Morning Briefing PHILLIES SUE TO BLOCK PHANATIC FREE AGENCY
YORK» The Philadelphia Phillies NEW have sued the New York company that created the Phanatic mascot to prevent the green furry fan favorite from becoming a free agent.
In a complaint filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, the team alleged Harrison/erickson threatened to terminate the Phillies’ rights to the Phanatic next year and “make the Phanatic a free agent” unless the team renegotiated its 1984 agreement to acquire the mascot’s rights.
The Phillies asked for declaratory judgments affirming their rights and sued H/E claiming unjust enrichment and breach of good faith.
Rapids 6, Impact 3. COMMERCE
» Kei Kamara scored the second hat trick of his career and the Colorado Rapids used a flurry of first-half goals to beat the Montreal Impact 6-3 on Saturday night.
Kamara gave Colorado (6-12-5) a 2-1 lead in the 36th minute with a penalty kick and made it 3-1 in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. Three minutes later, Diego Rubio scored to make it 4-1 before halftime.
Kamara netted his hat trick with a header to cap the scoring in the 90th minute.
Montreal (11-11-3) cut it to 4-3 with a pair of goals in the second half. But Andre Shinyashiki scored two minutes later.
Kamara opened the scoring with an own goal in the 18th minute that gave Montreal the lead.
Craig added to USA Basketball Select Team.
The Nuggets’ Torrey Craig was added to the USA Basketball Select Team roster after Julius Randle of the N.Y. Knicks withdrew.
The 15-member USA National Team training camp roster and the 14-member USA Select Team will open training camp Monday at UNLV’S Mendenhall Center.
USA National Team members expected at the World Cup training camp include Bam Adebayo (Miami); Harrison Barnes (Sacramento); Jaylen Brown (Boston); Kyle Kuzma (L.A. Lakers); Brook Lopez (Milwaukee); Kyle Lowry (Toronto); Khris Middleton (Milwaukee); Donovan Mitchell (Utah); Mason Plumlee (Denver), Marcus Smart (Boston); Jayson Tatum (Boston); P.J. Tucker (Houston); Myles Turner (Indiana); Kemba Walker (Boston); and Thaddeus Young (Chicago).
Woman arrested after Portland State basketball player killed.
ORE.» Police in Oregon PORTLAND, have arrested a woman following the shooting death of a Portland State University basketball player. Police in Portland say 30-year-old Tamena Strickland was taken into custody late Friday following the shooting death of 22-year-old Deante Strickland. The Oregonian/oregonlive reported that Deante Strickland’s uncle said Tamena Strickland is Deante Strickland’s sister.
Lochte scratches 100 back at US nationals on birthday. STANFORD,
CALIF.» Ryan Lochte scratched the B final of the 100-meter backstroke at the U.S. national championships.
The 12-time Olympic medalist qualified 15th in the preliminaries with a time of 55.08 seconds Saturday. But he dropped out of the evening final on the same day he turned 35.
Lochte is competing this week for the first time since the recent end of a 14-month suspension for receiving an infusion of vitamin B-12 above the allowable limit.
Navy football drops “Load the Clip” motto for insensitivity.
MD.» The Naval Academy’s ANNAPOLIS, superintendent says the school’s football team won’t use “Load the Clip” as its motto amid concerns it was insensitive to victims of gun violence.
The Academy is located in Annapolis, where a gunman last year shot and killed five people inside the Capital Gazette newsroom.
The team captains have selected “Win the Day” as a new motto.