Sports briefs
By NewsPress Now
NFL investigating lawsuit filed against Browns quarterback Watson
CLEVELAND | Deshaun Watson is again under a spotlight away from the field.
The NFL said Tuesday it is investigating the latest civil lawsuit filed against the Cleveland Browns quarterback for an alleged sexual assault that took place in 2020 while he played for Houston.
On Monday, a woman in Texas accused Watson of sexually assaulting her during an incident at her apartment four years ago. She claims Watson sexually forced himself on her for several minutes.
“We are reviewing the complaint and we will look into the matter under the personal conduct policy,” league spokesperson Brian McCarthy said. “Not looking at commissioner’s exempt list as there’s been no formal charges and the league’s review has just begun.”
Watson, who is in his third season with Cleveland, was previously suspended 11 games by the league in 2022 after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions. Watson was also fined $5 million.
He settled 23 of 24 civil lawsuits brought by the women in 2022 before being disciplined by the league.
It’s not known if Watson disclosed the newest allegation to the league prior to the lawsuit being filed in Harris County, Texas, by attorney Tony Buzbee, who has represented other clients against the QB.
The Browns, who traded five draft picks — three in the first round — to the Texans for the three-time Pro Bowler, also released a statement.
“We will respect the due process our legal system affords regarding the recently filed civil suit and follow the NFL’s guidelines on this matter,” the team said.
Watson’s star-crossed career in Cleveland began with the team giving him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract.
The Browns’ hopes that he can become a long-term answer at quarterback for them has been sidetracked by his legal issues, the lengthy suspension and a shoulder injury that limited Watson to just six starts last season.
On Sunday, the 28-year-old had a rough performance in his first game since breaking a bone in his throwing shoulder in November and undergoing surgery.
Watson, who didn’t play at all in the preseason, completed 24 of 45 passes for 169 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in a 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He was also sacked six times and took several more hard shots.
At this point, he’s expected to play this week when the Browns visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Robinson, Edwards
are among players suing NCAA and Big Ten Network
Former Michigan football stars Denard Robinson and Braylon Edwards are suing the NCAA and Big Ten Network with other former Wolverines players, claiming they lost out on more than $50 million during their college careers because of the association’s now-lifted ban on athletes being compensated for name, image and likeness.
The federal class-action antitrust lawsuit, dated Monday, was filed in the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of all Michigan football players who played before 2016. It also includes former Wolverines players Mike Martin and Shawn Crable as plaintiffs.
The NCAA and major college conferences are in the process of trying to settle three antitrust lawsuits related to athlete compensation for name, image and likeness. They have a settlement agreement in place to pay $2.78 billion in damages to hundreds of thousands of college athletes, dating back to 2016.
The NCAA changed its rules in 2021 to allow athletes to cash in on their fame through sponsorship and endorsement deals after decades of prohibition.
At a hearing last week, the federal judge overseeing those cases declined to grant preliminary approval of the deal and kicked it back to attorneys to address her concerns with certain aspects of the agreement.
On Tuesday, another lawsuit was filed against the NCAA, targeting the settlement agreement. The South Dakota attorney general’s complaint on behalf of his state’s two Division I universities — South Dakota State and the University of South Dakota — alleges the proposed settlement forces smaller schools like those to be responsible for a disproportionate share of the cost.
The Michigan lawsuit aims to recoup what notable stars such as Robinson and Edwards were denied when they played, and it claims the players should be compensated for the highlights and replays of their exploits that are still used by television networks.
“These iconic moments have been repeatedly shown and replayed on BTN (Big Ten Network) and related networks, helping continue the fascination and passion of the sport. They have significantly contributed to the revenue generated by the NCAA and its partners,” the lawsuit said.
The NCAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Robinson was a record-breaking quarterback for Michigan from 2009-12 who was given the nickname Shoelace because he played with untied cleats. He was also depicted on the cover of the last EA Sports NCAA video game before the series was discontinued for a decade because of the first lawsuit targeting the NCAA’s ban on NIL compensation. The game returned this year as College Football ‘25, with players being paid to have their names and likenesses used.
