Nashville’s exit alters Fire games
Nashville SC withdrew Thursday from the MLS is Back tournament in Orlando, Florida, after nine players tested positive for the coronavirus, the league announced.
Nashville became the second team to pull out of the tournament. FC Dallas withdrew Monday after 10 players and a coach tested positive for COVID-19.
Nashville’s withdrawal forced MLS to update the format and schedule for the tournament and put the Fire in Group B with the San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps. They will play the Sounders at 8 a.m. Tuesday, the Earthquakes at 7 p.m. July 19 and the Whitecaps at 8 a.m. July 23.
Chinese sports officials said the country won’t hold any international sports competitions for the rest of the year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
NBA Court papers say Zion’s stepdad took $400K
According to a sworn affidavit filed by attorneys for Pelicans star Zion Williamson’s former marketing representative in federal court, Williamson’s stepfather solicited and accepted a $400,000 payment from a Canadian marketing agent in October 2018 — before Williamson’s only college season at Duke.
Attorneys for Gina Ford say the affidavit and other exhibits show Williamson was ineligible when he played for the Blue Devils in the 2018-19 season.
The Nets filled two openings on their roster by signing forward Michael Beasley and guard Jamal Crawford as substitutes for the rest of the season.
GOLF Woods to return next week at Memorial
Tiger Woods announced on Twitter that he will play next week at the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio, a tournament he has won a record five times. It will end a five-month break from competition for Woods, who last played Feb. 16 at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles, where he shot 76-77 to miss the cut.
‘‘I’ve missed going out and competing with the guys and can’t wait to get back out there,’’ Woods said.
Collin Morikawa shot a 7-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead over Adam Hadwin after the first round of the Workday Charity Open in Dublin, Ohio.
NHL Devils hire Ruff as coach, Fitzgerald as GM
The Devils hired former Sabres and Stars coach Lindy Ruff to be their coach and promoted interim general manager Tom Fitzgerald to GM.
Ruff coached the Sabres in 1997-2013 and the Stars in 2013-17 before spending the last three seasons as an assistant with the Rangers. The Devils chose him over interim coach Alain Nasreddine and several veteran coaches in the running. Fitzgerald had been named interim GM when Ray Shero was fired Jan. 12.