NFL:
New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul had his right index finger amputated yesterday afternoon according to reports from ESPN.
Meanwhile Tampa Bay Buccaneer's cornerback C.J. Wilson was also involved in a fireworks incident over the holiday weekend.
A federal judge has ordered the Patent and Trademark Office to cancel registration of the Washington Redskins' trademark, ruling that the team name may be disparaging to Native Americans. Judge Gerald Bruce Lee emphasized that the Redskins are still free to use the name if they wish, but that they would just lose some legal protections that go along with federal registration of a trademark.
The decision affirms an earlier finding by an administrative appeal board.
Redskins President Bruce Allen said the team will appeal.
The NFL has hired Rod Graves to be a senior vice president of football administration and club services. Graves will oversee all club- and game-related initiatives related to the Competition Committee, general managers and head coaches. Graves was a long-time Arizona Cardinals executive and general manager. He spent the past two seasons with the New York Jets as senior director of football administration.
FIFA:
Chuck Blazer was banned for life by FIFA's ethics committee on Thursday for widespread corruption, finally ending the career of the longtime most senior American in world football.
The expulsion from football duty was a formality after Blazer's guilty plea to racketeering and tax evasion charges was unsealed in May by United States federal agencies.
FIFA's ethics panel made its ruling using evidence from the American federal case which has plunged FIFA and international football into crisis.
"(Blazer) was a key player in schemes involving the offer, acceptance, payment and receipt of undisclosed and illegal payments, bribes and kickbacks as well as other money-making schemes," the FIFA ethics committee said in a statement.
Blazer pleaded guilty to 10 counts including racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies and income tax evasion.
He admitted receiving payments in a $10 million bribe scheme to support South Africa's successful 2010 World Cup hosting bid. The plot linked Blazer and two other then-FIFA executive committee members in getting cash which South African officials asked FIFA to transfer through the governing body's accounts in 2008.
Blazer also admitted involvement in World Cup ticket sale scams and abusing his position as CONCACAF general secretary to take millions of dollars in kickbacks from commercial deals he negotiated for the Gold Cup tournament.
He was a cooperating witness with United States federal agencies since 2011 after his tax affairs were investigated.
Blazer served on FIFA's policy-making executive committee for 16 years until 2013.
He had risen to power at CONCACAF, the regional football body governing North and Central America and the Caribbean, alongside its disgraced former president Jack Warner.
FIFA opened an ethics investigation against Blazer after the corrupt financial management of CONCACAF was exposed in 2012.
"Mr. Blazer committed many and various acts of misconduct continuously and repeatedly during his time as an official in different high-ranking and influential positions at FIFA and CONCACAF," the ethics panel said Thursday.
The FIFA proceedings were suspended in 2013 due to Blazer's ill-health and while the U.S. federal case developed.
Blazer, now 70, told a Brooklyn court in November 2013 that he had been treated for rectal cancer.
He forfeited more than $1.9 million at the time of his plea and has agreed to pay more when he is sentenced.
Blazer's life story could be made into a Hollywood film. The rights to an upcoming book of his football administration career were bought last month.
MLB:
In baseball, in the American League, the Yankees edged Oakland 5-4, Cleveland doubled up Houston 4-2, Kansas City beat Tampa Bay 9-7, the White Sox slid past Toronto 7-6 in 11 innings, Detroit won against Seattle 5-4, and it was Minnesota over Baltimore 5-3.
In the National League, the Mets topped San Francisco 4-1, the Dodgers shut out Philadelphia 5-0, Pittsburgh bested San Diego 5-2, Milwaukee edged Atlanta 6-5, and it was St. Louis over the Cubs 6-5.
The Cincinnati at Washington game was postponed due to rain.
In interleague play, Boston doubled up Miami 6-3, Arizona won against Texas 7-4, and it was the Angels over Colorado 3-2.
Todd Frazier, who will have the backing of the hometown fans in Cincinnati, is paired with two-time champion Prince Fielder of Texas in the first round of Monday's All-Star Home Run Derby in Cincinnati. In this year's new format, Chicago Cubs rookie Kris Bryant is in a pairing with the Los Angeles Angels' Albert Pujols, Toronto's Josh Donaldson is in a bracket with the Chicago Cubs' Anthony Rizzo, and Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson takes on Baltimore's Manny Machado.
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is eligible to return for tomorrow night's series opener against the Yankees, but manager John Farrell says the club hasn't decided on that yet. Pedroia has been out with a strained right hamstring.
Golf:
Rory McIlroy won't be back to defend his title in the British Open.
The world's No. 1 player has announced that a ruptured ligament in his left ankle will keep him from St. Andrews next week for the third major of the season. McIlroy said he injured his ankle while playing soccer with friends in Northern Ireland over the weekend.
He will be the first player to not defend his Open title since Ben Hogan in 1954.
Tennis:
Women's semifinals are on tap Thursday at Wimbledon. Defending champion and No. 1 seed Serena Williams plays No. 4 Maria Sharapova and No. 13 Agnieszka Radwanska vs. No. 20 Garbine Muguruza.
English tennis hero Andy Murray has a tall task in Friday's men's semifinals. Murray, who is riding a 10-match winning streak, has drawn seven-time Wimbledon champ Roger Federer, whom Murray has not beaten since 2013.
MLS:
Each Major League Soccer team will receive $500,000 in additional money over the next five years to spend on players. The league says Targeted Allocation Money can be applied to sign or re-sign players who earn more than the maximum salary budget charge who are not high-priced designated players.
NBA:
The NBA salary cap has been set for next season at $70 million, a higher-than-expected number that paves the way for free agent contracts to be signed. With the cap set, the league's moratorium was lifted today at midnight (Eastern time), and deals and trades that were agreed to since free agency opened on July 1 can become official.
ESPN:
Keith Olbermann's show on ESPN will end sometime this month. "Olbermann" premiered in August of 2013 when he returned to the network. ESPN released a statement saying it has decided to move in another direction. Olbermann was a "SportsCenter" anchor on ESPN from 1992-97.
WNBA:
In the WNBA, Indiana topped Seattle 88-65 and it was San Antonio over Los Angeles 70-63.\
Legal:
Five-time major champion Phil Mickelson has refused to comment on allegations linking him to an illegal gambling operation. ESPN reported last week that $2.75 million belonging to Mickelson was transferred to a former sports gambling handicapper, who pleaded guilty to laundering money.
Speaking in Gullane ahead of the Scottish Open, Mickelson said he doesn't feel the need to comment on "every little report that comes out."
ESPN reported that Mickelson hasn't been charged with a crime and isn't under federal investigation
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