Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
COLLEGE FOOTBALL:
Nebraska RB Maurice Washington will be a “limited participant” in spring football practice as his legal problems in California play out. Washington faces felony and misdemeanor charges related to his possession and distribution of a video of his former girlfriend allegedly being sexually assaulted by two other people in 2016. “He’s going to be a part of what we’re doing out there. He just won’t be doing as much as he might be doing,” coach Scott Frost said, offering no specifics. “He has a lot of other things to worry about.”
Former NFL and CFL coach Marc Trestman will be the coach and general manager of the XFL’s Tampa Bay franchise. The XFL will begin play in February 2020. The league previously announced Bob Stoops (Dallas), Pep Hamilton (Washington) and Jim Zorn (Seattle) will lead XFL teams.
A filly that suffered a catastrophic injury during training and was euthanized was the 21st horse to die this winter at Santa Anita, which will host the Breeders’ Cup for a record 10th time this fall. Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally said 4-year-old filly Lets Light the Way “took a bad step or something.” In 2017, 20 deaths occurred among a total of 8,463 starts over a span of 122 racing days at Santa Anita.
Five defensive players, all premier pass rushers, and 49ers kicker Robbie Gould were given franchise tags by their teams before Tuesday’s deadline. Ends DeMarcus Lawrence of the Cowboys and Frank Clark of the Seahawks, LBs Dee Ford of the Chiefs and Jadeveon Clowney of the Texans, and Falcons DT Grady Jarrett received non-exclusive tags. So did Gould. That means the players can negotiate with other teams, which would be required to give up two first-round draft choices as compensation for signing the tagged player. Free agency begins March 13 . ... The Buccaneers re-signed OT Donovan Smith to a threeyear, $41.25 million contract. The fifth-year pro was facing a franchise tag before agreeing to a deal that includes $27 million guaranteed . ... The Giants are letting three-time Pro Bowl safety Landon Collins test the free-agent market without any restrictions by electing not to put a franchise tag on their leading tackler in each of his four seasons with the team . ... DT Jordan Phillips preferred re-signing with the Bills as payback for providing him a fresh start over the opportunity to test the free agent market. “Buffalo resurrected my career, and I feel like they should reap the benefits,” he said after signing a one-year, $4.5 million deal. The Bills claimed the 2015 second-round draft pick off waivers after he was released by the Dolphins.
Real Madrid’s Champions League reign is over. More than 1,000 days since winning the first of three consecutive European titles, Real Madrid’s unprecedented era of dominance ended with a whimper when the Spanish giant was stunned 4-1 by Ajax at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The humiliating loss meant Madrid was eliminated 5-3 on aggregate in the round of 16, leaving the club looking at a trophy-less season in its first campaign since Cristiano Ronaldo left for Juventus. “We were not going to win the Champions League forever,” Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez said. “Something like this was going to happen sooner or later.”