NFL
'Senor Sack' dead at 57
Gabe Rivera, the overpowering "Senor Sack" lineman for Texas Tech who was paralyzed in a car accident while a Pittsburgh Steelers rookie, has died. He was 57. The university on Tuesday confirmed Rivera's death. He had been living in San Antonio with his wife, Nancy, who told KENS-TV her husband had taken ill last week and died Monday night. Rivera, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, played at Texas Tech from 1979-82 and was an All-America defensive lineman. He had five sacks and 62 tackles as a senior in 1982. Rivera was drafted 21st overall by Pittsburgh in 1983. He had two sacks in his first six games, but in October of that year he was in an automobile accident that left him a paraplegic. He was intoxicated when his car collided with another vehicle.
Rams, WR agree to deal
The Los Angeles Rams have agreed to a five-year extension with wide receiver Brandin Cooks. The Rams traded their first- and sixth-round picks in the 2018 draft to the New England Patriots for Cooks and a fourth-round pick earlier this year. Before joining the Rams, Cooks played in 58 regular-season games with 46 starts, and had at least 1,000 yards receiving in each of the past three seasons. The fifth-year pro has 280 receptions for 3,943 yards and 27 touchdowns, and averages 14.1 yards per reception. He had nine 100-plus yard receiving games in 2016 with the New Orleans Saints.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Former Ohio State DE dies
Mike Kudla, a star defensive end who played on Ohio State's 2002 national championship team, has died. He was 34. The northeastern Ohio school district where he played in high school posted on Twitter on Monday that he died Sunday. The cause was not disclosed. Kudla was named first-team All-Big Ten and Ohio State's most valuable player on defense in 2005. In his final college game, he set a Fiesta Bowl record with three sacks to help the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame. He finished his college career with 91 tackles and 14.5 sacks. Kudla was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent but was released in 2006 after sustaining a hamstring injury that ultimately ended his pro career.
WRESTLING
Wrestlers sue Ohio State
Four former wrestlers say in a lawsuit that Ohio State University officials ignored repeated complaints about a now-dead team doctor and failed to stop his "rampant sexual misconduct" that went on nearly two decades. The lawsuit describes Richard Strauss, who killed himself after retiring from the university, as "a prolific sexual predator" who might have assaulted 1,500 or more male students at Ohio State. Athletes who alerted officials about Strauss felt their complaints were futile and that the doctor was above the law in the eyes of the university, according to the federal lawsuit filed Monday. Among the allegations in the lawsuit is that two wrestlers met with former Athletic Director Andy Geiger during the 1994-1995 season and complained about voyeurism and lewd acts by Strauss and other men at their practice facility. The lawsuit says the university didn't take action or agree to move the team's practices following that meeting. The team did move into a new building about eight years later. Geiger told The Associated Press a week ago that he did not remember meeting with the wrestlers or any complaints about Strauss. But he said he did speak with former wrestling coach Russ Hellickson about voyeurism in the showers. Hellickson also has denied knowing about any abuse by Strauss.
NBA
Grizzlies acquire Temple
The Memphis Grizzlies have acquired guard Garrett Temple from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for guard Ben McLemore, center Deyonta Davis, a future second-round pick and cash considerations. Temple, 32, scored a career-high 8.4 points per game and shot 39.2 percent from three-point range last season. The 6-6 guard also had 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. The trade returns McLemore to Sacramento, which selected the former Kansas star with the seventh overall pick in the 2013 draft. McLemore, 25, spent his first four NBA seasons with the Kings before coming to Memphis last year. The 6-5 guard averaged 7.5 points and 2.5 assists with the Grizzlies in 2017-18. Davis, 21, averaged 5.8 points, 4 rebounds and 15.2 minutes for Memphis this past season.
WNBA
Australian sets league record
Elizabeth Cambage scored 53 points to set a WNBA record Tuesday, leading the Dallas Wings to a 104-87 victory over the New York Liberty. The 6-8 Australian reached 50 points on a three-point play with 2:19 remaining and broke Riquna Williams' WNBA record of 51 points, set Sept. 8, 2013, on an open three-pointer from the top of the key. "It's pretty big," Cambage said. "I've had big numbers in China, I've had big numbers in Australia, and I've heard a lot of people say I could never have big numbers here in the WNBA. So I guess this game is for y'all." Cambage was 17 of 22 from the field with 10 rebounds and five blocks for her ninth double-double of the season. She made 15 of 16 free throws and outscored the Liberty's starting lineup by 10 points.
HORSE RACING
Hall of fame jockey dies
Manny Ycaza, a Hall of Fame jockey who won the 1964 Belmont Stakes and paved the way for generations of Latin Americans to ride in North America, has died. He was 80. Ycaza died Monday of pneumonia and sepsis at a hospital in Forest Hills, N.Y., according to his wife, Jeanne De Ycaza. She said he had been admitted a day earlier after the couple had gone for a walk. He won 2,367 races from 10,561 mounts and rode such acclaimed thoroughbreds as Ack Ack, Damascus, Dr. Fager and Sword Dancer. He was aboard Quadrangle in the 1964 Belmont, spoiling Northern Dancer's Triple Crown bid. It was Ycaza's lone victory in a Triple Crown race. He finished second on Ridan in the 1962 Preakness. A famous photo shows Ycaza sparring with jockey John Rotz on eventual winner Greek Money in the stretch run of the race. Ycaza was second aboard Never Bend in the 1963 Kentucky Derby. Ycaza rode most of his career on the East Coast, winning four riding titles at Saratoga in upstate New York.
FOOTBALL
Cowboys' Gregory returns from suspension
FRISCO, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory, who was suspended all of last season over multiple violations of the NFL's substance-abuse policy, was reinstated Tuesday.
Gregory can join the Cowboys at training camp in California next week and will be eligible for games as long as he continues to meet the terms of his reinstatement, the league said. The team reports to Oxnard on July 24, two days before its first practice.
The NFL said Gregory was immediately eligible for meetings, conditioning work and "similar activities" and would be cleared for practices and games once "arrangements have been confirmed regarding Gregory's clinical resources in Dallas."
The 25-year-old Gregory last played in the 2016 regular-season finale, when the former Nebraska standout had his first career sack at the end of his second season. He was suspended before Dallas' playoff loss to Green Bay, his third suspension of the season.
Gregory slid to the Cowboys at the end of the second round in 2015 because of off-field concerns that included a positive test for marijuana at the NFL combine.
The Cowboys have backed Gregory's attempt to return to the field, with several teammates writing letters of recommendation to the NFL as part of the process of him applying for reinstatement.
Sports on 07/18/2018