U.S. might bid for ’26 Games
There’s an outside shot the United States won’t have to wait 11 years to host its next Olympics.
It’s a longshot, but there’s talk in Salt Lake City, and some in Denver, of a bid for the 2026 Winter Games, which take place two years before the Summer Olympics return to Los Angeles.
The same country hosting back-to-back Olympics hasn’t happened since before World War II.
Preliminary talks have taken place about what it would take to bring the Winter Games back to the United States for the first time since Salt Lake hosted in 2002, but nothing formal has been cited.
The International Olympic Committee will award the 2024 Summer Games to Paris and 2028 to Los Angeles at a ceremony today.
One of the few declared candidates for 2026 is Innsbruck, Austria, which has hosted two previous Winter Olympics and has a referendum scheduled for Oct. 15.
NBA
OAKLEY FILES SUIT AGAINST
KNICKS >> Former New York Knicks star Charles Oakley sued the team’s owners, saying he was defamed when they claimed he committed assault and was an alcoholic after his February arrest at a game.
The lawsuit details how Oakley was treated before and after he was forcefully removed from Madison
Square Garden during the first quarter of a Feb. 8 Knicks’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. It seeks unspecified damages.
Oakley was accused of striking a security guard during the February fracas.
Last month, prosecutors agreed to dismiss charges after six months of good behavior. LAKERS TO RETIRE TWO BRYANT NUMBERS >> The Los Angeles Lakers will retire Kobe Bryant’s No. 8 and No. 24 in a ceremony Dec. 18 during their game against the Warriors.
Bryant wore No. 8 from 1996 to 2006, when he switched to No. 24 for the remainder of his 20-year career. He will be the 10th player honored by the Lakers with a jersey retirement, and the first to have two retired numbers.
The 18-time All-Star is the Lakers’ franchise leader in games played (1,346) and points (33,643). TIMBERWOLVES SIGN MUHAMMAD >> Shabazz Muhammad has agreed to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves on a one-year, $1.67 million contract.
Muhammad has spent all four of his seasons with the Timberwolves. He averaged 9.9 points last season and was a restricted free agent when the summer began.
College football
CAL-USC TO BE DAY GAME >> The Pac-12 announced that the Sept. 23 Cal-USC game will kick off at 12:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium and
be televised by ABC, ESPN or ESPN2. The network TV designation will be announced after the conclusion of Sept. 16 games. UTAH SAFETY MAY MISS SJSU GAME >> Utah safety Chase Hansen may not be available Saturday when the Utes host San Jose State.
Hansen missed most of fall camp due to an undisclosed injury. He has started both games and leads the team with 14 tackles and two quarterback hurries. PAC-12 GAMES ARE GETTING QUICKER >> The Pac-12’s test program to shorten games appears to be working.
All non-conference games airing on the Pac-12 Network this season have reduced quarter breaks, commercial breaks and shorter halftimes.
In the 12 games that have been part of the pilot program, game time is down to 3:16, the league said. Last season, the Pac-12 averaged 3:26 per game. RILEY SIGNS AN EXTENSION
AT NEBRASKA >> Nebraska coach Mike Riley has been given a one-year contract extension through the 2020 season.
Riley signed a five-year contract when he was hired in December 2014. His base salary is $2.9 million this year, $3 million in 2018 and $3.1 million in 2019. No figure was given for 2020.
Riley, the former coach at Oregon State, is 16-12 with the Cornhuskers, including 1-1 this season after a 42-35 loss at Oregon last week.