NFL
Hernandez has connection to dead man found near house
BOSTON – A man found dead in an industrial park about a mile from New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez’s house was a semi-pro football player with connections to Hernandez, his family said Wednesday.
Ursula Ward said police told her the body was that of her son Odin Lloyd, who played for the Boston Bandits.
State police returned for the second day Wednesday to Hernandez’s home in an upscale subdivision in North Attleborough, on the Rhode Island state line not far from the Patriots’ stadium in Foxborough. They referred questions about their investigation to Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter, who released no information about the case.
Hernandez attorney Michael Fee acknowledged media reports about the state police search of Hernandez’s home as part of an investigation but said he and the player wouldn’t have any comment on it.
Sports Illustrated reported Tuesday that Hernandez was not believed to be a suspect in what was being treated as a possible homicide.
Golf
After Merion, Tiger Woods needs rest, elbow grease
Tiger Woods’ sore left elbow will keep him out of competition until the British Open.
Woods said on his website that he had his left elbow checked out when he returned home from the U.S. Open at Merion. He said doctors found a strain to his left elbow and advised him to take a few weeks off for rest and treatment.
He will not be playing the AT&T National next week at Congressional, which benefits his foundation. Woods is the defending champion at that tournament.
The British Open will be July 18-21 at Muirfield.
NHL
Mandatory visors and hybrid icing could come to hockey
The NHL’s general managers embraced Wednesday many changes recommended by the competition committee, including hybrid icing and the mandatory use of visors for all players entering the league.
A blend of touch and no-touch icing that offers referees the discretion to blow a play dead will be in effect during the 2013-14 preseason. If the experiment is successful, hybrid icing will be implemented for the regular season, pending a vote by the league’s board of governors.
Red Wings spending lots of greenbacks on new arena
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings and city officials announced Wednesday a $650 million plan for a new arena development for the NHL team in Detroit’s downtown entertainment and sports district.
Plans for an 18,000-seat arena were announced by the team’s owners and local economic development officials. Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch has long said he wanted a replacement for the 32-year-old Joe Louis Arena.
Red Wings officials said it was too soon to estimate when construction would start or end.
Tennis
Nadal No. 5 at Wimbledon; Serena Williams is No. 1
LONDON (AP) – Rafael Nadal will be seeded No. 5 at Wimbledon, setting up the possibility of a quarterfinal match against Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray.
The All England Club released the seedings Wednesday for this year’s championships, with the top five in the ATP rankings remaining in their positions.
Djokovic is No. 1, followed by Murray, Federer, David Ferrer and Nadal.
Nadal, who was sidelined for about seven months with a left knee injury after losing in the second round at Wimbledon last year, dropped to No. 5 in the rankings after the French Open, despite beating Ferrer to win the tournament for a record eighth time.
The women’s seedings follow the WTA rankings, with Serena Williams at No. 1.
The tournament starts Monday. The draw will be held Friday.
Associated Press
