation by asking fans in the center-field bleachers to refrain from lighting up their phones. After the game, Gardenhire bemoaned the situation and the potential risk it entails for players.“You ever tried to hit with a light like that in your face? It’s not supposed to happen,” Gardenhire said after Detroit’s 7-1 loss, via

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WATCH: Durant nearly confronted heckler outside hotel

Kevin Durant put the Golden State Warriors on his back and almost single-handedly led them to a win in Game 3, but that did not stop Cleveland Cavaliers fans from letting him hear it after the game.Durant is no stranger to being heckled, but one comment in particular that a fan made outside the team hotel on Thursday night seemed to really get under his skin. As TMZ notes, it sounds like the fan shouted “KD, UT’s butt!” It was seemingly an insult directed toward Durant’s alma mater, the University of Texas. Watch how Durant reacted: If you saw the shot Durant made on Thursday night to ice Game 3, you’re probably wondering why Cavs fans would even have the nerve to heckle him. K.D. finished the game with a playoff career-high 45 points on 15-of-23 shooting. His performance is a big reason why Cleveland is on the verge of being swept.

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Chris Long rips Roger Goodell over silence on Trump, White House drama

Chris Long is among the most outspoken players in the NFL and on Wednesday set his sights on Roger Goodell over the commissioner’s silence amid the drama this week involving Donald Trump abruptly calling off the Philadelphia Eagles’ planned visit to the White House.Reports surfacing in the wake of Trump’s last-minute announcement Monday evening appeared to indicate among the reasons the President canceled the event was that it appeared the Eagles would only be sending a small contingent to the White House.In fact, a statement issued Tuesday by the White House placed all the blame on the Eagles for the sudden cancellation and accused the team of abandoning their fans. Trump instead held a “Celebration of America” event. Long wonders why Goodell has remained silent amid all the noise.“He didn’t say anything?” Long said, via NJ.com. “Hey, I don’t speak for the commissioner, if he doesn’t want to stand up for the players, that’s not really my business.” Long was among the many Eagles players who stated they would

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Branden Albert arrest video shows him being tased twice

Branden Albert was arrested back in February following an intense altercation at a jewelry store, and body cam footage of the arrest shows just how out of control the two-time Pro Bowler was when police were trying to apprehend him.A video that was released by TMZ on Thursday shows Albert having a Taser used on him. It appeared that the big man powered through the first shot and may have even pulled the prongs off of himself before being tased again. Albert, who was last listed at 6-foot-5, 314 pounds when he played for the Miami Dolphins in 2016, was arrested on a felony assault charge after he allegedly punched a hole in a wall and threatened a jewelry store owner. The police report stated that Albert tackled a police officer after being tased.Albert, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, was traded from the Dolphins to the Jacksonville Jaguars prior to the 2017 season. He briefly retired before changing his mind and trying to return, but there was some drama and the Jags

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Report: Kaepernick’s lawyers want testimony from Trump

Colin Kaepernick is still in the process of trying to prove NFL owners got together and decided not to sign him because of his national anthem protests, and his attorneys are looking to take the case to the next level.Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports reports that Kaepernick’s legal team is expected to seek federal subpoenas that would compel Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and other government officials to testify in the free agent quarterback’s collusion case. The goal will be to prove that statements about anthem protests from Trump and his camp directly influenced Kaepernick’s standing with the league.More from Robinson:The aim will be a dive into the administration’s political involvement with the NFL during Kaepernick’s free agency and the league’s handling of player protests, sources said. This after recent disclosures that multiple owners had direct talks with Trump about players kneeling during the national anthem. The content of those conversations between Trump and owners – as well as any fo

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Police: Driver in fatal crash was watching football game

CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) State police say a truck driver was watching a football game instead of the road when he struck and killed a motorcyclist on a Pennsylvania highway.

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Former NFL Pro Bowler posts blackmail letter on Twitter

Former San Diego Chargers center Nick Hardwick spent 11 seasons in the NFL as one of the best centers in the game. From 2004-2014, he started all 136 games in which he appeared for the Southern California franchise.Since then, Hardwick has enjoyed the retired life with wife, Jayme, and their two sons, Theodore and Hudson.Apparently, an unknown blackmail artist is attempting to ruin this. On Wednesday, Hardwick posted a letter on Twitter showing someone who claims to have some dirt on the former Pro Bowler. Not only that, said individual is attempting to blackmail him for a cool $7,650. Read the letter. It’s all sorts of crazy.Hardwick earned a cool $31.12 million throughout his extensive NFL career. In this, $7,650 might not seem like a lot of money. Even then, he’s not about to fall victim to a blackmail scheme.Hilariously enough, the threat included this unnamed criminal saying that Hardwick’s family and friends would be sent evidence of his “misdeeds” if he didn’t pay up. Instead, Hardwick blasted the lett

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Incognito tells AP he's training 2 weeks after gym outburst

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Richie Incognito tells The Associated Press he's back home training in Arizona and feeling great, two weeks after the former Buffalo Bills offensive lineman spent three days in a mental hospital following an alleged outburst at a south Florida gym.

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Shazier: "My dream is to come back and play football again."

PITTSBURGH (AP) Ryan Shazier's routine hasn't changed much, even after a life-altering spinal injury put his football career in jeopardy.

