FOOTBALL
Romo's company sues
A company partly owned by Tony Romo is suing the NFL over a canceled fantasy football event that was to involve the Dallas quarterback and other star players in Las Vegas. The Fan Expo LLC filed a lawsuit in Dallas County on Tuesday alleging that the league intimidated players with threats of fines and suspensions for associating with what the NFL called a gambling-related event. The Texas-based company claims the NFL initially approved the event by allowing some members of league-owned media outlets to participate. The suit says family members of some players were called with warnings of discipline. The NFL said it was reviewing the suit.
• Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings agreed Tuesday to restructure the final three years of his contract, giving the six-time Pro Bowl running back $20 million in guaranteed money. The Vikings announced the agreement four days before players will report to training camp, clearing away any lingering haze that surrounded their relationship with Peterson. Initially disinterested in returning to the team following his reinstatement by the NFL, Peterson softened this spring and took part in several offseason practices with the Vikings last month. Peterson and his lead agent, Ben Dogra, didn't appear to have any leverage in negotiations once Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman stood firm in his intent to keep Peterson on the team rather than trade him. But despite the drama of the past several months, Peterson got the guaranteed money he sought, another sign of the organization's widespread appreciation of him. In a statement distributed by the Vikings, Peterson said he was pleased by the team's good-faith effort.
• Alabama-Birmingham, which last month disclosed plans to reinstate its recently shuttered football program, will resume competition in 2017. The National Collegiate Athletic Association informed the school that football can begin competition in 2017 and remain at college football's highest level, known as the Football Bowl Subdivision, UAB said in a news release posted on its website. The school is working to restore rifle competition this year and bowling in 2016. All three sports were cut by UAB in December due to budget concerns and reinstated in June after donors pledged to make up an estimated $17.2 million deficit from football over the next five years. UAB initially wanted to restore the Blazers football team as of 2016. Working with the NCAA and Conference USA, it slowed the process to help build a proper foundation, the school said. "As our coaches and administrative staff looked at multiple scenarios, we wanted to make sure that the welfare of our student-athletes, which is always a top priority, was at the center of the conversation," UAB Athletic Director Mark Ingram said in a statement. "This, along with our ability to maintain our FBS status, compete for conference championships and eligible for bowl participation were extremely important to us. We are pleased that this outcome satisfies all of those desires."
• The Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday released defensive back Justin Cox, a rookie free agent from Mississippi State who was arrested Monday and charged with aggravated domestic violence, burglary of a residence and trespassing. The alleged incident occurred at an apartment complex in Starkville, Miss. A request for comment from the Chiefs was unreturned. It was Cox's second arrest involving domestic violence in less than a year. On Jan. 6, Cox appeared in Oktibbeha County (Miss.) Justice Court, where he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of trespassing and was fined $600. The domestic violence charge was dismissed at the victim's request. Cox played free safety at Mississippi State last season and missed the final three games, including the Orange Bowl, on suspension after the first arrest. He impressed scouts at the NFL combine with his measurables but went undrafted.
TENNIS
Venus out at Istanbul
Top-seeded Venus Williams was eliminated from the first round of the Istanbul Cup in a 6-4, 7-6 (4) upset by Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko on Tuesday. Bondarenko managed three service breaks in the opening set and took a 5-2 lead in the second before Williams rallied, winning four consecutive games and serving at 6-5 for the set. But the momentum swung back Bondarenko's way as the Ukrainian won 11 of the last 15 points to seal the victory. In other matches, Urszula Radwanska of Poland upset third-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 and fourth-seeded Alize Cornet of France beat Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium 6-3, 7-5. Francesca Schiavone and Camila Giorgi of Italy advanced, along with Alexandra Panova of Russia, Kurumi Nara of Japan and Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.
• Croatia's Borna Coric beat Marcel Granollers 6-3, 6-3 in hot and humid conditions on Tuesday to reach the second round of the Croatia Open. Seventh-seeded Coric felt at home with the weather, converting four out of 11 break points and scoring 35 winners to defeat his Spanish opponent. He next faces Aljaz Bedene. Sixth-seeded Phillip Kohlschreiber of Germany also advanced after saving five break points to beat Santiago Giraldo of Colombia 6-3, 6-2. Kohlschreiber started slowly and faced two break points before stepping up his game at 3-3 in the first set, and going on to win five games in a row.
• Nicolas Almagro upset fifth-seeded Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 in an all-Spanish contest on clay to reach the second round of the Swedish Open on Tuesday. Almagro, the 2010 Bastad champion and winner of 12 clay-court titles, sealed victory on his third match point. Sixth-seeded Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil beat Swedish wild card entrant Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-2, and next faces another Swede, Christian Lindell. Paul-Henri Mathieu beat seventh-seeded Jeremy Chardy 7-5, 6-3 in an all-French first-round game and next plays Ernests Gulbis of Latvia, who easily defeated Marsel Ilhan of Turkey 6-2, 6-0. In other matches, No. 8 Jerzy Janowicz of Poland took 89 minutes to overcome qualifier Andrea Arnaboldi of Italy 6-4, 7-5. His next match is against Steve Darcis of Belgium, who beat Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain, 6-4, 6-3. Germany's Alexander Zverev hit nine aces in a 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-3, victory over compatriot qualifier Julian Reister to line up a second round match with No. 4 Juan Monaco of Argentina. Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain beat Luca Vanni of Italy, 6-4, 6-4.
FOOTBALL
Mariota signs with Titans in time for camp
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota signed with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday, becoming the last of the NFL’s first-round draft picks to finalize his deal.
The former Oregon quarterback is expected to start immediately, with the timing of the contract keeping the No. 2 overall pick on track to open the season Sept. 13 at Tampa Bay against Jameis Winston — the No. 1 overall selection from the draft.
The Titans started three quarterbacks while going 2-14 in Coach Ken Whisenhunt’s debut season. They were so excited about adding Mariota that Whisenhunt began tweaking his offense to fit the quarterback’s skills weeks before the draft.
“I am very grateful and honored to have this opportunity,” Mariota said in a statement. “I look forward to the future with my teammates, and I’m truly excited to be part of this team.”
Mariota left Oregon after his redshirt junior season. In 2014, the 6-foot-4 222-pounder from Hawaii directed the most efficient offense in the country and led all quarterbacks with a 90.9 rating. Mariota threw for 4,454 yards and 42 touchdowns, while rushing for 770 yards and 15 scores. He was only intercepted four times last season.
That combination of size, mobility and efficiency prompted the Titans to make him their third quarterback drafted within the first eight selections since 2006, and a franchise with only one winning record in the past six seasons has been busy selling Mariota since the moment he was announced as their newest player.
But the timing of Mariota’s contract caused a bit of apprehension for fans of the team. Whether or not the Titans would have Mariota signed in time for the first practice of camp July 31 had been a hot topic on talk radio the past few weeks.
Sports on 07/22/2015