Giants WR Tate will miss first four games
New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate had the appeal of his four- game suspension for a violation of the NFL’s policy on performance enhancers turned down.
The decision by an independent arbiter was announced Tuesday and means the 10- year veteran will miss the first four games of the regular season, starting with Sept. 8 against the Dallas Cowboys. Tate signed a $ 37.5 million contract as a free agent with the Giants in March.
More pro football
Receiver Antonio Brown returned to the Oakland Raiders training camp facility after missing time to see a specialist for his frostbitten feet and losing a grievance with the NFL over the use of a helmet. He said he doesn’t know when he will be able to return to practice.
• Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck likely will miss the rest of the preseason with an injury near the front of his left ankle.
• The NFL and Jay- Z’s entertainment and sports representation company are teaming up for events and social activism. The league will use Jay- Z’s Roc Nation to consult on its entertainment presentations, including the Super Bowl halftime show, and will work with the rapper to “strengthen community through music and the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative.”
Volleyball
The Pitt women’s team opens at No. 12 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association ( AVCA) preseason poll. The Panthers have won back- to- back ACC championships. The Panthers, the ACC preseason favorite for the second year in a row, finished 14th in the final 2018 AVCA poll. Stanford is No. 1 to start 2019 with 62 first- place votes. Penn State is No. 8 after getting one first- place tally.
Baseball
Inclement weather allowed only one game to be completed in the PONY League World Series in Washington, Pa., as the double- elimination tournament is down to the final five teams. Youngstown, Ohio, clinched its second trip to a division championship in the past three years as it defeated Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 9- 3. The loss eliminated Puerto Rico, and Youngstown moved on to face Taipei City, Chinese-Taipei at 5: 30 p. m. Wednesday in one division championship. The second game between host Washington and Simi Valley, Calif., was suspended until 3 p. m. Wednesday with Simi Valley leading, 5- 1, in the first inning. The winner will face unbeaten Bay City, Mich., at 8 p. m. Wednesday in the other division final.
• Former major league managers Willie Randolph ( third base) and Bryan Price ( pitching) will be part of Joe Girardi’s coaching staff for Team USA in a qualifying tournament for the 2020 Olympics.
Tennis
Venus Williams, 39, reached the third round of the Western & Southern Open near Cincinnati with a 6- 3, 3- 6, 7- 6 ( 4) upset of defending champ Kiki Bertens. Sister Serena withdrew from her match hours before its start with lingering back problems.
Women’s basketball
The WNBA suspended Mercury center Brittney Griner three games for her role in a fight in the Dallas-Phoenix game Saturday that resulted in six players getting ejected.