Cycling
Giro d’Italia will have a new champ in 2015
MADRID – Colombian climber Nairo Quintana will not defend his Giro d’Italia title.
Quintana and Spaniard Alejandro Valverde were left off Movistar’s nine-man squad for the three-week grand tour starting Saturday.
Instead, Movistar is taking what it calls a “young, versatile group” that includes Nairo’s brother, Dayer Quintana.
It’s other eight riders are Andrey Amador, Igor Anton, Ruben Fernandez, Jesus Herrada, Benat Intxausti, Ion Izagirre, Juanjo Lobato, and Giovanni Visconti.
Golf
Personal troubles lead to sleepless nights for Woods
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Tiger Woods said he hasn’t been sleeping well because of what he calls a tough three days – his split with Lindsey Vonn and the anniversary of his father’s death.
Woods and the Olympic ski champion announced Sunday they decided to end their relationship because of their hectic travel schedules. That was nine years to day that Woods’ father, Earl, died.
Woods said this three-day window through Tuesday – the anniversary of his father’s memorial service – is “brutal” on him. And he said the split with Vonn only adds to it.
He said he was rusty and tired playing a nine-hole practice round at The Players Championship.
NCAA
North Dakota releases list of potential new nicknames
BISMARCK, N.D. – From “Amber Waves” to “Zombies,” the list of potential new nicknames for University of North Dakota athletic teams ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous.
UND released a list of nearly 1,200 potential new nicknames Monday night, from which a committee will make a short list of finalists that will go to a public vote, likely sometime this year, school spokesman Peter Johnson said Tuesday.
State residents voted overwhelmingly in 2012 to dump UND’s “Fighting Sioux” nickname, which had been in place since the 1930s. The NCAA considered it hostile and abusive, and it failed to get the endorsement of one of the state’s two namesake tribes.
NFL
Troubled lineman’s agent says not talking to teams
NEW ORLEANS – La’el Collins’ agent said his client is not meeting with NFL teams about his pro football future at this time.
Collins, who is represented by Deryk Gilmore, is an undrafted free agent because NFL teams decided against selecting the former All-Southeastern Conference offensive tackle from LSU in last week’s draft.
Collins widely was projected as a first-round choice. While he has not been named as a suspect or a person of interest in any crime, teams became apprehensive about drafting him when Baton Rouge Police said they wanted to interview Collins about the shooting death of a pregnant woman he knew.
WNBA
Dolan hires Thomas again, this time to run Liberty
Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan rehired Isiah Thomas – this time to run the WNBA’s New York Liberty.
Dolan’s Knicks didn’t win a single playoff game during Thomas’ stint as team president from December 2003 to April 2008 despite regularly owning the NBA’s highest payroll. Thomas also went 56-108 in two seasons as their coach before being fired.
He remained with the Knicks in an unspecified role, even after a lawsuit brought by former team employee Anucha Browne Sanders that cost MSG $11.6 million. Sanders alleged she was sexually harassed by Thomas, who maintained his innocence and never was found personally liable.
Associated Press
