AP Source: 49ers hire Mangini as consultant AP Source: 49ers hire Mangini as consultant ADVERTISING SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco 49ers have agreed to terms with Eric Mangini to be an offensive consultant for the NFC champions, a person
AP Source: 49ers hire Mangini as consultant
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco 49ers have agreed to terms with Eric Mangini to be an offensive consultant for the NFC champions, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Saturday.
The former Cleveland Browns and New York Jets coach will work on Jim Harbaugh’s staff for the two-time reigning NFC West winners, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team had made no formal announcement.
The 42-year-old Mangini had been working as an analyst with ESPN since August 2011, after being fired by the Browns in January that year following a pair of 5-11 seasons — the second time he lost a head coaching job in just more than two years. He went 10-22 in two years for Cleveland after three seasons in New York, where he led the Jets to the playoffs in his first year after replacing Herm Edwards in 2006.
Mangini then went 4-12 in 2007 and was fired after the team faded late the following year, finishing 9-7 and missing the playoffs with Brett Favre as quarterback.
Logano wins Nationwide race at Dover
DOVER, Del. — Joey Logano savors the times he led Joe Gibbs Racing into Victory Lane.
Turns out, he enjoys beating JGR so much more.
Logano changed his team and his car, just not the result, and raced to his third straight Dover victory in the Nationwide Series on Saturday.
Unlike the last two, Logano won for Penske Racing. His previous two Dover victories came under the Gibbs banner.
This time, Logano held off JGR drivers Brian Vickers, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch for the checkered flag.
“I wanted to beat them really bad,” Logano said.
Busch, who won the Truck Series race Friday, dominated most of the race and led 72 of the 200 laps. But he was 10th off the final restart, couldn’t drive his way to the front of the field and was fifth.
Vickers was second, Kenseth third, and Trevor Bayne fourth.
Mookie Blaylock’s condition improves after crash
ATLANTA — Former NBA All-Star guard Mookie Blaylock was upgraded to serious condition at an Atlanta hospital Saturday, a day after his SUV crashed head-on into a van and killed a woman.
Atlanta Medical Center spokeswoman Nicole Gustin confirmed that the 46-year-old Blaylock’s condition had improved since he was airlifted to the hospital. Police said the former Atlanta Hawks player was initially placed on life support and was in critical condition late Friday even after he was taken off of it.
Blaylock was driving in neighboring Jonesboro Friday afternoon when he crashed, said Clayton County police spokesman Clarence Cox. Police said his SUV crossed the center line and slammed into an oncoming van.
A passenger in the van, 43-year-old Monica Murphy, died Friday night, Jonesboro Police Chief Franklin Allen said. Her husband, 41-year-old Frankie Murphy, suffered a broken ankle.
Steelers player Adams stabbed in robbery attempt
PITTSBURGH — An offensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers has been hospitalized after being stabbed during a robbery attempt.
Twenty-three-year-old Mike Adams was injured early Saturday on the city’s South Side. Agent Eric Metz says Adams was stabbed in the stomach while trying to stop three or four men from stealing his truck at his home.
Metz says the 6-foot-7, 323-pound right tackle had surgery and was told no vital organs were affected.
Adams tweeted: “I had an angel lookin out for me! I’ll be ok just gotta fight to get back harder then ever.”
He was drafted in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft and named the team’s outstanding rookie, starting six of the 10 games in which he played.
Gatlin wins 100 at the Prefontaine Classic
EUGENE, Ore. — Justin Gatlin and Mary Cain both belied their ages Saturday in the Prefontaine Classic.
Gatlin won the 100 meters at the Diamond League meet in a wind-aided time of 9.88 seconds, besting fellow Americans Michael Rodgers and Ryan Bailey. The 31-year old, who won the bronze medal at the London Games, joked afterward: “I just age like wine.”
Then 17-year-old Cain broke the high school record in the 800 in 1:59.51, placing fifth in an elite field that included Olympic bronze medalist Yekaterina Poistogova and Jaqneth Jepkosgei, third in last year’s world championships.
Cain, from Bronxville High School in New York, topped the record of 2:02.04 set by Amy Weisenbach of Harvard-Weslake high in 2011.
From wire sources