Ohio State assistant strength coach Anthony Schlegel had a nice talk with Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer after Schlegel sprung from the sideline Saturday night to cut off a fan who had run onto the field during the Buckeyes' victory over Cincinnati.
Schlegel, a former Ohio State linebacker, ran onto the field and grabbed the student, 21-year-old Anthony Wunder, around the neck and flung him hard to the turf. Then Schlegel helped drag Wunder to the sideline by his shirt.
Meyer said he and Schlegel have since discussed how to deal with on-field intruders in the future.
"I appreciate him protecting our players," Meyer told reporters this week. "[But] I'd rather him not have a lawsuit if something bad would happen, you drill a guy like that.
"So we had a partial serious conversation. We also gave him a 'Hit City' award, our team, and had a little fun with it, too."
Puppy payment
Those watching Tuesday night's American League wild-card game between the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics might have noticed a sign being held in the outfield proclaiming what was at stake at Kauffman Stadium.
"If we win, he's buying me a puppy!" read the sign held by Katie Castan.
Of course, the Royals won 9-8 in 12 innings, and Castan said she'll get her puppy from boyfriend Joe Onofrio.
She told Yahoo! Sports through an email that the sign stemmed from a bet made earlier in the summer. Onofrio told his girlfriend that if she made a point to watch Royals games, and if they made the playoffs, he would get her a dog.
Castan said they would adopt the new pet from a local animal shelter.
"He basically said if we won the division or made it past the wild-card game, and if I paid attention to the games when we watched and could name at least 10 players on the team by the end of the year, he'd get me a puppy," she told Yahoo! Sports. "I think it was his way of keeping me watching the games ... but I just really wanted that puppy!"
Bad Rufio!
Detroit Lions tight end Joseph Fauria was standing near his locker in Allen Park, Mich., explaining how he ended up wearing a boot on his left foot that kept him out of Sunday's victory over the New York Jets.
He blamed it on Lil' Rufio, his 3-month-old Pomeranian-Husky mix puppy.
As Fauria told ESPN.com this week, he took Lil' Rufio outside to go to the bathroom and the dog got away from him. As Fauria chased him, the 6-7, 265-pound Faurio slipped, planted on his left ankle and fell.
"He was about to pee and I was like, 'Come here you little ... nugget," Fauria said. "I was chasing him downstairs. I wasn't running, but I was chasing him downstairs and I just misstepped and I reached with my left foot and I just didn't end up well."
Fauria posted a picture of the puppy on Twitter with the following message to Lions fans: "Please no death threats to Lil' Rufio, he's just a pup!"
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Sports quiz
Q. How many managers have the Kansas City Royals had since Dick Howser, who led them to their previous playoff appearance in 1985?
A. 13 (Mike Ferraro, Billy Gardner, John Wathan, Bob Schaefer, Hal McRae, Bob Boone, Tony Muser, John Mizerock, Tony Pena, Bob Schaefer, Buddy, Bell, Trey Hillman and Ned Yost)
Sports on 10/02/2014