PRO FOOTBALL
The Las Vegas Raiders and coach Jon Gruden were fined a total of $650,000 and docked a sixth-round draft pick for repeated violations of the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols.
A person familiar with the punishment said the team was fined $500,000, Gruden has been docked $150,000 and the draft pick was stripped because of how the team handled offensive tackle Trent Brown’s positive coronavirus test last month. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.
Brown went back on the COVID-19 list Thursday when he had more symptoms.
The Raiders are expected to appeal the punishment. They have been penalized several times already this season for violating coronavirus protocols, with the fines totaling $1,215,000 for the team, Gruden and players.
While several teams have been fined this season, the Raiders are the first to be penalized a draft pick following multiple violations.
— By Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The NFL and its players' union are investigating the San Francisco 49ers and receiver Kendrick Bourne for possible violations of the league’s coronavirus protocols.
A person familiar with the investigation said the probe is looking into whether Bourne was wearing a face covering as required by the COVID-19 rules. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the investigation hadn’t been announced by the league.
Bourne was placed on the COVID-19 list Wednesday after testing positive for the coronavirus. San Francisco teammates Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel were also placed on the list as “high risk” close contacts of Bourne’s.
— By Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow
MIAMI (AP) — Miami Dolphins running back Myles Gaskin went on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least three games with a knee injury.
Backup Matt Breida is nursing a hamstring injury, which could mean more playing time Sunday at Arizona for Jordan Howard.
Gaskin has been the Dolphins’ best backfield threat with 387 yards rushing and 198 receiving.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The season opener scheduled for Saturday between California and Washington was canceled following a request from the Golden Bears due to a positive coronavirus test for one of their players.
The cancellation was a big blow for the Pac-12 as the conference prepares to kick off a seven-game football slate after league programs had watched other teams around the country playing for weeks.
California doesn’t have the minimum number of scholarship players available as a result of the positive test and the need for other players to isolate under contact tracing protocols, the Pac-12 said in a statement. Pac-12 guidelines require at least 53 scholarship players be available for a game to be played. The conference said the game would be declared a no-contest.
The school said the player with a positive test is asymptomatic. It marked the first positive test on Cal’s football team since practices began last month.
The Washington-Cal game was the seventh FBS game this week and 44th since Aug. 26 to be postponed or canceled.
The service academy game between Air Force and Army scheduled for Saturday in West Point, New York, was postponed due to an increase in COVID-19 cases at the Air Force Academy and the surrounding community in Colorado. The schools are working to reschedule the game.
The American Athletic Conference postponed the Tulsa at Navy game scheduled for Saturday because of positive COVID-19 cases and contact tracing at Navy. It is the fourth time a Tulsa game has been postponed or canceled because of COVID cases.
Saturday’s game between North Texas and Louisiana Tech also was postponed due to COVID-19 cases and contact tracing. The teams are working with Conference USA to reschedule the game and hope it can be played the weekend of Dec. 5.
TENNIS
PARIS (AP) — Top-seeded Rafael Nadal stayed on course for an elusive first title at the Paris Masters by beating Jordan Thompson 6-1, 7-6 (3) to reach the quarterfinals.
Nadal has won 86 career titles, including 35 in Masters events, but lost his only final at the Bercy Indoor Arena in Paris 13 years ago.
Nadal, a 20-time Grand Slam champion who on Wednesday became only the fourth man to reach 1,000 match wins, next faces Spanish countryman Pablo Carreno Busta.
Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev needed three hours to beat unseeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (11), 6-7 (7), 6-4.
He next faces three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, after the Swiss veteran rallied to beat fifth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Earlier, No. 3 Daniil Medvedev rallied past 16th-seeded Alex de Minaur 5-7, 6-2, 6-2. Medvedev next plays No. 6 Diego Schwartzman, who routed qualifier Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-1, 6-1.
In other third-round matches, Milos Raonic advanced after beating American qualifier Marcos Giron 7-6 (1), 6-2. Raonic next faces unseeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert, who defeated former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3.
Carreno Busta won 7-5, 6-2 against unseeded Norbert Gombos.
GOLF
HOUSTON (AP) — Brandt Snedeker found a lot of fairways and greens at difficult Memorial Park, top-ranked Dustin Johnson returned from the coronavirus, and fans were back, too, at the Houston Open.
Snedeker shot a 5-under 65 in the afternoon to take a two-stroke lead in the last event before the Masters. He’s one of 37 players in the field this week set to play at Augusta National.
The tournament — at public Memorial Park for the first time since 1963 — is limiting ticket sales to 2,000 a day. It’s the first domestic PGA Tour event to have fans since The Players Championship on March 12.
Johnson had a 72 in his return after a positive coronavirus test knocked him out of the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek and the Zozo Championship at Sherwood.
HOCKEY
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets signed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to a three-year, $8.4 million contract. The 24-year-old Russian was a restricted free agent after ranking among the NHL’s top rookie defensemen in goals, assists and points last season.
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers avoided arbitration with center Ryan Strome, agreeing to a $9 million, two-year contract. Strome set a career high last season with 59 points on 18 goals and 41 assists.
BASEBALL
NEW YORK (AP) — San Diego Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth and Seattle Mariners outfielder Kyle Lewis were chosen as rookies of the year by Baseball Digest.
