NFL
NEW YORK (AP) - With a public hearing looming and the threat of owners and league officials facing depositions, the NFL settled collusion cases brought by Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid.
The league, about to celebrate its 100th season, faced criticism from all sides thanks to the protest movement started by Kaepernick. Many Kaepernick supporters wanted to see him back on the field, while other fans said they wouldn’t watch if the league allowed players to protest during the national anthem.
The league and Kaepernick’s lawyer sent out statements saying that “the parties have decided to resolve the pending grievances” and that a confidentiality agreement would prevent either side from commenting further.
It remains unclear if the NFL admitted wrongdoing or how much money Reid, Kaepernick or others may have received. Considering the lost salary both players claimed and legal costs, the settlement could have climbed into the tens of millions of dollars.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - Even though Brandon Marshall was expecting it, news that he had likely played his last game in a Denver Broncos uniform threw him for a bit of a loop.
The Broncos told his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, that they don’t plan to pick up the linebacker’s option.
There’s a possibility Marshall could return to Denver, but he said he’s expecting to find interest on the open market when free agency opens March 13, even after limping through two injury-riddled seasons in the last three years.
Marshall, who was due $6.5 million next season with a cap hit of about $9 million, has been limited to 11 games in two of the last three seasons.
AUTO RACING
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Austin Hill blocked his way to his first career Truck Series victory in a crash-marred season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.
With only nine of the 32 trucks still running in the second overtime, Hill had to block Grant Enfinger for most of the final lap. He needed a last big, bold maneuver to hold off Enfinger as they rushed toward the checkered flag.
Hill won for Hattori Racing and solidified the team’s decision to release reigning series champion Brett Moffitt a month after Moffitt won the title. Hattori Racing struggled all last season with funding, but Moffitt won the final two races of the year to give the underdog team an unexpected championship.
Team owner Shige Hattori released Moffitt and signed Hill, who had some financial backing, in early January. The 24-year-old won for the first time in 52 career Truck Series starts and Hattori has won three straight dating to last season.
NBA
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - When the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma, Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons and Boston’s Jayson Tatum get to the NBA All-Star Game and partake in what’s become the preferred run-and-fun style where defense is discouraged at virtually all costs, this much is clear.
They’ll be ready.
Dunks, layups, 3-pointers and little else. That was the playsheet for the Rising Stars game where Kuzma led all scorers with 35 points on the way to MVP honors and the U.S. team defeated the World squad 161-144 on the floor that the All-Stars will be using on Sunday night.
Tatum added 30 points for the U.S., and Simmons led the World team with 28 points. The teams combined for 37 3-pointers, 55 dunks and shot a combined 12 free throws.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The Curry family All-Star Weekend is off to a rousing start - a Curry knocked down a big shot on Friday.
Not surprising, except it was Sonya Curry. Yes, Dell’s wife and the mother of Stephen and Seth showed she also hit a dramatic game-winning shot from deep.
Sonya sank a one-handed, half-court shot - that she took underhanded - to beat the clock and help her three-person team topple squads led by her NBA sons and one led by her daughter in a family shootout during a dedication of a refurbished Charlotte community center.
And she let her sons know about it. Sonya raced around the court after the ball went through the basket as fans in the crowded center cheered. She danced, taunting her sons as they looked on in amazement while her teammate and husband applauded.
She joked that she now has “bragging rights” as the family’s best shooter, holding up a black-and-gold championship belt with the letters “SC” on it.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The New Orleans Pelicans have decided to fire ninth-year general manager Dell Demps and start the process of finding someone to deal with the fallout of All-Star Anthony Davis’ recent trade demand.
Demps’ dismissal comes after Davis said in late January that he would not sign an extension with New Orleans and wants to be traded to a contending team.
Davis has another season remaining on his contract after this one and this season’s trade deadline has passed, meaning no trade will happen until summer under the new front office regime. Davis, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft out of Kentucky, has been named an All-Star six times in his first seven seasons, so the return on a trade for him should be considerable and could set course for the Pelicans for seasons to come.
BASEBALL
NEW YORK (AP) - Right-hander Luis Severino avoided an arbitration hearing with the New York Yankees, agreeing to a four-year, $40 million contract.
Severino’s deal includes a team option for 2023 that could make the agreement worth $52.25 million for five seasons. If the option is not exercised, Severino would be eligible for free agency after the 2022 season.
Severino gets a $2 million signing bonus, $4 million in 2019, $10 million in 2020, $10.5 million in 2021 and $11 million in 2022. The team option is for $15 million with a $2.75 million buyout.
GOLF
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Justin Thomas put together enough birdies in a cold rain at Riviera to reach 10-under par and share the lead with Adam Scott when the second round of the Genesis Open was halted by darkness.
Thomas, who opened with a 66 in the morning, went eight consecutive holes without a par - six birdies, two bogeys - when he ended his day with a two-putt par on his 12th hole of the second round at No. 3.
He was 5 under on the day. Scott, who won at Riviera in 2005 when rain shortened it to 36 holes, also was 5 under on his round.
Tiger Woods was 1 under after playing 30 holes. He had a 70 in the morning, a round slowed by four three-putts, and followed a 45-foot eagle putt with two bogeys as the rain got stronger.
J.B. Holmes, who made a hole-in-one when he opened with a 63 for a one-shot lead after the first round, was at 9 under through nine holes.
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