AP Sports

Vikings DC Flores says he was hurt by Tagovailoa’s sharp criticism but wishes Dolphins QB well

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores acknowledged he was stung by the sharp criticism of his coaching style from Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s recent public assessment of their time together with the Dolphins. Flores responded to remarks Tagovailoa made in an interview that aired on the “Dan LeBatard Show.” He wished his former player well and expressed pleasure in the success the fifth pick in the 2020 draft has had. Flores also said he has reflected on his time as head coach of the Dolphins and believes he has learned to improve as a leader.

Tennis star Jannik Sinner tested positive for a steroid twice but will not be suspended

Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March but will not be suspended because the International Tennis Integrity Agency determined the banned performance-enhancer entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist. The agency announced the case’s resolution on Tuesday and said Sinner will lose the $325,000 in prize money and 400 rankings points he earned at the tournament in Indian Wells, California, where his first positive drug test happened. Sinner won the Cincinnati Open on Monday and will be among the favorites at the U.S. Open, which starts in New York next week.

Prospect of player pay another wrinkle for HBCU schools, where big NIL deals still taking root

Athletic programs at historically Black colleges and universities are facing another wrinkle. Few of them have NIL collectives to arrange endorsement deals with athletes, though the area has seen some growth in the past couple years. Now all schools are facing the prospect of being able to pay athletes directly via revenue sharing, perhaps as early as 2025. That is a daunting possibility for schools with modest resources, including HBCUs. Coaches and players say the HBCU appeal goes far beyond available money.

WNBA players would like more time off after the Olympics are over before league play resumes

WNBA players would like more of a break after the All-Star Game and Olympics before league play resumes. Here was a quick turnaround this year after the Paris Games. It could be a major topic of discussion when negotiations begin for the next collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA ends next year. Phoenix, Chicago and Los Angeles all played three games in a four-day span to resume the the regular season. Fortunately, from the Olympics standpoint, the next Games are in Los Angeles, so travel will be less of an issue for the players.

Analysis: The FedEx Cup playoffs deliver. Just not always the best player with the title

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler says it’s silly to call the FedEx Cup title a season-long competition when it comes down to one tournament at the end. He’s not wrong. This also is nothing new. Scheffler has said it before. So have Jon Rahm and and Patrick Cantlay and even Tiger Woods some 15 years ago. It’s a matter of the PGA Tour having to choose between the risk of someone wrapping up the title before the Tour Championship or making the season finale compelling. The FedEx Cup is an important title for players. It just doesn’t always define the best season.

Who wins the Heisman Trophy? Can a veteran or first-year starter break through the transfer trend?

The Heisman Trophy race appears wide open this season. The top five players in last year’s Heisman voting, won by LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, and eight of the top 10 are currently in NFL training camps. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is the only player among 2023’s top 10 vote-getters to appear on a long list of players with Heisman odds from BetMGM. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Georgia’s Carson Beck lead that list.

Maui Invitational returns to the island a year after wildfires. UConn highlights the field

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Two-time defending national champion UConn will highlight the Maui Invitational, which is returning to the Lahaina Civic Center a year after fatal wildfires forced a move to Honolulu. The tournament will be played from Nov. 25-27. The Huskies will take on Memphis on the opening day, followed by Colorado-Michigan State, Auburn-Iowa State and Dayton-North Carolina. Tournament chairman Dave Odom called it one of the strongest fields in the event’s history. UConn is making its fifth Maui appearance.

Tamirat Tola and Hellen Obiri look to defend titles in New York City Marathon

NEW YORK (AP) — Tamirat Tola and Hellen Obiri will look to defend their New York City Marathon titles this November. The pair headline strong fields in the annual race around New York’s five boroughs. Tola is coming off a win at the Paris Games where he set an Olympic record in the race. The Ethiopian broke the New York course record last year. Other top runners in the men’s field include past winners Geoffrey Kamworor, Albert Korir and Evans Chebet, who all are from Kenya. Belgium’s Bashir Abdi won the silver medal in Paris and is also in the race. Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who finished eighth and ninth in Paris, are the top American men. The women’s field features past champions Sharon Lokedi and Edna Kiplagat of Kenya.

Blues get Broberg, Holloway after Oilers don’t match offer sheets

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Blues have signed defenseman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway to two-year contracts after the Edmonton Oilers declined to match the offer sheets for the restricted free agents. Broberg signed for a total of $9.16 million and Holloway $4.58 million. The Blues sent second- and third-round picks to Edmonton. The salary cap-strapped Oilers opted not to keep their two youngest players even after clearing space by trading veteran Cody Ceci to San Jose for younger defenseman Ty Emberson earlier in the week.

2024 US Open: Here’s how to watch on TV, betting odds and more you should know

NEW YORK (AP) — Play in the year’s last Grand Slam tennis tournament is scheduled to begin at the U.S. Open on Monday. The draw to set the brackets for the singles fields will be held on Thursday. The defending champions are Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic. Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz are the betting favorites. Iga Swiatek will be the top-seeded woman, and Jannik Sinner will lead the men’s seeds. The total amount of player compensation — prize money and travel expenses — rises to a record $75 million in 2024. That is $10 million more than a year ago. The women’s and men’s singles champions each will earn $3.6 million.