Blackhawks fire coach Colliton after rough start
CHICAGO » The reeling Chicago Blackhawks fired coach Jeremy Colliton on Saturday, dismissing the former NHL forward with the team off to a rough start in his fourth season.
Colliton, who turns 37 in January, was in the first year of a two-year contract extension. Derek King was promoted from Rockford of the American Hockey League, replacing Colliton on an interim basis.
Colliton went 87-92-26 with Chicago. He was dismissed exactly three years after he got the job.
Assistant coaches Tomas Mitell and Sheldon Brookbank also were let go. The team said assistants Marc Crawford, Jimmy Waite, Matt Meacham and Dylan Crawford will remain in their current positions, and Chris Kunitz will stay on as a player development advisor.
The coaching change is the latest chapter in a rough stretch for what was once regarded as one of the NHL’s marquee franchises.
The Blackhawks published a report on Oct. 26 that showed senior leaders with the organization largely ignored allegations that assistant coach Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted former first-round pick Kyle Beach during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup title in 2010. Aldrich told investigators the encounter was consensual.
Stan Bowman, Chicago’s general manager and president of hockey operations, resigned in the wake of the independent review, and Al MacIsaac, another top hockey executive, also departed. The NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million, and Joel Quenneville, the Blackhawks’ coach at the time of the alleged assault, stepped down as coach of the Florida Panthers.
Colliton’s firing was the first major move for Kyle Davidson, who was elevated to interim GM when Bowman stepped aside.
Pro basketball
BLAZERS HIRE FIRM TO LOOK AT WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT CONCERNS » The Portland Trail Blazers have hired an outside firm to investigate
workplace environment concerns.
Reports of the investigation surfaced Friday night. Both The Athletic and Yahoo Sports reported the probe stemmed from allegations of workplace misconduct involving Neil Olshey, the president of basketball operations and general manager for the organization.
The Blazers released a statement Saturday confirming the investigation. But it did not name Olshey.
Olshey has been general manager of the Blazers since 2012.
Pro football
SOURCE: BROWNS, BECKHAM FINALIZE TERMS » The Cleveland Browns and receiver Odell Beckham Jr. signed the settlement for his release, clearing the way for him to potentially become a free agent, a person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press.
Beckham, who was excused by the team this week for his conduct, will officially be waived Monday.
The Browns and Beckham agreed to eliminate the non-guaranteed two
years remaining on his contract after 2021, the person said.
Once Beckham’s waived, he can be claimed by a team that would have to pay the $7.25 million he’s owed for the remainder of this season.
If Beckham clears waivers Tuesday at 4 p.m., he’ll be become a free agent and the Browns would owe him $4.25 million, saving the club $3 million.
BROWNS PLACE ALL-PRO TACKLE CONKLIN ON IR » Browns All-Pro right tackle Jack Conklin will miss at least three games after being placed on injured reserve with a dislocated elbow.
Conklin got hurt in the second quarter of last weekend’s 15-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had just returned after missing two games with a knee injury.
Blake Hance will start for Conklin on Sunday as the Browns (4-4) visit the Cincinnati Bengals (5-3).
Horse racing IRAD ORTIZ JR. RIDES 3RD BREEDERS’ CUP WINNER »
Life Is Good cruised to a 5 ¾-length victory in the $1 million Dirt Mile, giving
jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. his third Breeders’ Cup victory of the weekend at Del Mar.
One race earlier, Ortiz guided Golden Pal to a 1 ¼-length win in the $1 million Turf Sprint. Both of his mounts were favorites.
Todd Pletcher trains Life Is Good and earned his 12th Cup win. Ortiz has 14 career Cup victories.
Baseball
WHITE SOX PICK UP KIMBREL’S OPTION » The Chicago White Sox have exercised their $16 million club option for reliever Craig Kimbrel and declined their option on infielder César Hernández.
The 33-year-old Kimbrel struggled after he was acquired in a July trade with the crosstown Cubs for infielder Nick Madrigal and reliever Codi Heuer.
Kimbrel had a sparkling 0.49 ERA and 23 saves in 39 games with the Cubs, making the NL All-Star team. But the White Sox used the right-hander in a setup role in front of All-Star closer Liam Hendriks, and Kimbrel had a 5.09 ERA in 24 games for the AL Central champions.
College football
JMU MAKES IT OFFICIAL; SUN BELT CONFERENCE IS NEXT STOP » James Madison decided to pursue a move to the Sun Belt Conference despite being told by the Colonial Athletic Association that it will be barred from participating in CAA championships before its actual departure.
The Dukes’ withdrawal from the CAA is effective June 30, 2022, the CAA said.
In a statement released before the vote, James Madison President Jonathan Alger and athletic director Jeff Bourne said the CAA’s decision to ban the Dukes from competing for league championships in sports other than football “is completely contrary” to the ideals that stress student-athlete welfare.
The Dukes, two-time national champions at the Football Championship Subdivision level, will not be barred from representing the league in the football playoffs because different bylaws govern that sport in the CAA, and the league does not play a championship game.
Golf
LATE BIRDIES GIVE HOVLAND A 62 FOR A 2-SHOT LEAD AT MAYAKOBA » Viktor Hovland was hitting it so well he had no trouble taking on a big risk, and it paid off with a big finish for a 9-under 62 and a two-shot lead in the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba.
Hovland, the defending champion at this Mexican resort, hit driver just over the green on the par-4 17th and hit a dart into the closing hole at El Cameleon for the lowest score of his PGA Tour career. That gave him a two-shot lead over fellow Oklahoma State alum Talor Gooch (63), and he was three clear of Justin Thomas (64).
Matthew Wolff, who started the weekend with a two-shot lead, made a pair of bogeys early in his round to fall out of the lead and managed only one birdie in his round of 73 that dropped him out of contention.
Tennis DJOKOVIC REACHES PARIS FINAL TO END RECORD 7TH YEAR AS NO. 1 »
Novak Djokovic will end the year at No. 1 for a record seventh time after rallying to beat Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 (5) in the Paris Masters semifinals.
Djokovic, who also stays on course for a record-extending sixth Paris Masters title, moved one ahead of American Pete Sampras, who secured his six top yearend finishes from 1993-98.
Another win on Sunday will give Djokovic a record 37th Masters title to move one clear of fellow 20-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal. The top-ranked Serb has also reached a recordextending seventh final here, where he faces Russian Daniil Medvedev after losing to him in straight sets in the U.S. Open final two months ago.
RUSSIA BEATS SWITZERLAND TO WIN BILLIE JEAN KING CUP » Russia won both singles matches to defeat Switzerland 2-0 in the final of the Billie Jean King Cup to claim the trophy for the fifth time.
Liudmila Samsonova rallied to capture the decisive point with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Tokyo Olympics singles champion Belinda Bencic.