COLLEGE FOOTBALL
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Hayden Fry, the Texan who revived Iowa football and became a Hawkeye State institution over two decades as a Big Ten coach, has died. He was 90.
Fry's family announced through the University of Iowa that the former coach died with his family at his side after a long battle with cancer. He had been living in the Dallas area with his wife, Shirley.
Fry, a native of Eastland, Texas, had never been to Iowa before taking over the Hawkeyes in 1979, hired by then-athletic director Bump Elliott, the former Michigan star who died earlier this month.
The Hawkeyes had slogged through 17 consecutive years without a winning season when Fry arrived. He changed everything.
He had the uniforms redesigned to make them look more like the black-and-gold ones worn by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the NFL's dominant team at the time. Roaming the sidelines in his familiar dark sunglasses and white pants, Fry coached the Hawkeyes for 20 seasons, winning 238 games and three Big Ten championships.
PRO FOOTBALL
Twelve Baltimore Ravens, including second-year quarterback Lamar Jackson, and seven New Orleans Saints, highlighted by league-leading receiver Michael Thomas, have made the Pro Bowl.
Baltimore tied the record for Pro Bowl players set by Miami in 1973. The NFL released the rosters Tuesday night for the game in Orlando, Florida, on Jan. 26.
Joining Jackson from the Ravens, who at 12-2 have the league's best record, are tight end Mark Andrews, long snapper Morgan Cox, cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey, running back Mark Ingram, linebacker Matthew Judon, fullback Patrick Ricard, tackle Ronnie Stanley, safety Earl Thomas, kicker Justin Tucker, and guard Marshal Yanda.
Thirty teams had at least one player selected and 24 clubs had multiple players chosen. The New York Giants and Miami Dolphins failed to get any Pro Bowlers. Players on the two Super Bowl teams will withdraw from the Pro Bowl and be replaced.
PRO HOCKEY
A Nigerian-born hockey player has accepted the apology of a minor league equipment manager who wore blackface to the team's Halloween party in 2011.
Akim Aliu also requested that the manager, Tony Deynzer, not lose his job over the incident, one of multiple examples of racism in the sport that Aliu has brought to light in recent weeks.
In a joint statement released Tuesday, Aliu and the American Hockey League's Colorado Eagles said the two sides have had “candid discussions” over what happened and have agreed to work collaboratively to promote diversity and inclusiveness.
Aliu first made headlines late last month when he went public in alleging former Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters directed racial slurs at him while the two were in the minors 10 years ago. The allegations, which the coach acknowledged in a written apology, led to Peters' resignation.
Last week, Aliu revealed to The Wall Street Journal that Deynzer dressed up in blackface while wearing an Afro-style wig and a custom-made Eagles jersey with Aliu's number and nickname “DREAMER” printed on the back. Aliu also provided photographs of him posing with Deynzer.
NBA
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah Jazz fan is suing for $100 million after being banned for life from the team's arena over what were called racial taunts directed at point guard Russell Westbrook during a game.
Shane Keisel said there was nothing racial about his heckling during the game in March and that the high-profile incident has cost him his job and exposed him to online threats, according to the suit filed Monday in a state court in Utah.
The Jazz, however, said the team investigated the episode that ignited a national conversation about race and fan behavior and stands by the decision to bar him from the arena. The organization will “vigorously defend” itself from the lawsuit, said Frank Zang, senior vice president of communications for the Jazz parent company, Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment.
Westbrook was fined $25,000 by the NBA after video surfaced of him directing vulgar comments at Keisel in the crowd. Then a point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder who had had other in-game exchanges with fans, Westbrook was shown along the sideline using threatening language that also referred to Keisel's girlfriend, who was at the game.
Westbrook said at the time that he had been provoked by the fan who told him to “get down on your knees like you used to.”
NEW YORK — Former NBA Commissioner David Stern remains in serious condition following emergency brain surgery last week.
The league said that Stern is surrounded by his loved ones and receiving great care. The NBA says both the league and Stern's family appreciate the outpouring of support.
The 77-year-old Stern suffered a brain hemorrhage Thursday while having lunch in New York.
Stern spent 30 years as NBA commissioner and has remained affiliated with the league, holding the title of commissioner emeritus.
SPORTS MEDIA
HARTFORD, Conn. — ESPN has reached a settlement with a former on-air personality who sued the cable sports giant alleging sexual harassment.
In an agreement filed Dec. 12 in U.S. District Court in Connecticut, Adrienne Lawrence agreed to dismiss her lawsuit.
No terms were disclosed. Messages seeking comment were left for Lawrence's attorneys.
In her lawsuit, which was filed in March, 2018, Lawrence described an atmosphere in which she was subjected to unwanted advances while male employees openly watch pornography on their computers and keep "scorecards" naming female colleagues they were targeting for sex.
Lawrence, who served a fellowship at ESPN, said anchor John Buccigross sent her unsolicited shirtless photos and used inappropriate nicknames like "doll" for her.
