PHOTOGRAPHER OUT AMID ALLEGATIONS
DALLAS» The Dallas Mavericks have fired a team photographer amid allegations of sexual harassment from several women.
The Dallas Morning News, citing sources it did not identify, reported that Danny Bollinger was fired last week after the newspaper detailed the allegations. The team didn’t respond to a request for comment Monday.
According to the paper, the team opened an investigation into the allegations a few days after the release of a report detailing years of sexual harassment and other workplace misconduct on the business side of the organization.
The NBA accepted the findings in the report from a law firm hired the Mavericks. The club avoided basketballrelated penalties as owner Mark Cuban agreed to donate $10 million to groups that promote the role of women in sports and raise awareness about domestic violence.
According to The Morning News, Bollinger traveled to China, where Dallas played two exhibition games against Philadelphia, but was sent home early and subsequently fired.
Suns fire general manager.
PHOENIX» The Phoenix Suns fired general manager Ryan McDonough, eight days before the season begins.
James Jones and Trevor Bukstein will share the GM duties on an interim basis for the Suns. Jones is the team’s vice president of basketball operations and Bukstein was assistant GM under McDonough, who had been in Phoenix since 2013 and was under contract through 2020.
Suns owner Robert Sarver said in a statement announcing the firing that he made the decision “after much thought and a long evaluation of our basketball operations.”
Three NBA players fined.
YORK» The NBA fined Boston NEW
Celtics guard Marcus Smart and forward Aron Baynes and Cleveland Cavaliers forward J.R. Smith for an oncourt shoving match in their exhibition game.
NBA discipline boss Kiki VanDeWeghe fined Smart $25,000 for escalating the altercation and Smith $15,000 for shoving. Baynes was assessed $15,000 for initiating it.
Former USC player dies at 31.
ANGELES» Former Southern CaliLOS fornia defensive back Kevin Ellison, who was a captain for the Trojans before a brief NFL career, has died, He was 31.
USC’s athletic department confirmed Ellison’s death with a Twitter post Saturday. The Los Angeles Times reported records from the Los Angeles County coroner’s office showed Ellison died on a freeway, though no cause of death was given and an exam was still pending. Ellison’s brother, Chris Ellison, told the Times his brother had mental issues and was walking along Interstate 5 at the time of his death.
Mines soars to No. 9 ranking.
GOLDEN» Off to a 60 start, Colorado School of Mines football has cracked the national top 10, coming in at No. 9 in this week’s American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II poll.
The Orediggers, coming off a 4416 win at Western Colorado, returned to the top 10 for the first time since week three of the 2016 season when they were ranked No. 10 by the AFCA.
Minnesota State is ranked No. 1, and CSUPueblo is No. 14. Colorado Mesa is receiving votes.
Manziel throws for 250 yards.
Johnny Manziel went 18for29 for 250 yards and an interception in the Montreal Alouettes’ 126 loss to the Calgary Stampeders.
Manziel, who’s still looking for his first CFL victory, had one of his best offensive performances of the season.
The loss eliminated Montreal (312) from playoff contention and guaranteed the Hamilton TigerCats a playoff berth in the CFL East.