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Report: Orioles face obstacles to trading Manny Machado before MLB trade deadline

The Baltimore Orioles are confronted with two options concerning Manny Machado: trade him ahead of the July 31 non-waiver MLB trade deadline or risk losing him for nothing once the superstar shortstop hits free agency after the 2018 season. According to recent speculation from The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Orioles may find it difficult to achieve the former … at least for the haul the team craves and a player the caliber of Machado arguably warrants.The Orioles will want at least the same kind of package the New York Yankees received two years ago for closer Aroldis Chapman. But such a deal might not be available based upon the modest returns last season for the two biggest rentals, outfielder J.D. Martinez and right-hander Yu Darvish.Rosenthal goes on to note that the remainder of Machado’s 2018 salary also presents its challenges. Not only that, but Machado’s desire to remaining at shortstop also conceivably could serve as a roadblock.Yet, even though Machado is a singular commodity, the demand for him

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Report: Spurs not taking trade calls on Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard remains unavailable in the trade market, according to a report.ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported during ESPN’s NBA Draft special that teams are making calls about Leonard, but so far, the San Antonio Spurs are resistant to even listening to them.“A lot of teams in the league would like to get involved with trade talks with San Antonio,” Wojnarowski said, via Jeff Garcia of Spurs Zone. “Those are not being entertained yet by the Spurs.”This is in line with much of the previous reporting on the story. If at all possible, the Spurs want to keep Leonard in the organization and even offer him the supermax contract extension he’s eligible for. So far, it doesn’t appear anyone has come particularly close to dissuading them from that point of view.

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St. Louis could still be on the hook for Bush's 2015 injury

ST. LOUIS (AP) Former NFL running back Reggie Bush says dangerous conditions at a St. Louis stadium led to a season-ending injury in a case that could leave the city on the hook for damages, even though the Rams are long gone.

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Report: Glen Davis charged with felony assault, faces up to seven years in prison

Glen Davis was arrested back in April after allegedly beating up a man outside a West Hollywood nightclub, and on Wednesday news broke that he’s facing up to seven years in prison if convicted of the felony assault charges levied against him.“A rep for the L.A. County District Attorney’s office tells us the official charge is felony assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury … and it carries a possible 7-year prison sentence,” TMZ Sports reported.The man who was allegedly attacked by Davis ended up in the hospital with facial fractures, a broken tooth and broken ribs.This isn’t the only legal battle Davis is facing right now, either. He was arrested in March on drug charges as well. after being found with 126 grams of marijuana and over $92,000 in cash in a briefcase.Davis played his first four NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics and won a title with the team as a rookie. He last played in the NBA for the Los Angeles Clippers back in 2014-15.

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Report: NFL considering multi-game suspension for Foster

Reuben Foster has settled all of the charges stemming from his domestic violence case earlier this year, but the NFL could still suspend the San Francisco 49ers star after conducting its own investigation.Foster had the domestic violence charges he was facing dropped last month, and he reached a plea agreement in his misdemeanor assault rifle possession charge on Wednesday. But according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the NFL is still considering a multi-game suspension for the former Alabama star. The NFL reserves the right to discipline players even if they are found not guilty or avoid being charged, which we saw when Ezekiel Elliott was suspended last year. A judge listed several reasons for dropping the domestic violence charges against Foster, but the NFL does not have to follow the court’s decision.

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Andre Iguodala 'game-time decision' for Game 3

The news just keeps staying positive for Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala ahead of Game 3 Wednesday evening as the Warriors attempt to take a 3-0 NBA Finals lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers.One day after saying Iguodala was questionable for Game 3, head coach Steve Kerr said Iggy will be a “game-time decision” and that he is “leaning in the right direction,” per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.This is encouraging because Kerr said this after watching Iguodala practice Tuesday and then again during shootaround Wednesday morning.Iguodala hasn’t played since Game 3 of the Warriors’ Western Conference Finals series against the Houston Rockets. He’s been dealing with a bruised knee that ended up being more problematic than anyone thought it would be initially.Thankfully for Iguodala, the Warriors have been able to continue winning games without him. If he’s able to play and play well, then Iguodala’s addition to Golden State’s lineup will only further strengthen this team’s ability to repeat as NBA cha

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Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin won't fight

Canelo Álvarez and Gennady Golovkin didn’t fight on May 5. And if recent reports are true, they’re not going to fight ever again. While both Oscar De La Hoya (Canelo’s promoter) and Tom Loeffler (GGG’s promoter) were willing to compromise, there was one catch. Golovkin just wanted parity, a 50-50 split between the two competitors. But that’s not going to happen. And per ESPN’s Dan Rafael, De La Hoya says that’s not happening.“He’s stubborn and wanting 50-50, and it’s not going to happen. The Canelo train has left the station.”"Stubborn" is on add choice of words, considering Golovkin isn’t coming off a suspension for a positive test. Canelo is. But hey, promoters are going to promote. De La Hoya is just doing his job. That said, GGG has absolutely nothing to prove — especially to a cheater. At 36 years old, he’s 38-0-1. His only blemish happens to be a split-decision draw with Canelo back in September 2017. 34 fights have gone his way via knockout.Meanwhile, Álvarez holds a career record of 49-1-2. His only l

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Chuck Pagano says he 'absolutely' wants to coach again

Chuck Pagano was fired by the Indianapolis Colts following back-to-back disappointing seasons, but he is not ready to close the book on his NFL coaching career.In an appearance on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” on Wednesday, Pagano said he “absolutely” wants to continue coaching in the NFL in some capacity. Pagano’s stint with the Colts was his first as a head coach, and it got off to a promising start when the team went 11-5 and reached the playoffs in each of his first three seasons. However, the former defensive coordinator’s inability to build a serviceable defense coupled with Andrew Luck’s injuries led to some rough play over the past two years.It seemed like Pagano might be getting his old job back after the Colts fired him, but nothing ever came of that. He may have to take a season off, but Pagano will almost certainly find an assistant coaching job somewhere if he wants it.

