All players and coaches for the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens stood as the NFLr17;s preseason began.
The NFL modified its national anthem protocol in May, prohibiting any sort of demonstrations for 2018, but allowing players to remain in the locker room during r1;The Star-Spangled Bannerr1; if they chose to. Individual teams would be responsible for disciplining any demonstrators.
The playersr17; union filed a grievance about the policy change, and late last month, the new policy was put on hold while the NFL and NFLPA work on a resolution.
Those demonstrations were begun by then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 when he kneeled during the anthem to protest racial inequality and social injustice. The kneeling and other displays of protest spread leaguewide, particularly when President Trump suggested team owners fire players who didnr17;t stand for the anthem.
r1;We as a group talked about it and decided that was what we were doing,r1; new Bears coach Matt Nagy said. r1;Itr17;s for unity and togetherness. The guys are really excited to come up with one deal as a team. They were all out there; from what we talked about, it happened.r1;
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James Harden scored 26 points, Eric Gordon had 18 points and two momentum-swinging 3-pointers in the third quarter, and the Houston Rockets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 110-99 on for their 17th straight win.
The Rockets passed the Boston Celtics for the longest winning streak in the NBA this season. Houston hasnr17;t lost since Jan. 26 at New Orleans.
The latest victory came on the second of a tough back-to-back stretch of road games that started with a 10-point victory at Oklahoma City. No wonder the Rockets looked sluggish at times against the Bucks.
Trailing by about 10 points for most of the fourth quarter, Milwaukee got within 104-99 with 1:06 left on Sterling Brownr17;s layup.
Chris Paul answered with a short floater in the lane with 45 seconds left after driving on Jason Terry to silence Bucks fans who were pleading r1;Defense! Defense!r1;
DALLAS (AP) r11; The NBA is reviewing 2011 allegations of sexual assault against Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and the investigation that led to a decision by prosecutors not to pursue the case.
League spokesman Mike Bass said the NBA was looking into the matter http://www.officialcanadiensprostore.com/authentic-adidas-karl-alzner-jersey , a day after a weekly alternative newspaper in Portland, Oregon, reported a womanr17;s claim that Cuban put his hands down her pants and touched her inappropriately while they were taking a photo at a Portland nightclub. The report Tuesday in the Willamette Week came about a week and half after a Sports Illustrated account that portrayed a hostile work environment for women in the front office of the Mavericks. While Cuban wasnr17;t implicated, the SI report raised questions about what he knew and when.
Cuban flatly denied the womanr17;s allegations and provided a prosecutorsr17; report detailing the decision not to file charges.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
SAN DIEGO (AP) r11; University of San Diego coach Lamont Smith resigned 10 days after he was arrested for investigation of domestic violence at the end of a road trip.
Smithr17;s resignation came one day after the San Francisco District Attorneyr17;s Office said he wouldnr17;t face charges r1;at this timer1; in a domestic violence investigation. Even though no charges were filed, the university said on Tuesday that Smith remained on administrative leave pending a school investigation.
Athletic director Bill McGillis said Smith, who played at USD and was in his third season as coach http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/jordan-wilkins-jersey , offered his resignation and the school accepted it. McGillis said he then notified the team.
LEWISBURG, Pa. (AP) r11; Stephen Brown scored 22 points and reserve Nate Sestina added 16 as Bucknell won its second straight Patriot League Tournament championship with an 83-54 victory over Colgate.
The top-seeded Bison (25-9) head to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in program history and sixth time as the Patriot League representative. Four of those six titles have come in the last eight years.
PRO FOOTBALL
The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles bolstered their formidable pass rush with another top-level defensive lineman.
The Eagles acquired three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Bennett from the Seattle Seahawks, three people familiar with the trade told The Associated Press. The deal wonr17;t be officially announced until the NFLr17;s league year opens next Wednesday. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they werenr17;t authorized to release the trade information.
Seattle gets wide receiver Marcus Johnson and a fifth-round pick, while Philadelphia also receives a seventh-round pick.
Bennett had 8 sacks last season and 54 in his nine-year career.
LOS ANGELES (AP) r11; The Los Angeles Rams agreed to trade linebacker Alec Ogletree to the New York Giants for two draft picks, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because NFL trades canr17;t be announced until March 14. ESPN first reported the deal.
Los Angeles gets the Giantsr17; fourth-round and sixth-round picks in the 2018 draft. The NFC West champion Rams also will send a seventh-round pick in 2019 to the Giants along with Ogletree, their defensive captain and last seasonr17;s leading tackler.
NEW YORK (AP) r11; Jerry Jones agreed to pay the NFL more than $2 million in legal fees resulting from two disputes the Dallas Cowboys owner had with the league Youth Brandon Carlo Jersey , a person with direct knowledge of the settlement told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the NFL did not announce details.
Commissioner Roger Goodell held an appeal hearing with Jones on Monday. That came a few days after Goodell assessed the financial penalties for Jonesr17; lawsuit to overturn the suspension of Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott, and for a lawsuit Jones threatened to stop Goodellr17;s newly approved contract.
DENVER (AP) r11; Peyton Manning sold 31 Denver-area Papa Johnr17;s stores last week, two days before the NFL dropped the chain as its official pizza sponsor.
The Denver Post reported that Papa Johnr17;s spokesman Peter Collins confirmed the former NFL quarterback sold his stake to an existing Papa Johnr17;s franchisee. Manning will remain Papa Johnr17;s celebrity spokesman and brand ambassador. He wasnr17;t immediately available for comment.
The NFL and Papa Johnr17;s ended their deal Feb. 27.
HORSE RACING
NEW YORK (AP) r11; An aggrieved harness-racing bettor has gone to court to recoup more than $31,000 in winnings he said he was cheated out of when a doped horse won a race in New Jersey two years ago.
Leading figures in harness racing said they had never before heard of such a lawsuit, which accuses the train Washington Redskins Elite Jerseys
