NFL:
The Minnesota Vikings have placed star running back Adrian Peterson on the exempt/commissioner's permission list, a move that will require him to stay away from the team while he addresses child abuse charges.
The Vikings made the announcement early Wednesday morning after initially deciding that Peterson could play with the team while the legal process played out. Peterson is charged with a felony for using a wooden switch to spank his 4-year-old son.
Meanwhile, Radisson Hotels have pulled their sponsorship of the Vikings, and Nike stores in the Twin Cities area have pulled Peterson merchandise from their shelves.
Anheuser-Busch says it has spoken with the NFL about former Raven Ray Rice's domestic abuse situation and the child abuse charges against Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. McDonald's, Visa and Campbell Soup Co. say they have also voiced similar concerns to the league. In response, the league has issued a statement saying: "We understand. We are taking action and there will be much more to come."
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton also weighed in yesterday saying Peterson should have remained suspended until an accusation of child abuse was resolved in the Texas legal system. The governor said in a statement to The Associated Press that Peterson is innocent until proven guilty. But Dayton also called Peterson's actions "a public embarrassment" to the Vikings and the state of Minnesota.
The NFL Players Association has appealed Ray Rice's season-long suspension. Rice originally was suspended two games under the NFL's personal conduct policy for striking his then-fiancee in a hotel elevator, but the ban was increased when videotape of that incident was made public last Monday.
A U.S. senator says she will introduce a bill to eliminate the NFL's tax-exempt status because the league has not taken action over the Washington Redskins name. The announcement by Democrat Maria Cantwell of Washington state was one of several initiatives presented during a Capitol Hill news conference today aimed at increasing pressure on Redskins owner Dan Snyder.
MLB:
Major League Baseball's first two division champions were crowned on Tuesday, and they reside about 40 miles apart. The Washington Nationals clinched the National League East for the second time in three seasons, a few minutes before the Baltimore Orioles claimed their first American League East title in 17 years when the Orioles topped Toronto 8-2. The Nats shut out the Braves 3-0 in Atlanta.
Masahiro Tanaka is likely to rejoin the Yankees’ rotation Sunday against Toronto. The Yankees have placed infielder-outfielder Martin Prado on the 60-day disabled list after an appendectomy he had on Tuesday.
Elsewhere in the American League, Tampa Bay bested the Yankees 6-1, the White Sox defeated Kansas City 7-5, Cleveland doubled up Houston 4-2, Minnesota edged Detroit 4-3, Seattle blew out the Angels 13-2, and it was Texas over Oakland 6-3. The AL Central still remains the tightest division where Detroit leads 1 ½ games over Kansas City.
In the National League, the Mets topped Miami 9-1, the Cubs shut out Cincinnati 7-0, Milwaukee edged St. Louis 3-2 in 12, Colorado bested the Dodgers 10-4, San Francisco edged Arizona 2-1, and it was San Diego over Philadelphia 5-4.
In interleague play, Pittsburgh blanked Boston 4-0.
NASCAR:
A grand jury will decide whether NASCAR driver Tony Stewart will be charged in the August death of a fellow driver at a sprint car race in upstate New York. Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo made the announcement after reviewing evidence collected by sheriff's investigators.
Stewart's car struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr. at a dirt-track race in Canandaigua (kan-un-DAY'-gwuh) on Aug. 9.
Stewart issued a statement saying he looks forward to the process being completed and will continue to cooperate.
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