College Football
Garoppolo and West lead the AP FCS All-America team
Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and fellow Walter Payton Award finalist Terrance West of Towson were selected to The Associated Press FCS All-America team released Wednesday.
Garoppolo passed for 5,050 yards and 53 touchdowns and won the Payton award as the top player in FCS. The senior led Eastern Illinois (12-2) to the quarterfinals of the NCAA playoffs.
West has run for 2,295 yards and tied an FCS record with 39 touchdowns to help Towson (12-2) reach this weekend’s semifinals after it eliminated Eastern Illinois last week.
Cycling
Contador’s teammate Rogers tests positive for clenbuterol
AIGLE, Switzerland – Olympic bronze medalist and three-time world time trial champion Michael Rogers of Australia tested positive for clenbuterol after racing in China.
The International Cycling Union said Wednesday that Rogers provisionally is suspended while his national federation investigates the case.
Rogers tested positive for clenbuterol, which helps build muscle and burn fat, at the Japan Cup on Oct. 20. Clenbuterol is the substance Alberto Contador tested positive for at the 2010 Tour de France. Rogers joined Contador at Saxo-Tinkoff last season from Team Sky.
Pro Challenge to finish in Boulder-Golden-Denver
DENVER – Next year’s USA Pro Challenge bicycle race will finish by taking riders from Boulder through Golden and over Lookout Mountain before finishing with three laps around the state’s capitol in downtown Denver.
Fans had a say in the final stage of the Aug. 18-24 race, voting online from among four options.
The 2014 competition will begin with an Aspen circuit race and will feature its first mountaintop finish with Stage 3 ending atop Monarch Mountain. With a base elevation of 10,790 feet, it will be the highest stage in North America.
MLB
MLB average salary is up, and the DH leads the swing
NEW YORK – While the New York Yankees set another salary record, the Houston Astros had the lowest average in the major leagues in 14 years and the attention of the players’ union.
The overall big league average rose 5.4 percent this season to a record $3.39 million, according to the annual report released Wednesday by the Major League Baseball Players Association. The increase was the steepest since 2006.
The Yankees had the highest average for the 15th consecutive season at $8.17 million, breaking the mark of $7.66 million when they won the World Series in 2009. The Los Angeles Dodgers were second at $7.82 million.
Houston’s average of $549,603 was the smallest since the 1999 Kansas City Royals at $534,460. The Miami Marlins were 29th at $830,069, down from $3.77 million in 2012, when they ranked 10th.
Among regulars at positions, designated hitters took over from first basemen for the highest average at $10.5 million. First basemen were next at $6.5 million, followed by starting pitchers at $6.3 million, second basemen at $5.8 million, outfielders at $5.6 million, third basemen at $5.2 million, shortstops at $4.5 million, catchers at $4.4 million and relief pitchers at $2.2 million,
Tennis
Becker joins No. 2 Djokovic’s four-man coaching staff
MONACO – Novak Djokovic is turning to Boris Becker for help in 2014. The second-ranked Serb said Wednesday that Becker will join his staff for next season as head coach.
The 46-year-old Becker is a six-time Grand Slam champion.
Djokovic won his fourth Australian Open title last year and finished the 2013 season ranked No. 2 in the world behind Rafael Nadal.
Becker will join a coaching staff that also includes Marian Vajda, Miljan Amanovic and Gebhard Phil-Gritsch.
Associated Press
