Off the wire

Friday, June 20, 2014

FOOTBALL

Bidding for Bills to begin

The bidding for the Buffalo Bills is set to begin now that prospective ownership groups are being contacted by a law firm representing late owner Ralph Wilson’s estate. Two people familiar with the sale process told The Associated Press on Thursday that prospective buyers began receiving a seven-page non-disclosure agreement, and a brief outline of background material on the Bills franchise. The documents were distributed by Proskauer Rose, the legal firm overseeing the sale. Both people spoke on the condition of anonymity because the sale process has not been made public. Real estate mogul Donald Trump released a statement confirming he has received the documents. NHL Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula has also received the documentation, one of the people said. A full list of candidates is unknown. Former Sabres owner Tom Golisano has expressed interest in buying the Bills. Another prospective group could include Toronto-based businessmen Larry Tanenbaum, chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, and Edward Rogers, deputy chairman of Rogers Communications. The next step is for prospective owners to sign the non-disclosure agreement, one of the people said. That would then provide groups full access to the Bills’ financial data in order to begin formulating bids. The bids will be submitted to Morgan Stanley financial advisers, a banking firm also hired by Wilson’s estate. People familiar with the sale have previously said an ownership candidate could be identified by the end of July, and the sale approved by NFL owners as early as the league’s meetings in October.

BASKETBALL

Embiid injured again

Former Kansas center Joel Embiid, who missed part of his freshman season because of an ailing back, has suffered another injury in the days before next week’s NBA Draft. Embiid has a stress fracture in his right foot, his agent, Arn Tellem, said, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski. Embiid is scheduled for surgery today and won’t conduct any more pre-draft workouts before Thursday’s NBA Draft. Tellem also said Embiid won’t attend the draft. Embiid, a 7-foot center from Cameroon, was believed to be the front-runner to go No. 1 in the draft to the Cleveland Cavaliers, ahead of both his former teammate Andrew Wiggins and former Duke star Jabari Parker. Embiid suffered a stress fracture in his lower back during the final weeks of his freshman season, causing him to miss both the Big 12 tournament and NCAA Tournament. Embiid averaged 11.2 points and 8.1 rebounds during his freshman season, exploding onto the national scene after being a relative unknown while playing two years of high school basketball in Florida.

BASEBALL

Teen league launched

Major League Baseball and the players’ union are teaming to launch the Puerto Rico Summer League for players 14-17 years old. The two parties announced the creation of the league Thursday at the El San Juan Hotel. The league will have two four-team divisions and will run for eight weeks in June and July in Guaynabo and Mayaguez. Players were selected through tryouts throughout the island.

TENNIS

Wozniacki advances

Former champions Caroline Wozniacki and Ekaterina Makarova headed in different directions in the Aegon International quarterfinals in Eastbourne, England, on Thursday. Wozniacki, champion in 2009, held off a strong challenge from Camila Giorgi of Italy 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-2. Makarova, the 2010 champ from Russia, fell to fifth seed Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-1, with the German avenging her second-round defeat to Makarova last year. Meanwhile, 2011 Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova withdrew with a right hamstring injury but expects to play in Wimbledon next week. Wozniacki and Giorgi were interrupted in the second set when a spectator was removed from the stands on a stretcher as Giorgi led 4-3 on serve. When play resumed, Giorgi failed to win a break point to lead 5-3 and Wozniacki went on to win three consecutive games to level at one-set all. Wozniacki remained under pressure in the final set, fighting off two break points before breaking to lead 2-1. A double-fault at 4-2 left Wozniacki serving for victory, and in sight of her first title since October. Men’s top seed Richard Gasquet also reached the semis, beating Slovak Martin Klizan 6-3, 6-4. It is his third semifinal of the year and comes after he was sidelined for more than three months with a back injury. Gasquet will next play Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, who beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France 7-6 (5), 6-2.

SOCCER

Altidore out for U.S. team

Jozy Altidore has been ruled out of the U.S. national team’s World Cup match against Portugal on Sunday because of a strained left hamstring, according to a long-anticipated announcement made by the U.S. Soccer Federation on Thursday. Altidore will continue undergoing treatment in hopes of returning to match fitness at some point in the tournament, USSF spokesman Michael Kammarman said. However, with two Group G games over the next week, the striker is not expected to play again unless the Americans advance to the knockout stage. Even then, his availability is uncertain. The USSF declined to discuss the severity of the injury, suffered in the first half of the 2-1 victory over Ghana on Monday in Natal. Altidore underwent an MRI scan upon the delegation’s return to Sao Paulo on Tuesday.

FOOTBALL

Cowboys owner: defense has to get better

IRVING, Texas — Jerry Jones figures the Dallas Cowboys will be better on defense even without linebacker Sean Lee.

The owner and general manager’s reasoning won’t be much comfort to fans: He said they can’t get worse than they were a year ago.

Dallas had the worst defense statistically in franchise history in 2013, including the first two 600-yard games the Cowboys have ever allowed. Dallas gave up an NFL-record 40 first downs in one of those games.

The most notable thing the Cowboys have done since the season ended is release franchise sacks leader DeMarcus Ware. And then Lee went down with a torn ligament in his left knee in the first offseason practice.

Jones acknowledges that his defensive roster isn’t as good as it was at the start of last season. But he believes it’s better than the injury-ravaged unit that finished the year.

“I can say it this year, we are better right now,” Jones said this week during a three-day minicamp that wrapped up Thursday. “Not on paper at the beginning of the season last year, but on paper right now relative to how we ended up last year.”

Jones says he’s not counting on Lee being available in 2014, but isn’t ruling out a return. The earliest Lee could expect to get back from anterior cruciate ligament surgery performed last week would be November.

Justin Durant has been working in Lee’s spot during offseason practice. When Durant was hurt at the end of last year, rookie DeVonte Holloman started at middle linebacker.

The Cowboys added another candidate with fourth-round pick Anthony Hitchens, and they aren’t ruling out additional moves before or after the start of training camp July 24 in Oxnard, Calif.

“If we had to play with the players we’ve got, I feel good that we could line up against San Francisco,” Jones said, referring to the season opener Sept. 7.