Georgia star Jalen Carter charged with racing in fatal wreck
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, projected as one of the top players in the NFL draft, has been charged with reckless driving and racing in conjunction with the crash that killed offensive lineman Devin Willock and a recruiting staff member. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department issued an arrest warrant alleging that Carter was racing his Jeep Trackhawk against the Ford Expedition driven by the recruiting staffer, which led to the Jan. 15 wreck. The crash occurred hours after the Bulldogs celebrated their second straight national championship with a parade. Carter had been due in Indianapolis on Wednesday for the NFL scouting combine. Police say he is expected to address the arrest warrant when he returns to Athens.
Kobe Bryant family settles photo lawsuit for $28.5 million
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The family of the late Kobe Bryant has agreed to settle legal issues surrounding photos of the body of the NBA star and others who were killed in a 2020 helicopter crash. Attorneys say Los Angeles County agreed to pay Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, and their daughters $13.5 million on top of the $15 million that jurors awarded her at a trial in August. County deputies and firefighters had shot photos of the bodies and shared them with others in their departments. A county lawyer said the pictures were part of their job, but Vanessa Bryant’s lawyer said they were shared as “visual gossip.”
New NCAA president says NIL rules could protect athletes
Former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is starting his new job as president of the NCAA this week. At the top of his to-do list is getting a handle on name, image and likeness compensation for college athletes. Like his predecessor, Mark Emmert, Baker says the NCAA needs help from Congress in the form of a federal law to govern NIL. But Baker brings a different way of thinking about regulating NIL. He views the athletes as the consumers in a burgeoning market that lacks transparency and is littered with unqualified and even unscrupulous actors.
New MLB rules get mixed fan reaction after first live looks
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Players have largely been pleased with Major League Baseball’s rollout of several new rules this spring, but fans getting their first look in person have mixed reviews. MLB has added a pitch clock, limited infield shifts and made other changes to quicken the pace of play. It seems to be working, with games running about 20 minutes shorter on average compared to last spring training. Some fans have felt indifferent to the rules, while others are gushing about the faster pace. Others wish the game would just stay as it’s been for most of their lives.
Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. The 39-year-old Rodgers discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast.” He spent much of the 1 1/2-hour conversation describing his recent isolation retreat in which he said he spent four days alone in a dark room.
Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild
CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision to trade Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers were felt almost immediately, with the flat Blackhawks losing 4-1 at Arizona on Tuesday night. And there will be more shockwaves Thursday night, when they host Dallas in the franchise’s first home game since the deal. Kane had spent his entire career with Chicago, winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015.
Just Fontaine, who scored 13 goals at 1958 World Cup, dies
PARIS (AP) — World Cup record holder Just Fontaine has died. He was 89. The French soccer great scored a record 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup. The former Reims striker took six games to achieve his feat at the World Cup tournament in Sweden after being a last-minute inclusion on the French squad. Fontaine set the record when FIFA did not present a specific award for the tournament’s top scorer. Fontaine told The Associated Press in a 2006 interview “beating my record? I don’t think it can ever be done.” Fontaine scored in every match of the 1958 tournament. He never played at another World Cup.
Deals done long before NHL trade deadline set stage for more
Nearly a dozen trades were completed around the NHL on Tuesday. But the deadline is still a couple of days away. Some of those moves have set the table for more action around the league. The domino effect continued with defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado acquiring center Lars Eller from Washington. The goaltending market also opened after the LA Kings got Joonas Korpisalo from the Blue Jackets. Columbus could now flip Jonathan Quick to a contender after getting the two-time Cup winner in that trade.
Shiffrin dominates training as she eyes Stenmark’s record
American skier Mikaela Shiffrin dominated downhill training ahead of what could become another record-breaking weekend. Shiffrin is aiming for her 86th career World Cup victory to match the all-time mark set by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark in the 1970s and 80s. Shiffrin is expected to have three chances this weekend. She could also lock up the season-long World Cup title for the fifth time in her career. That would move Shiffrin past Lindsey Vonn for a second time this season. Shiffrin broke Vonn’s women’s record of 82 career World Cup wins in January.
Little sign of Olympics in Milan with only 3 years to go
MILAN (AP) — There is little sign the Winter Olympics are coming to Milan in less than three years. One of the major sites is still an overgrown wasteland and construction work has only just started at what will be the Olympic Village. The organizing committee for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics says there have been delays and rising costs. Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi says there is nothing to be concerned about but warns that timelines “have to be respected.” It will be the first time Italy has staged the Olympics since 2006 and Dubi says the IOC is considering the option of rotating hosts “using what already exists.”
