Eastern Michigan apologizes for post-bowl brawl
Eastern Michigan’s athletic director apologized to South Alabama on Sunday, a day after an Eastern Michigan player raced onto the field after the 68 Ventures Bowl and punched an opposing player in the head, sparking a brawl.
The confrontation happened as South Alabama’s players, cheer squad and band lined up to sing the school song following a 59-10 rout of Eastern Michigan on Saturday night on its home field, Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Ala.
An unidentified Eastern Michigan played charged into the group and punched a South Alabama player in the back of the head. Another South Alabama player dragged the Eastern Michigan player onto the field, sparking a free-for-all among both teams as smaller skirmishes also broke out.
“We strongly condemn the actions of some of the student-athletes on the EMU football team in the ugly incident that took place following last night’s 68 Ventures Bowl,” Eastern Michigan athletic director Scott Wetherbee said in a statement. “We are deeply upset and embarrassed by what happened . ... What happened was completely unacceptable.”
Wetherbee reiterated what Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton said in his postgame news conference, that there is “absolutely no place for this kind of incident” in the football program. He apologized to the Eastern Michigan community, the South Alabama team and its fans.
Wetherbee said he had been in contact with South Alabama’s athletic director and that Creighton reached out to Jaguars coach Kane Wommack. He also said Eastern Michigan had been in contact with the Mid-American Conference commissioner and the parties would work to investigate the incident, promising appropriate actions as more information is gathered.
South Alabama AD Joel Erdmann issued a statement Sunday saying he was disappointed in the brawl and grateful that Eastern Michigan “took ownership” of it and apologized.
Ben Bryant passed for 222 yards and found Bryce Kirtz in the corner of the end zone midway through the fourth quarter, helping Northwestern beat Utah 14-7 Saturday night in the Las Vegas Bowl . ... Ethan Vasko threw three touchdown passes and Coastal Carolina beat San José State 24-14 in the Hawaii Bowl for its second bowl victory.
Glazers sell 25% stake in Man U
After failing to win the Premier League in the last 10 years, Manchester United announced Sunday that it agreed to sell a minority stake in the storied club to Jim Ratcliffe in a deal that also would allow the British billionaire to take control of its soccer operations.
“We all want to see Manchester United back where we belong, at the very top of English, European and world football,” Ratcliffe said Sunday.
The record 20-time league champions have not won the title since former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, prompting increased anger toward the Glazer family, United's American owners.
Ratcliffe provide $200 million upon completion of the deal and a further $100 million by the end of next year, United said. In total, the deal will be worth around $1.6 billion, including the $300 million of funding.
The deal is subject to approval by the league.
Jameer Nelson Jr. came off the bench to score 13 points, helping Texas Christian defeat Hawaii 65-51 for third place at the Diamond Head Classic. Josh Cohen
scored 28 points and Massachusetts breezed to an 87-65 victory over Old Dominion in the fifth-place game. Steve Settle III scored 16 points and Hysier Miller
made two free throws with five seconds left to rally Temple to a 55-54 victory over Portland in the seventh-place game.
The Seattle Mariners bolstered their lineup, agreeing to a $24-million, two-year contract with free-agent catcher Mitch Garver .A person familiar with the agreement confirmed the deal to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it was pending a physical . ... Shohei Ohtani played Santa for new Dodgers teammate Joe Kelly’s wife, Ashley, gifting her a new Porsche for her tonguein-cheek campaign to lure him to L.A. by offering him her husband’s jersey number. STORY, B1
Quinton Byfield scored twice, Trevor Moore got his team-leading 16th goal, and the Kings defeated Calgary 5-3 on Saturday night. Alex Laferriere and Pierre-Luc Dubois also scored and Cam Talbot made 29 saves . ... Vince Dunn had a goal and two assists, and Seattle overcame a late lacrossestyle goal by Trevor Zegras for a 3-2 win over the Ducks.