FOOTBALL
Ten-year deal for Tucker
Michigan State is giving Mel Tucker a $95 million, 10-year contract, making an aggressive move to keep a football coach who potentially could have left for LSU or the NFL. The 12th-ranked Spartans (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten) close the regular season against Penn State (7-4, 4-4) on Saturday at home. Tucker's contract establishes him one of the riches coaches in college football. Only Alabama's Nick Saban, one of his mentors, who makes $9,753,221 a year, is paid more on an annual basis, according to the USA Today coaches' salaries database. Tucker's 10-year deal puts him in select company with two coaches with the same term: Clemson's Dabo Swinney and Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher. Swinney's contract is worth $92 million and Fisher's deal will pay him more than $9 plus million a year, starting in 2022.
TENNIS
Sweden stuns Canada
Before any matches were played, Elias Ymer didn't hesitate to say Sweden could succeed at the Davis Cup Finals despite being one of the lowest-ranked nations in the competition. He backed up his words with a great opening win on Thursday, then cheered on his brother Mikael in the other singles match that clinched Sweden's victory over 2019 runner-up Canada in Group B. Top-ranked France and second-ranked Croatia also won on the opening day. France needed to rally against 18th-ranked Czech Republic with a three-set doubles victory following the opening singles loss by veteran Richard Gasquet. Sweden also won the doubles match against Canada after Elias Ymer defeated Steven Diaz 6-4, 6-2 and Mikael Ymer beat Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 6-4.
Alcaraz to miss Cup Finals
Carlos Alcaraz, the teenager touted as Rafael Nadal's heir and the biggest name in Spain's team at the Davis Cup Finals, tested positive for the coronavirus and was dropped from the squad on Thursday. The 18-year-old Alcaraz, who was going to make his first Davis Cup appearance, said on social media he was sad to miss out on "such an important and special tournament like the Davis Cup." Alcaraz was expected to play in the Group A meeting with Ecuador today. The International Tennis Federation earlier said a member of Spain's team had tested positive for the coronavirus and was put in isolation, but did not name the player. The rest of the Spanish team members took a new PCR test. The 32nd-ranked Alcaraz, coming off a title at the Next Gen ATP Finals, will be replaced by No. 60 Pedro Martinez.
SOCCER
Late goal advances Portland
Larrys Mabiala scored in the 90th minute and the Portland Timbers beat the Colorado Rapids 1-0 on Thursday in Commerce City, Colo., to advance to the Western Conference final. Portland will face the winner of the game Sunday between Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake. Yimmi Chara's corner kick was deflected high into the air and Cristhian Paredes headed it into the 6-yard box for Mabiala to knock home. Mabiala hadn't scored all season before connecting in consecutive playoff games. Portland star playmaker Sebastian Blanco left early in the second half with an apparent leg injury. As he tried to run to a forward pass, Blanco went to the ground, grabbed the back of his taped left leg and immediately signaled for a substitution.
Olympic boss sentenced
Carlos Arthur Nuzman, the head of the Brazilian Olympic Committee for more than two decades, was sentenced to 30 years and 11 months in jail for allegedly buying votes for Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympics. The ruling by Judge Marcelo Bretas became public Thursday. Nuzman, who also headed the Rio 2016 organizing committee, was found guilty of corruption, criminal organization, money laundering and tax evasion. The 79-year-old executive won't be jailed until all his appeals are heard. He and his lawyer did not comment on the decision.
GOLF
Hidalgo leads in South Africa
The inaugural season of the DP World Tour started on Thursday with Angel Hidalgo of Spain shooting 6-under 65 to lead the first round of the Joburg Open in Johannesburg, South Africa, before play was suspended because of bad weather. South African golfer Thriston Lawrence was also 6 under and had one hole left to play when players came off the course due to the threat of lightning. It marked the start of a new era following the rebranding of the European Tour to a title which better reflected the global nature of the tour. The Joburg Open is one of 24 events not staged on European soil. The 2021 season ended just last week when Collin Morikawa won the Race to Dubai title. Former University of Central Arkansas golfer Pep Angles of Spain is tied for fourth place after finishing with a 4-under 67.
Kaymer taking time off
Two-time major winner Martin Kaymer is taking three months off for the birth of his first child, he told a German golf magazine Thursday. Kaymer expects to become a father in January at home in Germany and says he's looking to live in Florida with his family after the baby is born. Kaymer added that "commuting between America and Europe just hasn't worked for me," so he's looking to live in the U.S. on a permanent basis, along with a change in training to focus more on what he sees as the strengths in his game. Kaymer won the PGA Championship in 2010 and the U.S. Open in 2014 but hasn't won a tournament since. Kaymer is ranked 118th in the world.
