PRO FOOTBALL
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) - Pete Carroll is in support of the NFL looking further into whether medicinal marijuana could be beneficial for players.
The Seattle Seahawks coach said Monday he supports Commissioner Roger Goodell’s message last week that the league could consider medicinal marijuana as a treatment if science proved it could benefit players who have sustained concussions.
Carroll says regardless of the stigmas involved, the medicinal value should be examined, “because the world of medicine is trying to do the exact same thing and figure it out and they’re coming to some conclusions.”
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is giving serious consideration to hanging it up after Sunday’s game, even though the 27-year-old cornerback is in his playing prime.
“I had a goal of playing five years,” Rodgers-Cromartie said, “and I reached that.”
He already plans to go back to college, study psychology and become a guidance counselor at his old high school - whenever he does walk away.
NEW YORK (AP) - A team owner who helped bring an outdoor Super Bowl to a cold-weather site wants the game in the New York-New Jersey area every 10 years.
Jonathan Tisch, a co-owner of the New York Giants and co-chairman of the Super Bowl Host Committee, said the title game between the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos is expected to generate $550 million to $600 million for the region. He insists cold-weather sites can handle football’s biggest event.
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) - Former Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak was hired as the Baltimore Ravens’ new offensive coordinator.
The 52-year-old Kubiak replaces Jim Caldwell, who left to become coach of the Detroit Lions.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The family of the late NFL star Junior Seau plans to object to the proposed $765 million settlement of player concussion claims because the fund would not pay wrongful death claims to survivors.
Although the players’ lawsuits accused the NFL of concealing known concussion risks, there would be no blame assessed as part of the settlement, and no punitive damages for pain and suffering.
HONOLULU (AP) - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is showing the Pro Bowl more love after previously threatening to cancel it if play didn’t improve.
Goodell said in an ESPN Radio interview that participants played harder and made the game very competitive.
“It was real football,” Goodell said. “It was something that I give a lot of credit to the players.”
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OLYMPICS
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - The United States will bring 230 athletes to the Sochi Olympics, the largest delegation ever for any country at the Winter Games.
The previous record was 216 by the U.S. in 2010 in Vancouver.
Todd Lodwick in Nordic combined will become the first American to compete in six Winter Olympics. Lodwick’s teammate Billy Demong and skier Bode Miller are headed to their fifth. Only three U.S. Winter Olympians other than Lodwick had previously accomplished that feat.
The U.S. Olympic Committee said that of the 106 returning Olympians, 49 have won medals - 13 of them gold.
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The NHL has not decided whether to let its players participate in the Olympics beyond this year, casting doubt on who will be competing for hockey gold in four years.
With the league set to push pause on its season for next month’s Sochi Olympics, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly also is allowing for the possibility of a security issue that could keep the players from traveling to Russia at all.
NEW YORK (AP) - Ski champion Lindsey Vonn will work for NBC during the Winter Olympics, although she won’t be traveling to Sochi.
The network said the gold medalist will report on the Olympics for the “Today” show and some NBC Sports broadcasts.
SOCHI, Russia (AP) - Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny launched a website to publish data pointing to corruption in Sochi.
Russia has spent about $51 billion to deliver the Winter Olympics in Sochi, which run Feb. 7-23, making them the most expensive Olympics ever.
Navalny’s website - Sochi.FBK.info - combines his own investigations of alleged corruption in Sochi with media reports and other activists’ analysis.
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PRO BASKETBALL
NEW YORK (AP) - The wife of All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony thinks he will be back with the New York Knicks next season.
Anthony has said he intends to become a free agent this summer. The Knicks can give him an extra year and some $30 million more than any other team, but their 17-27 record has created speculation he would consider leaving the team.
Speaking on “Watch What Happens Live” on Bravo on Sunday night, La La Anthony said she “definitely” thinks Anthony will stay in New York.
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COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Arizona and Syracuse stayed 1-2 in The Associated Press college basketball poll for the eighth consecutive week.
Florida jumped from sixth to third while Wichita State (21-0), the other undefeated Division I team, moved up one spot to fourth.
San Diego State and Kansas both moved up two places to fifth and sixth. They were followed by Michigan State, which dropped from third, Oklahoma State, Villanova and Michigan. The Wolverines jumped from 21st to 10th after beating Michigan State.
In the women’s poll, Connecticut remained at No. 1 after two easy victories while Middle Tennessee made it first appearance in the poll since 2009.
The Huskies routed Memphis and South Florida to improve to 21-0 this season. UConn visits Temple and Cincinnati this week where Geno Auriemma will coach against two of his former assistants.
Notre Dame, Duke, Stanford and Louisville followed the Huskies, with the first five teams unchanged in Monday’s vote.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - Forward Chane Behanan, a key member of Louisville’s national championship squad who was dismissed from the team last month for a violation of university policy, enrolled at Colorado State and will play for the Rams next season.
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BASEBALL
BOSTON (AP) - Veteran Boston Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy will return this season after taking a leave of absence following the arrest of his son on a murder charge in the death of his girlfriend in August.
For the first time since the arrest, Remy spoke publicly, talking to reporters at the New England Sports Network’s headquarters.
Remy, 61, said he was concerned with what the public would think of him and his family and if he could joke around and be himself. He said his friends and family persuaded him to return to work. His family reminded him about his career “and where it came from and where it is.”
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Former major league pitcher Carlos Zambrano apologized for starting a brawl Saturday night during the third game of Venezuela’s winter series final.
His apology was carried by El Nacional newspaper.
Zambrano struck pitcher Mayckol Guiape of the rival Caribes de Anzoategui after teammate Ezequiel Carrera of the Navegantes del Magallanes was hit by a pitch.
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GOLF
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Phil Mickelson flew to Georgia to see a specialist about the pain in his lower back, while hoping he can defend his Phoenix Open title.
Mickelson, who first felt soreness in his back while in Abu Dhabi, withdrew after making the 36-hole cut in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
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SOCCER
LONDON (AP) - Arsene Wenger will manage Arsenal for a 19th season after the club said he will sign a new contract.
The 64-year-old Frenchman, who has been in charge since 1996, had been reluctant to publicly commit to a new deal, but chief executive Ivan Gazidis said that will happen soon.
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