AP Source: Rutgers, Eddie Jordan reach agreement AP Source: Rutgers, Eddie Jordan reach agreement ADVERTISING NEWARK, N.J. — Rutgers is turning to one of its greatest players to lead the basketball program past an embarrassing coaching scandal and into its
AP Source: Rutgers, Eddie Jordan reach agreement
NEWARK, N.J. — Rutgers is turning to one of its greatest players to lead the basketball program past an embarrassing coaching scandal and into its future with the Big Ten Conference.
A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Los Angeles Lakers assistant Eddie Jordan has reached a tentative agreement to take over as coach of the scandal-marred program.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the school has not officially announced the deal with its all-time leader in assists and steals.
The person said the two sides hammered out the five-year contract after Jordan returned to New Jersey Wednesday. The deal needs to be reviewed by the university’s board of governors, and an official press conference might not happen until next Tuesday.
The agreement comes just more than two weeks after Rutgers fired Mike Rice after a video was aired that showed him grabbing and kicking players at practice, and using anti-gay slurs. The video was compiled from recordings taken during Rice’s three years as coach.
Also on Thursday, Rutgers University said Rice is receiving $475,000 under a settlement agreement.
Word comes Thursday, the same day University President Robert Barchi told a New Jersey Assembly budget plan that he didn’t believe the disgraced coach was entitled to a severance.
2004 Olympic 200 champ Crawford gets two-year ban
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency says 2004 Olympic 200-meter champion Shawn Crawford has been suspended for two years for not giving full information about his whereabouts for out-of-competition drug testing.
The 32-year-old Crawford of Culver City, Calif., had three “whereabouts failures” in 18 months, USADA said Thursday. That can include failing to provide regular information about how to be found for tests “and/or failure to be available for testing due to inaccurate or incomplete information,” USADA said.
At the 2004 Athens Games, Crawford led the first medal sweep for American men in the 200 in 20 years. He won silver in the 200 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Crawford’s ban began Wednesday.
He also loses all results, prizes and points dating to Nov. 17, the date of his third “whereabouts failure.”
Nadal, Djokovic win; Murray routed in Monte Carlo
MONACO — Eight-time defending champion Rafael Nadal extended his Monte Carlo Masters winning streak to 44 matches by beating Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-4 Thursday, while second-ranked Andy Murray was routed 6-1, 6-2 by Stanislas Wawrinka in the third round.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic put his sore right ankle to the test again, rallying from a set down for the second straight match to beat Juan Monaco of Argentina 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.
“I’m not physically out there feeling my best,” Djokovic said. “(It) somehow feels that I always miss that half a step, you know. But I’m trying. I’m fighting. After I lost the first set today, I tried to find that inner strength. I found it again.”
Djokovic will play Jarkko Nieminen in the quarterfinals after the Finn edged Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (4).
Ortiz expected to return for Red Sox on Friday
CLEVELAND — Boston designated hitter David Ortiz is expected to return to the Red Sox lineup when they open a home series Friday against Kansas City.
Ortiz hasn’t played this season because of an injured right Achilles, which limited him to 90 games in 2012. He began a rehabilitation assignment last week and went 4 for 20, including a home run on Thursday.
Boston manager John Farrell said all signs point to Ortiz being ready on Friday when the Red Sox play at Fenway Park for the first time since Monday’s bombings at the Boston Marathon.
Marlins SS Hechavarria goes on DL with sore arm
CINCINNATI — The Marlins put shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria on the 15-day disabled list with a sore throwing arm before the start of their four-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.
Hechavarria hurt his right arm just above the elbow while making a throw and was scratched from Wednesday’s game. He got an MRI that found no significant injury. Manager Mike Redmond said it should heal with rest.
Miami called up infielder Nick Green from Triple-A New Orleans to take his spot on the roster. Chris Valaika was at shortstop for the series opener.
Contract gives NBC Notre Dame rights through 2025
NBC Sports Group announced a 10-year contract extension to televise Notre Dame football games Thursday, doubling the length of its previous agreement.
NBC and Notre Dame said the extension would begin in 2016 and run through the 2025 season. Terms were not disclosed, though the current five-year contract is reportedly worth an average of $15 million annually.
Blackhawks’ Emery out with lower body injury
CHICAGO — Blackhawks goalie Ray Emery has a lower body injury and will not play against Nashville on Friday.
He did not participate in Wednesday’s optional practice and missed practice Thursday. Coach Joel Quenneville told reporters he hopes to get Emery back on the ice on Friday but added he will not be available when the Blackhawks host the Predators.
It’s not clear whether Corey Crawford (17-4-4) or Emery (16-1-0) will be the No. 1 goalie once the playoffs start. The Blackhawks lead the NHL with 70 points and both have played well, with Crawford’s goals-against average at 1.92 and Emery’s at 1.91.
Viewership up for NBA on cable and online
NEW YORK — The NBA’s three network partners all drew their second-highest total of viewers for a full regular season, while NBA TV had its highest total.
TNT, in its 29th year televising the NBA, averaged about 2 million viewers for its 52 telecasts. Miami’s season-opening victory over Boston drew nearly 5.4 million, making it the fifth most-watched NBA regular-season game ever on cable.
From wire sources
