Super League kaput following a Brexit
The Super League collapsed before a ball was kicked in the European breakaway competition after being abandoned by the six English clubs, leaving the Spanish and Italian participants stranded.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham throughout Tuesday evening deserted the proposal to launch a largely-closed midweek competition amid an escalating backlash from their supporters and warnings from the British government that legislation could be introduced to thwart it.
The Super League project was overseen by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who also signed up Barcelona and Atlético Madrid in Spain, and Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan from Italy. The rival for the UEFA-run Champions League became unviable without the six clubs from the world’s richest league.
The remaining fledgling Super League organization was defiant, blaming “pressure” being applied for forcing out the English clubs and insisting the proposal complied with the law and could yet be revived in some form.
“Given the current circumstances,” the Super League said in a statement, “we shall reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always having in mind our goals of offering fans the best experience possible while enhancing solidarity payments for the entire football community.”
The English clubs heeded the appeals from UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin to remain part of the Champions League, which has a qualification criteria based on a team’s performance in the domestic league.
“I said yesterday that it is admirable to admit a mistake and these clubs made a big mistake,” he said. “But they are back in the fold now and I know they have a lot to offer not just to our competitions but to the whole of the European game.”
Baffert back in Derby with successful appeal
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert successfully appealed his 15-day suspension to the Arkansas Racing Commission, allowing the six-time Kentucky Derby winner to resume preparations to run Medina Spirit in next weekend’s Derby.
Baffert was fined and suspended last year by Arkansas stewards for a pair of drug positives after Charlatan and Gamine tested positive for the painkiller lidocaine following their wins at Oaklawn Park on May 2. Charlatan won a division of the $1 million Arkansas Derby, while Gamine won another race. Both horses were disqualified and stripped of their purse money.
After 13½ hours of testimony from 14 witnesses over two days, the commission voted unanimously to uphold the stewards’ ruling but with modifications. The fines were reduced to $5,000 per horse, the horses’ placings and purse money were restored, and Baffert’s suspension was dropped.
“It’s been an emotional drain. I’m happy with the results,” Baffert told The Associated Press by phone afterward. “I’m happy that the racing commissioners listened to all the people we brought in there. I want to thank them.”
Rams sign punter, L.A. area native Borjoquez
The Rams signed freeagent punter Corey Bojorquez, a Bellflower native who played at Mayfair High in Lakewood and Cerritos College before going on to New Mexico and the NFL, the team said.
Bojorquez, 24, averaged a league-high 50.8 yards per punt in 2020, his third season with the Bills.
He’s one of three punters on the Rams roster, joining Johnny Hekker, 31, a fourtime All-Pro, and Brandon Wright, 24, signed in January to a reserve/future deal.
• Mike Tomlin wants to be part of the post-Ben Roethlisberger era in Pittsburgh. The Steelers signed their longtime coach to a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2024 season. Tomlin is 14578-1 in 14 years with the Steelers, winning one Super Bowl and going to another. The franchise has reached the playoffs nine times during Tomlin’s tenure and captured its seventh AFC North title under him in 2020.
• Former Washington Football Team tight end Jordan Reed said he’s retiring from the NFL because of lingering issues from multiple concussions suffered throughout his career.
• Veteran tackle D.J. Fluker signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins, fortifying an offensive line that had three rookie starters last year. Fluker has 96 career starts with four teams, including eight for the Baltimore Ravens last year.
• Dallas Cowboys cornerback Rashard Robinson was suspended for two games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers. Robinson will be eligible for all preseason practices and games. The sixth-year player’s suspension will begin going into Week 1 of the regular season.
• The Chicago Bears re-signed veteran safety Tashaun Gipson to a oneyear contract.
Kentucky’s Sarr opts to join NBA draft
Kentucky senior forward Olivier Sarr declared for the NBA draft and will forego his remaining collegiate eligibility after one season with the Wildcats.
The 7-foot Frenchman transferred last year from
Wake Forest and averaged 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
• Point guard Sahvir Wheeler, who led Georgia in scoring as a sophomore, said he is entering his name in the NCAA’s transfer portal while also exploring his NBA options. Wheeler averaged 14.0 points.
• Youngstown State football was placed on probation for two years and hit with recruiting sanctions by the NCAA after the school and the association agreed several rules violations were committed under former head coach Bo Pelini.
• Big 12 women’s basketball champion Baylor added another graduate transfer when Alabama starting point guard Jordan Lewis signed with the Bears. Lewis started 130 games the past four seasons for the Crimson Tide. The 5-foot-7 guard averaged 17.0 points and 4.2 assists per games this past season for Alabama, where she finished her career with 1,581 points, 510 assists, 535 rebounds, 159 steals and 167 3-point field goals.
PGA Tour creates bonus pool for stars
The PGA Tour is awarding a $40 million bonus pool to the top 10 players who move the needle in golf, regardless of how they perform inside the ropes.
Some of the top players and managers have loosely hinted at the plan, called the “Player Impact Program,” since the start of 2020. That was right about the time a concept known as the Premier Golf League funded in part by Saudi money was trying to lure the top players to join an international tour.
Golfweek was the first to report that the Player Impact Program started in January.
The payout goes to the top 10 players for the year, determined by an accumulative score measuring popularity through such metrics as Q Rating, Google searches, Nielsen Brand Rating on how a player’s exposure helps sponsors and Meltwater Mentions (frequency of player coverage through various media platforms).
It also uses the MVP Index, a company founded by Shawn Spieth, the father of three-time major champion Jordan Spieth and one of the game’s most popular players. The MVP Index measures the value of engagement on social and digital channels.
A tour spokesman said the score did not involve performance on the course, such as FedEx Cup standings.
Players who earn a bonus from the program would be required to give back by playing an additional tournament, for example, or taking part in a tour marketing campaign.
• Jennifer Rizzotti, who was the point guard on UConn’s first national championship team before playing professionally and then becoming a college basketball coach, was named president of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.