FOOTBALL
Tunsil surprises Freeze
Mississippi Coach Hugh Freeze said he was surprised by former Rebels offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil's statement he accepted money from a coach while at the school and is trying to stay patient while the university continues its investigation. Freeze said Thursday on an SEC teleconference he is not involved in the "fact-finding process" and was "shocked like everyone else" when Tunsil acknowledged after being selected by the Miami Dolphins at the NFL Draft that he accepted money. There was also a post on Tunsil's Instagram account -- which he said was hacked -- showing an alleged text conversation with a football staff member about arranging payment for bills. The football program is already under NCAA investigation. The school received a Notice of Allegations in January and is preparing its response.
• Texas A&M assistant coach Aaron Moorehead has apologized for a series of tweets about loyalty and accountability he posted soon after a highly touted quarterback recruit announced he was breaking a verbal commitment to the Aggies. A few minutes after Tate Martell from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas tweeted Wednesday night he was reopening his recruitment, Moorehead posted "I feel sorry for ppl who never understand loyalty." Moorehead followed with more critical tweets, never naming Martell. Soon after, another Aggies recruit, receiver Mannie Netherly, posted on Twitter that he was also reversing his commitment. On Thursday, Moorehead posted an apology to "all the young men in high school who work so hard to achieve their dreams of playing college football ..." He also apologized to Texas A&M head Coach Kevin Sumlin. Sumlin said on an SEC teleconference that he discussed the situation with Moorehead. "He's taken responsibility for his actions, and we'll move on from there," Sumlin said.
GOLF
Pair leads Wells Fargo
Steve Wheatcroft and Andrew Loupe each shot 7-under 65 on Thursday in rain and steady wind to share the first-round lead in the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, N.C., while Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler dodged a golf ball with an earplug attached to it. As if battling a lengthy and saturated course wasn't enough, playing partners McIlroy and Fowler endured a bizarre event on the sixth tee box when a spectator hurled the dressed-up golf ball their way as Fowler was preparing to hit. The fan was escorted from the property by police. Fowler finished with a 71, and McIlroy had a 73. David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) had four birdies and three bogeys for a 1-under 71.
• Laetitia Beck took the first-round lead in the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic in Prattville, Ala., dodging some of the wind Thursday morning in a bogey-free 7-under 65. Beck, 24, the first Israeli player to qualify for the LPGA Tour, was in the first group of the day off the 10th tee. She birdied four of the final five holes on her opening nine in calmer conditions, and had three more -- two on par 5s -- on the windier second nine. Annie Park and Minjee Lee were tied for second at 67. They played in the afternoon. Beck hit 11 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens and had only 26 putts on the links-style Senator Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Capitol Hill complex. The former Duke player is winless on the tour. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) had three birdies and two bogeys for a 1-under 71. Gaby Lopez (Razorbacks) had five birdies, a bogey, a double bogey and a triple bogey for a 1-over 73.
• Francesco Laporta of Italy, Thomas Linard of France and Jason Scrivener of Australia shot a 4-under 68 to share the lead on the first day of the Trophee Hassan II on Thursday at Rabat, Morocco. Five players, including Younes El Hassani of Morocco, were a shot behind on a day of tough conditions on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. Scrivener made five birdies to continue his good form in his second year on the European Tour, where he has missed just one cut in nine events. Linard hit an eagle on No. 12, his third hole, and made five birdies. Laporta made up for two bogeys in his first three holes with four birdies and an eagle -- also on No. 12.
BASEBALL
Decision soon on games
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says a decision is imminent on whether games between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins will be played in Puerto Rico this month. Manfred said Thursday the announcement on whether a two-game series will be moved because of concerns about the Zika virus will be made today or Monday "at the latest." The teams are scheduled to play May 30-31 in San Juan to celebrate Roberto Clemente Day, a league-wide tribute honoring the late Pirates Hall of Famer and Puerto Rico native. But with players on both sides expressing concern, the games might be moved to Miami.
TENNIS
Trio advances
Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal made their way into the Madrid Open quarterfinals on Thursday, each with straight-set victories. The top-ranked Djokovic beat Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 6-2, 6-1 for his 30th victory of the season, the most on tour. Defending champion Murray defeated Gilles Simon of France 6-4, 6-2, and Nadal topped Sam Querrey of the U.S. 6-4, 6-2. Also, sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori reached the quarterfinals by defeating 10th-seeded Richard Gasquet 6-4, 7-5, while eighth-seeded Tomas Berdych beat ninth-seeded David Ferrer 7-6 (8), 7-5. Australian Nick Kyrgios beat Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-3 behind 14 aces. In the women's tournament, 19-year-old qualifier Louisa Chirico defeated Daria Gavrilova of Australia 7-6 (1), 6-2 to reach the semifinals. Simona Halep reached the semifinals by beating Romanian compatriot Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 0-6, 6-1.
BASKETBALL Vogel out as Pacers coach
INDIANAPOLIS — Frank Vogel will not return as the Indiana Pacers coach next season.
Pacers President Larry Bird said Thursday that the team will not renew Vogel’s contract for next season, cutting ties with a respected name in the coaching ranks.
Bird said he believes it’s time for a new voice to lead the Pacers, keeping with his long-held philosophy on short shelf lives for coaches.
“I know it’s not going to be a 100 percent popular move,” Bird said at a news conference. “But my responsibility is do what’s best for the franchise.”
Vogel was 250-181 in 51/2 seasons with the Pacers.
He led the team to the playoffs five times, including a first-round loss to the Toronto Raptors this season.
The Pacers became known as one of the better defensive teams in the NBA under Vogel’s leadership, but Bird said he started thinking it might be time for a change around the All-Star break in an effort to get a coach to breathe life into a sometimes-stagnant offense.
He called the decision to part ways with Vogel one of the toughest he’s ever had to make in basketball.
Vogel led Indiana to the Eastern Conference finals in 2012-13 and 2013-14. The only season Vogel did not lead Indiana to the playoffs was last year, when star forward Paul George missed most of the year after breaking his leg in a scrimmage with USA Basketball.
With George back fully healthy this season, the Pacers pushed the second-seeded Raptors to seven games in the first round before losing.
“I think he did fine, but it’s all about motivating players and getting them to play at a higher level,” Bird said.
Vogel could be in demand immediately. He interviewed with Houston in 2011 and has ties to Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey.
Bird said that with George and promising rookie Myles Turner as part of the nucleus, the Pacers’ job should be an attractive one.
Among the names that have been linked to the job are former NBA coach Nate McMillan, one of Vogel’s assistants, and former Pacers player and ex-Golden State coach Mark Jackson.
Sports on 05/06/2016