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Bo Jackson: There is 'way more talent' in sports now

Very few people can relate to Kyler Murray’s situation the way Bo Jackson can, and the former NFL and MLB All-Star thinks Murray may find playing two sports slightly more challenging now than it was 30 years ago.Jackson was in attendance for the MLB Draft on Tuesday, and he was asked about Murray remaining at Oklahoma to be the team’s starting quarterback despite being drafted No. 9 overall by the Oakland A’s. “The sporting world’s a little different now than it was when I played,” Jackson said. “They have more talent — way more talent. The talent pool is deep. I can’t tell the young man what to do. Whatever sport he chooses, concentrate on it.”Jackson’s career path was a bit different than the one Murray is expected to take. After he was drafted by the New York Yankees in the second round of the 1982 MLB Draft, Jackson went on to spend four years at Auburn University, starring as a two-sport athlete and winning the Heisman Trophy in 1985. Many expect Murray to play just one season at Oklahoma, though Sooners

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Doug Pederson on White House situation: 'It's over… we’re moving on'

Doug Pederson on Wednesday morning addressed the controversy surrounding President Donald Trump abruptly calling off Tuesday’s scheduled ceremony honoring the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl LII victory at the White House. And from the sound of it, Pederson is eager to put the situation in the past. “It’s over,” Pederson said from NovaCare Complex ahead of Wednesday’s OTA session, via NJ.com. “It’s behind us. We’re moving on.”As the fallout from the uncomfortable and polarizing situation plays out into a second day, Pederson did admit personally being excited to visit the White House.“I was looking forward to going down,” Pederson said. “We did something last season that was really special. A milestone in Philadelphia. I was looking forward to going down and being recognized as world champions. It is what it is.”Reports surfacing in the wake of Trump’s last-minute announcement Monday evening lend to the belief the President canceled the event after it appeared the Eagles would only be sending a small continge

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Eagles coach Pederson says he wanted to go to White House

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Eagles coach Doug Pederson says he was looking forward to going to the White House to be recognized as Super Bowl champions but he wouldn't further discuss a visit that was canceled by President Donald Trump.

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Pelicans reportedly have leverage in any potential Cousins deal

Once viewed as a lock for a long-term, maximum-salary contract, DeMarcus Cousins has seen his free agent value complicated by his recovery from an Achilles tear. Appearing on ESPN on Tuesday, Adrian Wojnarowski suggested that the Pelicans will likely look to re-sign Cousins on a shorter-term deal in order to evaluate how he looks following that Achilles injury (Twitter link via Sagar Trika).Wojnarowski’s report echoes one we heard from his ESPN colleague Zach Lowe in April. At the time, Lowe wrote that New Orleans had internally discussed the possibility of offering Cousins a two- or three-year contract worth less than the max. While Lowe didn’t believe that sort of offer would go over well with Cousins’ camp, he noted that the club has a good amount of leverage, given the lack of teams around the NBA with significant cap room.Although the Pelicans probably won’t offer Cousins a lucrative four- or five-year contract, they do want him back — Wojnarowski noted on Tuesday that as long as Anthony Davisis in New O

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Kareem Hunt accused of punching man in face at resort

For the second time this offseason, Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt is making headlines for the wrong reasons.TMZ reports that Hunt was involved in an alleged physical altercation with a man at the Bay Lodging Resort in Put-in-Bay, Ohio, over the weekend. Hunt had reportedly been partying at the resort all weekend and got into a verbal confrontation with a man on Sunday morning, and the alleged victim told TMZ Hunt punched him in the face.The man says he was not seriously injured and did not seek medical attention, and Hunt was not arrested. The alleged victim says he is not planning to press charges. A resort official confirmed there was an incident involving Hunt but did not get into detail.Back in February, Hunt was accused of shoving a woman during a dispute outside his apartment. A friend of the 22-year-old made it seem as though Hunt was the victim in the incident.Hunt a breakout second season in Kansas City with nearly 1,800 total yards from scrimmage and 11 total touchdowns, but the Chiefs

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Report: LeBron James will meet with Warriors in free agency

LeBron James is two losses away from falling to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals yet again, and there’s only one way to assure he is not faced with a similar situation next year. But would he be open to it?With LeBron set to become a free agent this summer, Stephen A. Smith said on ESPN’s “First Take” Wednesday that the Warriors will be one of the teams James meets with this summer. Obviously, it would be next to impossible for the Warriors to sign LeBron and keep their current core together, so the scenario Smith laid out would involve Klay Thompson and likely Draymond Green being moved. Considering Golden State is probably going to win yet another title, why would they want to shake things up that much?Thompson is signed through next season and Green is under contract through 2020. The Warriors are on pace to rack up a truly mind-boggling luxury tax bill if they try to keep both in addition to Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, but all of the aforementioned players are younger than LeBron. Adding Le

