NFL:
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Acknowledged he "didn't get it right" with a two-game suspension for Ravens running back Ray Rice. He announced tougher penalties for players accused of domestic violence. The new sanctions include a six-week suspension for a first offense and at least a year for a second.
In NFL preseason action, Josh Brown kicked a 37-yard field goal with 38 seconds to play and the New York Giants capped their first undefeated preseason since 2006 with a 16-13 victory over the New England Patriots last night. The win was a gift from Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who went for a first down with a fourth-and-1 from his 39 with less than three minutes to play and the score tied. Meanwhile Detroit Lions third-string quarterback Kellen Moore threw two touchdown passes in a 23-0 win over Buffalo in which Bills rookie receiver Sammy Watkins reinjured his ribs, and Philadelphia blew out the Jets 37-7.
Dimitri Patterson disputes the New York Jets' version of his mysterious absence. The suspended cornerback says in a statement to ESPN that the Jets' claims that he went missing for 48 hours without notifying the team are "completely false." Patterson was suspended Tuesday for the rest of the preseason after the Jets say he left the team and went missing last Friday night before the preseason game against the Giants.
A person familiar with Josh Gordon's situation says the suspended wide receiver wants to play for Calgary in the Canadian Football League, but is prohibited from doing so. Under CFL rules, a player suspended by the NFL and under contract is not eligible to play in Canada. But if the Cleveland Browns released Gordon, he would be able to play elsewhere. Gordon's suspension for another violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy was upheld.
MLB:
In Major League Baseball, in the American League, the Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees 3-2 yesterday. Alex Avila hit an RBI single off the wall in right field, with two out in the bottom of the ninth for Detroit. Hiroki Kuroda allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings for New York, but he's still without a victory over the Tigers in his career. He's beaten baseball's other 29 teams.
Elsewhere Baltimore beat Tampa Bay 5-4, Cleveland edged the White Sox 3-2, Minnesota bested Kansas City 11-5 in 10, Houston doubled up Texas 4-2, and the Angels won against Oakland 4-3 in 10. The Red Sox were off last night, they take on the Rays in a 4 game series starting tonight at Tampa bay at 7:10 p.m.
In the National League, Atlanta topped the Mets 6-1, Cincinnati defeated the Cubs 7-2, and it was San Francisco over Colorado 4-1.
NCAAF:
In college football, Kenny Hill broke Johnny Manziel's (mahn-ZEHLZ') single-game passing record with 511 yards and No. 21 Texas A&M stomped ninth-ranked South Carolina 52-28, ending the Gamecocks' 18-game home win streak.
Closer to home, Bryant College's defense held off Stony Brook in a 13-7 victory in the season opener for both teams. Dalton Easton threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Chad Ward midway through the third quarter. Marquise Watson and Jeff Covitz each had 10 tackles to help the Bulldogs shut down Stony Brook's running game. Bryant had five sacks and held the Seawolves to 85 yards of net rushing.
BYU will play UConn tonight at 7 p.m.
Running back Anthony Brown has quit the Trojans, and coach Sarkisian was stunned by Brown's apparent accusations of racism against him on social media. A photo of the words "Couldn't play for a racist man!!!!" was posted on what USC said was Brown's Instagram account. The posting was later deleted. Sarkisian was told about the apparent posts from Brown, who is black, shortly after USC finished practice Thursday. The visibly disturbed coach called them "ridiculous."
Tennis – U.S. Open:
Top-seeded Serena Williams is through to the third round at the U.S. Open after easily beating Vania King 6-1, 6-love in just 56 minutes. Top men's seed Novak Djokovic also had an easy time winning his second round match, rolling to a 6-1, 6-3, 6-love, rout of Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu. 15-year-old CiCi Bellis, who became the youngest player to win a U.S. Open match since 1996 earlier this week, lost her match to 48th-ranked Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan 6-3, 0-6, 6-2.
NASCAR:
Tony Stewart will return to Sprint Cup competition Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway. That will end a three-race hiatus taken after he struck and killed a fellow driver during a dirt-track race in upstate New York.
NBA:
Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green is donating $1 million to Georgetown's new athletic center. The university announced the gift from the former Hoyas star yesterday on Green's 28th birthday. He helped lead Georgetown to the Final Four in 2007 and was the Number 5 overall pick in the NBA draft that year.
NCAAF - Vermont:
An NCAA requirement to approve the consortium was existing cooperation between the two schools. Officials say Bennington and Southern Vermont have worked closely since 2005 and the sports partnership would increase the level of cooperation.
Through the new consortium, Southern Vermont is allowed to recruit student-athletes enrolled at Bennington. The athletes must meet all NCAA and Southern Vermont eligibility requirements as well Division III performance standards.
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