AP Sports

Georgia begins quest for 3rd straight championship as No. 1 in AP Top 25. Michigan, Ohio State next

Georgia begins its drive for an unprecedented college football championship three-peat as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press preseason Top 25. The Bulldogs received 60 of 63 first-place votes to easily outpoint No. 2 Michigan. The Wolverines received two first-place votes. Michigan’s Big Ten rival, Ohio State is No. 3, with one first-place vote. Two more Southeastern Conference teams join Georgia in the top five. Alabama is No. 4, the Crimson Tide’s lowest preseason rankings since 2009, and LSU starts at No. 5. This is the second time in program history 2008 Georgia has been preseason No. 1.

Rays place Wander Franco on restricted list while MLB investigates social media posts

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — All-Star shortstop Wander Franco and the Tampa Bay Rays have “mutually agreed” the 22-year-old will go on the restricted list while Major League Baseball looks into social media posts involving the player. The club made the announcement Monday in the wake of social media posts that began circulating over the weekend. The Rays did not detail the nature of the social media posts. MLB has launched an investigation, a person familiar with the probe told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.

James Harden calls 76ers President Daryl Morey a liar and says he won’t play for his team

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — James Harden appears determined to sever ties with the Philadelphia 76ers after the star guard called team President Daryl Morey a liar at a promotional event at China. Harden’s comments came almost seven weeks after he picked up his $35.6 million option with the 76ers for this season and then promptly said he wanted to be traded. Harden said that “Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part.” The 76ers had no immediate comment. A 10-time All-Star and 2018 NBA MVP, Harden has tried to force his way off his third team in three years.

Spain nervous ahead of Women’s World Cup semifinal, a match against tournament stalwart Sweden

SYDNEY (AP) — Spain has never before advanced this far into the Women’s World Cup and makes its first appearance in the semifinals against powerhouse Sweden. The Tuesday match in Auckland, New Zealand is the first appearance in the semifinals at a major tournament for Spain since the 1997 European Championships. Sweden, meanwhile, is ranked second in the world and playing in its fifth tournament semifinal. The Swedes were runners-up in 2003 and have finished third three times at the Women’s World Cup. Sweden lost to Canada in the gold medal match of the Tokyo Olympics.

Michael Oher, former NFL tackle known for ‘The Blind Side,’ sues to end Tuohys’ conservatorship

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Former NFL tackle Michael Oher has filed a petition in a Tennessee probate court saying the couple he thought adopted him actually remain his conservators. Oher accuses Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy of lying to him nearly two decades ago by having him sign papers making them his conservators rather than his adoptive parents. The petition filed in Shelby County Probate Court asks for the conservatorship to be terminated along with asking for a full accounting of the money earned off the use of his name and story. He also asks to be paid what he’s owed with interest and damages. The Oscar-nominated movie “The Blind Side” was based on Oher’s relationship with the Tuohys.

IIHF rules in favor of the Flyers, saying Russian goalie Ivan Fedotov has a valid NHL contract

The International Ice Hockey Federation has ruled in favor of the Philadelphia Flyers by agreeing that Russian goaltender Ivan Fedotov had a valid NHL contract for the upcoming season. Fedotov signed with the Flyers in May 2022 and was planning to play last season in North America. Instead last summer his agent said Fedotov was taken to a remote military base in northern Russia. The Flyers as a result tolled his contract to the 2023-24 season. Last month CSKA Moscow announced signing Fedotov to a two-year KHL contract. Hockey’s world governing board determined it to be a breach of international transfer regulations.

Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. is approaching a new power-and-speed frontier – the 30-60 club

Ronald Acuña Jr. is on pace to create an entirely new club for baseball’s top power-and-speed threats. Acuña stole his 55th base Sunday night in Atlanta’s 7-6 loss to the New York Mets. The star outfielder also has 26 home runs. No player has ever reached 30 homers and 60 steals in the same season. Rickey Henderson came close to starting the 30-60 club. He had 28 homers and 87 steals in 1986 with the New York Yankees, then 28 homers and 65 steals when he won MVP honors with Oakland in 1990.

Derek Jeter to attend Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day for first time as retiree on Sept. 9

NEW YORK (AP) — Derek Jeter will attend Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day for the first time since his retirement when New York honors the 25th anniversary of its 1998 World Series championship team on Sept. 9. Jeter, 49, won five World Series titles with the Yankees from 1995-2014 and his No. 2 was retired in 2017. He was voted to the Hall of Fame in 2020. Jeter served 4 1/2 years as Miami Marlins president before quitting in February 2022. He attended last December’s news conference when Aaron Judge was appointed his successor as Yankees captain.

Longtime Boston Bruins center David Krejci announces retirement at age 37

BOSTON (AP) — Longtime Boston Bruins center David Krejci has announced his retirement at age 37 after 15 full seasons in the NHL. Krejci returned to North America last year after playing a season in front of friends and family in his native Czechia. He played nearly 1,200 games for the Bruins from 2007-2023 and won the Stanley Cup with them in 2011. Krejci’s retirement comes after face of the franchise Patrice Bergeron decided last month to call it a career. Their departures leaves Boston without its top two centers after setting league records for most wins and points in a season.

Pick 6: Coaches facing heat in 2023 include Brown at WVU, Allen at Indiana, Drinkwitz at Mizzou

Silly season in college football, that time when coaches get fired and hired, seems to never stop. The dismissal of Pat Fitzgerald by Northwestern after an investigation into hazing in the program kicked off this year’s carousel. Last year, there were five coaching changes by Oct. 3. The hot spots to varying degrees entering this season, include West Virginia, Indiana, Syracuse and Boston College. Results on the field matter, but the other major factors are how much it will cost to buyout the coaches contract and did the athletic director currently in charge hire that coach.