Tuesday Sports in Brief

NFL

The NFL moved closer to labor peace for another decade early Wednesday when player representatives voted to send a new deal already approved by the owners to the full union membership.

A simple majority of some 2,000 players must accept the agreement for it to go into effect this year.

After nearly four hours of meetings between player reps and members of the NFL’s negotiating committee Tuesday in Indianapolis, the 32 team reps spent several more hours discussing the deal. They then gave the nod for all NFL Players Association members to make the final decision.

George Atallah, assistant executive director of external affairs at the NFLPA, announced the move on his verified Twitter account after 1 a.m. Wednesday.

There was no immediate word when that vote would occur.

NEW YORK (AP) - The NFL’s video review system for pass interference calls could be scrapped after one season.

An offseason survey by the powerful competition committee, which recommends rules adjustments, shows strong opposition to the system installed last year.

The biggest complaint is that subjectivity has been added to the equation, which many owners believe has handcuffed officials. Several owners, as well as coaches, general managers and, of course, players, complained about inconsistencies in the calls. Rarely were calls on the field overturned when challenged.

The league extended video review to pass interference after the Los Angeles Rams benefited from a non-call in the NFC title game against the New Orleans Saints following the 2018 season.

The survey shows that bringing back for 2020 the video reviews on such calls (and non-calls) is opposed by 17 of 22 teams that responded to the survey. As for making the rule permanent, 21 are against and eight in favor.

The committee will have more meetings before presenting its recommendations to the full ownership in late March in Palm Beach, Florida. Three-quarters of the owners, 24 out of 32, are required to pass any rules.

CANTON, Ohio (AP) - The Pro Football Hall of Fame will hold two induction ceremonies this year.

The five modern-day players, plus the two coaches and three contributors elected separately as part of the NFL’s centennial celebration, will go into the Canton shrine on Aug. 8.

Ten senior players also chosen by a special committee as part of the centennial, will be inducted on Sept. 18 - the actual 100th anniversary of the league is Sept. 17.

MLB

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) - Luis Severino will miss the season with an elbow injury that requires Tommy John surgery, and the New York Yankees’ rotation no longer looks all that imposing.

New York announced Tuesday that the 26-year-old right-hander has a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, a development that means the two-time All-Star will miss all of 2020 after being sidelined for nearly all of 2019.

Left-hander James Paxton already was projected to miss the first two months of the season following back surgery on Feb. 5. Domingo Germán must serve the final 63 games of an 81-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. He is eligible to return June 5, barring any postponements.

Severino’s injury leaves the AL East favorites with a rotation of newly signed ace Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ and two openings. The usual recovery time for Tommy John surgery is a year or more.

NBA

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons will miss at least two more weeks with nerve issues in his lower back.

The All-Star played just a few minutes in Saturday’s loss to Milwaukee before leaving with the back injury. He will undergo daily treatment for his nerve impingement and be evaluated in two weeks.

The Sixers are 36-22 as they head down the stretch without one of their best players. They are 27-2 but just 9-20 at home - and leave this week for a four-game West Coast trip that starts Sunday.

The 23-year-old Simmons averaged 16.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists in 54 games.

Shake Milton started at point guard for Simmons in Monday’s victory over Atlanta.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ryan Day, who led Ohio State to a 13-1 record and a College Football Playoff appearance in his first year as head coach, is being rewarded with a three-year contract extension and a raise, the university said Tuesday.

The 40-year-old Day is now under contract through the 2026 season.

Day, who made a base salary of $4.5 million plus bonuses in 2019, will be paid $6 million for the 2020-21 season, the university said. He’ll make $6.5 million for the 2021 season and $7.6 million for 2022. His salary for 2023-26 will be decided later.

Day wasn’t even in the top 20 of the country’s highest paid football coaches in 2019, but the raises are expected to move him up the list gradually. Clemson’s Dabo Sweeney was the highest-paid coach last season at more than $9.2 million.

OLYMPICS

TOKYO (AP) - A spokesman for the Japanese government on Wednesday said the International Olympic Committee and local organizers are going ahead as planned with the Tokyo Olympics despite the threat of the spreading coronavirus.

The comments from spokesman Yoshihide Suga follow the assertion by former IOC vice-president Dick Pound that organizers face a three-month window to decide the fate of the games.

The Olympics are set to open on July 24 with 11,000 athletes. The Paralympics open Aug. 25 with 4,400.

Pound told the Associated Press that the fast-spreading virus could cancel the Olympics. Suga says Pound’s opinion does not reflect the official view of the IOC, which has repeatedly said there are no plans to cancel or postpone the Tokyo Games.

GOLF

The British Open is returning to Royal Troon in 2023 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first Open on the western Scottish links and to stoke memories of Henrik Stenson’s magnificent duel he won against Phil Mickelson.

Some 25 miles (40 kilometers) to the south, President Donald Trump’s course at Turnberry will have to wait.

The R&A announced the addition to the Open schedule on Tuesday. That extends a rotation of Royal St. George’s in England this year; St. Andrews next year for the 150th edition of golf’s oldest championship; Royal Liverpool in England in 2022; and then the return to Ayrshire coast for Royal Troon for the 10th time.

COLLEGE HOCKEY

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The University of Minnesota says it is investigating allegations that a former men’s hockey assistant sexually abused players more than 30 years ago.

The move comes after The Athletic reported on sexual abuse allegations against former assistant Thomas “Chico” Adrahtas over many years, including the season Adrahtas spent with the Gophers in 1984-85. The website reported that several people had gone to the school’s athletic director at the time with reports of abuse.

In a statement, the university said it “takes this disturbing report seriously” and has retained a law firm to determine what happened.

“The University is committed to providing support for our former students consistent with our public responsibilities and dedication to a supportive, inclusive and safe environment for our entire community,” the statement said.

Adrahtas did not immediately respond to a message left Monday night by The Associated Press on a cell phone believed to be his. He denied to The Athletic that he had ever sexually abused anyone.

OBITUARY

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Ken Peters, who covered multiple Olympics and other major events during a nearly 35-year career as a sports writer for The Associated Press, has died. He was 77.

His wife, Cathy, said Peters died Sunday in the Los Angeles suburb of Chino Hills after a long illness.

During his AP career, Peters covered several Super Bowls, Pro Bowls and World Series; championship fights in Las Vegas; football at Southern California and UCLA, in addition to the NFL’s Rams during their first stint in Los Angeles; and hockey, basketball, golf, tennis and track and field. He also wrote extensively about the Raiders’ battle with the NFL over rights to the Los Angeles market.

Peters willingly jumped in to help on non-sports breaking news.

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