LITTLE ROCK — Cut slows Walker’s ring return
Former NFL running back Herschel Walker was cut below his left eye last week and will miss his second professional mixed martial arts fight, originally scheduled for Saturday, according to The Associated Press.
Walker, 48, was cut during training and required multiple stitches.
“I feel terrible about this,” Walker said. “I know things like this happen in all sports, but I had trained very hard and was excited to be returning to the cage again.”
The 12-year NFL veteran and Georgia standout won his pro fighting debut in January.
“I can’t do this for a long period of time,” Walker said. “I just want to have fun and keep getting better for as long as I can.”
Walker said he wants to fight when the cut heals. Maybe he should train for the next Tennessee Titans-Houston Texans game.
Oldest coach resigns
Lexington (Mass.) high school football Coach Bill Tighe retired Thursday after a 14-0 victory. At86 years old, he was the nation’s oldest prep football coach, according to ESPN.
Tighe told his players before the Thanksgiving finale that he had lost his final games as a player for Ashland High School and Boston University, and as a coach at Wakefield and Malden high schools.
“I said I want it, 1 for 5 [in final games], and I’d appreciate everything you can do to bring it about,” Tighe said.
Tighe finished his high school coaching career 268-233-13.
Tighe said of his defense-first philosophy, “They don’t score, we don’t lose.”Robbed racer
Formula One executive Bernie Ecclestone was attacked and robbed Wednesday in London, according to a German news service.
The 80-year-old was attacked outside his company headquarters by four robbers who stole watches and jewelry valued at about $320,000 from Ecclestone and his girlfriend Fabiano Flosi.
Ecclestone was repeatedly beaten and kicked by the attackers, and was hospitalized for a minor head injury.
If only he had a getaway car.
In perspective
ESPN noted some NFL stats worth keeping in perspective:
Michael Vick threw his first interception since Dec. 24, 2006, in a loss to Chicago on Sunday.
During that same time span, Brett Favre has thrown 66 interceptions.
Kansas City defensive tackle Shaun Smith scored his first touchdown since high school Sunday in a victory over Seattle.
The lineman now has more rushing touchdowns this season than Dallas running back and former Arkansas Razorback Felix Jones.
They said it ...
Brad Dickson of the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald: “A lot of great sales the day after Thanksgiving.
Auburn picked up a junior college quarterback at half-price.”
Greg Cote of the Miami Herald: “Thousands of crazed people, stoked by competition, jostled, shoved and traded elbows in an escalating melee that turned into a life-threatening stampede.
European soccer riot? Nah. Black Friday.”Quote of the day “It was a great year. It could have been better, but we’re not going to
go back and look at that.” Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, on the Razorbacks’ 10-2 season.
Sports, Pages 18 on 11/30/2010