College Football
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Former North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest coach Bill Dooley died at the age of 82.
His wife, Marie, said Dooley died Tuesday of natural causes at their home in Wilmington.
Dooley went a combined 162-125-5 in 26 seasons as a head coach with the Tar Heels, Hokies and Demon Deacons and took them to a combined 10 bowl games.
The three-time Atlantic Coast Conference coach of the year was the first North Carolina coach to win 11 games, leading the 1972 Tar Heels to an 11-1 finish. He is the only coach to lead the school to multiple ACC championships in football.
Dooley was the younger brother of former Georgia coach Vince Dooley, and the uncle of ex-Tennessee coach and current Dallas Cowboys assistant Derek Dooley.
MLB
BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox canceled a David Ortiz bobblehead promotion Tuesday night when the figurine turned out to be “racially insensitive,” says team president Sam Kennedy.
The bobblehead depicts Ortiz addressing fans at Fenway Park following the Boston Marathon bombings, but Kennedy says it didn’t much resemble the retiring slugger and was not fit for distribution.
NFL
Several fans who traveled to Canton, Ohio for the Hall of Fame game that was canceled Sunday night because of poor field conditions plan to sue the NFL and the hall.
Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represented ticket holders for the 2011 Super Bowl who wound up without seats in Dallas, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that no fewer than 20 individuals have approached him about a class-action lawsuit. He said his firm has fielded another 10 calls about seeking further reimbursements, including travel expenses.
Avenatti said his clients are from a variety of states, including Wisconsin and Indiana, who came to see the Packers play the Colts.
The game was canceled after paint congealed and hardened on portions of the field at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
CINCINNATI – NFL fields have come a long way from the days of dangerous artificial surfaces, but the head of the players’ union says there’s much more room for improvement.
Bengals offensive lineman Eric Winston said the league and the NFL Players Association need to identify trouble spots in advance. He notes that running back Reggie Bush tore a knee ligament after slipping on concrete alongside the playing field in St. Louis last season.
The annual Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, was called off Sunday night because paint had congealed on the field, making it hard and slippery.
NHL
ST. LOUIS – Before the Rams left town in January, the St. Louis Blues were in line to get an outdoor NHL stadium series game – but not the big one.
Team Chairman Tom Stillman credits the NHL for recognizing the city sorely needed a shot in the arm and scheduling the Blues against the Chicago Blackhawks for the Winter Classic on Jan. 2.
Commissioner Gary Bettman, executives from both teams and former players attended a news conference at home plate at Busch Stadium in the first public forum since the announcement.
This will be the first experience of outdoor hockey for the city.
Associated Press
