KU’s Self says no discipline yet amid rape investigation
Kansas coach Bill Self said Thursday that a police investigation of an alleged rape at his team’s dorm has given him no reason yet to discipline any players as the second-ranked Jayhawks prepare to play at No. 4 Kentucky.
Self acknowledged that the investigation of the alleged attack last month of a 16-year-old girl at McCarthy Hall has become a “major distraction” heading into Saturday’s showdown.
No charges have been filed, and police have not publicly identified any suspects or offered any time frame about how long the investigation may take.
Five of Self’s players are listed as witnesses on the police report, by Self’s definition meaning they could have information about “anything that happened before, during, after.” The girl is not a student at Kansas and was visiting the dorm’s residents, police on the Lawrence campus have said.
Kansas forward Carlton Bragg was suspended from the team indefinitely Thursday night, but Self said that Bragg’s suspension was a violation of team rules and not in connection with the alleged incident at McCarthy Hall.
Self refused to publicly reveal what any players have confided in him, though he insisted “we’ve been given zero information that would warrant suspensions or anything like that” for now.
Discipline could come later if the police findings warrant such a step, he said.
“Regardless of what I’ve been told, it doesn’t matter. It’s what is found out to be the facts,” he said. “Hopefully that’ll happen sooner rather than later.”
Self said he learned about the incident from the athletics department the day it was reported, Dec. 18, and he insisted without elaboration that “we met it head on.” When asked Thursday whether he discussed with KU officials about “getting in front of this” well before the matter became public this week, Self said “there’s nobody withholding information at all.”
“I don’t know where you’re going, but I don’t like it,” Self told the reporter.
“If you wanted to discuss how it’s being handled, go to the (police), OK. That’s not our responsibility to report everything that the (police) does. And it’s not their responsibility, I don’t think, to report it, because they have certain things that they have to do to certainly follow their protocol.
“So no, nobody is hiding behind this at all, and I kind of resent the fact that you would even hint at that,” Self said.
Self, whose Jayhawks (18-2) lost at No. 18 West Virginia on Tuesday night, said he wasn’t sure how his team will play against Kentucky.
As the NFL plays its first Pro Bowl in Orlando, wondering if it can be a long-term landing point for the beleaguered all-star game, can’t help but think about what was left behind.
The Saints quarterback understands the NFL’s decision to move the Pro Bowl from Hawaii to Orlando from a business standpoint. Still, the 10-time Pro Bowler feels for Honolulu and the loss of the game it had become synonymous with.
With hopes of re-energizing an end of the season all-star game that has lost interest and intrigue over the years, the NFL made the decision to shop the Pro Bowl. Orlando ended up the winner, agreeing to a two-year contract to host the contest at Camping World Stadium, with an option for a third.
This will be just the third time since 1979 that the Pro Bowl has been played outside of Honolulu.
If all goes well, Orlando and its 75,000-seat stadium have hopes of being the permanent home of the Pro Bowl.
The city believes it has everything to offer that Honolulu has and then some as one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations; last year Orlando accommodated 66 million visitors.
NFL injuries down in 2016, per league
Injuries in the NFL decreased this season, including concussions. Emphasizing that players are doing more self-reporting of head injuries, the league released data Thursday that show overall concussions for the preseason and regular season were down from 275 in 2015 to 244 in 2016. That includes a drop of 16 in regular-season games to 167. The 275 diagnosed concussions in 2015 were a high over the past five years and were an increase of 69 over the previous season. But the NFL enhanced its detection and examination protocols in that span. A rule change regarding player safety of moving the ball to the 25-yard line on touchbacks had little effect on diminishing concussions, with a drop from 20 to 17. That information will be presented to the league’s competition committee for evaluation,
Miller said.
Kouandjio to have hip surgery after fall
Buffalo Bills backup offensive tackle has had hip surgery for an injury after he had a fall at his home.
The Bills did not reveal the severity of the injury or when it occurred in a statement the team released Thursday. The Bills said the operation was successful and took place on Wednesday. Without providing a specific timetable for Kouandjio’s recovery, the team said it’s anticipated he will be ready for the start of training camp, which traditionally opens in late July. In 12 games last season, Kouandjio had five starts, including the final three games to fill in for who was sidelined by a back injury. Overall, Buffalo’s 2014 second-round draft pick has
seven starts in 25 games.
Bengals sign kicker Bullock
The Bengals signed kicker to a two-year deal on Thursday, giving him an opportunity to compete for the job next season. Bullock filled in for the last three games last season after was released. Bullock would have become an unrestricted free agent.
Bullock made five of his six field-goal attempts, with his only miss costing the Bengals a last-second win in Houston.
He made all six of his extra-point attempts.
He was Houston’s fifthround pick in 2012 and has played in 48 games, going 83 of 102 on field goals.
FROM WIRE REPORTS