“They made hundreds of millions off the Michigan brand. The Michigan brand, I’d argue, is the most valuable in college sports. They made hundreds of millions of dollars, BTN made millions, and these guys didn’t get any of it,” Michigan-based attorney Jim Acho told the AP. “That’s just wrong, and it’s not just wrong it’s unlawful.”
Robinson recently had worked as a football staffer for the school but was let go in May after an arrest for suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Edwards played from 2001-04 and is considered one of the greatest receivers in school history. He was an All-American who went on to become a first-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns.
Martin played defensive line for the Wolverines from 2008-11. Crable played linebacker from 2003-07.
Acho said it is too speculative to know if approval of the NCAA’s settlement agreement will impact this new lawsuit.
“And it’s too speculative for me to hold off on filing,” he said.
Deion Sanders denies asking Colorado band not to play
BOULDER, Colo. | Instead of chatting about how the world saw Colorado get “ our butts kicked” by Nebraska, Deion Sanders opened his weekly news conference talking about the school’s fight song.
It’s just the latest sign of how no topic is too remote in a program run by Sanders.
The Buffaloes coach began Tuesday by addressing the “main thing,” which was local radio station 104.3 The Fan’s report that he had asked the school’s band not to play the fight song at Folsom Field after a score by Shedeur Sanders so his quarterback son’s theme music could run.
“Whoever reported that I told the band not to play the fight song, that’s idiotic. Y’all know that,” said Sanders, whose team travels to Colorado State on Saturday after a 28-10 loss at Nebraska last weekend. “Get the facts before you run with false narratives.”
The school issued a statement denying the report that Sanders instructed the Colorado band to refrain from playing the fight song during a 31-26 win over North Dakota State during the season opener in Boulder. The stadium briefly played other pieces of music — including for Shedeur Sanders and kicker Alejandro Mata — before the band took over.
“The fight songs ‘Glory, Glory, Colorado’ and ‘Fight CU’ have been played after CU touchdowns and field goals for years and were played every time the Buffaloes scored against North Dakota State earlier this season,” the statement said. “It’s common throughout college football for individual players to have small snippets of songs played during games.”
These sorts of reports are nothing new for Deion Sanders. He said he’s used to them, but expressed concern when it drags others — he mentioned the band — into the drama.
“Oftentimes in life, we believe the first thing we hear in which we shouldn’t,” Sanders said. “I just would challenge you to be more responsible with your reporting. I never wanted to get personal. So when it gets personal, you got to really think about that. You’ve got to understand — I have a huge platform. I could really get personal if I wanted to, but I choose not to do that, because that’s not right. Some things in life are just not right.
“We were brought up to love thy neighbor as much as we can.”
Earlier this season, Sanders barred a newspaper columnist from asking questions at football-related events over what he deemed as pessimistic coverage.
On a football note, Sanders said one of his other sons and starting safety, Shilo Sanders, had surgery Sunday to fix a broken right forearm and could be back in two or three weeks.
“He woke up medicated highly, said he was going to play this week,” Sanders cracked. “But that’s just Shilo.”
In addition, an already struggling running game will likely be without tailback Dallan Hayden on Saturday. The transfer from Ohio State is banged up.
As for any sort of simmering feud with Colorado State coach Jay Norvell or Norvell’s family stemming from last season, Sanders downplayed it. Colorado rallied to beat the Rams 43-35 in double overtime last season at Folsom Field.
“I had the honor and the pleasure at the Big 12 meetings to meet his wife. She’s delightful,” Sanders said of Norvell. “I don’t judge people based off what they say when they’re emotional. I can’t do that. My heart ain’t built like that.”
Sanders also addressed a post on social media by Corey Phillips, the director of player personnel for the team. He wrote about hearing a racial slur as the squad left the Nebraska game Saturday.
“If they said it happened, though — when you guys say it happened, don’t it mean it happened?” Sanders quipped. “You guys said a lot of things happened that really hadn’t happened. I don’t know anything about racist, so I try to stay out of the race stuff. I don’t like to play that card until I’m dealt that hand profoundly in front of others.”
