Off the wire

BASKETBALL NCAA reprimands Rebel

The NCAA has issued an official reprimand to University of Mississippi basketball player Marshall Henderson for his conduct following the Rebels’ third-round NCAA Tournament game. After Ole Miss’ season-ending 76-74 loss to La Salle in Kansas City on March 24, Henderson reportedly extended both middle fingers to the crowd as he left the court. Henderson later apologized in a letter posted on Ole Miss’ website. The NCAA issued the reprimand Wednesday, saying Henderson’s actions failed to represent the “highest standards of sportsmanship.” The reprimand letter came from Ron Wellman, chairman of the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee and athletic director at Wake Forest. Henderson, a 6-foot-2 guard who started his career at Utah and then played at a junior college in Texas before transferring to Ole Miss, helped turn the Rebels into one of the most offensive-minded teams in the country. He led the SEC in scoring and helped Ole Miss win the SEC Tournament and earn an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2002.

Wichita State senior associate athletic director Darron Boatright was publicly reprimanded by the NCAA on Wednesday for his conduct during the Shockers’ trip to the Final Four. The NCAA said that Boatright had a verbal confrontation with Staples Center security staff before Wichita State’s regional semifinal game against La Salle. Boatright oversees marketing, development, fundraising, corporate sponsorships, radio and television broadcasting, media relations and ticket operations for the Shockers. He’s also in charge of the day-today oversight of the men’s basketball program.

Kansas basketball Bill Self was publicly reprimanded by the NCAA and fined an undisclosed amount on Wednesday after damaging the scorer’s table during an NCAA Tournament game in Kansas City. Self struck the table at the Sprint Center on March 24 during a third round victory over North Carolina. The damage fell under NCAA guidelines that define misconduct as any “unsportsmanlike conduct, unprofessional behavior or breach of law, occurring from the time the championship field is announced through the end of the championship that discredits the event or intercollegiate athletics.”

Power forward Carl Landry has opted out of the final year of his two-year, $8 million deal with the Golden State Warriors to become a free agent. Landry’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Wednesday that his client was coming off a big season and it only made sense for him to hit the open market in hopes of landing a long-term deal. He added that Landry could still return to the Warriors. The 29-year-old Landry averaged 10.8 points and 6 rebounds per game in 23.2 minutes off the bench last season.

HORSE RACING Strapping Groom wins

Strapping Groom led all the way to beat Hardened Wildcat by 3½ lengths in the $100,000 Lion Cavern Stakes on Wednesday at Belmont Park. John Velazquez was aboard for trainer David Jacobson as the 6-year-old ran 6½ furlongs in 1:15.46. Strapping Groom improved to 6 for 19, paying $11.20, $4.90 and $4.10 as the 9-2 third choice. Hardened Wildcat, the 6-5 favorite, returned $3.20 and $3, and Leave of Absence paid $4.40 to show.

FOOTBALL Lions sign DE Idonige

The Detroit Lions said they’ve signed ex-Chicago Bears agent defensive end Israel Idonije to a one-year contract and have released defensive end Freddie Bishop. The team said Wednesday it isn’t releasing terms of its contract with Idonije, a free agent. Idonije has spent nine seasons with the Bears. He started 11 of 16 games last season and finished second on the team in sacks (7.5) behind Julius Peppers (11.5). Idonije made 48 tackles (29 unassisted), had 7.5 sacks (68 yards) and one forced fumble last season.

BASEBALL Teixeira out for season

New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira will have season-ending surgery on his right wrist. The Yankees said Wednesday that the All-Star had an MRI with dye contrast and that team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad determined the torn tendon sheath had not adequately healed. New York said hand specialists Drs. Melvin Rosenwasser of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Michelle Carlson of the Hospital for Special Surgery and Keith Raskin of the New York University School of Medicine school concurred in the diagnosis. Recovery time for the surgery is projected at six months. Teixeira was hurt while hitting off a tee March 5, when he was with the U.S. team at the World Baseball Classic. He made his season debut May 31, then came out of a game June 15 because of inflammation. He went back on the disabled list and did not respond to a cortisone shot.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL Oregon loses scholarships, gets probation

The NCAA stripped Oregon of a scholarship in each of the next three seasons and placed the program on probation for three years, opting against stiffer penalties like a bowl ban despite issuing a show cause order against Chip Kelly, the former football coach who apologized to the school, its fans and its players.

The NCAA’s Division I Committee on Infractions released a report Wednesday that said Kelly failed to monitor the program for its improper involvement with Willie Lyles and his Houston-based recruiting service. Kelly was hit with an 18-month show cause order, a sanction that likely will have limited impact now that he’s coaching the Philadelphia Eagles.

The program he left behind was stripped of scholarships, paid visits and evaluation days, but avoided some of the harsher penalties handed down to other programs in recent years.

“Now that the NCAA has concluded their investigation and penalized the University of Oregon and its football program, I want to apologize to the University of Oregon, all of its current and former players and their fans,” Kelly said in a statement. “I accept my share of responsibility for the actions that led to the penalties.”

The NCAA had been looking into Oregon’s program for more than two years after learning Oregon had paid $25,000 to Lyles and his recruiting service, Complete Scouting Services. The NCAA’s infractions committee found that Lyles provided cash and free lodging to a prospect, and engaged in impermissible calls and off-campus contact with prospects, their families and high school coaches.

It also said the football program exceeded coaching limits by allowing staff members to engage in recruiting activity.

Oregon lost one scholarship in 2012-2013 and will lose another during the next academic year through self-imposed sanctions. It also will have its total number of scholarships reduced by one from a maximum of 85 each of the next three seasons, also self-imposed.

The NCAA cut Oregon’s official paid visits from 56 to 37 for the next three academic years, reduced its spring and fall evaluation days for each of the next three seasons and banned the program from using recruiting services during the probation period. Oregon must also disassociate itself from Lyles and his recruiting service.

Sports, Pages 18 on 06/27/2013

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