MOTOR SPORTS
Stewart never thought retiring
Tony Stewart said Monday he never planned to retire from racing despite the anguish the NASCAR driver felt after Kevin Ward Jr. died from being struck by Stewart’s car during a sprint-car race. In his first news conference since Ward’s death seven weeks ago, Stewart also said it was “worthless” for the public to choose sides as to who was at fault because it “was 100 percent an accident.” Stewart’s appearance came after a grand jury last week cleared him of any criminal charges stemming from the Aug. 9 tragedy in which Stewart’s car hit and killed Ward, 20, while Ward was on foot at a dirt track in upstate New York. When he returned to NASCAR racing on Aug. 31 in Atlanta, Stewart read a brief statement to the media but did not take questions. Stewart did say he had watched an amateur video of the race fatality, but he did not elaborate on the video during his news conference at the Kannapolis, N.C., headquarters of his Stewart-Haas Racing team. Stewart said he was unsure whether he would again race sprint cars such as the ones he and Ward were driving, which are open-wheel race cars unrelated to NASCAR’s top-tier Sprint Cup Series. But Stewart said “there was never a thought in my head about stopping” racing entirely. “That would take the life out of me,” he said. “This is what I’ve done all my life.”
LEGAL MATTERS
Arbitrator to hear Rice appeal
The NFL and the NFL Players Association have agreed to a neutral arbitrator to hear the appeal for indefinitely suspended former Ravens running back Ray Rice. No hearing date or hearing officer have been determined yet, though, as talks continue between NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell had previously agreed to recuse himself from hearing the case because he is expected to be a witness in the proceedings after writing in a disciplinary letter to Rice that his original two-game suspension for his domestic violence incident was increased due to “new evidence” in the TMZ video that showed the three-time Pro Bowl runner punching his then-fiancee, Janay. Rice’s $35 million contract was terminated by the Ravens. League spokesman Greg Aiello has told The Baltimore Sun that Goodell never intended to hear the appeal. The NFLPA is expected to argue that Rice’s due process was violated under the concept of double jeopardy, which is prohibited by Article 46 of the collective bargaining agreement that governs “One Punishment” for a single offense, according to
Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer faces a slew of charges after he allegedly assaulted his wife during two separate incidents in July. Dwyer was charged Friday by the Maricopa County district attorney with felony aggravated assault and eight misdemeanors, including assault, criminal damage, disorderly conduct and preventing phone usage during an emergency, according to the indictment. Dwyer was arrested Sept. 17 for two alleged incidents that involved Kayla Dwyer, 27, at their home, according to officials. Dwyer allegedly fractured at least one of Kayla’s bones during one of the assaults, officials said. Dwyer was immediately deactivated from all team activities by the Cardinals, an announcement that came just minutes before a news conference at which officials discussed the specifics of the July assaults.
PRO FOOTBALL
Kelly: McCoy healthy
LeSean McCoy, who led the NFL in rushing last season, has rushed 30 times for 39 yards in his last two games for the Philadelphia Eagles, but Coach Chip Kelly said McCoy is not hurt. “He’s not on the treatment list,” Kelly said. “He does normal maintenance like everybody else, but he hasn’t had any injuries where we’ve done anything with him.” McCoy has 192 yards in four games, at 2.7 yards per carry. Injuries to the offensive line have limited McCoy’s production, along with defenses focusing on stopping him. “I don’t see it as it’s the ball carrier right now,” Kelly said. “We’re not generating what we need to do in the run game at all, so it doesn’t matter who we’re handing it to.”
Buffalo Bills Coach Doug Marrone announced Monday that Kyle Orton will replace E.J. Manuel as Buffalo’s starting quarterback Sunday against the Detroit Lions. Orton is 4-0 in his career against the Lions with 4 touchdown passes, no interceptions and a 102.2 passer rating. I Manuel, a first-round pick out of Florida State last year, has completed just 58 percent of his passes this fall while throwing for 838 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions.
