PRO FOOTBALL
MIAMI (AP) - Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito offered apologies to teammate Jonathan Martin, team owner Stephen Ross and investigator Ted Wells in the wake of the NFL-ordered report detailing a racially charged bullying scandal.
The report stated there was a “pattern of harassment” committed by Incognito and teammates John Jerry and Mike Pouncey that extended to two Dolphins linemen and an assistant trainer, all targets of vicious taunts and racist insults.
On his Twitter account, Incognito wrote, “I would like to send Jonathan my apologies as well. Until someone tells me different you are still my brother. No hard feelings :)”
He also apologized to Wells and Ross, saying “this (stuff) got cray, cray.”
Incognito, 30, had closed his Twitter account for two days, but returned Monday night with a noticeably different tone, apologizing for “acting like a big baby.”
WASHINGTON (AP) - A year after taking a major pay cut to help the Washington Redskins through their salary cap woes, DeAngelo Hall has a new deal with a nice raise.
The three-time Pro Bowl cornerback agreed to terms for a four-year contract with the Redskins, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the deal, said the contract will be worth between $4 million and $5 million per year.
That’s a reversal from 2013, when the Redskins cut Hall because they couldn’t afford him, then re-signed him on the cheap. The team was dealing with the second half of a league-imposed $36 million salary cap penalty, so they ditched the final two years of his burdensome, six-year, $54 million contract and got him back on a one-year deal worth less than $2 million.
NEW YORK (AP) - Goodbye, Dan Marino and Shannon Sharpe. Hello, Tony Gonzalez.
Marino and Sharpe will not return to their analyst roles on CBS’ “The NFL Today” pregame show. Gonzalez, a recently retired star tight end, will now prep for a turn on the network’s pro football coverage.
CBS sports chairman Sean McManus said the move to part ways with Marino and Sharpe “was really kind of a mutual decision” and “has nothing to do with any dissatisfaction in the ratings.”
McManus said he has no single metric by which he measures the success of the pregame show.
Gonzalez is going to go from the field to the studio in a hurry. The former All-Pro tight end who appears destined for a spot in the Hall of Fame in Canton said he was looking for a TV job with all of the major companies that broadcast NFL games. He said he felt the most comfortable with CBS.
Marino, the longtime Miami Dolphins quarterback, joined CBS in 2002. Sharpe was added for the 2004 season.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
CHICAGO (AP) - Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter testified that he was essentially paid to play via his scholarship as the National Labor Relations Board opened a closely watched hearing on a bid to form what would be the first union for college athletes in U.S. history.
From a witnesses stand in a federal court building, Colter characterized playing college football as a job and said schools make clear to incoming players that athletics are a higher priority than academics.
Colter, a co-founder of the newly formed College Athletes Players Association, said players adhere to grueling schedules, putting in 40- to 50-hour weeks on football during and before the season. During August training, he said, players often start practice at 8 a.m. and finish at 10 p.m.
Whether the players qualify under federal law as employees is the core question for the NLRB. If they are deemed employees, they would have rights to unionize. Whatever ruling the panel makes can be appealed.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The chairman of the NCAA Football Rules Committee said a proposal to prohibit snapping the ball until at least 10 seconds run off the 40-second play clock should not go forward if there is no hard evidence showing up-tempo offenses endanger defensive players.
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun, the committee chairman, said he has yet to see a medical study linking the rapid pace of an offense to potential health issues for defensive players.
The Playing Rules Oversight Commission, which meets March 6, is the body that would approve the proposal for it to go into effect next season. Calhoun said evidence would need to be presented before the comment period ends March 3.
TENNIS
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Rafael Nadal showed no signs of a tender back, defeating fellow Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-3, 7-5 in the first round of the Rio Open.
It was No. 1-ranked Nadal’s first match since losing three weeks ago in the Australia Open final against Stanislas Wawrinka, a match the Spaniard was a heavy favorite to win.
Nadal looked fine on the outdoor red clay and seems headed for a possible final Sunday against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer. Ferrer defeated Jeremy Chardy in his first-round match 6-2, 6-3.
Other seeded players advancing included: No. 3 Fognini, No. 4 Tommy Robredo, No. 7 Juan Monaco and 8 Pablo Andujar. Ousted were No. 5 Nicolas Almagro and No. 6 Marcel Granollers.
In the combined WTA event, top-seeded Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic won her first-round match, beating Colombia’s Mariana Duque-Marino 6-4, 6-4. Second-seeded Francesca Schiavone of Italy was eliminated in a 6-4, 6-4 to Spain’s Lourdes Dominguez Lino.
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Top-seeded Tommy Haas needed only 55 minutes to beat American Wayne Odesnik 6-2, 6-1 in the first round at the Delray Beach Open.
The 35-year-old Haas, who won the tournament in 2006, lost just one of 20 points on his first serve against Odesnik and converted five of six break-point chances.
No. 2-seeded John Isner had 20 aces and held every service game in the final two sets to beat fellow American Michael Russell, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4. Also, No. 3 Kei Nishikori eliminated Gastao Elias 6-1, 5-7, 6-2. No. 4 Kevin Anderson rallied past American Tim Smyczek 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, and No. 8 Lleyton Hewitt beat American Bradley Klahn 6-3, 6-1.
Wild card Marcos Baghdatis lost only five points on his first serve and took advantage of 10 double-faults by Jiri Vesely to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.
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