FOOTBALL
Marino in suit vs. NFL
Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino is among the latest group of football players to file a concussion-related lawsuit against the National Football League. The former Miami Dolphins quarterback is one of 15 former players who filed a lawsuit in federal court in Philadelphia last week. Marino, 52, and the other 14 plaintiffs join more than 4,800 others who have alleged the NFL misled players about the long term dangers of concussions. The NFL has denied those claims. The lawsuit doesn’t specify any medical problems suffered by the plaintiffs including Marino, who retired in 1999. It seeks unspecified damages and medical monitoring. The NFL and the original group of players agreed on a $765 million settlement last August. But the settlement was rejected by a federal judge in January.
The New York Giants waived suspended safety Will Hill on Monday. Hill was suspended by the NFL last week for six games in the upcoming season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He missed the opening four games of 2013 while under a similar suspension. Signed by the Giants as a free agent in 2012, Hill played in 24 games for the team. He had no starts as a rookie, but made 10 starts last season. In his career, he returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown and also played on special teams. A New Jersey native, Hill went undrafted out of Florida in 2012, in part because of off-field issues.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin has undergone hip surgery, but the team has no timetable on his return. A team spokesman confirmed Irvin’s surgery on Monday but had no details of what the surgery repaired. Irvin started all 12 games last season after serving a four-game suspension at the start. The former first-round pick had 40 tackles, two sacks and an interception while making the transition from defensive end to outside linebacker. Irvin started Seattle’s first two playoff games but did not start in the Super Bowl. Irvin tweeted Monday afternoon that he expects to be back by the start of training camp in July. He’s expected to compete for a starting spot at outside linebacker with Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith.
Jack Elway, the son of Denver Broncos General Manager John Elway, was arrested on assault charges after his girlfriend told police he pulled her out of a car by her hair. Court documents obtained Monday show the woman told Denver police that Jack Elway, 24, also pushed her to the ground when she tried to get back in the car, causing scrapes. The documents say the incident happened early Saturday near a college campus in downtown Denver. Elway initially fled the scene. Elway was released from jail on $550 bond and was scheduled to appear in court Thursday. He faces charges of assault and disturbing the peace. Court records do not list an attorney.
The Cleveland Browns are giving troubled cornerback Aaron Berry another chance. The unrestricted free agent signed Monday with Cleveland, his third pro team in four years. Berry, who has had legal issues and injuries, previously played for the Detroit Lions and the New York Jets. Last summer, Berry sustained a season-ending knee injury on the first day of training camp with the Jets. In 2012, he played under Browns Coach Mike Pettine, who was New York’s defensive coordinator. He was limited to seven games because of a hamstring injury. Berry appeared in 19 games before the Lions released him after he was twice arrested in 2012. He was suspended three games for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy.
BASKETBALL
Noah leads All-Defensive team
Chicago’s Joakim Noah and Indiana’s Paul George received the most votes on this year’s NBA all-defensive team, released Monday. Less than two months after a landslide victory in balloting for the league’s defensive player of the year, Noah was the only player to receive more than 100 first-team votes and earn more than 200 points for the team. Noah received 105 of 123 possible votes, while George had 65 votes. The rest of the first team consisted of Clippers guard Chris Paul, Oklahoma City forward Serge Ibaka and Golden State swingman Andre Iguodala. It’s the second consecutive year Noah was chosen to the first team. Four-time league MVP LeBron James and defensive player of the year runner-up Roy Hibbert were both on the second team. Noah dominated on the defensive end this season, joining Andre Drummond of Detroit and Anthony Davis of New Orleans as the only players in the league to average at least 10.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals. Noah finished sixth in the league in rebounding (11.3), 12th in blocks (1.51) and helped the Bulls hold opponents to 43.0 percent field goal shooting, the second-best mark in the league. He also had 1.24 steals per game. George, widely considered one of the league’s best two way players at age 24, finished fifth in the league in steals (1.89) and was the only player in the NBA to average at least 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals. Paul received 64 first-team votes after winning his sixth steals title (2.48). Ibaka made his presence felt in the Western Conference finals. After getting beaten twice in San Antonio without him, the Thunder won the next two games on their home court with Ibaka. The Spurs eventually won the series 4-2. Iguodala averaged 1.5 steals as the Warriors jumped from No. 19 in defense in 2012-2013 to 10th this season. James and Iguodala each received 57 first-team votes but Iguodala had 14 more second-team votes to edge out James for the final spot on the first team. Houston guard Patrick Beverley (Arkansas Razorbacks), Chicago guard Jimmy Butler, San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard and Hibbert rounded out the second team. Indiana and Chicago were the only teams with two players on the list, which is selected by a panel of 123 sports writers and broadcasters in the U.S. and Canada.
Steve Ballmer’s departure from the group looking to bring the NBA back to Seattle isn’t derailing lead investor Chris Hansen’s hopes of getting a team back in the region. Hansen told The Associated Press on Monday that he is confident he’ll be able to find investors to take Ballmer’s place in his group that is trying to build a new arena and last year nearly bought and moved the Sacramento Kings to Seattle. Hansen is the majority investor in the project, but said it would likely take more than one person to replace Ballmer’s investment. Other than Hansen, the only other known partners in the investment group are members of the Nordstrom department store family. Hansen said he won’t put a limit on the number of investors at this time. Seattle’s hopes seemed to take a blow last week when Ballmer agreed to buy the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion. Among other things, it raised questions about whether Ballmer’s decision should be taken as a sign that Seattle’s hopes of getting a franchise are dwindling. Hansen tried to calm those concerns, noting the environmental reviews on the proposed arena site are ongoing and that he remains committed to continuing the process both with the arena and a team. Hansen’s memorandum of understanding with the city of Seattle and King County on the arena goes through November 2017. Because of a lack of buzz about the NBA prior to Ballmer agreeing to purchase the Clippers, questions about whether the NHL could be first to land in Seattle have increased. It peaked recently when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman flew to Seattle during the NHL playoffs to meet with Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and King County executive Dow Constantine. Hansen reiterated he does not have an interest in being the majority owner of an NHL franchise. But he’s willing to partner with another investor who has that passion for the NHL. That would require a restructuring of the memorandum of understanding and Hansen said any re-writing of the deal would have to be initiated by the city and county.