Off the wire

FOOTBALL Sources: Big 12 adding four

The Big 12 is moving quickly on an expansion plan that could have the conference at 12 schools after Texas and Oklahoma leave, with BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston as the “most intriguing” candidates. Three people familiar with the Big 12’s talks said Friday the eight schools being left behind by the Longhorns and Sooners are working to rebuild by adding four new members. Two of the people said there were regularly scheduled meetings planned for Big 12 university presidents and athletic directors in the coming days to discuss the next steps, and another meeting of presidents was expected to take place late next week. One person said invitations to new members could go out as soon as next week.

Former Patriots’ WR dies

Former NFL receiver and threetime Super Bowl champion David Patten, who caught Tom Brady’s first postseason touchdown pass to help the Patriots win their first title, has died in a motorcycle crash. Richland County coroner Naida Rutherford said in a statement Patten, 47, was killed in a crash Thursday night outside of Columbia, S.C. The South Carolina Highway Patrol said the accident involved two other vehicles. Patten played 12 seasons in the NFL after signing as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants in 1997. He spent three seasons in New York and also played for Cleveland, Washington and New Orleans. Patten played with the Patriots from 2001 until 2004 and was a member of their 2003 and 2004 championship teams.

Steelers deal for CB

The Pittsburgh Steelers bolstered their secondary depth, acquiring cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon from Seattle in exchange for a fifthround pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Witherspoon spent the first four seasons of his career in San Francisco. He signed a one-year deal with Seattle in May but now finds himself joining the defending AFC North champions. The 6-2, 195-pound Witherspoon had 117 tackles and 4 interceptions in 47 games with San Francisco from 2017-20.

Jaguars sign TE Hollister

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed tight end Jacob Hollister on Friday, three days after Buffalo released the fifth-year pro. The 6-4, 285-pound Hollister has 74 receptions for 652 yards and 6 touchdowns in four seasons with New England (201718) and Seattle (2019-20). He signed with Buffalo earlier this year.

GOLF Mullinax leads Korn Ferry

Trey Mullinax did not fare as well on the second day of the Korn Ferry Tour’s Championship as he did in the first, but he did manage to hold on to the lead at the Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Ind. After firing a 9-under 63 on Thursday, Mullinax turned in a 1-under 71 on Friday and holds a oneshot lead over Hayden Buckley heading into the weekend. Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 71 on Friday and stands at 3-under 141. Sebastian Cappelen (Razorbacks) stands at even-par 144 after a 73 on Friday. David Lingmerth (Razorbacks) missed the cut with a 146. Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) finished with a 149.

Lee in front in Italy

Australia’s Min Woo Lee opened up a two-shot lead after the second round of the Italian Open in Guidonia, Italy, on Friday, while Tommy Fleetwood remained in from Democrat-Gazette Press Services contention for a sixth European Tour title despite a late stumble. Lee, shot a 3-under 68 at Marco Simone Golf Club. That gave the 23-year-old a halfway total of 10-under 132, two shots clear of Fleetwood, Johannes Veerman, Adri Arnaus and Mikko Korhonen.

OLYMPICS

NHL reaches agreement

The NHL is set to return to the Olympics in Beijing this winter after reaching an agreement with international officials, though the league and players have the opportunity to withdraw if pandemic circumstances warrant. The NHL, its players’ union, the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation struck a deal Friday that will put the best players in the world back on sports’ biggest stage in February after they skipped the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. Even after the NHL and players agreed to Olympic participation as part of a long-term extension of the collective bargaining agreement last summer, the coronavirus pandemic and related costs threatened to shelve that possibility. Instead, the sides figured it out, allowing for the league or players to withdraw if virus circumstances change for the worse or there’s an outbreak during the season. As long as that does not happen, NHL players will compete in the Olympic men’s hockey tournament for the sixth time in seven chances dating to 1998.

HOCKEY

Red Wings sign Hronek

The Detroit Red Wings signed Filip Hronek to a three-year, $13.2 million Friday. The Czech defenseman will count $4.4 million against the salary cap through the 2023-24 season. Hronek has 16 goals and 64 assists for 80 points through his first 167 regular-season NHL games. Batherson agrees to deal

Ottawa Senators forward Drake Batherson agreed to a six-year, $29.85 million contract Friday. The 23-year-old Batherson had 17 goals and 17 assists in 56 games last season. He has 23 goals and 30 assists in 99 career games with Ottawa.

BASKETBALL Aldridge rejoins Nets

LaMarcus Aldridge rejoined the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, five months after having to retire because of an irregular heartbeat. Aldridge retired in April after experiencing an irregular heartbeat in the last of the five games he played for the Nets. Aldridge was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome — an abnormality that can cause a rapid heartbeat — as a rookie in 2007. Aldridge, 36, is a seven-time All-Star who has averaged 19.4 points in a career that began when he was the No. 2 pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. He played for Portland and San Antonio before signing in Brooklyn in March.

BOXING De La Hoya out of bout

Oscar De La Hoya’s return to the ring will have to wait after the fighter said he tested positive for covid-19. The 48-year-old De La Hoya was scheduled to fight Sept. 11 against former MMA fighter Vitor Belfort in a pay-per-view event at Staples Center in Los Angeles. It would have been his first fight since being stopped by Manny Pacquiao in 2008. The former boxing champion posted a video online Friday of himself in a hospital bed, saying he caught the virus despite being fully vaccinated.