Off the wire
FOOTBALL Cowboys’ DE reinstated
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory was conditionally reinstated by the NFL on Friday, ending his fourth suspension over substance-abuse violations. Gregory won’t be eligible to play until Week 6 when the Cowboys have a Monday night home game against Arizona on Oct. 19. He missed all of 2019 over his latest suspension.
Washington releases Peterson
Washington released veteran running back Adrian Peterson on Friday, a stunning move by first-year Coach Ron Rivera in the name of getting younger. Rivera called Peterson early in the morning asking him to come to the practice facility, then delivered the news the team was moving on from the 35-year-old star. Peterson played the past two seasons with Washington, rushing for 1,940 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Trump to give Holtz medal
President Donald Trump said Friday he intends to give the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, to longtime coach Lou Holtz. Trump made the announcement at the White House as Holtz looked on. The president did not announce a date for the ceremony but said it would be soon. Holtz spent 34 years coaching both college and professional teams. Holtz ended his career at the University of South Carolina, where he was head coach for six seasons from 1999-2004. Holtz coached at the University of Arkansas from 1977-1983 where he compiled a record of 60-21-2.
TCU-SMU postponed
TCU and SMU postponed their Sept. 11 game as TCU announced Friday a cluster of Horned Frogs players and team support staff tested positive for covid-19. TCU did not identify who was infected with covid-19 or how many players or staff are involved. Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati said none currently faces serious health issues. No makeup date for the game at TCU was immediately set.
CYCLING Yates remains Tour leader
The most thrilling day of racing so far at the Tour de France produced multiple winners Friday, kick-starting the race that had been something of a slow-burner and setting the stage for more hard riding this weekend in the high mountains of the Pyrenees. Wout Van Aert took the Stage 7 victory. It was the resurgent Belgian rider’s second win at this year’s race. Defending champion Egan Bernal and other top contenders for the overall title dealt a blow to principal rivals by leaving them behind in crosswinds on the speedy approach to the finish. Three-time world champion Peter Sagan got back the green jersey awarded to riders who collect the most points in sprints, after his team caused havoc on the road by riding furiously from the start. And British rider Adam Yates negotiated the stage’s multiple traps to keep the overall race leader’s yellow jersey.
GOLF Saxon holds Lincoln Land lead
Charlie Saxon followed Thursday’s 11-under 61 with a 6-under 66 on Friday and holds a two-shot lead in the Korn Ferry Tour Lincoln Land Championship at Springfield,
Ill. Former University of Arkansas golfer Ethan Tracy fired a 5-under 67 on Friday and is at 8-under 136 for the tournament, nine shots behind the leader. Matt Atkins (Henderson State) also shot a 67 on Friday and is at 137 after two rounds. Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) shot a 67 on Friday and is at 138. Nicolas Echavarria (Razorbacks) missed the cut with a 143 as did David Lingmerth (Razorbacks) at 148.
Catlin grabs lead in Spain
American golfer John Catlin will take a two-stroke lead into the weekend at the Andalucia Masters after being the only player in the field to have carded two under-par rounds at Valderrama at Sotogrande, Spain. Catlin started the day in a four-way tie for the lead and added a 1-under 70 on Friday to his opening round of 69 at the notoriously tough 1997 Ryder Cup venue. After shooting a 70 on Thursday, Pep Angles (University of Central Arkansas) carded a 77. Angles is in a tie for 26th place.
SOCCER Messi staying put
Lionel Messi announced Friday that he will stay with Barcelona for the upcoming season. Messi made the announcement in a video interview published by Goal.com. He said that he would not get into a legal dispute with the club. The decision ended an impasse over his future after he had told Barcelona that he wanted to leave the club for free at the end of the season. Barcelona wanted him to finish his contract that runs until the end of 2021.
BASKETBALL Harrell wins 6th man award
Montrezl Harrell was close last year. This year, his grandmother told him, he was going to win the Sixth Man Award. The only disappointment was she didn’t live to see it. “It just hurts that I can’t take it home to her,” Harrell said. He won it on Friday, keeping the honor for the league’s top reserve with the Los Angeles Clippers for the third consecutive season. Harrell ended the two-year run of teammate Lou Williams — who finished third — and gave the Clippers four winners in the last five years. Harrell received 58 first-place votes from a panel of 100 writers and broadcasters, earn- ing 397 points. Dennis Schroder of Oklahoma City was second with 35 first-place votes and 328 points.
HOCKEY Stars advance with OT victory
Joel Kiviranta completed a hat track 7:24 into overtime to give Dallas a 5-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Friday in Game 7 in Edmonton, Alberta, sending the Stars to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2008. Kiviranta scored on a quick shot after a pass from Andrej Sekera from behind the net. Kiviranta was playing only his third postseason game, on the ice for the series finale with Andrew Cogliano unfit to play, after scoring once in 11 regular-season games. Shea Theodore finally solved Thatcher Demko with 6:08 remaining in the third period and the Vegas Golden Knights edged the Vancouver Canucks 3-0 in Game 7 of their second-round series. Theodore’s goal was the first in 138:40 for the Golden Knights against Demko, the rookie who had brought Vancouver back from a 3-1 deficit in the series and held off Vegas for most of this game, too. Then Theodore scored a power-play goal on a wrist shot from the blue line that slipped through traffic and past Demko, who had made 98 consecutive saves. Alex Tuch and Paul Stastny added empty-net goals.