Chancellor done playing

Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor said scans on his injured neck have shown no improvement and declared it was “time for the next chapter.”

Chancellor had been awaiting further clarity on his neck, which he injured in a game against the Arizona Cardinals in November. In a posting on his Twitter account Sunday night, Chancellor said his latest scans “showed no healing.”

“I’ve played through all types of bruises and injuries at a high level. But this one, I just can’t ignore,” he wrote.

Chancellor never used the word “retirement” in his statement, which may have been deliberate. Chancellor signed an extension through the 2020 season last August which contained guaranteed money in case of injury. An official retirement could open up the possibility of forfeiting some of that money.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Few held court like Jim O’Connell.

Whether you were Coach K, a TV analyst, a fellow sports writer or a fan, he had the same effect on everyone: In just a few minutes, he had you hooked, drawn into his colorful basketball world.

And you were calling him Oc, too. O’Connell, the longtime college basketball writer for The Associated Press and a member of the Hall of Fame, has died. He was 64.

He died Monday after a series of ailments, his son Andrew said.

“He was a great man,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. “He was a guy you looked forward to seeing. Always had a good word and a smile.”

“He wrote sports, but he did it in a positive way, always. He was always good to players, coaches, fans – everybody,” he said.

FOOTBALL

Former Mississippi head football coach Billy Kinard has died at the age of 84.

Kinard was a defensive back and halfback in the 1950s under Ole Miss legend Johnny Vaught. When Vaught retired after a heart attack in 1970, the university hired Kinard. He was a success at first, leading the Rebels to a 10-2 record in 1971. But Kinard’s record fell to 5-5 in 1972 and then 1-2 at the start of 1973. Vaught returned from retirement to replace Kinard.

Kinard played professional football for four years, 1957 and ’58 with the Green Bay Packers. HOCKEY

The Milwaukee Admirals signed forward Zac Rinaldo to a one-year, two-way contract for 2018-’19.

Rinaldo spent last season with the Arizona Coyotes, recording seven points (five goals, two assists) and 44 penalty minutes in 53 games. It was his sixth NHL season.

Conviction dismissed: A California judge has dismissed a misdemeanor domestic abuse conviction against former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov, a move that could clear a path for his return to the NHL.