Defensive end Jared Allen rejoined the Chicago Bears on Monday to work out and attend meetings as his recovery from pneumonia continues. His status for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers should be clearer on Wednesday when the team resumes practice. Allen missed Sunday’s 38-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers. He came down with pneumonia last week, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed. He missed practice on Thursday and Friday, and the Bears had him stay away from the team. The illness caused Allen to lose 18 pounds, according to a Fox Sports report.
San Francisco 49ers Coach Jim Harbaugh bluntly disputed a report from NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders claiming players have turned against the 49ers coach. “Personally I think that’s a bunch of crap,” Harbaugh said Monday. Sanders stated that players are fed up with Harbaugh, the 49ers fourth-year coach, after the 49ers’ 26-21 win Sunday over the Eagles. “They want him out. They’re not on the same page,” Sanders, a Hall of Fame cornerback, said Sunday on NFL GameDay Final. ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer chimed in Monday morning with a similar alarm bell, telling ESPN Radio: “I do think it’s become almost toxic. “Harbaugh panned both Sanders’ and Dilfer’s analysis, taking umbrage with how neither named any sources for their information.
Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams (Wynne) is doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears, the latest setback for Carolina’s rushing game. Williams, who had just returned to the lineup after missing two games with an injured hamstring, injured an ankle during the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. Williams, who was seen in the locker room Monday wearing a walking boot on his left foot, will be evaluated later this week, Rivera said. His absence from the lineup, however long, hits a roster already thin at running back. Pro Bowl fullback Mike Tolbert was put on short-term injured reserve last week with a hairline fracture in his left leg. He will not be eligible to return to the lineup until mid-November. Jonathan Stewart (sprained right knee) and Fozzy Whittaker (quadriceps) are out indefinitely, and backup fullback Richie Brockel hurt his ankle Sunday. Undrafted rookie Darrin Reaves, who had 26 yards on 12 carries against the Ravens, will start against the Bears.
The Seattle Seahawks will be without tight end Zach Miller for at least a few weeks after he underwent ankle surgery during the team’s bye week There is no set timetable for when Miller will return. Coach Pete Carroll said they would give him a “couple of weeks” and then take it on a week-by-week basis. That means Miller would miss the next two games at Washington and vs. Dallas before his status is reassessed. Miller has six receptions in three games, while backup Luke Willson has just one catch. But Carroll said believes Seattle has in-house options to handle Miller’s various roles. Willson and Cooper Helfet will get the first cracks, but the Seahawks could turn to using an extra offensive lineman — like backup tackle Alvin Bailey (Arkansas Razorbacks) — in running situations.
BOXING
Promoter Goossen, 64, dies
Boxing promoter Dan Goossen, who handled a number of world champions in a lengthy career, has died after a short illness. He was 64. Goossen died early Monday in Southern California after battling liver cancer that was only recently diagnosed, his family said in a statement. Goossen was involved in boxing most of his life, promoting it through a succession of companies he headed. At the time of his death he was promoting undefeated super middleweight champion Andre Ward among other fighters. Goossen’s champions included brothers Gabriel and Rafael Ruelas, Michael Nunn and Terry Norris.
BASEBALL
Shuba, 89, backed Robinson
George “Shotgun” Shuba, a member of the 1955 World Series champion Brooklyn Dodgers who was best known for offering a congratulatory handshake to minor league teammate Jackie Robinson, died Monday. He was 89. The Los Angeles Dodgers said Shuba died at his home in Youngstown, Ohio. Shuba, who was white, congratulated his teammate on the Montreal Royals near home plate after Robinson hit a three-run home run on April 18, 1946, off Jersey City Giants pitcher Warren Sandell. The moment shared by a smiling Robinson and Shuba was captured in a famous photograph and dubbed “A Handshake for the Century.” Robinson became major league baseball’s first black player when he started at first base for Brooklyn on April 15, 1947.