Sanders closed his news conference with a cautionary reminder.
“Remember, validate everything before you run with it,” Sanders said.
Biden honors NCAA basketball champs South Carolina and UConn
WASHINGTON | President Joe Biden honored 2024 NCAA basketball champions South Carolina and Connecticut on Tuesday at the White House, celebrating the two powerhouse programs’ most recent national title runs.
South Carolina went 38-0 on the way to its latest women’s title. It was head coach Dawn Staley’s third championship with the Gamecocks since 2017. Biden cheered South Carolina for ushering in an era of surging interest in women’s sports.
South Carolina’s title game against Iowa drew more viewers than this year’s men’s championship, averaging 18.7 million viewers on ABC and ESPN and peaking at 24 million viewers.
“I think it’s fair to say everyone, everyone watches women’s sports now,” Biden said. “When new fans watch for the first time, when young girls see their idols, they see the power of your example.”
Later, at a separate celebration for the University of Connecticut men’s team, Biden marveled at the success of the Huskies’ squad which included four first-round picks in the latest NBA draft. UConn coach Dan Hurley’s team went 37-3 in winning its second straight title.
“Clearly, you must have something in the water up there,” said Biden, who also noted that 11 athletes who competed in the this summer’s Paris Olympics had UConn ties.
South Carolina’s unblemished year came even after Staley lost all five starters from her 2023 team that was defeated in the Final Four. The Gamecocks were dominant throughout their historic season, leading the nation in scoring defense, margin of victory and blocked shots.
For UConn, it was the school’s sixth men’s national title. They joined the 2006-07 Florida Gators and the 1991-92 Duke Blue Devils as just the third team to repeat since John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty of the 1960s and ‘70s.
Hurley this summer turned down an offer to coach the Los Angeles Lakers and signed a six-year, $50 million deal to remain at UConn. He said his focus is now on winning a third consecutive title. No men’s program has accomplished a three-peat since UCLA won seven in a row between 1967 and 1973.
It was the first White House visit for South Carolina. Staley and the Gamecocks did not go to the White House following championships in 2017 and 2022. Vice President Kamala Harris paid a visit to the team while she was in Columbia, South Carolina, earlier this year.
Staley, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and coach of the U.S. women’s basketball team in Tokyo three years ago, recently served as a member of the presidential delegation to the Paris Olympics.
Several prominent current and former South Carolinian politicians attended Tuesday’s ceremony for the Gamecocks, including Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, Democratic Rep. James Clyburn, and former Columbia mayor Steve Benjamin, who is now a senior adviser to the president.
Biden joked that the South Carolina’s officeholders could have some fierce competition if the popular Staley were to give politics a try.
“All of those of you who hold public office in South Carolina, you better hope she keeps coaching and doesn’t run,” Biden said of Staley.
Kraken agree to four-year extension with defenseman Adam Larsson
SEATTLE | The Seattle Kraken and veteran defenseman Adam Larsson reached an agreement Tuesday on a four-year extension that will keep one of their top blue liners under contract through the 2028-29 season.
Larsson’s extension is worth an average of $5.25 million per season and retains one of Seattle’s selections from the 2021 expansion draft for the long term.
The 31-year-old from Sweden has played in 245 of a possible 246 regular-season games during his first three seasons with the Kraken. Most of that time, he’s been part of the top defensive pair for Seattle alongside Vince Dunn, regularly drawing the toughest defensive assignments against the best forwards in the league.
Larsson’s best season with Seattle came in 2022-23, when he had a career-high 33 points including eight goals. Larsson served as an assistant captain the past two seasons and could be a candidate to be the permanent captain if new coach Dan Bylsma opts to have one in his first season.
Larsson started his NHL career with five seasons in New Jersey before being traded to Edmonton ahead of the 2016-17 season. He spent five seasons with the Oilers but was exposed in the expansion draft when Seattle joined the league and the Kraken quickly grabbed the right-shot veteran for their blue line.
—From AP reports
