NFL
Lineman ends holdout
All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald reported to the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, ending a holdout that began in May without getting a new contract. Donald passed his physical when he reported to the Rams' training complex in Thousand Oaks, but he will not play in today's season opener at the Coliseum against Indianapolis. The three-time Pro Bowl selection held out for four months to demand a new contract after three standout NFL seasons. The Rams held months of negotiations with Donald's representatives, but couldn't reach a deal. The sides intend to continue negotiations even with Donald back on the team, the Rams announced. Donald is scheduled to make $1.8 million this year and $6.9 million in 2018 under the terms of his rookie deal. He was seeking a contract to make him the NFL's highest-paid player, but he won't miss any game checks this season by reporting in time for the opener. Donald is among the top defensive players in the sport, recording 28 sacks in three seasons and earning a reputation as one of the league's most effective players at any position. He was the AP's defensive rookie of the year as a first-round pick in St. Louis in 2014. Tanzel Smart, a rookie sixth-round pick out of Tulane, is expected to start in Donald's place today against the Colts.
Raiders kicker on IR
The Oakland Raiders have placed long-time kicker Sebastian Janikowski on injured reserve with a sore back and promoted Giorgio Tavecchio to the active roster. The team made the move Saturday, a day before the season opener at Tennessee. The Raiders had signed Tavecchio on Friday as insurance if Janikowski wasn't healed and brought him to Tennessee. Tavecchio has spent time in training camp with the Raiders the past four seasons but has never kicked in a regular-season game. He will replace Janikowski, the franchise's career leader in games played with 268 and points with 1,799. Janikowski joined the Raiders as a surprise first-round pick in 2000 and is one of the few remaining with ties to late owner Al Davis.
Bears, Hicks reach deal
Defensive end Akiem Hicks and the Chicago Bears have agreed to a four-year contract extension through the 2021 season. The team announced the agreement on Saturday. Agent Drew Rosenhaus said it's a $48 million deal with $30 million guaranteed, confirming an ESPN report. Hicks signed with Chicago last year after spending his first four seasons with New Orleans and New England. He was one of the Bears' best performers on defense last season, starting 16 games and setting career highs with 7 sacks and 3 pass breakups. Hicks has 16 1/2 sacks and 33 tackles for loss in 77 games -- 49 starts. The Bears are coming off a 3-13 season and last-place finish in the NFC North. They open against defending NFC champion Atlanta today.
BASEBALL
Brewers' ace sidelined
Milwaukee Brewers ace Jimmy Nelson will miss the rest of the season after jamming his shoulder while diving to a base. General Manager David Stearns said before Saturday's game with the Chicago Cubs that he does not know if surgery is needed. Nelson has a right rotator cuff strain and partial anterior labrum tear. Nelson left Friday night's 2-0 victory over the Cubs after the injury. The right-hander threw 4-hit ball over 5 innings, while striking out 7 and walking 2 en route to winning his third consecutive start. He is 12-6 with a 3.49 ERA, a career high for victories. Manager Craig Counsell said he didn't yet know who would fill Nelson's spot in the rotation, which will come up five or six times before the end of the regular season.
BASKETBALL
LSU approves contract
LSU's new basketball coach has received a 67 percent pay bump to $2.5 million a year. The LSU Board of Supervisors voted Friday to approve Coach Will Wade's new contract for six years, according to The Advocate of Baton Rouge. Wade will make $1 million more than what he was due this coming season at his previous school, Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., and $1 million more than what former coach Johnny Jones made in 2016-17. Wade's contract also calls for $150,000 more in academic and athletic incentives than Jones' contract. Wade's total incentives package is worth $800,000. The additional incentives include recognition for national and conference coach of the year awards.
NCAA to allow Harvey aid
The NCAA has signed off on a request for aid for Hurricane Harvey victims that began with a tweet from Houston Coach Kelvin Sampson. Sampson sent a tweet Aug. 28 asking high school, college and pro coaches to send 20 school or team T-shirts and 10 pairs of shoes to be distributed to storm victims. Sampson's team plays in the American Athletic Conference, and on Thursday the NCAA gave its OK, allowing schools to send donations. The university said it has received more than 1,300 promises of donations via Twitter, including more than 330 from Division I sports programs and donations from all but one state. Sampson said he has been overwhelmed by the response. The school said the tweet has been viewed more than 2.5 million times.
GOLF
Thompson seals victory
Lexi Thompson pulled away from Lydia Ko on Saturday to win the inaugural Indy Women in Tech Championship for her second victory of the year and ninth career LPGA Tour title. Tied with Ko entering the final round at Brickyard Crossing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Thompson closed with a 4-under 68 for a four-stroke victory over Ko. Thompson, 22, finished at 19-under 197. Ko had a 72. The New Zealander is winless in more than a year. Thompson broke a tie with Ko and took the lead for good with birdies on Nos. 9 and 10. But she bogeyed No. 11, hooked her tee shot at No. 16 into the water en route to another birdie, and hit through the green and settled for par at No. 17. She closed with her sixth birdie of the round. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) was 7 under after a 67. Emily Tubert (Razorbacks) was 1 over after a 76. Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) did not make the cut.
Play halted in Switzerland
Scott Hend of Australia extended his lead to two strokes when play was suspended Saturday during the weather-affected European Masters third round in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Hend birdied the par-3 13th hole minutes before fading light forced the players off a second time. Earlier, fog shrouding the Swiss Alps course caused a two-hour, 24-minute stoppage. Leading overnight by one shot, Hend was 2 over for his 13 holes. Still, his 11 under total was two ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick of England, Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay and Darren Fichardt of South Africa. The four leading players were due back on course at 8 a.m. today to finish the third round. The clubhouse leaders at 8 under were Marcus Fraser of Australia, Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark and Dean Burmester of South Africa.
FOOTBALL
Irma disrupts games throughout Florida
MIAMI — Hurricane Irma kept Florida State and Miami on the sideline this week — and will do so again next weekend.
The powerful storm has already forced the postponement of the annual Seminoles-Hurricanes showdown, which was scheduled to be played on Florida State’s campus in Tallahassee on Sept. 16.
The game is now set for Oct. 7, which was supposed to be an off week for both teams.
“It quickly became clear that it was in the best interest of our players, coaches and fans to reschedule next week’s Miami at Florida State game,” Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford said. “Typically, it’s not easy to reschedule games, but in this instance, there was a clear path to adjust quickly and effectively.”
Miami cancelled its game against Arkansas State, scheduled for Saturday in Jonesboro. Florida State also cancelled its home game against Louisiana-Monroe.
The switch also forced another tweak: Miami’s home game with Georgia Tech has been pushed back from Oct. 12 to Oct. 14, at the Hurricanes’ request.
“I appreciate the job the league did in addressing the situation and the position Georgia Tech took in supporting this change,” Miami Athletic Director Blake James said.
Miami’s campus is closed until at least Tuesday. FSU’s is closed through Friday.
Meteorologists predicted Irma’s center would blow ashore in the low-lying Florida Keys, then hug the state’s west coast, plowing into the Tampa Bay area by Monday morning. But virtually the entire state will feel some effect from the massive storm.
The worst of Irma was just starting to arrive in Florida on Saturday, but the storm has already created big problems for sports teams all around the state. Florida, Florida State and Central Florida cancelled their home games this weekend; Miami and South Florida weren’t able to go play their road games. Florida International played a neutral-site game in Birmingham, Ala., on Friday and Florida Atlantic played at Wisconsin on Saturday.
Sports on 09/10/2017