College Basketball
Creighton’s McDermott goes from All-American to walk-on
OMAHA, Neb. – The NCAA awarded Creighton’s Grant Gibbs a sixth season of eligibility Tuesday – a decision that could end up costing coach Greg McDermott tens of thousands of dollars.
That’s because McDermott’s son – two-time first-team All-American Doug McDermott – probably will have to play his final season as a walk-on to free up a scholarship for Gibbs.
Greg McDermott said Doug will become a walk-on if all 13 scholarship players show up for the first day of classes Aug. 21. The coach, whose salary is not disclosed by the private school, is entering his fourth season at Creighton. As a university employee, he would qualify for a tuition discount for his children if he were at the school for five years.
Full price for tuition, room and board is $44,000, according to Creighton’s website.
The return of Gibbs strengthens the Bluejays for their first season in the Big East. The 6-5 guard led the Missouri Valley Conference in assists each of the last two seasons.
Doug McDermott had been projected to be a late first- or early second-round pick in the NBA draft before he announced in April that he would return to Creighton for his senior year.
MLB
MLB releases umpire Runge after drug violations
NEW YORK – A Major League Baseball umpire recently was dismissed for what was believed to be the first known drug ouster among umps, two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
MLB announced June 14 that Brian Runge no longer was on the staff and that a Triple-A umpire had been promoted but didn’t give a reason. Only once since 2000 had such a change been made in midseason, and that was because of an injury.
The two people said Runge failed at least one drug test, then reached an agreement so he could remain on the umpire roster. When he failed to comply with those terms, he was released.
NFL
A double homicide in Boston linked to Hernandez
BOSTON – Boston police asked authorities in the Connecticut hometown of Aaron Hernandez for their help with an investigation into a double homicide connected to the former NFL star, police said Tuesday.
Hernandez already is charged with murder in the shooting death of his friend Odin Lloyd, whose body was found June 17 near Hernandez’s home in North Attleborough, Mass.
The request from Boston police in the July 2012 double homicide was based on evidence developed through the investigation of Lloyd’s slaying, Bristol Police Lt. Kevin Morrell said. He said police were asked to search the same home in Bristol for both investigations, and a vehicle was seized at the address Friday.
Two people were killed in the shooting in Boston’s south end July 15, 2012. Witnesses reported seeing people inside a grey sports utility vehicle with Rhode Island plates open fire on a vehicle carrying the victims, 29-year-old Daniel Jorge Correia de Abreu and 28-year-old Safiro Teixeira Furtado.
Boston police have declined to comment on whether Hernandez, 23, is being looked as a possible suspect in that case.
Hernandez signed a five-year contract worth $40 million with the Patriots last year but was released the day of his arrest.
NHL
Sabres add ex-Avalanche head coach to their bench
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Sabres coach Ron Rolston added NHL experience to his new staff by hiring Joe Sacco on Tuesday.
Sacco is a former NHL player, who spent the last four seasons as the Colorado Avalanche head coach before being fired in April after the team missed the playoffs for a third consecutive year.
Sacco had a 130-134-40 record and was an NHL Coach of the Year finalist in 2010 after leading the Avalanche to the playoffs in his first season.
Associated Press
