NFL
Amid possible legal issues, Hernandez loses endorsement
BOSTON – At least one company yanked an endorsement deal from New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on Friday as puzzled family members of a friend found slain a mile from Hernandez’s home sought answers about how he died.
Police have searched in and around Hernandez’s sprawling home in North Attleborough, not far from where the Patriots practice, but a court clerk said that as of Friday afternoon no arrest warrants had been issued in the case. The Bristol County district attorney has not released any information, other than saying the death of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd was being treated as a homicide.
A jogger found Lloyd’s body in an industrial park Monday. Family members said Friday that Lloyd had been dating Hernandez’s fiancee’s sister for about two years. They said the two men were together the night Lloyd died.
NBA
Kings poach Bratz, another Denver Nuggets executive
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Sacramento Kings have hired Denver executive Mike Bratz as assistant general manager.
The move Friday reunites Bratz with Pete D’Alessandro, who was introduced as Sacramento’s general manager Monday. Bratz spent the last three years working alongside D’Alessandro with the Nuggets, most recently as the team’s director of player personnel.
A member of Stanford’s Hall of Fame, Bratz was drafted in the third round by Phoenix in 1977. He played for six teams over nine seasons, including for the Kings during the franchise’s inaugural season in Sacramento in 1985-86.
Game 7 2nd-best viewership for NBA Finals on ABC
NEW YORK – The Heat’s Game 7 win over the San Antonio Spurs drew the second-most viewers for the NBA Finals on ABC since the network took over the series in 2003.
Miami’s 95-88 victory Thursday night was watched by an average of 26.3 million people. Game 7 between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics in 2010 had an audience of 28.2 million.
The series averaged 17.7 million viewers, up 5 percent from last year’s Heat-Thunder finals.
Tennis
Nadal and Federer could meet in Wimbledon quarters
LONDON – Seven-time champion Roger Federer could face Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
Friday’s draw for the grass-court Grand Slam placed the third-seeded Federer and No. 5 Nadal in the same half. Home favorite Andy Murray, who is seeded No. 2, is also in the same bottom half and could meet Nadal or Federer in the semifinal.
Top-seeded Novak Djokovic is in the top half and could face No. 4 David Ferrer in the other semifinal.
Golf
Watson travels to the top of the Travelers leaderboard
CROMWELL, Conn. – Bubba Watson shot a 3-under-par 67 Friday to take a two-stroke lead over Patrick Reed and Padraig Harrington after two rounds of the Travelers Championship.
Watson, the 2010 Travelers champion, was at 10-under 130 after two days of play at the TPC-River Highlands. Reed and Harrington were at 8-under after both shot 66s in the second round.
Cycling
Wiggins may be done with his Tour de France attempts
LONDON – Bradley Wiggins is hinting he may not attempt to win the Tour de France for a second time.
The defending champion withdrew from the race last month because of a knee injury.
Wiggins told Sky TV on Friday he doesn’t know if he wants to train for another Tour. He says he’s got “other things I’m concerned with in my life, which I give more time to, and there are other things within cycling I want to do.”
Associated Press
