Belichick runs Georgia pro day
After growing up as a Patriots fan, Lorenzo Carter said it was “kind of surreal” to find coach Bill Belichick leading positional drills at Georgia’s Pro Day yesterday in Athens, Ga.
Those linebacker drills, also organized by Lions coach Matt Patricia, were Carter’s chance to validate his standing as a player expected to be selected in the first two days of the NFL draft. Carter and Davin Bellamy showed off their versatility by participating in the linebacker and defensive line positional drills, hoping to prove they’d fit in 3-4 or 4-3 schemes in the NFL.
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and Falcons coach Dan Quinn also attended the pro day. All 32 teams were represented by coaches, scouts or other personnel, including Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff.
Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith, the Butkus Award winner and probable first-round pick, said it was “pretty awesome” to perform for Belichick and his former defensive coordinator Patricia, who he described as “pretty much legends of the game, doing it a long time and knowing what it takes to succeed at the next level.”
Belichick refused a request for an interview.
Serena loses in Miami
Still rusty in her return from pregnancy, Serena Williams was unable to overcome a tough opening round draw at the Miami Open, losing to Naomi Osaka, 6-3, 6-2.
Another new mother and former No.1, three-time champion Victoria Azarenka, defeated Catherine Bellis 6-3, 6-0. Seeded players are in action today . . . .
Jack Sock, Sam Querrey, John Isner, Ryan Harrison and Steve Johnson have been picked for the U.S. Davis Cup team that will face Belgium in the quarterfinals in Nashville, Tenn., on April 6-8.
A’s bring back Anderson
Left-hander Brett Anderson is back pitching with the club for which he broke into the big leagues, reaching agreement on a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics.
If added to the 40-man roster, he would get a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues.
The 30-year-old pitched for the Cubs and Toronto last year, going 4-4 with a 6.34 ERA in 13 starts and 551⁄3 innings . . . .
The Baseball Hall of Fame says it no longer will use the Cleveland Indians’ Chief Wahoo logo for plaques of new members. Major League Baseball announced earlier this year the Chief Wahoo logo won’t appear on Cleveland uniforms starting in the 2019 season.
Padgett out at Louisville
Louisville didn’t take long to make its first offseason move, parting ways with interim men’s basketball coach David Padgett.
Taking over for the forced-out Rick Pitino, Padgett went 22-14 after being elevated from secondyear Louisville assistant last fall. School officials say they appreciate the job he did, but obviously it wasn’t good enough . ...
Arizona coach Sean Miller said in a statement he isn’t a candidate for the coaching vacancy at Pittsburgh created when the Panthers fired Kevin Stallings after two seasons earlier this month.
In other Arizona news, freshman big man Deandre Ayton is leaving early for the NBA after the 7-foot-1, 260-pounder was named the Pac-12 player of the year, averaging 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.
Kostner leads Worlds
Italy’s home favorite Carolina Kostner skated a perfectly executed and evocative program to take a surprise lead over Olympic champion Alina Zagitova of Russia in the short program at the world figure skating championships in Assago, Italy.
Kostner skated a personal best of 80.27, with Zagitova second at 79.51, well below her Olympic world record of 82.92. Japan’s Satoko Miyahara finished third in a mostly clean program, ahead of Olympic bronze medalist Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada.
U.S. champion Bradie Tennell skated a personal and season best 68.76 at her first worlds, finishing seventh. Mirai Nagasu didn’t attempt the difficult triple axel and was ninth with 65.21 points.
The women’s free skate is tomorrow night.