FOOTBALL
North Carolina suspends 4
North Carolina Coach Larry Fedora said Wednesday the team has suspended four players for this weekend’s season opener, a day after a report of an alleged hazing altercation that left a redshirt freshman walk-on receiver with a possible concussion. Fedora said the four players were suspended for a “violation of team policy” but offered no other details about what rules were broken. The players suspended were sophomores Des Lawrence and Brian Walker, redshirt freshman Donnie Miles and true freshman M.J. Stewart.
Clemson running back Zac Brooks (Jonesboro) had surgery on the foot he injured earlier this month. Coach Dabo Swinney had previously said Brooks would miss the season and return next fall as a redshirt junior. Brooks was the team’s leading returning rusher and was expected to be a significant part of the 16th-ranked Tigers’ offense this season. Swinney also said Wednesday that reserve offensive lineman Oliver Jones tore an anterior cruciate ligament at practice Tuesday and will miss this season.
Southern California cornerback Josh Shaw has admitted to lying to school officials about how he sprained his ankles last weekend, retracting his story about jumping off a balcony to save his drowning nephew. Shaw has been suspended indefinitely from all of the Trojans’ team activities, the school announced Wednesday. The school didn’t explain how Shaw actually was injured, but USC officials say they regret posting a story lauding Shaw’s tale on their website Monday.
Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll said he’s disappointed his team has been docked two practices next offseason for excessive physical contact in a minicamp in June. The league confirmed the penalties Tuesday. Seattle will be docked the first two days of its 2015 mandatory minicamp and will be permitted one 2 1/2-hour practice on the final day. Seattle’s players will be paid for all three days of the camp.
Tennessee defensive lineman Jurrell Casey came to work this year focusing on football, and he let his agent Drew Rosenhaus work with the Titans when it came to a new contract. They finally reached a deal Wednesday on a contract extension that multiple media outlets have reported is for $36 million over four years, with $20.5 million guaranteed. Rosenhaus tweeted out a photo with Casey and the lineman’s mother preparing to sign the contract.
Bengals Pro Bowl linebacker Vontaze Burfict signed a three-year extension Wednesday that runs through the 2017 season and will pay him a maximum of $20.05 million. The sides agreed to the deal last week. Burfict is entering the final year on his original deal that will pay him a salary of $570,000. Under his extension, he’ll make $10 million through next summer in salary and bonuses. Burfict is the leader of a defense that finished third in the NFL last season in yards allowed.
BASKETBALL
Clippers lock up Rivers
Doc Rivers is staying with the Los Angeles Clippers for another five years. In Steve Ballmer’s first big move since taking over as the new owner, he gave Rivers a contract extension through the 2018-19 season. Rivers, 52, guided the Clippers to the best record in franchise history at 57-25 and a second consecutive Pacific Division title last season. They lost to Oklahoma City in the second round of the playoffs. Rivers has a career regular-season record of 644-498 and a 70-64 playoff mark, with previous head coaching stints in Boston, where he won the 2008 NBA title, and Orlando.
Shannon Brown signed Wednesday with the Miami Heat, the ninth team the veteran guard has been part of in his career. Brown appeared in 29 games last season with New York and San Antonio. He has appeared in 403 games for seven different clubs, and was briefly with Washington last season although he never appeared in a game.
FOOTBALL
Season over for Brown's WR Gordon
CLEVELAND -- Josh Gordon's wait is over, and so is his 2014 season. Now the star wide receiver's career is in peril.
The Browns learned Wednesday that Gordon's indefinite suspension by the NFL has been upheld and he will miss at least 16 games for another violation of the league's substance abuse policy. A repeat drug offender, Gordon had appealed the penalty, hoping it would be reduced so he could play this season.
The NFL, though, came down hard on Gordon, who must now pay the price for stepping out of bounds.
The league announced that arbitrator Harold Henderson supported Gordon's yearlong suspension for marijuana use. The Pro Bowler, who was subject to more frequent testing, will begin serving his suspension immediately and the league said in its statement that his "eligibility for reinstatement will be determined following the 2014 season."
In the meantime, Gordon is not allowed to practice with the team, attend meetings or other club functions.
Browns General Manager Ray Farmer expressed some disappointment at the decision, but said the team has no choice but to move ahead without Gordon.
"While we may have strong feelings on the timing and the process of this decision, we have also consistently communicated that we will focus on what we can control in our day-to-day approach," Farmer said in a statement. "Right now, that is preparing our team for the 2014 season and, at the same time, supporting Josh however we are able under NFL guidelines during his suspension."
The Browns had feared for months this would be the outcome, and now that it's official, the club will have to somehow make up for the league-leading 1,646 yards, 18.9 yards per catch and nine touchdowns Gordon produced last season.
While he's out, Gordon, who served a two-game suspension for a drug violation last season, will need to pass drug tests, comply with treatment and apply for reinstatement with Commissioner Roger Goodell before he plays again. Gordon could possibly return inside a year if he stays clean.