BASEBALL
Bosch plea date set
Former Florida clinic owner Anthony Bosch is expected to plead guilty at an October hearing to a drug distribution conspiracy charge in Major League Baseball's most recent performance-enhancing substances scandal. A Miami federal judge on Wednesday set an Oct. 16 date for Bosch to enter the plea. The former Biogenesis of America clinic owner's attorneys and federal prosecutors reached an agreement last month in which Bosch admitted providing testosterone to baseball players, from professionals to high school athletes. Six other people are charged in the case that resulted in suspensions against numerous MLB players including New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez. No players have been charged. Bosch faces a maximum 10-year prison term but will likely get less in return for his guilty plea and cooperation.
FOOTBALL
Texas suspends two OL
Texas Coach Charlie Strong (Batesville, Central Arkansas) has suspended two offensive linemen for the Longhorns’ game Saturday night against Brigham Young, further depleting a unit that already lost starting center Dominic Espinosa to injury. Texas said Wednesday night that tackles Desmond Harrison and Kennedy Estelle were suspended for unspecified violations of team rules. No timeline was given for their return. Harrison missed Texas’ 38-7 season-opening victory over North Texas last week because of a rules violation. But he was reinstated Monday and was expected to start against BYU. Estelle started against North Texas. Two other potential starters, receiver Daje Johnson and safety Josh Turner, remain suspended for rules violations. Texas also will play without starting quarterback David Ash after he had concussion symptoms following the opener. BYU opened with a 35-10 victory at Connecticut last week.
• Veteran receiver Robert Meachem has his job back and pass-rushing outside linebacker Junior Galette has the contract he coveted with the New Orleans Saints. Meachem, entering his eighth season, was cut on Saturday, but the Saints were able to find a roster spot for him Wednesday when they placed rookie linebacker Khairi Fortt on short-term injured reserve. Meachem was at practice on Wednesday as the Saints prepared for Sunday's regular season opener at Atlanta. Meachem, a 2007 first-round draft choice of the Saints, had 16 catches for 324 yards and two TDs last season, when he returned to New Orleans after one disappointing season in San Diego. Galette signed a $41.5 million extension through 2019. Locking him up long-term was a priority for the Saints, who first signed him as an undrafted rookie out of Stillman in 2010 and watching him blossom into one of the more effective edge pass-rushers in the NFL last season. Galette finished with 12 sacks in 2013, second only on the Saints to defensive end Cam Jordan's 12 ½.
• Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was held out of practice Wednesday due to soreness in his ribs. Coach Ron Rivera still thinks Newton will start the season opener Sunday at Tampa Bay. Rivera said he had expected Newton to practice Wednesday. But the two-time Pro Bowler complained or soreness in the morning and after practicing on Monday and working out on the side with the trainers Tuesday. Derek Anderson took the first-team reps at quarterback.
• UCLA running back Steven Manfro will miss the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, a school spokesman said Wednesday. Manfro was taken off the practice field on a cart after injuring his knee Tuesday. The junior is part of the No. 11 Bruins' three-man rotation at the position with Paul Perkins and Jordon James, and he was often featured as a receiver out of the backfield. Manfro caught 37 passes for 400 yards and 2 touchdowns over the last two seasons and was also featured on special teams.
• Clemson Coach Dabo Swinney said freshman receiver Kyrin Preister has been dismissed from the team for a poor attitude. Swinney said Wednesday that Priester had no respect for authority and that he was a good individual who had lost his way, which is why he's no longer on the team. Priester played on special teams in last week's 45-21 loss at Georgia. He was listed as a third-string receiver on Clemson's depth chart for its game with South Carolina State on Saturday.
BASKETBALL
Americans roll
The U.S. wrapped up the No. 1 seed in their group Wednesday, improving to 4-0 at the Basketball World Cup with a 106-71 victory over the Dominican Republic. Kenneth Faried, whose shooting percentage dropped after he missed three shots, scored 16 points for the U.S. DeMarcus Cousins came off the bench and added 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting. The Americans will finish Group C play in Bilbao today against Ukraine -- when U.S. Coach Mike Krzyzewski will coach against longtime friend and former NBA coach Mike Fratello -- before playing their round of 16 game Saturday night in Barcelona against the fourth-place team from Group D, which is still to be determined.
SOCCER
U.S. beats Czechs
The U.S. opened four years of preparation for the 2018 World Cup by beating the Czech Republic for the first time in four meetings, using a youthful roster to win 1-0 in an exhibition Wednesday night on Alejandro Bedoya's 39th-minute goal in Prague. After finishing second in a tough World Cup group that included Portugal, Ghana and eventual champion Germany, the Americans were eliminated with a 2-1 overtime loss to Belgium in the round of 16 on July 1. The U.S. has reached the semifinals just once, at the first World Cup in 1930. The furthest the Americans have advanced since then is a quarterfinal loss to Germany in 2002. Brad Guzan played the first half as he took over as the Americans' No. 1 goalkeeper from Tim Howard, who is taking a year off from the national team. Guzan, who turns 30 on Sept. 9, was the oldest player in the U.S. starting lineup.
FOOTBALL
Cowboys sign Sam to practice squad
IRVING, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys signed Michael Sam, the NFL’s first openly gay player, to its practice squad Wednesday.
He’s unlikely to get into the opener Sunday against San Francisco and might still face long odds of joining an active roster anytime soon.
But Sam got his second chance to make it in the NFL four days after the St. Louis Rams released the seventh-round pick when they had to cut the roster to 53 players.
The Cowboys have been seeking help with their pass rush because of injuries and the offseason release of franchise sacks leader DeMarcus Ware.
Coach Jason Garrett said the move was “about football” and deflected any questions about the impact of bringing in Sam or how it might affect the locker room.
“That’s your decision what question you want to ask,” Garrett told a larger-than-usual crowd at his daily news conference. “We’re focused on football. That’s where our attention is, and what people say outside this organization is really up to them.”
Owner Jerry Jones said Rams Coach Jeff Fisher spoke highly of how Sam fit in with his teammates there.
“He was exemplary,” said Jones, speaking at a Texas Lottery news conference in Austin. “He’s relentless as a worker. He’s relentless as a pass rusher. He is going to have to make up for a little speed. He’s going to have to make up for size, but how many times have we seen that? That’s what makes football.”
Sam, from Hitchcock, Texas, went through stretching and individual drills with his fellow defensive linemen during the brief portion of practice that reporters could watch. Dallas made room for him on the 10-player practice squad by releasing rookie linebacker Will Smith.
Any team can sign Sam off the Cowboys’ practice squad, but would have to put him on the 53-man roster for a minimum of four weeks.
Sam came out to his Missouri teammates before his senior season, when he was the SEC defensive player with 11 1/2 sacks. He told the rest of the world three months before the May draft.
The Cowboys didn’t have Sam on their draft board, with Jones saying his size and skill set had him somewhere between defensive end and outside linebacker. Dallas passed on him with three of five seventh-round picks before the Rams got him at pick No. 249 out of 256.
Sports on 09/04/2014