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Deion Sanders: Cowboys should apologize, bring back Dez Bryant

Dez Bryant remains on the free agent market after the Dallas Cowboys cut him loose in April after eight mostly productive seasons with the team.Teams evidently have been wary of signing the 29-year-old wide receiver who has seen his production take a significant dip in recent seasons, although Bryant did reject a multiyear offer from the Baltimore Ravens.Given the apparent lack of interest from NFL teams — at least in accordance with Bryant’s demands — it would seem the receiver’s options are dwindling with training camp on the horizon in late July. With all that in mind, NFL Network’s Deion Sanders believes there is one team that should make a run at Bryant. That team? The Cowboys.While the notion of Bryant actually returning to the team that spurned him just months ago would seem to be a ludicrous, Sanders believes the Cowboys should simply apologize and bring the wide receiver back into the fold.Sanders legitimizes this unlikely scenario by mentioning how things have played out for the Cowboys since releas

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Popovich, Kawhi to reportedly meet before NBA Draft

The San Antonio Spurs will attempt to resolve the uncertainty surrounding Kawhi Leonard with a meeting between the superstar and Gregg Popovich sometime before the 2018 NBA Draft, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.The apparent deterioration of the relationship between Leonard and the Spurs organization became a prominent story line throughout a season in which the star was limited to only nine games this season due to a nagging quadriceps tendinopathy condition, something that allegedly sparked some drama in the Spurs’ locker room. Conflicting reports make it unclear exactly where the relationship between Popovich and Leonard stands. But getting the two back on the same page obviously would get things headed back in the right direction. Wojnarowski said this week on ESPN’s “NBA Draft – On the Clock” that the Spurs still see Leonard as part of the team’s future. “… the Spurs haven’t forgotten and they want to continue to build their organization around Kawhi Leonard,” Wojnarowski said. “Gregg Popovich is going

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Report: Broncos could be worth $3 billion if sold

The failing health of Pat Bowlen means the Denver Broncos need to have a succession plan for the controlling ownership stake. But if the dysfunction surrounding that situation leads to the franchise hitting the market, the sale could be unparalleled.According to Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman, “several league sources” said the Broncos could be worth as much as $3 billion.That number would shatter the record recently set by David Tepper in his acquisition of the Carolina Panthers. Tepper purchased the franchise for $2.275 billion.The Broncos have been in the Bowlen family since Pat and three of his siblings bought the team in 1984.However, at least two of the Bowlen children are interested in assuming principal ownership, so a battle could be brewing. Anyone entertaining the idea of buying the franchise surely is monitoring how those discussions play out.Should the ownership fight become contentious to the point of no return and the Broncos become available, the sale could be historic.

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Sixers ownership met to discuss Colangelo's future

The Sixers‘ ownership group convened in New York on Tuesday evening, talking for several hours about whether head of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo should be fired based on the findings in an investigation into several burner Twitter accounts, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Wojnarowski, the 76ers could reach a decision on Wednesday.As Wojnarowski has previously reported, the investigation into those Twitter accounts, which published tweets critical of Sixers players and revealed sensitive information, has increasingly focused on Colangelo’s wife Barbara.Both Colangelo and his wife were interviewed by investigators for several hours on Sunday and Monday. While those interviews took place separately, Sixers ownership is struggling to separate Colangelo from his wife when it comes to the tweets in question, if she did in fact post them, Wojnarowski writes.With Colangelo’s future up in the air, the Sixers are looking ahead to next month’s free agent period with the intent of pu

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Tuesday's Sports In Brief

TRUMP & SPORTS

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Steve Kerr: Andre Iguodala should play in Game 3 or Game 4

The Golden State Warriors will likely soon get one of their best players back, as 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala is expected to play either in Game 3 or in Game 4 of the 2018 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.On Tuesday, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gave an update on Iguodala’s status. Iguodala himself has said he aims to play Wednesday in Game 3 and a report emerged that he’s been pain-free for a few days now.Golden State has jumped out to a 2-0 lead in this series without Iguodala’s services and was able to close out the Houston Rockets without him, too. This team is absolutely loaded, but there’s no doubt that getting Iggy back will only further strengthen the Warriors for this final stretch as they pursue back-to-back titles.

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Wes Welker on Deshaun Watson: 'I've never seen anything like it...ever'

Wes Welker on Deshaun Watson: 'I've never seen anything like it...ever'

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Terrell Owens reveals why he's interested in making a comeback to the NFL

Terrell Owens joins Shannon Sharpe, Skip Bayless and Joy Taylor on Undisputed to discuss his interest in making a comeback to the NFL.

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New York Giants GM Dave Gettleman has lymphoma

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has lymphoma, and he says the prognosis for his recovery is ''positive.''

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Trump calls off event for NFL’s Eagles, cites anthem dispute

WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump abruptly canceled his Tuesday ceremony celebrating the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl victory after many players declined to show up. The White House accused the players of abandoning their fans, and Trump quickly scheduled a ''Celebration of America'' with military bands as he stoked fresh controversy over players who protest racial injustice by taking a knee during the national anthem.

