Golf
John Deere Classic drags Spieth down; 2 tied for lead
SILVIS, Illinois – Justin Thomas and Nicholas Thompson were tied for the lead at 8 under par in Thursday’s opening round of the John Deere Classic, while Jordan Spieth languished far behind.
GULLANE, Scotland – Thorbjorn Olesen birdied three of his last four holes to shoot 7-under 63 and take a two-shot lead midway through a low-scoring first round of the Scottish Open on Thursday.
LANCASTER, Pa. – Atop the leaderboard, veteran Karrie Webb and LPGA Tour sophomore Marina Alex did their best to temper expectations at the U.S. Women’s Open.
The early Thursday starters opened with 4-under-par 66s, and that score held up through the afternoon before things turned wet and windblown. Play was suspended in the early evening after a storm packing high winds, lightning and heavy rain pounded Lancaster Country Club.
MLB
Rose eyeing reinstatement from commissioner meeting
CINCINNATI – Hits king Pete Rose said he’s “open to almost anything” that Commissioner Rob Manfred might have in mind for reinstatement when they discuss his lifetime ban for betting on baseball.
The former Cincinnati Reds player and manager hopes to meet Manfred – who took over for Bud Selig in January – when the two are in town next week for the All-Star Game at Great American Ball Park. Rose says they’ll meet again at some point to discuss his case.
NBA
Lakers add Pacers center Hibbert on the very cheap
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – The Los Angeles Lakers acquired two-time All-Star center Roy Hibbert from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a future second-round draft pick.
The Lakers and the Pacers formally completed the trade Thursday.
The Pacers dumped their 7-foot-2 big man and his $15.5 million salary for the upcoming season after Hibbert spent the past seven years with Indiana, averaging 11.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots.
The Lakers welcomed Hibbert into their ample salary cap space after striking out on the biggest names in free agency.
NFL
Former Raiders’, ’Bama QB ‘passed peacefully’
Ken Stabler, who led the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl victory and was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1974, died as a result of complications from colon cancer. He was 69.
His family announced his death on Stabler’s Facebook page Thursday. The statement said Stabler “passed peacefully” Wednesday while surrounded by family, including his three daughters. Raiders owner Mark Davis said the team was “deeply saddened by the passing of the great Ken Stabler.”
Soccer
FIFA bans American Blazer for bribery and corruption
ZURICH – FIFA’s ethics committee said it expelled former executive committee member Chuck Blazer from football for bribery and other corruption.
FIFA’s ethics panel says American Blazer “was a key player in schemes involving the offer, acceptance, payment and receipt of undisclosed and illegal payments, bribes and kickbacks as well as other money-making schemes.”
Blazer’s guilty pleas on widespread corruption charges were unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice in May.
Blazer was a cooperating witness with United States federal agencies since 2011 after his tax affairs were investigated.
FIFA’s ethics committee said its case used “the latest facts presented by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.”
Associated Press
