Former NFL star, CBS anchor Irv Cross had brain disease CTE
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Former Philadelphia Eagle and CBS NFL announcer Irv Cross has been diagnosed with the brain disease CTE. Cross was 81 when he died Feb. 28, 2021. Boston University researchers say Cross suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The researchers said he suffered from stage 4 CTE, which is the most advanced kind of the disease. Irv Cross was diagnosed with mild cognitive dementia in 2018. Liz Cross says her late husband often felt angry, depressed and embarrassed in his final years, He struggled physically with his balance, was paranoid and had delusions often.
MLB average salary rose 14.8% to record $4.22M last season
NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball’s average salary rose 14.8% to a record $4.22 million last year after the end of the lockout, boosted by big deals for Max Scherzer, Francisco Lindor, Marcus Semien and Corey Seager. The rate of increase was the highest since a 17.7% increase in 2000 to $1.61 million, according to final calculations by the players’ association. The average had dropped in each of the previous four seasons before 2022, sparking player anger that was expressed by the union during a 99-day lockout that ended last March.
Alaba abused, Croatia coach critical following FIFA awards
GENEVA (AP) — Real Madrid defender David Alaba has been racially abused on social media after voting for Lionel Messi and Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić has accused FIFA of disrespect in fallout from the soccer body’s annual awards ceremony. Messi was named the best men’s player on Monday and Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema placed third. The awards were decided by a poll of national team captains and coaches, selected media and fans voting online. Alaba’s vote as Austria’s national team captain provoked anger from Real Madrid fans and others. Alaba is Black and Messi played for Madrid-rival Barcelona for 17 years. Dalić says he refused to vote in protest at a perceived lack of respect for himself and his team.
Chelsea coach Potter reaches critical point as losses mount
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Chelsea manager Graham Potter is facing a critical point of his early reign. Potter has so far had the faith of American owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital but supporters have already started to turn against him and an online petition calling for him to be fired has received more than 40,000 signatures. Potter needs results to turn quickly. Chelsea has games coming up against Leeds in the Premier League and Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16 of the Champions League. The London club is closer to the relegation zone than the Champions League qualifying place.
Dentsu and others charged in Tokyo Olympic bid-rigging probe
TOKYO (AP) — The Tokyo Olympic bid-rigging scandal has widened with Japanese advertising giant Dentsu and five other companies getting charged. Executives or management-level officials from each of the accused companies, and an Olympic organizing committee official, were also charged with violating anti-monopoly laws. According to prosecutors the charges against the seven individuals and six companies center around illegally colluding in assigning contracts for the Games and test events. Yasuo Mori, a senior Olympic official, and Koji Henmi, who headed the sports division at Dentsu, were among the seven people charged. Both were arrested earlier this month.
AP source: Panthers to meet with QB Derek Carr at combine
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says the Carolina Panthers will meet with free agent quarterback Derek Carr this week at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team doesn’t announce its meetings with free agents. The NFL Network was first to report the planned meeting. The Las Vegas Raiders released Carr on Feb. 14 rather than pay him $40.4 million in guaranteed money. Carr also has met with the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints.
Analysis: Scoot Henderson says he’s ready for NBA draft
Scoot Henderson is starting to watch the Harry Potter movies. He can easily explain what inertia is. He can’t understand why one of his friends always seems to beat him when they go online to play Madden. In his spare time, he also is getting ready for the NBA draft. As the playoff push starts in the league, so does the draft push for those who will expect to hear their names called by Commissioner Adam Silver this June. Everybody knows French phenom Victor Wembanyama likely will be picked No. 1. There shouldn’t be much mystery about who’s going No. 2.
Conference championships on the line in season’s final week
The final week of the regular season is here, the calendar rounding toward March Madness. A handful of regular-season titles are already wrapped up. Several are still up in the air, like the Atlantic Coast and Big 12 conferences. No. 25 Pittsburgh has a half-game lead over No. 16 Miami in the ACC with a game against the Hurricanes on Saturday. No. 3 Kansas leads No. 9 Texas by a game in the Big 12 and will play the Longhorns on Saturday. Top-ranked Houston and No. 4 UCLA are among the teams that have already clinched regular-season titles.
Nneka Ogwumike re-signs with Los Angeles Sparks
Nneka Ogwumike not only wants to make the Los Angeles Sparks a championship contender again, but also to get the community excited about women’s basketball and other sports. The former WNBA MVP re-signed with the Sparks last week, continuing her career with the franchise that drafted her No. 1 in 2012. Ogwumike says the Sparks are a culturally relevant team that “gets people excited about basketball” and “changes things for women in sport.” Ogwumike will once again team up with her sister Chiney, who also re-signed with the Sparks last week.
US women’s soccer coach paid 27% as much as men’s coach
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. women’s coach Vlatko Andonovski earned 27% as much as American men’s coach Gregg Berhalter in the year ending last March 31, down slightly from 28% in the previous year. Andonovski earned $446,495, according to the U.S. Soccer Federation’s tax filing, including $50,000 in bonus money for the Americans’ third-place finish in the Tokyo Olympics. Berhalter earned $1,641,398, including $300,000 in bonus money in a year that included winning the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