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LeBron says neither Cavs nor Warriors will visit White House

Donald Trump made the unprecedented decision to cancel the Philadelphia Eagles’ scheduled visit to the White House this week, and LeBron James says fans should not expect the winner of the NBA Finals to make the trip to the nation’s capital, either.When asked on Tuesday about the Eagles’ trip being cancelled, LeBron felt comfortable making some pretty powerful remarks on behalf of both his Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. LeBron also ripped Trump for not inviting the WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx to the White House. This is not the first time LeBron has made his feelings known about Trump, and he even appeared to intentionally toy with a Trump supporter earlier in the postseason. However, it is noteworthy that he chose to speak on behalf of his teammates and opponents. That says a lot about where today’s NBA players stand.

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Dave Gettleman reveals he has been diagnosed with lymphoma

Dave Gettleman has been faced with the tough challenge of having to rebuild the New York Giants after a disappointing season, but the general manager revealed on Tuesday that he will be beginning a much more difficult fight in the near future.In a statement he released through the team, Gettleman announced that he has been diagnosed with lymphoma. The 67-year-old says he will begin treatment “in the very near future.” Gettleman said he will continue to work with the Giants as much as his treatments allow and will be in contact with the team even when he can’t be in the office, but his health is obviously the top priority at the moment. The most encouraging part of his statement is that Gettleman says the doctors consider his prognosis to be “positive.”Gettleman has already made a number of big moves this offseason, and fans are expecting a much better Giants team in 2018. Here’s hoping he is able to take part in as much of the new season as possible.

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White House: Eagles are to blame for canceled event

The White House on Tuesday issued a statement in which the it accuses Philadelphia Eagles players who intended not to attend the canceled ceremony planned to celebrate the team’s Super Bowl LII victory of abandoning their fans. The statement, issued by the White House’s Office of the Press Secretary, also accuses the Eagles of negotiating the parameters of the scheduled White House visit with a “lack of good faith.” The statement reads in its entirety as follows, (via NJ.com): After extensive discussions with the Eagles organization, which began in February, the team accepted an invitation from the President to attend a June 5 celebration of their victory in Super Bowl LII at the White House. On Thursday, May 31, the team notified the White House of 81 individuals, including players, coaches, management, and support personnel, who would attend the event.  On Friday, the Secret Service cleared them for participation.  These individuals, along with more than 1,000 Eagles fans, were scheduled to attend the event

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Chris Paul likely to demand max contract from Rockets

If the Houston Rockets thought they were going to retain injury-plagued guard Chris Paul on the cheap this summer, they were sorely mistaken.Paul will hit free agency next month. That’s about a calendar year after he turned down a Stephen Curry-like five-year contract worth about $40 million annually from the Los Angeles Clippers.According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Paul’s decisions to turn down said deal and agree to a trade to Houston was a precursor to what he’ll demand from the Rockets this summer.“When the Rockets made that deal for Paul, knowing they would re-sign him, they made a conscious decision that they were gonna have to live with a $46-47 million-a-year salary when he’s not nearly the player anymore in his late 30s,” Wojnarowski noted. “They said we’re gonna make a run at it now, we wanna win a championship now, we’ll deal with it later. We’ll see how that plays out in their contract talks here in free agency, but Paul didn’t turn down $200 million from the Clippers because he thought that so

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Redskins honor '87 replacement players with Super Bowl rings

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) The Washington Redskins will honor their 1987 replacement team that won all three games by giving them Super Bowl rings next week.

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The Latest: WH to play national anthem in Eagles absence

WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on President Donald Trump's cancellation of the Philadelphia Eagles' visit to the White House (all times local):

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The Latest: WH to play national anthem in Eagles absence

WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on President Donald Trump's cancellation of the Philadelphia Eagles' visit to the White House (all times local):

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The Latest: WH to play national anthem in Eagles absence

WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on President Donald Trump's cancellation of the Philadelphia Eagles' visit to the White House (all times local):

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1 of 2 charged in stadium banner protest pleads guilty

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) One of two people charged with misdemeanors for unfurling a banner from the rafters of U.S. Bank Stadium during a Minnesota Vikings game to protest the Dakota Access pipeline has pleaded guilty and has been placed on probation.

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Trump calls off event for NFL’s Eagles, cites anthem dispute

WASHINGTON (AP) Fuming over the risk of low turnout, President Donald Trump canceled a White House visit for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and eagerly stoked fresh drama Tuesday over players who protest racial injustice by taking a knee during the national anthem.

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Belichick: Relationship with Brady ‘good,’ downplays OTA absence

As expected, Tom Brady took the field at mandatory minicamp for the New England Patriots on Tuesday. The only thing more predictable than that was the way Brady’s coach reacted to the quarterback returning to the practice field with the team.At his first press conference of minicamp, Bill Belichick was asked several questions about Brady and Rob Gronkowski choosing to skip voluntary organized team activities. He downplayed the significance of it and insisted his relationship within Brady remains in a good place. Brady has not skipped OTAs for the last several seasons and has spoken in recent years about how important they are, but Belichick chose not to echo those sentiments. As usual, he also did his best to put Brady and Gronk on the same level as everyone else. It’s no secret that Brady and Belichick have not been seeing eye-to-eye on everything over the past year or so, and some players may still be upset with the coach over the puzzling decision he made in the Super Bowl. But if history repeats itself, t

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Steelers place OL Hawkins, TE McGee on Injured Reserve

PITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins and tight end Jake McGee on injured reserve after they were hurt during organized team activities last week. Both players are out for the 2018 season.

