Morning rush
AC Milan’s fans banking on Ibrahimovic to rescue ailing club
Veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is returning to help his struggling former club AC Milan, which is reeling from a humiliating defeat and languishing way behind city rival Inter Milan.
Ibrahimovic’s arrival resembles something of a rescue mission for a seven-time European champion fallen on tough times.
That’s because Milan is mired in 11th place in Serie A, a distant 21 points behind league leader Inter, and none of its players has more than four league goals this season.
Senator urges MLB to save Norwich minor league team
HARTFORD, Conn. — U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal has become the latest Connecticut official to urge Major League Baseball to save the minor league team in Norwich, warning congressional action might be taken.
In a letter sent Friday to Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr., the Democratic senator said that if MLB “turns its back” on communities like Norwich, Congress “must look at appropriate remedies, including removing Major League Baseball’s anti-trust exemption.”
Major League Baseball has proposed a contraction plan that could end minor league baseball at Dodd Stadium in Norwich and parks across the nation by eliminating its affiliation with 42 teams, including the Norwich Sea Unicorns — formerly the Connecticut Tigers — Norwich’s Class A New York-Penn League team.
Evansville’s McCarty placed on leave for Title IX violations
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Evansville has placed men’s basketball coach Walter
McCarty on administrative leave and is conducting an internal investigation into alleged violations of the school’s Title IX policy.
The university released a statement Friday saying it has received reports about McCarty’s off-court behavior, including a recent incident that appeared to be a Title IX violation. A national law firm will conduct the investigation, the statement said, and Evansville will make a “fair and informed decision” on McCarty’s status based on its results. The school did not disclose further details about the investigation and said it would not discuss the specifics.
Payton: Saints doing due diligence on receiver Antonio Brown
METAIRIE, La. — Prolific but embattled free-agent receiver Antonio Brown got his chance to show the New Orleans Saints how he could help them in the playoffs.
Whether Brown winds up catching passes from record-setting quarterback
Drew Brees during a potential Super Bowl run remains to be seen. And the NFL could have a say in the matter — if the Saints decide to sign him.
While Saints coach Sean Payton did not rule out signing Brown, he said there were no immediate plans to do so after including the four-time All-Pro in a workout with six receivers on Friday.
“Not now,” Payton said, adding that coaches and the front office are “mainly doing our due diligence on all of those players. Obviously there’s a little bit more attention drawn to him because of his career. But right now it was more or less us having a chance to get to know these guys and seeing what kind of shape they’re all in.”
Brown’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told The Associated Press that Brown’s “visit with the Saints went very well and we will continue discussions with them.’’
Female darts star loses 4-2 at PDC World Championship
LONDON — Fallon Sherrock’s run at the darts PDC World Championship ended in the third round on Friday with a 4-2 defeat to 22nd-seeded Chris Dobey.
The 25-year-old Sherrock became the first woman to win a game in the tournament when beating Ted Evetts before following it up by stunning No. 11 Mensur Suljovic.
But Dobey proved too strong, fighting back from 2-1 down in sets to set up a clash with Glen Durrant in the fourth round.
Sherrock was cheered throughout by the crowd at a raucous Alexandra Palace, with supporters singing “There’s only one Fallon Sherrock.”