NFL:
In the NFL on Monday Night Football, Minnesota's defense denied Odell Beckham Jr. all night and the Vikings mystified Eli Manning yet again during a 24-10 victory over the New York Giants. Sam Bradford threw a touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph for the third straight game and kept his turnover-free streak intact, helping the Vikings lead from start to finish after falling behind in each of their first three wins.
New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis has a mild hamstring strain and his status for the team's game at Pittsburgh next Sunday is uncertain. Revis was injured during the Jets' 27-17 loss to Seattle on Sunday, missing most of the fourth quarter.
With his four-game "Deflategate" suspension now completed, Tom Brady was eligible to step back into the Patriots' team facility on Monday. But no one appeared willing to say whether he appeared Monday, and players have the day off Tuesday, leaving fans to await his official return after the 21-month odyssey involing an NFL investigation that concluded the Patriots intentionally underinflated footballs used in the AFC Championship game in January 2015.
The Supreme Court has rejected a long-shot appeal from the Washington Redskins challenging a law that bars offensive trademarks. But the justices could still resolve the same issue in another case the court took up last week. The court has turned away an unusual request to hear the team's case even before a federal appeals court has weighed in. The Redskins are appealing the government's decision to cancel its trademarks over concerns the name disparages American Indians. In a separate case, the justices will decide whether the trademark law violates the First Amendment.
Around the rest of the league:
Reigning NFL MVP Cam Newton is uncertain for the Panthers' game Sunday against Tampa Bay. That's the word from coach Ron Rivera, who says his star quarterback met with doctors a day after suffering a concussion in Sunday's loss to Atlanta. Newton was hurt when he inexplicably slowed down nearing the goal line on a 2-point conversion run and took a legal hit from linebacker Deion Jones. Over in Denver, Broncos coach Gary Kubiak says he's ready to go with quarterback Trevor Siemian in Sunday's game against the Falcons. However, Kubiak told KDSP-AM in Denver on one of his weekly radio show appearances Monday Denver will take it day by day. Siemian injured his non-throwing shoulder during Sunday's win over Tampa Bay and was replaced by rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch, who threw for 170 yards.
— Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon is likely done for the season after suffering a ruptured right Achillies' tendon in Sunday's win over Carolina. He missed the entire 2014 season after rupturing his left Achillies' tendon.
— The Titans have fired special teams coordinator Bobby April after his unit gave up the decisive 67-yard punt return for a touchdown in Sunday's loss to Houston. Special teams assistant Steve Hoffman will take over April's duties.
— San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer is endorsing a controversial ballot measure that would give the Chargers a $1.1 billion public handout to help pay for a new downtown stadium. Faulconer says he gave his endorsement only after the team agreed to concessions that protect the city. A Mayoral spokesman says that while the concessions aren't legally binding, they provide a framework for negotiations if the measure passes.
NBA:
In NBA preseason play, Milwaukee beat Chicago 93-91, Memphis won against Orlando 102-97, Dallas beat Charlotte 95-88, Denver bested Toronto 108-106, Phoenix defeated San Antonio 91-86, and it was Portland over Utah 98-89.
Knicks star Derrick Rose is due in a Los Angeles courtroom to fight a $21 million lawsuit by a former girlfriend who accuses him and two friends of gang raping her three years ago when she was incapacitated. The start of jury selection in the trial Tuesday in U.S. District Court conflicts with the Knicks preseason opener in Houston and it's not clear which Rose will attend. Lawyers for the player have said he probably won't appear in court for jury selection, though he's expected later. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, says Rose and two friends had sex with her without her consent in 2013 after she passed out following a night of drinking. Rose and his friends deny the allegations and say the woman invited them into her apartment and willingly had sex. Rose had dated the woman during the previous two years.
NHL:
In NHL preseason play, the Islanders beat New Jersey 4-3, Philadelphia topped the Rangers 4-3, Washington won against St. Louis in a shootout 2-1, Winnipeg bested Ottawa 4-2, and it was Arizona over Vancouver 4-2.
