FOOTBALL
Vikings' WR suspended
The NFL has suspended Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Michael Floyd without pay for the first four games of the regular season for violating its substance-abuse policy. The Vikings' announcement Friday gave no details of the violation. But an Arizona judge last month ordered Floyd to serve one day in jail for failing alcohol tests after a traffic stop last year. He blamed the results on a type of fermented tea called kombucha. The case stemmed from a 2016 drunken driving arrest when Scottsdale police found him passed out behind the wheel. He pleaded guilty in February to extreme drunken driving. He had a blood-alcohol level of more than 2½ times the legal limit in Arizona. Floyd will be allowed to participate in all preseason practices and games. He can return to the active roster Oct. 2.
Rams' Thomas suspended
Rams receiver Mike Thomas has been suspended for the first four games of the 2017 season, the NFL announced Friday afternoon. Thomas will be suspended without pay "for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances." The league did not give specifics on Thomas' alleged violation, but the NFL's drug policy calls for an automatic four-game suspension for a positive test result for a "stimulant or anabolic agent." A sixth-round draft pick out of Southern Mississippi in 2016, Thomas appeared in 15 games last season, caught three passes for 37 yards and also contributed on special teams. Thomas had drawn praise from new Coach Sean McVay throughout the Rams' offseason program for his on-field improvement, and Thomas is expected to compete for a spot on the final 53-man roster in training camp. Thomas can participate in training camp and in preseason games but won't be able to return to the active roster until Oct. 2.
Ohio State star sues
One of Ohio State's most famous football stars sued the university Friday over a marketing program he says used athletes' images without permission and robbed them of compensation. Linebacker Chris Spielman filed the antitrust lawsuit in federal court in Columbus on behalf of current and former Ohio State football players. The complaint targets Ohio State marketing programs and contracts that promote the university using likenesses of athletes, including a Honda-sponsored program of 64 banners hung around Ohio Stadium featuring photos of former players. The lawsuit names Ohio State and talent management giant IMG as defendants and names Honda and Nike as co-conspirators. Nike is targeted for its "Legends of the Scarlet and Gray" vintage jersey licensing program and other apparel contracts with Ohio State. The lawsuit accuses the university and the companies of "unjust and monopolistic behaviors" and asks for compensation, while noting Ohio State makes millions in revenue from merchandising programs involving ex-athletes. The filing comes after eight months of unsuccessful negotiations with the university, according to Brian Duncan, a Columbus attorney who represents Spielman.
BASKETBALL
Bulls sign Blakeney
The Chicago Bulls have signed former LSU guard Antonio Blakeney to a two-way contract. Blakeney went undrafted after averaging 17.2 points and earning All-SEC second-team honors last season. Two-way contracts are new to the NBA for the upcoming season. They allow a player to spend up to 45 days on an NBA roster while also playing in the G League. The Bulls announced the move Friday.
HORSE RACING
Foyt horse in Derby
A.J. Foyt has found some new horsepower at age 82. The four-time Indianapolis 500 winner will be rooting for Colonelsdarktemper in the $500,000 Indiana Derby today. Foyt owns the 3-year-old colt and a victory would be the biggest of the retired driver's long career owning racehorses. However, he won't be at Indiana Grand to watch. Foyt's racing team is competing at the IndyCar stop in Toronto this weekend. "He's competitive, that's what A.J. is," said Jinks Fires, who trains the colt. "He likes racing, no matter cars or horses. But he understands that if you get beat, you get beat. Pretty much turn the page and go to the next one." Foyt purchased Colonelsdarktemper for $35,000 two years ago in Kentucky. The colt didn't race as a 2-year-old and won his debut in February at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. He finished second in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs. Colonelsdarktemper is a son of Travers winner Colonel John. The colt will be ridden by Jon Court, the son-in-law of Fires.
HOCKEY
Hurricanes for sale?
Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos Jr. is considering selling the NHL team. Hurricanes spokesman Mike Sundheim said in a statement that Karmanos is deciding whether to accept an offer for the franchise or remain the owner, but he declined to say who made the offer. The offer could have come from former Texas Rangers CEO Chuck Greenberg. Bloomberg News and WRAL-TV, the NBC affiliate in Raleigh, N.C., reported that Greenberg is close to purchasing the team and will not move the Hurricanes. Bloomberg reported the sale price at roughly $500 million. Karmanos bought the Hartford Whalers franchise in 1994 and moved it to North Carolina three years later. He has been publicly seeking a local buyer for the team for at least three years.
BOXING
Olympic boxer turns pro
U.S. Olympic boxer Mikaela Mayer is turning pro. Mayer confirmed her decision Friday when promoter Top Rank announced her debut bout, which will occur in downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 5. The LA-area native finished one victory shy of a medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, losing a tight decision in the quarterfinals. She won national championships in 2015 and 2016 after finishing one victory shy of making the 2012 U.S. team for the Olympic debut of women's boxing. She plans to continue training with Al Mitchell, the veteran amateur boxing coach and Olympic coach. Mayer and two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields were the only two American women in Rio. Shields turned pro in November. She will fight Germany's Nikki Adler for the WBC super middleweight title next month.
OLYMPICS
New network to feature all Olympics all the time
NEW YORK — While too early in the morning for a torch lighting, a new television network designed to highlight Olympic sports and American athletes chasing gold medal dreams is set to debut today.
The Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA network launches at 5 a.m. Central in some 35 million American homes with NBC’s Mike Tirico previewing the live sports, archival footage and documentaries that will make up most of its programming. The show will repeat several times over the weekend for those sleeping in.
World championships in track and field, swimming and diving and beach volleyball will fill considerable airtime during the infant network’s first two months. A lengthy tribute to the 1992 United States “Dream Team” in men’s basketball will lead into Labor Day.
NBC Universal is sharing costs and control with the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee, although representatives wouldn’t outline how that responsibility is divided. The network’s unwieldy name is to avoid confusion with the IOC’s digital Olympic Channel.
Multiple ownership situations can also be unwieldy in creative operations. But promoting the Olympics is the IOC’s and USOC’s business. NBC Universal also wants to build interest in the Olympics because it has the rights to broadcast summer and winter Games through 2032.
Many fans follow Olympic sports and athletes for only a couple of weeks every four years.
“The Olympic Games will now have a home between these Games being played,” Tirico said.
The Dream Team programming is expected to be a draw. Over eight nights, the new Olympic channel will fully air the games played by the team that featured Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing and other Hall of Famers. The games were such blowouts, with USA never winning by less than 30 points, that NBC never televised all of them in full when they happened.
The new network has access to archival footage for most past Olympics. There are exceptions for Olympics footage owned by ABC from the 1970s and 1980s — meaning the channel would have to strike a deal if it wanted to air “Miracle on Ice” footage from the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, for example.
Jim Bell, executive producer of NBC’s Olympics telecasts, said he didn’t expect NBC will need to hire new on-air talent for the network, which will only be available digitally to cable and satellite customers who get the channel. It’s unclear at this point how the network will fit into NBC’s coverage of next winter’s games in South Korea.
Sports on 07/15/2017