FOOTBALL
CB suspended 4 games
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith has been suspended for four games without pay for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. The suspension will take effect after the final mandated roster cuts on Sept. 1 and last through Baltimore's game at Pittsburgh on Sept. 30. Smith, who is entering his seventh season, will be allowed to participate in all of the Ravens' preseason activities, including games. The 30-year-old Smith played in 12 games last season before an Achilles tendon injury forced him to miss the team's final four games. During those four weeks, he chose to accept an NFL suspension for using performance enhancers.
Incognito jailed in Arizona
Former NFL offensive lineman Richie Incognito has been arrested on charges he threatened to shoot employees of a funeral home, authorities said Tuesday. Police in the Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale said Incognito was being held on suspicion of misdemeanor charges of threats and disorderly conduct. It was unclear if Incognito had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. Police said Incognito was at the Messinger Pinnacle Peak Mortuary on Monday to make arrangements for his father, who died last weekend. "Incognito reportedly was upset with staff and began to damage property inside the business and shout at employees," said Sgt. Ben Hoster, a police spokesman. "At several points during his contact with staff, Incognito threatened to retrieve guns from his vehicle and return to shoot the employees." Incognito, 35, attended a Phoenix-area high school before playing college football at Nebraska and having an 11-year NFL career with St. Louis, Miami and Buffalo.
WR Cruz retires
Former New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz has retired. In making the announcement Tuesday, the 31-year-old Cruz said he plans to join ESPN as an NFL analyst. Cruz will contribute to a variety of shows and make his ESPN debut today. Cruz was a seven-year veteran and a 2012 Pro Bowl selection. He joined the Giants in 2010 as an undrafted free agent from Massachusetts. He had his first 1,000-yard season and caught a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl victory over the Patriots in February 2012. Cruz had 303 catches for 4,549 yards and 25 touchdowns, including an NFL record-tying 99-yard reception in December 2011. He was signed by the Chicago Bears in 2017 but cut before the season.
BASEBALL
Darvish out rest of season
Yu Darvish's frustrating season became complete Tuesday when tests revealed that the Cubs' prized free-agent signing was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right pitching elbow. Darvish, who signed a six-year, $126 million contract in February, hadn't pitched since May 20 because of right triceps tendinitis and started only eight major-league games this season. Darvish felt lingering discomfort during a bullpen session on June 28 that temporarily suspended his rehabilitation. He resumed his comeback last month, only for the pain to reoccur Sunday after one inning and 19 pitches in a rehab start for Class A South Bend.
Urena drops suspension
Miami Marlins right-hander Jose Urena dropped his appeal of a six-game suspension for intentionally hitting Atlanta rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. with a pitch. Urena began serving the suspension Tuesday. The Marlins, fearful the Braves might retaliate, had already decided Urena wouldn't pitch against them during a four-game series later this week. Urena is expected to return at Boston on Aug. 28. He hit Acuna on the left arm with his first pitch, triggering a melee in the Marlins' 5-2 loss in Atlanta last Wednesday. Acuna went into the game having homered in five consecutive games, including four homers in the three games against Miami -- three of them leading off. Acuna left the game injured but was back in the lineup the next day.
Renteria out of hospital
Chicago White Sox Manager Rick Renteria was released from a Minnesota hospital on Tuesday after undergoing tests following an episode of lightheadedness. The 56-year-old Renteria was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center before Monday night's 8-5 victory over the Twins. Renteria will return to Chicago today and undergo further testing at Rush University Medical Center, according to the team. Bench coach Joe McEwing spoke with Renteria before Tuesday's matchup with Minnesota. "Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family," said McEwing, who is running the team while Renteria is gone. "He sounds good. He's a very tough individual."
MOTOR SPORTS
Wickens has spine surgery
IndyCar driver Robert Wickens had titanium rods and screws placed in his spine to stabilize a fracture associated with a spinal cord injury suffered in a crash at Pocono Raceway. IndyCar said in a statement Tuesday the severity of the spinal cord injury was unknown. Wickens is expected to undergo more surgeries to treat fractures in his lower extremities and right forearm. He remains in stable condition. His car sailed into the fence at Pocono when he and Ryan Hunter-Reay made slight contact. Hunter-Reay's car spun and Wickens' car launched over it and into the fence. A large hole was torn into the fence. The race was delayed 2 hours to repair the damage.
BASKETBALL
Kobe: No to BIG3
Kobe Bryant won't be coming out of retirement to play in the BIG3 next year. A spokesman for the longtime Los Angeles Lakers star said Tuesday that Bryant isn't playing next season in the 3-on-3 league of former NBA players. Speculation that Bryant would play had heated up earlier in the day when league co-founder and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz said during the league's weekly conference call that he "did hear from a credible source yesterday that Kobe said he's playing next year." But Molly Carter, chief marketing officer of Kobe Inc., said the NBA's No. 3 career scorer has no plans to do so. The BIG3 wraps up its second season with the championship game Friday.
WNBA hands out honors
Breanna Stewart has taken her game to a new level this year to lead Seattle to the top spot in the league. Her efforts earned her Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year honors Tuesday. The award was chosen by the 14-member media panel that votes for the weekly poll. Stewart averaged 21.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and shot 52.9 percent from the field this season to help the Storm earn a bye until the semifinals of the playoffs. She received 12 of the 14 votes with Liz Cambage earning the other two. Atlanta's Nicki Collen was chosen as the AP's coach of the year, receiving 13 of the 14 votes. In her first season as a head coach, she guided the Dream to a second-place finish in the league standings.
TENNIS
Serena seeded 17th at Open
Serena Williams got a bit of a boost in the seedings for the U.S. Open by being placed at No. 17, nine spots above her current ranking. The U.S. Tennis Association's decision, announced Tuesday along with all the other seeds for the main draws of women's and men's singles, means Williams avoids a possible matchup against one of the top eight players in the third round. It also sets up a possible matchup at that stage against her older sister, Venus, who is No. 16, her ranking this week. This will be the third Grand Slam tournament of Williams' return to competition since her daughter was born during the 2017 U.S. Open last September.
Sports on 08/22/2018