Brittney Griner says she thought about killing herself during first few weeks in Russian jail
PHOENIX (AP) — WNBA star Brittney Griner says she thought about killing herself during her first few weeks in a Russian jail after her 2022 arrest on drug-related charges. Griner spoke for the first time about her monthslong detention in Russia during an hourlong interview that aired Wednesday night on ABC. Her memoir, “Coming Home,” is set to be released on May 7. Griner was detained after arriving at a Moscow airport after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges allegedly containing oil derived from cannabis. She says she had suicidal thoughts “more than once” but decided against it.
Say hello (again) to EA Sports College Football. The beloved video-game behemoth is back
Gamers’ appetites for immersive sports video games have not changed much since the heyday of EA Sports' college football. Society, however, has. Video-game developer EA Sports is breaking back into the college football world 11 years after lawsuits over using players’ likeness without compensation froze the franchise. EA Sports announced in 2021 it would be rebooting the game with college athletes receiving the go-ahead to profit from their brand. The developer will seek to differentiate its game from other offerings in the market — sports franchises that have had the advantage of time to evolve.
76ers owners buy 2,000 tickets for home playoff game. Aim for fewer Knicks fans in arena for Game 6
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers are trying to keep New York Knicks fans out of Wells Fargo Arena for Game 6 of their NBA playoff series Thursday night. Team owners Josh Harris, David Blitzer and David Adelman and former minority owner Michael Rubin bought more than 2,000 tickets they planned to hand out to people who serve the Philadelphia community as long as the recipients pledge they are not Knicks fans. Wells Fargo Arena seemed more like Madison Square Garden South during the Knicks’ 97-92 win on Sunday, prompting 76ers star Joel Embiid to express frustration about the home-court disadvantage.
Refugee Team for Paris Olympics has 36 athletes from 11 countries across 12 sports
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The Refugee Team for the Paris Olympics will feature 36 athletes from 11 countries in 12 sports. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach says the team was selected from more than 70 scholarships. Instead of competing under the Olympic flag, the refugees will have their own emblem featuring a heart at its center surrounded by arrows. The team acronym will be EOR from the French name Équipe Olympique des Réfugiés. The team chef de mission Masomah Ali Zada of Afghanistan says, “Having our own emblem creates a sense of belonging.” The team will compete in athletics, badminton, boxing, breaking, canoeing, cycling, judo, shooting, swimming, taekwando, weightlifting and wrestling. The Games start on July 24.
Champions League is being expanded, but Italy and Germany will benefit over England next season
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Germany has beaten the English Premier League to a bonus fifth Champions League place in next season’s revamped and expanded competition. Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in their semifinal first leg on Wednesday confirms Germany will join Italy in being granted the fifth spots. The extra space is based on performances by each country in European competition this season. Results from the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League were factored in UEFA's ranking system.
Final cost in for Mets' sorry 2023 season $420 million in payroll plus luxury tax
NEW YORK (AP) — The final cost of the Mets’ sorry 2023 season has been totaled: $420 million. Major League Baseball finalized its payroll figures for last year, and New York finished at a record $319.5 million. In addition to the payroll, New York paid a record luxury tax of $100.8 million after finishing 75-87. The Mets topped the previous payroll high of $291.1 million by the 2015 Los Angeles Dodgers. The three-highest spenders all missed the playoffs. The New York Yankees were second at $283.8 million, followed by San Diego at $257.2 million. World Series champion Texas was sixth at $241.1 million.
Boxer Ryan Garcia denies using performance-enhancing drugs after beating Devin Haney
NEW YORK (AP) — Boxer Ryan Garcia denied using performance-enhancing drugs in a video posted on social media Wednesday night after ESPN reported that he had tested positive for a banned substance. Garcia defeated Devin Haney, a former amateur rival, by majority decision on April 20 in New York. Garcia knocked Haney down three times and handed the WBC super lightweight champion his first loss but did not win the title because he was over the weight limit. ESPN reported that the 25-year-old Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Ostarine the day before and the day of the fight, citing a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association letter.
New Big 12 out to prove bigger bank accounts don't always mean better football teams in 12-team CFP
SCOTTDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Big 12 is about to play its first season without Oklahoma and Texas. The new 16-team conference lacks traditional super powers. And the expanded College Football Playoff’s new revenue structure has created a perception the Big 12 is no longer a peer of the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference on the field. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark’s job is to push back against the narrative bigger bank accounts automatically make better football teams. He says he was not happy with the new CFP revenue model, but he's betting on the Big 12's performance in the 12-team playoff to overcome perception.
Caitlin Clark attendance boon: Some WNBA teams look for bigger arenas when the Fever come to town
WNBA teams have started experiencing the Caitlin Clark effect and the top overall draft pick hasn't even played her first game. To capitalize on Clark's popularity, the Las Vegas Aces and Washington Mystics have moved games against the Indiana Fever to bigger arenas. When Clark played road games in college last season at Iowa, they were either sellouts or set attendance records at every single one. The two-time reigning WNBA champion Aces relocated their game on May 25 from the 12,000-seat Michelob Ultra Arena to the 18,000-seat T-Mobile Arena. The Mystics game against Indiana on June 7 will be played at Capital One Arena — Washington’s former home.
Dodgers 2-time All-Star Walker Buehler expected to make return from Tommy John surgery on Monday
PHOENIX (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler is expected to make his return to the big leagues on Monday after missing nearly two full years following Tommy John surgery in 2022. The two-time All-Star hasn’t thrown in a big league game since June 10, 2022, against the San Francisco Giants. He’s trying to become one of the few pitchers to bounce back from a second Tommy John surgery, which usually keeps pitchers off the mound for 12-18 months. Buehler could make a talented Dodgers team even more formidable. He was one of the best pitchers in baseball during the 2021 season, finishing with a 16-4 record and a 2.47 ERA over 207 2/3 innings.
