FOOTBALL
Fred McNeill, 63, dies
Fred McNeill, the former Minnesota linebacker who helped the Vikings reach two Super Bowls in his 12-year NFL career, has died. He was 63. Wife Tia McNeill said he died Tuesday in Southern California of complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He also suffered from dementia. Drafted 17th overall in 1974, the former UCLA star played in Minnesota's Super Bowl losses in 1975 and 1977. In 167 regular-season games, he had 1,068 tackles, 13 sacks, seven interceptions and returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. He appeared in 13 playoff games, and blocked a punt in the 1977 Super Bowl. McNeill attended William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul at the end of his playing career and became a lawyer after retiring from the NFL. He was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.
• A Kansas high school football player who collapsed on the sideline during a state playoff game in Sharon Springs, Kan., has died after being taken off life support. Luke Schemm had just scored the extra point after a touchdown Tuesday when the 17-year-old ran to the sidelines and collapsed. He was flown to Swedish Medical Center in the Denver suburb of Englewood, where he was declared brain dead. Hospital spokesman Nicole Williams told The Associated Press that Schemm was kept on life support so family and friends could pay their respects. Schemm died after support was removed Wednesday afternoon. Brian McVay, superintendent and principal of Wallace County schools, said he didn't know why Schemm collapsed during the Eight-Man Division II game at Wallace County High School.
• Atlanta, New Orleans and Santa Clara, Calif., were selected to host College Football Playoff national championship games from a group of nine cities and regions that were vying for the event. The Atlanta Falcons' new stadium, which will open in 2017, will be the site of the championship game scheduled for Jan. 8, 2018. Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, the home of the San Francisco 49ers, will host the January 2019 title game. The New Orleans Superdome will be the site of the January 2020 championship game. The playoff management committee, comprised of the FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame's athletic director, also considered bids from South Florida (Sun Life Stadium), Houston (NRG Stadium), Minneapolis (U.S. Bank Stadium), Detroit (Ford Field), Charlotte, North Carolina (Bank of American Stadium) and San Antonio, Texas (Alamodome). Bidding communities were guaranteeing between $13 million and $18 million to the College Football Playoff. This season's championship game will be held Jan. 11 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., which is also the site of the Fiesta Bowl.
GOLF
Lefty switching coaches
Five-time major champion Phil Mickelson has decided to leave swing coach Butch Harmon after eight years. Mickelson said in a statement Wednesday to Golf.com that he has learned a great deal from Harmon since they began working together in 2007. Mickelson said at this time he needs to "hear new ideas from a different perspective." Shortly after he began working with Harmon, Mickelson won The Players Championship and then added the Deutsche Bank Championship while going head-to-head with Tiger Woods. Mickelson joked that Harmon taught him nuances of playing with Woods from Harmon's decade of working with Woods. Mickelson won 15 times with Harmon, including the Masters in 2010 and British Open in 2013. He did not indicate who his next coach would be.
BASKETBALL
WNBA's Richie leaving
WNBA President Laurel Richie is stepping down after more than four years on the job. The WNBA said in a release Wednesday that Richie is leaving to pursue other opportunities that include being an advocate for girls and young women. NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum will oversee the WNBA until a new president is hired. A search for the new league president will begin immediately. "We thank Laurel for her five seasons of service and commitment to the WNBA and wish her success in her future endeavors," Tatum said in a statement. Richie assumed her role with the league in May 2011, becoming the first African-American to lead a major sports league. In her five seasons at the helm, Richie led initiatives to improve the visibility of the league's players. She helped ensure a measure of financial stability for the teams by completing an eight-year collective bargaining agreement with the players and extended a contract with ESPN through 2025. Richie also oversaw the Tulsa Shock's move to Dallas and the purchase of the Los Angeles Sparks by Guggenheim Partners and Magic Johnson Enterprises.
• The Philadelphia 76ers have signed point guard Phil Pressey after being granted an additional roster spot from the NBA for hardship relief. Pressey has appeared in 125 games with the Boston Celtics, averaging 3.1 points, and 2.9 assists in 14 minutes per game. Pressey was on the active list for Wednesday night's game in Milwaukee against the Bucks. The undermanned Sixers are without center Joel Embiid for a second consecutive season because of a foot injury. Robert Covington went on the injury report this week with a sprained right knee, joining three other players. Pressey could play right away for the Sixers, who started rookie T.J. McConnell at point guard against the Bucks. Pressey is the son of former NBA player Paul Pressey.
TENNIS
Federer moves up
Roger Federer raced into the third round of the Paris Masters with an exhilarating display of attacking tennis on Wednesday, thrashing Italian Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-1, 6-1 in just 47 minutes. Fresh from his victory at the Swiss Indoors last weekend, the 17-time Grand Slam champion looked in ominous form on the indoor hard court, winning 92 percent of points on his first serve as he breezed through the first set in 19 minutes. Seppi had a glimpse of a chance, but failed to convert four break points on Federer's opening service game of the second set. It was Federer's 13th win in 14 matches against Seppi, who knocked him out in the third round of the Australian Open this year for his lone victory against the Swiss star.
HORSE RACING
World, Mohaymen win
Big World and Mohaymen won the $200,000 stakes for 2-year-olds Wednesday, the opening-day features at Aqueduct in New York. Big World set the pace and held off Flora Dora by a half length in the Tempted for fillies. Jose Ortiz guided her to a second victory in four starts for trainer Tony Dutrow. Big World ran the mile in 1:37.19, paying $10.40 to win. Mohaymen improved to 2 for 2 by employing different tactics. The even-money favorite trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and ridden by Junior Alvarado rallied from sixth to beat Flexibility by 1 3/4 lengths. Looking ahead to next May, McLaughlin said, "We definitely have Derby fever." McLaughlin said the lightly-raced colt will likely make his next start Nov. 28 in either the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct or the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs. The time was 1:36.01. Mohaymen paid $4.20 to win.
BOXING
Lebedev keeps title
Russia's Denis Lebedev retained his WBA cruiserweight title Wednesday with a victory by stoppage over previously undefeated Nigerian Lateef Kayode at Kazan, Russia. Lebedev was in control throughout the fight and knocked down Kayode three times before the referee stopped the fight in the eighth round with the Nigerian taking punishment against the ropes. "I'm enjoying the win," Lebedev said, adding that he was usually good friends with Kayode but "today we said to each other, November 4, we're not friends." Kayode started aggressively in the first round but Lebedev, who was fighting in front of a passionate home crowd on a Russian public holiday, soon asserted control. Kayode faced his first count in the seventh after a Lebedev left hook sent him sprawling, although he claimed he had been pushed. The Nigerian went down twice in the eighth from a body blow and another left hook. He kept fighting but could not hold on until the bell. Lebedev improves to a 28-2 record.
Sports on 11/05/2015