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Trump touts celebration of US after canceling NFL's Eagles

Trump touts celebration of US after canceling NFL's Eagles

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Former quarterback Oliver Luck to become XFL commissioner

NEW YORK (AP) Former NFL quarterback Oliver Luck is leaving his high-ranking position at the NCAA to become commissioner of the XFL, the second edition of professional wrestling mogul Vince McMahon's football league.

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Browns sign LB Mychal Kendricks, won Super Bowl with Eagles

CLEVELAND (AP) The Browns signed free agent linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who started last season for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

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Cris Carter ranks the Top 5 Wide Receivers in the last 10 years

In his reaction to Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown asking on Twitter if he's the best wide receiver of his generation, Cris Carter reveals where AB lands on his list of the greatest wide receivers of the current generation (last 10 years). Where do you rank Calvin Johnson, Antonio Brown, Larry Fitzgerald, A.J. Green and Julio Jones?

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The Latest: WH to play national anthem in Eagles absence

WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on President Donald Trump's cancellation of the Philadelphia Eagles' visit to the White House (all times local):

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Former 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark dead at 61

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) Dwight Clark will forever be remembered for one iconic moment, his leap in the back of the end zone to make a fingertip grab of a game-winning touchdown that launched the San Francisco 49ers dynasty and is one of the most indelible images in NFL history.

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Eagles players blast FOX News for misrepresenting their prayers as protests

Most of the players on the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster probably were not disappointed at all that Donald Trump cancelled their team’s scheduled visit to the White House, but some of them are understandably upset over the way one media outlet is covering the story.After Trump announced his decision on Monday night, FOX News ran some images that purported to show Eagles players protesting the national anthem. Tight end Zach Ertz, one of the players shown, ripped the network for using images of players praying as “propaganda.” Chris Long, who has always been outspoken about political issues, also unloaded on FOX. Some of those photos clearly were not taken during the national anthem, so you can understand why players are upset that they were used in that context. And given how few players were expected to attend the White House ceremony to begin with, it’s safe to assume the NFL’s new anthem policy would have had very little to do with the low attendance.

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NFLPA issues statement on Trump canceling Eagles’ White House visit

The NFLPA on Tuesday morning issued a statement in which it expressed disappointment over President Donald Trump’s decision to rescind the invitation to the Philadelphia Eagles to celebrate their Super Bowl LII win with a ceremony at the White House. The statement was transmitted via Twitter courtesy of NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. It’s noted in the statement that several “player-led community service events for young people in the Washington, DC area” were canceled due to the White House’s decision to call off the ceremony. Trump on Monday evening tweeted that the Eagles were no longer welcome at the White House for Tuesday’s planned ceremony, citing the ongoing national anthem protest controversy as the reason. Reports surfaced that the Eagles were expected to only send a contingent of perhaps fewer than 10 players to the ceremony, something that presumably inspired Trump to some extent to cancel the event. Trump returned to Twitter to weigh in on the issue Tuesday morning, noting in one tweet that arrangement

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Andrew Luck’s father Oliver named commissioner of the XFL

Vince McMahon is committed to proving that his professional football league will be a serious venture the second time around, and he has hired an executive to oversee the league that should help accomplish that goal.Oliver Luck, the father of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, revealed on Tuesday that he has been named the commissioner of the XFL.“The XFL will be a labor of love as I get to combine my experiences as a player and executive,” Luck told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “I’m thrilled to have this unique opportunity to reimagine the game that has been a constant in my life for 40 years.”Luck currently holds a position with the NCAA where he oversees the Eligibility Center. His responsibilities include keeping tabs on eligibility requirements and academic affairs, but he will leave that job immediately and relocate to the XFL’s headquarters in Connecticut.Luck, a former quarterback who played for the Houston Oilers and was inducted into the West Virginia University Hall of Fame, is a big hire for McM

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The Latest: WH to play national anthem in Eagles absence

WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on President Donald Trump's cancellation of the Philadelphia Eagles' visit to the White House (all times local):

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Trump calls off event for NFL’s Eagles, cites anthem dispute

WASHINGTON (AP) A day after scrubbing a White House visit by the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, President Donald Trump appeared to challenge part of a new NFL policy that allows players who want to protest during the national anthem to do so in the locker room.

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Former OSU football player arrested for assaulting officer

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) A former Ohio State and Chicago Bears offensive lineman has been charged with felony assault of a police officer.

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Steven Adams says he accidentally liked photo criticizing Carmelo Anthony

An NBA player is once again in a bit of hot water over Instagram likes.Fans caught Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams liking a reply to an Instagram comment about which Thunder star was the most valuable. It depicted Adams, Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony, and Adams just so happened to like a comment that stated “all of them except Melo.” Adams told Bleacher Report in a statement that the like was an accident. Few, though, would argue with the assertion, as Anthony posted a career-worst 16.2 points per game for Oklahoma City last season.If Adams needs some help getting past an alleged accidental Instagram like, he can just reach out to one of his former teammates who’s dealt with the same problem.

