Murray’s price to avoid NFL draft: $15 million
Kyler Murray, the Heisman winner who was also drafted by the Oakland A’s in 2018 with a $4.66 million signing bonus, has until Monday to declare for the NFL draft and seems to be leaning in that direction.
But the Athletics sent out the cavalry to try to dissuade Murray, according to reports, with Billy Beane being a part of the contingent that met with the phenom. Murray’s asking price is reportedly $15 million, according to Mike Leslie of WFAA.
The Oklahoma quarterback has been receiving first-round grades from NFL scouts.
Soccer
Lionel Messi took his all-time Spanish league scoring record to 400 goals Sunday in a 3-0 win over Eibar that kept defending champion Barcelona comfortably at the top of the table. Messi has 400 in 435 league matches. Former Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo is second overall in La Liga with 311 goals.
College wrestling
The 18th-ranked Pitt wrestling team (8-0) shut out South Dakota State, 34-0, Sunday in Brookings, S.D. Senior Robert Lee recorded the most notable win of the day, taking out SDSU’s lone ranked wrestler in No. 17 Henry Pohlmeyer at 149 pounds. It was Lee’s eighth win of the year and his first over a ranked opponent at 149 pounds.
Golf
Matt Kuchar finished 22-under to win the Sony Open, his ninth PGA Tour win. Before winning the Mayakoba Golf Classic in November, Kuchar had made 118 starts in 1,666 days without a win. He now has wins in two of his past four tournaments.
Winter sports
Marcel Hirscher won a World Cup slalom in Adelboden, Switzerland, to set a men’s record on the 52-year circuit for most wins by one skier at a single venue (nine).