Ex-Texas Tech coach exceeded practice limits
Ex-Texas Tech coach exceeded practice limits
LUBBOCK, Texas — Former Texas Tech coach Billy Gillispie continued exceeding NCAA practice-time limits even after the school reprimanded him for the same violation earlier this year.
Documents obtained Friday showed the school began reviewing the team’s summer practice times in early August, weeks before Gillispie resigned Sept. 20 for health concerns.
Texans TE Owen
Daniels ‘very limited’
HOUSTON — Texans coach Gary Kubiak says tight end Owen Daniels was “very limited’ in practice with a back injury on Friday and could miss Sunday’s game in Chicago.
Daniels, Houston’s second-leading receiver, sat out practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Kubiak says he’ll be a “game-time decision” when the Texans (7-1) play the Bears (7-1) on Sunday night.
Chicago said wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, who has missed the past few games to recover from a fractured right hand, practiced Friday, but was listed as doubtful for the game.
Kubiak said nose tackle Shaun Cody (ribs) and backup running back Ben Tate (hamstring) will definitely sit out. Tate also missed last week’s game against Buffalo.
Percy Harvin
listed as doubtful
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — If the Minnesota Vikings are going to get their woeful passing game going on Sunday, it appears they will have to do it without star receiver Percy Harvin.
Harvin was listed as doubtful Friday for the game against Detroit after a sprained left ankle kept him out of practice all week. He is widely considered one of the toughest players on the roster, so coach Leslie Frazier said he is not ruling out Harvin entirely just yet. But the coach also made it clear some big progress will have to be made in order for Harvin to play Sunday.
Steelers, Sanders
fined for faking injury
PITTSBURGH — The NFL has levied $50,000 in fines to the Pittsburgh Steelers and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders for faking an injury during an Oct. 21 game in Cincinnati.
Sanders was fined $15,000 and the organization $35,000. Sanders grabbed the back of his leg and collapsed to the ground during the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh’s 24-17 win.
NFL executive vice president of football operations Ray Anderson handed out the discipline after meeting with Sanders last week.
Sanders initially played coy in public comments about the incident, but in recent weeks has said the matter was being handled internally.
Also fined on Friday by the league were Panthers safety Haruki Nakamura and Packers tight end Ryan Taylor, $21,000 each; Titans safety Michael Griffin, $20,000; Raiders cornerback Tyvon Branch, Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy, and Cardinals linebacker Quentin Groves, $15,750 each; Ravens LB Dannell Ellerbe, $10,000; Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, Colts cornerback Cassius Vaughn, and Steelers safety Will Allen, $7,875 apiece.
Cowboys without
RB Murray again
IRVING, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys will be without running back DeMarco Murray for the fourth consecutive game.
Murray (sprained right foot) was listed out for Sunday’s game at Philadelphia when the Cowboys released the injury report Friday. Center Phil Costa (ankle) and defensive tackle Sean Lissemore (ankle) will also miss another game.
Patriots rookie RB Bolden suspended
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots running back Brandon Bolden has been suspended by the NFL for four games without pay for violating its policy on performance-enhancing substances.
The league’s announcement Friday did not specify the substance. The Patriots had no immediate reaction.
Locker set to start
at QB for Titans
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Quarterback Jake Locker is set to start for the Tennessee Titans on Sunday against Miami in his first game in more than a month.
Coach Mike Munchak said Friday that Locker looks good and is ready to go unless something comes up between now and kickoff Sunday in Miami. The coach says Locker moved around and reacted well.
Judge sets May hearing in OJ freedom bid
LAS VEGAS — A Nevada judge set the stage Friday for former football star O.J. Simpson to testify for the first time in the Las Vegas armed robbery and kidnapping case that resulted in his conviction and lengthy prison sentence.
Simpson appeals lawyers Patricia Palm and Ozzie Fumo said following a brief date-setting hearing in Las Vegas that they anticipate Simpson will take the stand to testify that he was so poorly represented by his trial attorneys that he should be freed and get a new trial.
Clark County District Court Judge Linda Marie Bell set the evidentiary hearing for May 13.
Djokovic, Murray advance to ATP semis
LONDON — Andy Murray beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2, 7-6 (3) Friday to reach Sunday’s semifinals, hours after Novak Djokovic advanced by beating Tomas Berdych 6-2, 7-6 (6).
Both men reached the semifinals of the ATP finals. The ATP finals is the last tournament of the season.
By wire sources