Pats line up a preseason
Jaguars first for champions
We now know the Patriots’ opponents for the NFL preseason, as well as how the weeks will unfold down the road.
The Patriots will kick off the exhibition slate at Gillette Stadium with the Jacksonville Jaguars, with the game to be played at some point between Aug. 10-14 (the league will release dates/times at a later date). The following week, the Pats will be in Houston (Aug. 17-21), and in Week 3 (Aug. 24-27), when most of the starters typically play, the Super Bowl champions will travel to Detroit to face the Lions. Preseason play closes with the traditional game against the New York Giants (Aug. 31-Sept. 1) at home.
Also, the Patriots made the re-signing of defensive lineman Alan Branch official and brought back restricted free agent offensive lineman Cameron Fleming on a new deal. . . .
The Buffalo Bills signed defensive end Ian Seau, the nephew of late Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau and an undrafted rookie free agent last year who was cut by the Los Angeles Rams before the start of the season. The Bills also signed free agent T.J. Yates, adding an experienced backup quarterback behind starter Tyrod Taylor. ...
Veteran cornerback Tracy Porter was waived by the Chicago Bears. The move is the latest in an overhaul of the secondary that includes the signings of free agent corners Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper. ...
The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to a oneyear contract with former Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin as depth behind Carson Wentz and Nick Foles. ...
Las Vegas sports books have begun taking money on some of the 17 proposition bets that Nevada gambling regulators have approved on the NFL draft.
Colleges: Colson to stay
Notre Dame’s Bonzie Colson, a Fall River native, will return for his senior season with the men’s basketball team and not enter the NBA draft. As a junior, Colson was named first-team All-ACC and an Associated Press third-team All-American. . . .
UCLA’s Thomas Welsh and Aaron Holiday entered their names in the NBA draft but neither will hire an agent, which allows them to retain their right to return to school if they withdraw by May 24; same goes for Baylor’s Johnathan Motley. ...
San Diego State’s Steve Fisher, 72, is stepping away from a basketball coaching career that includes a national championship at Michigan. Two sources told The Associated Press that Fisher is retiring after 18 seasons at SDSU. . . .
Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson is retiring after a 33-season run that included two national championships. Berenson, 77, led the Wolverines to national titles in 1996 and 1998 in 11 Frozen Four appearances. . . .
Spike Dykes, the folksy West Texas native who led Texas Tech to its only Cotton Bowl when that game was reserved for the Southwest Conference champion, died yesterday in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. He was 79.
Misc.: Trump supports U.S. bid
The United States launched its bid to cohost soccer’s 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada after gaining the support of President Donald Trump to pursue soccer’s showpiece amid heightened regional political tensions. U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati immediately faced questions about the impact of Trump’s stance toward Mexicans on staging one of the biggest events in sports as he presented the bid alongside his counterparts from Mexico and Canada in New York.
The U.S. would host 60 games; Mexico and Canada to get 10 each. . . .
Japanese figure skater Mao Asada is retiring at 26. The three-time world champion said she lost her motivation after underperforming last season.