SUPREME COURT LEAVES $1 BILLION NFL CONCUSSION SETTLEMENT IN PLACE
washington» The Supreme Court rejected challenges to the estimated $1 billion plan by the NFL to settle thousands of concussion lawsuits filed by former players.
The court’s action on Monday clears the way for payouts to begin to former players who have been diagnosed brain injuries linked to repeated concussions.
The settlement covers more than 20,000 NFL retirees for the next 65 years. The league estimates that 6,000 former players, or nearly three in 10, could develop Alzheimer’s disease or moderate dementia.
“This is a historical moment for the retired player community who, in the face of great adversity, took on the NFL,” said attorney Christopher Seeger, who represented the class of more than 20,000 former NFL players now eligible for payments for the next 65 years.
“Despite the difficult health situations retired players face today, and that many more will unfortunately face in the future, they can have peace of mind knowing that this settlement’s benefits will finally become available to them and will last for decades to come.”
Players could receive up to $5 million each in the case of severe brain trauma.
Some former players and relatives of players who have died objected to the settlement.
White wins Pac-12 honor
B boulder» University of Colorado senior guard Derrick White was named the Pac-12 conference men’s basketball player of the week for Dec. 5-11.
It’s the first Pac-12 weekly honor for White, in his first season with Colorado after transferring from The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. For the Buffaloes, it’s their eighth weekly honor since joining the conference.
White, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard from Parker, averaged 22.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists as the Buffaloes split their two games last week. They beat No. 13 Xavier 68-66 on Dec. 7 at home and lost to BYU 79-71 on Dec. 10.
White shot 16-of-29 from the field while hitting 6-of-12 from 3-point range over the two games.
Against Xavier, White scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed six rebounds to go with four assists. He hit a team season-high nine field goals, including three from 3-point range. White scored 18 of those points in the second half and had a key blocked shot in the closing seconds that helped ice the win.
White scored a team-best 21 points on 7-of-12 from the field against BYU. He was 3-of-6 from beyond the arc for the second straight game and hit all four of his free throw attempts.
Dodgers sign all-star Jansen.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are bringing back their reliable closer, agreeing to an $80 million, five-year contract to keep all-star Kenley Jansen.
The 29-year-old right-hander had a career-best 47 saves last season for the Dodgers, who won their fourth straight NL West title but lost a sixgame NL Championship Series to the eventual World Series champion Chicago Cubs.
Jansen’s contract trails Aroldis Chapman’s $86 million, five-year deal with the Yankees last week, while San Francisco added free agent closer Mark Melancon on a $62, four-year contract. Jansen’s signing probably ensures the Dodgers’ payroll will again top $200 million.
• The Tampa Bay Rays finalized a two-year, $12.5 million contract with free agent catcher Wilson Ramos.
• The Cardinals signed veteran Jordan Schafer and catchers Eric Fryer and Gabriel Lino to minor-league contracts that include invitations to spring training.
• Major League Baseball will outlaw “offensive” hazing: no more dressing rookies as women or female characters.