The Boston Bruins failed to qualify last season for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the second straight season, and clearly defense was their weakness. The Bruins have seven defensemen under NHL contracts who played for them last season, led by captain Zdeno Chara. General manager Don Sweeney said the play is to be aggressive and spend as much time in the other team's end as possible.
The NHL's Las Vegas expansion franchise has hired Kerry Bubolz as team president. Bubolz spent 13 seasons with the Cavaliers and the Quicken Loans Arena organization, serving as president of business operations. He previously served as vice president of sales for the Carolina Hurricanes and in senior management roles with the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the IHL.
Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson has been suspended for the rest of the preseason and the regular-season opener against St. Louis. He was punished for charging Blues forward Ty Rattie with 65 seconds left in the Hawks' 4-0 win on Saturday. Hjalmarsson received a match penalty for an illegal check to the head that will cost him almost $23,000 in salary.
MLB:
After a frantic finish to a regular season that saw three teams clinch playoff berths on the final day, Major League Baseball takes a one-day respite before the postseason begins.
The Blue Jays and Orioles locked up their playoff spots Sunday and get the postseason started with the single-elimination wildcard game in Toronto Tuesday. The Blue Jays won the season series 10-9, but the Orioles won two of three in Toronto last week.
Chris Tillman is slated to start for Baltimore. The right-hander finished 16-6 and was 1-0 with a 3.63 ERA in four starts against the Blue Jays this season.
Toronto will counter with Marcus Stroman, who went 9-10 this season with a career high 204 innings pitched. Stroman was roughed up by the O's this season, going 1-2 with a hefty 7.04 ERA in 23 innings over four starts.
The National League wild-card game is scheduled for Wednesday in New York, where the Mets will host San Francisco. Noah Syndergaard will start for the Mets against Giants ace Madison Bumgarner.
Mark McGwire joins Bud Selig, George Steinbrenner and seven others on the Today's Game Era ballot to be considered for election to Cooperstown in December. The ballot is part of changes to the election process announced by the Hall's board of directors in July. It includes five players, three executives and two managers who made their biggest impact from 1988 on. McGwire has admitted to using steroids in his playing days and has been shunned for election during the regular voting process. Voting is Dec. 5 during the winter meetings in Maryland, and candidates need votes on 12 of the 16 ballots to be enshrined.
High School:
Police in western Massachusetts are investigating a threat made against a high school football player after the student kneeled during the national anthem at a recent game. According to local news reports, Great Barrington Police Chief William Walsh says police are taking the incident "very seriously" and are working to assess whether the comments are considered hate speech. The Monument Mountain Regional High School player "took a knee" during the national anthem at a Sept. 23 game in Athol.
U.S. Soccer:
Bob Bradley is the first American manager in the Premier League after being hired by Swansea. The former US national coach has finally landed the opportunity in a major European competition he had been chasing. Bradley most recently coached Le Havre, where the team only missed out on promotion to the France's top league in May on goal difference.
NCAA:
The Supreme Court is leaving in place court rulings that found the NCAA's amateurism rules for big-time college basketball and football players violated federal antitrust law. The justices have rejected the NCAA's appeal in a class-action lawsuit originally filed by former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon and other athletes. The court has also rejected O'Bannon's separate appeal that called on the justices to reinstate a plan to pay football and basketball players. The effect of the high-court action is to leave the NCAA vulnerable to more legal challenges that are working their way through the courts.
Sports Gambling:
Authorities in New York say one of the nation's largest race and sports book operators has agreed to pay $22.5 million in penalties and forfeiture to resolve criminal and civil investigations. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn announced the non-prosecution agreement Monday for CG Technology LP, formerly known as Cantor Gambling. The Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network announced separate civil penalties. Prosecutors say the deal resolves a probe into the company's past involvement in illegal gambling and money laundering schemes.
Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Robert Capers says the Las Vegas-based company agreed to cooperate and take remedial measures. Las Vegas U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden says CG Technology admitted violating law by accepting messenger betting, accepting out-of-state betting and laundering money. A company spokeswoman has declined to comment.
©2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