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Antonio Brown befuddles fans with cryptic tweets

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown posted a few messages to his Twitter account on Monday that had his fans wondering what the heck is going on.To be honest, we’re wondering, too. Check out this string of tweets. Clearly, something had Brown feeling some things this Monday morning.In particular, the “Pee on me tell me it’s raining” message had folks really raising their eyebrows. Here are some of the best responses we saw.  

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Report: Andre Iguodala is pain-free, nearing return

Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala is reportedly closing in on a return, having not played since Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.According to Chris Haynes of ESPN, Iguodala did a full workout and sprinted on Saturday, and while he didn’t play in Game 2, he is pain-free and anticipates returning before the series is over.“I aim to play in Game 3, but I’ve aimed to play in Game 2 and Game 3,” Iguodala told ESPN after Game 2. “We’ll just have to see.”Iguodala being pain-free is a pretty big deal, as it was one of the major tests he would have to pass in order to return. His coach anticipates that he’ll play before the series ends, and it sounds as though Wednesday’s Game 3 is actually a realistic target for a possible return to action.

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Bears TE Zach Miller gets 1-year deal after leg injury

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) The Chicago Bears have re-signed veteran tight end Zach Miller to a one-year contract, clearing the way for him to return from a gruesome injury last October that nearly cost him his left leg.

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Packers says no long-term concern after Matthews hit in nose

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy says he is OK with players taking part in a charity softball game in spite of an injury to linebacker Clay Matthews.

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Brady, Gronkowski both show up ahead of mandatory minicamp

There will be no workout-related fines handed out to the New England Patriots’ two most important offensive players, as Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have officially rejoined their teammates in advance of mandatory minicamp.On Monday, the Patriots tweeted some photos from their annual fantasy camp. Both Brady and Gronkowski were present hanging out with fans. Mandatory minicamp begins on Tuesday, and there was never really a doubt that both Brady and Gronkowski would be there. While they probably didn’t miss a whole lot during organized team activities, their absences were notable.Gronkowski has reportedly been seeking a new contract, and there have been indications that he is going to get one at some point this offseason. The situation with Brady may be a little more complicated and could have to do with money and/or his personal trainer Alex Guerrero no longer having access to the team. Either way, it would have been a big surprise if Brady and Gronk missed mandatory workouts.

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Pearl gets contract extension despite FBI investigation

The Auburn Tigers are giving Bruce Pearl a contract extension despite the ongoing FBI investigation into the program.The school announced Monday that Pearl will have his contract extended through 2022-23 after a successful season on the court. Pearl led Auburn to a 26-8 season and the second round of the NCAA Tournament despite the investigation hanging over his program. If you believe the reports, said investigation, plus Pearl’s hesitance to comply with it, could have cost him his job last year, but obviously the Auburn brass has been sufficiently impressed by his conduct and his coaching to keep him around for a while longer.

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Jim Kelly to receive Jimmy V Award for battling cancer

BATAVIA, N.Y. (AP) Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly says he's going to receive ESPN's Jimmy V Award for the toughness and perseverance he's displayed during his ongoing battle with oral cancer.

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McCarthy: No long-term concern about Matthews’ health

It sounds as if Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews won’t suffer any ill effects long-term after breaking his nose over the weekend.The veteran linebacker was hit in the face by a line drive at a charity softball event, but according to coach Mike McCarthy, there should be no long-term issues with his health once he gets the situation surgically corrected. Scary as Matthews’s injury was, it could have been a lot worse. He should be good to go after surgery and a period of recovery. Now we wonder if the Packers will have long-term concerns about charity softball games instead.

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Former Colts coach Chuck Pagano on Andrew Luck and why he’d ‘absolutely’ love to have Dez Bryant

Joining Nick Wright, Cris carter and Jenna Wolfe in studio on First Things First, Chuck Pagano, the former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, discusses his expectation for Andrew Luck in the 2018 NFL season and why he'd absolutely love to have Dez Bryant play for him.

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Report: Warriors angry over 'dangerous play' from Perkins

Kendrick Perkins was not even wearing a uniform during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, but that did not stop the veteran big man from angering his opponents and getting into a confrontation.At the end of the third quarter of Golden State’s win over the Cavaliers, Stephen Curry tripped over Perkins’ legs on a 3-point attempt as time expired. Curry felt that Perkins either stuck his feet out or made no effort to move, and he immediately confronted him. ESPN’s Chris Haynes reports that several of Curry’s teammates were also bothered by the “dangerous play” and felt Curry could have suffered a serious knee or ankle injury because of Perkins’ “reluctance to move his knees and feet.” Curry chose not to explain why he was so angry.“I’m not going to get into it,” he told Haynes. “No comment.”Perkins was signed by the Cavs late in the season and has not played a significant role on the court, but he’s managed to become part of the story on multiple occasions. Between the tripping in Game 2, his incident with Draym

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Report: Klay Thompson expected to play Sunday

The Golden State Warriors are reportedly likely to at least have Klay Thompson in the lineup for Game 2 of the NBA Finals.According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, the wide expectation is that Thompson will play in Game 2, though it is unknown how effective he’ll be playing through a high ankle sprain he suffered in Game 1. Despite the apparent seriousness of the ankle injury, all signs point to Thompson playing. It swelled up in a major way after he finished Game 1, and he has required extensive treatment to get ready for Sunday night’s game. His presence will help, but we won’t know how much of an impact the ankle is having on his play until tip.

