Tuesday's Sports shorts
NFL
Titans owner fined for gesture
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The NFL has fined Titans owner Bud Adams $250,000 for making an obscene gesture at Buffalo fans while celebrating Tennessee’s victory over the Bills.
Commissioner Roger Goodell notified Adams of the fine Monday, and league spokesman Greg Aiello said it is for conduct detrimental to the NFL. Adams was seen making the gesture while in his luxury suite and again on the field.
The 86-year-old Adams issued an apology, saying he got caught up in the excitement of the moment.
“I do realize that those types of things shouldn’t happen,” Adams said in that statement. “I need to specifically apologize to the Bills, their fans, our fans and the NFL. I obviously have a great deal of respect for Ralph Wilson and the history we have shared.”
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Vols dismiss two freshmen
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Two of three Tennessee freshmen football players charged last week in an attempted armed robbery have been dismissed from the team.
“Clearly, their actions have no place in our program,” coach Lane Kiffin said Monday.
Wide receiver Nu’Keese Richardson and defensive back Mike Edwards were permanently dismissed from the team, while former starting safety Janzen Jackson will continue to be barred from team activities while Kiffin awaits more information in his case.
SFlbMichigan investigated for infractions
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan released embarrassing details of an internal audit Monday that discovered Rich Rodriguez’s team failed to file forms tracking how much time players spent on football during the 2008 season – his first – and the offseason last spring.
The NCAA and the school are investigating the program about similar issues. The NCAA sent the school’s president a notice of inquiry last month, saying it plans to complete its investigation by Dec. 31.
NBA
Warriors deal
Jackson to Bobcats
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Golden State Warriors found a home for disgruntled swingman Stephen Jackson Monday, sending him to the Charlotte Bobcats in a four-player deal.
The Bobcats sent guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic to the Warriors for Jackson and guard Acie Law.
“I wanted to be out pretty bad,” Jackson said. “Things were going bad. I was getting blamed for everything. I wasn’t seeing eye to eye with the team. I got fined in preseason, which was ridiculous. It was just a lot of things that I didn’t agree with that was going on.”
The deal gave Jackson his wish: a ticket out of town after his difficult relationship with Warriors coach Don Nelson, who had acknowledged since the season began the team would try to trade him.
Jackson was in a hotel room in Milwaukee when he got the call from his agent Monday morning. He immediately hopped on a plane to Orlando and started against the Magic.
NFL
NFLPA looking into Browns practices
WASHINGTON – The NFL Players Association is trying to set up a meeting with Cleveland Browns players this week to talk about coach Eric Mangini’s practices, a person at the union told The Associated Press on Monday.
The person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to protect the Browns players’ confidentiality, said the union is looking into what has been going on in Cleveland this season because of concerns about health and safety.
Two Browns players have been injured during post-practice drills Mangini calls “opportunity periods.” A member of Cleveland’s practice squad, defensive end Keith Grennan, hurt his knee on one such drill last week. Rookie running back James Davis went on injured reserve last month with a season-ending shoulder injury.
The NFL examined what happened to Davis and determined the Browns did not violate any league policies. The league reviewed video of the practice session and interviewed Browns players, coaches and team staff.
Last week, veteran running back Jamal Lewis said he thought Mangini was tiring out his players by overworking the Browns, although Lewis then reversed field a day later and blamed the media for exaggerating his complaints.
In his first year with Cleveland after being fired by the New York Jets, Mangini ran a tough training camp, one with much more contact than any held by former Browns coach Romeo Crennel. The Browns also have practiced in full pads more under Mangini than in the past.
