NFL
Jets’ Tim Tebow experiment ends with his release
NEW YORK – Tim Tebow was “excited” about coming to the New York Jets. So much so, he used the word 44 times in his introductory news conference in March 2012.
Well, he must be pretty thrilled to leave.
After a failed one-year stint with the Jets, who never found a consistent or effective role for the backup quarterback, Tebow is free to explore other options after New York released him Monday.
Tebow spent most of his time on the sideline with the Jets, except when he was serving as the personal protector on punts, and never earned the confidence of Rex Ryan even when Mark Sanchez was benched. Meanwhile, Tebow did all he could to not show that he was, well, the opposite of excited.
Tebow believes he is still an NFL-caliber quarterback, and it appeared his hometown of Jacksonville would be the obvious landing spot – until new general manager David Caldwell insisted that wouldn’t happen.
NHL
Luck of the draft lottery sides with the Avalanche
TORONTO – The Colorado Avalanche won the NHL draft lottery on Monday.
The Florida Panthers own the second pick for June’s draft, while the Tampa Bay Lightning have the third selection.
Colorado had an 18.8 percent chance of winning the lottery after finishing the regular season with a 16-25-7 record, worst in the Western Conference.
The Panthers, who finished last in the NHL with a 15-27-6 mark, had the best odds of winning the lottery at 25 percent but had to settle for the No. 2 pick.
Portland Winterhawks defenseman Seth Jones is the No. 1 ranked North American skater according to the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.
Jones is the son of former NBA player Popeye Jones.
The lottery adopted a different format this year, with all of the 14 non-playoff teams having a shot at the first overall pick. The remaining 13 squads will be slotted in reverse order of their regular-season points.
In previous years, the lottery-winning team could move up no more than four spots in the draft order.
cycling
UCI will get local help for Tour de France drug tests
PARIS – Cycling’s governing body will work with the French anti-doping agency to test riders at this year’s Tour de France.
The French agency has been involved in several rifts with the International Cycling Union, most recently when it refused to test riders at last month’s Paris-Nice race.
In a statement Monday, UCI President Pat McQuaid says his organization is “determined to ensure that cycling is a clean sport.” He adds that his group wants to make sure that “today’s young riders in the peloton are not tarnished by issues that took place years in the past.”
The UCI and the independent Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation also will work with the French agency to test riders at the Criterium du Dauphine in June.
The Tour de France is set for June 29 to July 21.
NBA
Relocation committee: Keep Kings in Sacramento
In an emotional saga that has dragged on for nearly three years, the Sacramento Kings finally appear to be staying put in California’s capital city.
The NBA’s relocation committee voted unanimously Monday to recommend that owners reject the application for the Kings to relocate to Seattle, the latest in a long line of cities that almost landed the franchise. The committee made the decision over a conference call and forwarded the recommendation to the NBA Board of Governors.
The board, which consists of all 30 owners, will convene during the week of May 13 to vote on the matter. While the recommendation doesn’t guarantee the Kings will stay put, it’s difficult at this point to imagine how they don’t.
Associated Press