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WATCH: Javier Baez steals home to break scoreless tie

The Chicago Cubs and New York Mets were in a scoreless tie through six innings on Sunday. In the seventh, the Cubs got creative on a play that ultimately ended with Javier Baez stealing home.With Baez at third and catcher Willson Contreras on first, Contreras drew a throw from New York pitcher Steven Matz. As soon as Matz threw to first, Baez took off hard for the plate, easily scoring. The Cubs couldn’t have done it much better. Obviously, the situation allowed it to happen. That play doesn’t work if runners aren’t on the corners and if the pitcher is not left-handed. Even still, that play is far from easy to run.It’s also gutsy. Chicago hadn’t broken through against Matz. But with a man on third and nobody out, the Cubs had three chances to score that run, two of those could have been without a hit.Clearly, it worked like a charm. Not only was Baez easily safe at the plate, but Contreras made it to second. He scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly.

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Mychal Kendricks reportedly signs with Browns

The Cleveland Browns have bolstered their linebacking group ahead of training camp, as they have reportedly signed veteran free agent Mychal Kendricks.According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Kendricks has agreed to a one-year deal with the Browns. Kendricks, 27, appeared in 15 games for the Eagles in each of the past two seasons. The former second-round pick recorded 77 total tackles and two sacks while helping the Eagles win a Super Bowl last year.As Rapoport noted, the Browns now have a talented linebacker group that includes Kendricks, Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey. Their front seven should be very effective in stopping the run this season.

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Barry Trotz praises Alex Ovechkin for 'imposing his will' during playoffs

Alex Ovechkin is two wins away from winning his first Stanley Cup, and in the eyes of his head coach, it couldn’t be more deserved.Ovechkin turned in another exemplary performance during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday evening, scoring his 14th goal from the playoffs and counting himself unlucky not to score more. Coach Barry Trotz praised his playoff run after the game in the highest possible terms. Trotz is likely right. Ovechkin has been on so many Capitals teams that failed in the playoffs and he seems more driven than ever to ensure that it doesn’t happen again this season. He’s obviously one of the best players of his generation, but he’s playing with incredible intensity and such confidence that he wasn’t even put off by touching the Prince of Wales Trophy.

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Ex-Patriot defends team from critical comments about culture

While it’s clear that not everyone who played for the New England Patriots loved their time there, many who played for the team really enjoyed it.Count former linebacker Shea McClellin in the latter group. He spent two years with the Patriots from 2016 through 2017, and he called them “the best two years of my football career that I’ve had.”“I definitely think it starts from the top, Bill [Belichick] and Mr. Kraft, and then it just trickles down,” McClellin said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN. “Then you have leaders like Tom [Brady] and Matt [Slater] and Dev [Devin McCourty] — the captains. When you come in as a new guy or a young guy, and you see how laid-back and easy-going the captains are; they’ll just come up and talk to you and genuinely want to know about how you’re doing and how your life is. I think that’s something that makes the chemistry and camaraderie that much better. When the older guys really care about you, it makes you want to play for them and for your teammates, and not just for yourself.”McClel

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Saints RB Ingram Ranked #43 on NFL Network's Top 100 Players List

Saints RB Ingram Ranked #43 on NFL Network's Top 100 Players List

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Rob Gronkowski confirms he will attend mandatory minicamp

There has been no official announcement regarding a restructured contract agreement between Rob Gronkowski and the New England Patriots, but the star tight end is not planning to hold out regardless of where the situation stands.During a charity event on Sunday, Gronk confirmed that he will be on the field Tuesday when the Patriots begin minicamp.“We’ve got mandatory minicamp this week. So I’ll be there this week,” Gronkowski told reporters, via CBS Boston. “I’ll be full go. I’m looking forward to it. Can’t wait to get back to work. I’m excited.”New England’s two biggest stars, Gronk and Tom Brady, have chosen not to take part in organized team activities, which are voluntary. Brady was the only quarterback of the 32 potential starters in the NFL to not join his teammates for the workouts. It’s unclear why he has chosen not to attend, but all indications have been that Gronk’s absence has to do with his contract.The Patriots restructured Gronkowski’s contract prior to last season to include a number of incent

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Phil Mickelson takes shot at USGA ahead of US Open

The United States Golf Association has faced criticism dating back many years over the handling of the US Open, and Phil Mickelson has already fired a shot at the organization weeks before its biggest event of the year.This year’s US Open is being held at Shinnecock Hills, which is considered one of the toughest golf courses in the world. The USGA has a tendency to make challenging courses nearly impossible to score on, and it sounds like Mickelson is concerned 2018 will be no different. The last time the US Open was held at Shinnecock was in 2004. Mickelson finished runner-up in that tournament, and several golfers unloaded on the USGA for creating unfair conditions. The greens were extremely hard and some became baked out, requiring them to be watered at inconvenient times. On the 7th hole, the green was accidentally rolled during the third round, making it even more challenging to land the ball on the putting surface of the par-3.Of course, the USGA has grown accustomed to hearing the complaints. Ian Poult

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