Jackson, former USC tailbacks coach, dies
John Jackson, who coached star tailbacks Marcus Allen and Charles White during their Heisman Trophywinning seasons at USC, has died. He was 81. Jackson died Thursday in Torrance of complications following intestinal surgery, USC said.
Jackson was running backs coach from 1976 to 1981 and also worked as offensive coordinator under coach John Robinson.
Jackson coached All-American tailback Ricky Bell as well as Lynn Cain, who set the school fullback career rushing record, and future NFL fullback Mosi Tatupu. After leaving USC, Jackson worked 17 years with California Sports Inc. as a special assistant to Lakers owner Jerry Buss. While there, he ran Forum Boxing and helped develop the Prime Ticket TV network.
He owned and managed Culver City Ice Arena from 1982 until it closed in 2014.
The Sparks obtained guard Odyssey Sims from the Dallas Wings. Los Angeles sent the No. 4 pick in the upcoming WNBA draft to Dallas. Along with Sims, the Sparks received the 11th pick in the draft, which the Sparks had traded to the Wings before last season.
The Sparks also signed stars Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike and Jantel Lavender to contract extensions this week.
Sims was the Wings’ leading scorer last season, averaging 14 points a game.
UFC women’s featherweight fighter Cris “Cyborg ” Justino skirted a possibly lengthy suspension when a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency committee announced it had granted her a retroactive exemption after she used a banned diuretic for medical reasons.
UFC President Dana White said the decision moves Justino (16-1) to the front of the line to meet Germaine de Randamie (7-3), who became the first UFC women’s featherweight champion by defeating Holly Holm by unanimous decision.
And Georges St-Pierre has officially signed a new fight agreement with the UFC, White said, giving the organization a pay-per-view headliner to cushion the absence of Conor McGregor.
“He’s back. I’m excited,” White said. “We worked at it for a long time and finally got it done.”
A sports doctor who treated female gymnasts at Michigan State and USA Gymnastics was ordered to stand trial Friday after a woman described how he allegedly sexually abused her for years during her childhood. Judge Donald Allen Jr. found there was enough evidence to warrant a trial for Dr. Larry Nassar on charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Separately, dozens of women and girls — many of them gymnasts — have come forward and accused Nassar of molesting them when they went to him for treatment as far back as the 1990s. He is also facing federal child porn charges.
Nassar, 53, was a doctor for nearly 30 years with Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics, which trains Olympians. His lawyers have denied the allegations.
The toxicology report on Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura won’t be released to the public following his death last month in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic. Tessie Sanchez, a spokeswoman for the Dominican attorney general’s office, said the toxicology report is not a public document, the Kansas City Star reported. The findings will be released only to Ventura’s family and attorneys.
The mayor of Budapest, Hungary, said he will meet next week with Prime Minister Viktor Orban to decide about the possible withdrawal of the city’s bid for the 2024 Olympics in the face of popular opposition to spending money on the Games.