A gimme for Hall of Fame
Tiger Woods, with 82 wins and 15 major titles, is slated for 2021 induction.
Already among the greatest on the golf course, Tiger Woods will join them in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Woods was elected Wednesday to be part of the 2021 induction class, a decision with as much suspense as a tap-in. Woods shares the PGA Tour record with 82 victories, and his 15 majors are second only to Jack Nicklaus. He has 11 other victories in tours around the world, including Europe, Japan, Asia and Australia.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan called Woods with the news. He is not at the Players Championship this week because Woods says his back was not quite ready.
“I am both honored and humbled to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame,” Woods said in a statement. “This past year has been such an incredible journey and the support I’ve received from my family, friends and fans has been overwhelming. This achievement is the ultimate recognition to never give up and keep chasing.”
Woods was a lock before he returned from reconstructive knee surgery after winning the 2008 U.S. Open for his 14th major, and before he returned from a fourth back surgery to win his 15th major last year at the Masters.
No other player has won at a rate like the 44-year-old Woods.
ETC. Ex-track athletes sue NCAA
Three former studentathletes who say they were sexually abused by a track coach sued the NCAA, its board of governors and the coach, alleging the governing body didn’t do enough to protect NCAA athletes.
Londa Bevins, Jessica Johnson and Erin Aldrich — who represented the U.S. in the 2000 Olympics — are seeking class action status for the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose. The women say they were sexually abused and harassed by John Rembao while he worked at the University of Texas and the University of Arizona.
The suit aims to include NCAA student-athletes, who also say they were put at risk by the inaction of the governing body since 1992.
Rembao led the Longhorns’ cross-country program and was an assistant for their track team from 1997 to 2001. He was an assistant coach for the Wildcats’ track program from 1993 to 1997.
The suit says the NCAA failed to stop sexual abuse and harassment of studentathletes by coaches at all member schools.
A former Michigan State football staff member filed a lawsuit this week in which he accused former coach Mark Dantonio of violating NCAA rules by contacting players at other schools to try to get them to transfer.
Curtis Blackwell also suggested in his suit that Dantonio had another team’s practice recorded. The lawsuit, filed in Wayne County Circuit Court, names Dantonio, former school President Lou Anna Simon, former athletic director Mark Hollis and current athletic director Bill Beekman as defendants.
The suit alleges breach of contract, violation of Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil
Rights Act for race discrimination and wrongful termination, wrongful termination against public policy, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Western Michigan fired basketball coach Steve Hawkins. Hawkins spent 17 seasons as head coach of the Broncos. Western Michigan went 13-19 this season and was eliminated by Toledo 7673 in the Mid-American Conference tournament on Monday.
War Emblem, the 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, died at age 21.
He had been at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center since 2015 after returning from Japan. Officials said the cause of death was believed to be a paddock accident, but exact details weren’t known. A necropsy was pending.
War Emblem was sold to Prince Ahmed bin Salman’s Thoroughbred Corp. and transferred to trainer Bob Baffert after the colt won the Illinois Derby. Three weeks later, he won the Kentucky Derby and then the Preakness to set up a Triple Crown bid.
However, he stumbled badly at the start of the Belmont and ended up losing to 70-1 shot Sarava, who also lives at Old Friends.
War Emblem won the Haskell Invitational later that year.
He retired with seven wins in 13 career starts and earnings of $3,491,000.
Midfielder Benny Feilhaber retired from soccer after a career that included playing for the United States at the 2010 World Cup and nine years in Major League Soccer.
The 35-year-old scored two goals in 44 international appearances from 2007 to 2017, including a tiebreaking goal on a 22-yard volley that lifted the U.S. over Mexico in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup final.
He made three appearances, all as a substitute, at the World Cup in South Africa, and also played for the U.S. at 2008 Olympics.
Two-time Pro Bowl safety Reshad Jones is joining the free-agent market after 10 seasons with the Miami Dolphins.
The team has decided to release Jones next Wednesday, the first day of NFL free agency.
The move had been expected because Jones battled injuries in recent seasons and played in just four games in 2019 for new coach Brian Flores.
The Colorado Avalanche will be without top scorer Nathan MacKinnon for at least a week after he suffered a lower-body injury. MacKinnon was hurt during the second period in Los Angeles against the Kings on Monday.
It’s the latest blow to an injury-plagued Avalanche team.
USA Cycling will have a familiar face directing its efforts at the Tokyo Olympics this year.
The national governing body announced the return of Jim Miller as its head of elite athletics.
Miller spent 17 years with USA Cycling, helping bring home 14 Olympic medals and numerous world championship titles, before resigning to spend the last two years with performance company TrainingPeaks.
Miller replaces Scott Schnitzspahn, who resigned earlier this week.