The NFL has announced its 2014 schedule, and it opens with the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks hosting the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, Sept. 4. The New York Giants will have their first game against Detroit in the Monday Night Football opener of the regular season. The Patriots will see Miami for their first game, and the New York Jets will go head to head with Oakland. The Bills will visit Chicago for their regular season opener.
The New York Jets will hold training camp at SUNY Cortland, returning to central New York for the fifth time in the last six years. The Jets made the announcement Wednesday. Teams can begin camp 15 days before their first preseason game.
In the NBA playoffs, Miami squeaked by Charlotte 101-97, Dallas won against San Antonio 113-92, Portland bested Houston 112-105.
The coaching search is on in New York, and the best possible candidate has already been eliminated. Phil Jackson won't be hiring himself to coach the Knicks. Two days after firing Mike Woodson, Jackson reiterated Wednesday that he won't be returning to the bench, despite the fact that even fiancee Jeanie Buss told him he should. But Jackson says his body isn't up to doing the job. He retired from coaching in 2011 after winning an NBA-record 11 titles.
In the NHL playoffs, Columbus skated past Pittsburgh in overtime 4-3, Dallas beat Anaheim 4-2, Chicago bested St. Louis in overtime 4-3.
In baseball, in interleague play, Washington beat the Angels 5-4.
In the American League, Boston had a 5-1 win over the New York Yankees. Yankees starter Michael Pineda was ejected in the second inning after umpires found a foreign substance on his neck, 13 days after the right-hander had brown goo on the lower part of the palm of his pitching hand during a 4-1 win over Boston. Texas bested Oakland 3-0, Seattle defeated Houston 5-3, Cleveland edged Kansas City 5-3, Baltimore slid past Toronto 10-8, the White Sox trumped Detroit 6-4, and Minnesota topped Tampa Bay 6-4 in 12.
In the National League, the Mets beat St. Louis 3-2, the Dodgers bested Philadelphia 5-2, Milwaukee edged San Diego 5-2, Cincinnati topped Pittsburgh 5-2, San Francisco trumped Colorado 12-10 in 11, and it was Atlanta over Miami 3-1.
On an afternoon in which the team celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first game at Wrigley Field, the Cubbies coughed up a 5-2 lead in the ninth inning of a 7-5 loss to Arizona.