WASHINGTON (AP) — PRO FOOTBALL
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants is now the NFLs highest-paid wide receiver.
The Giants on Monday announced they have signed Beckham to a five-year contract extension that will keep the three-time Pro Bowler with the franchise for another six seasons.
“We got him until hes 108,” general manager Dave Gettleman quipped. “I never worried whether or not we would get it done. Im pleased, because the litmus test for a contract is that neither side is ticked off before the ink can dry, and neither side should be ticked off. Its a very fair deal.”
The signing comes less than two weeks before the season opener against Jacksonville on Sept. 9 at MetLife Stadium.
While terms were not disclosed, the deal with the 25-year-old, 2014 first-rounder is worth about $95 million with $65 million guaranteed.
Beckhams $19 million average salary would top the $17 million earned by Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers. His $95 million deal also tops the $82.5 million deal receiver Mike Evans has with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Texans star J.J. Watt said he has distributed the $41.6 million his foundation raised to help rebuild the Texas Gulf Coast after Hurricane Harvey.
An online fundraiser Watt launched after the storm hit Texas last year went viral and far exceeded his original goal of raising $200,000.
“Its incredible to see just the generosity of strangers and what its able to do and what its able to accomplish, and the fact that thats just year one,” Watt said. “We still have more to do and we still have a lot going on moving forward.”
Watt routed the money to eight groups actively involved in Texas rebuilding and recovery. According to the Texans, the funds have already been used to clean up and rebuild more than 600 homes, distribute more than 26 million meals and provide health care to more than 6,500 people.
The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year has dealt with serious injuries in each of the last two seasons, playing just eight games combined in 2016-17, though hes back and healthy now. He said working on this project and seeing how people came together to help others in such a huge time of need was good for him.
PRO BASKETBALL
Manu Ginobili has played his final game, and with that a new era awaits the San Antonio Spurs.
Ginobili announced his decision to retire, the 41-year-old wrapping up what he called a “fabulous journey” in which he helped the Spurs win four NBA championships in 16 seasons with the club.
The smooth left-handed guard from Argentina came to San Antonio in 2002, forming what quickly became a powerful “Big 3” alongside Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Now, theyve all moved on: Duncan retired two years ago, Parker left San Antonio earlier this summer as a free agent to sign with the Charlotte Hornets, and Ginobili has worn Spurs colors for the last time as well.
Ginobilis pro career lasted 23 seasons in all, starting with stints in Italy and Argentina. His drawing power was massive even in his final season, and it was common for him to spend plenty of time before road games posing for photos and signing autographs — often international fans proudly displaying an Argentine flag.
TENNIS
NEW YORK (AP) — Simona Halep made a quick-as-can-be exit from the U.S. Open, becoming the first No. 1-seeded woman to lose her opening match at the Grand Slam tournament in the half-century of the professional era.
Halep simply was overwhelmed by the power-based game of 44th-ranked Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-2, 6-4 in a match that was stunningly lopsided and lasted all of 76 minutes.
It was the first match at the rebuilt Louis Armstrong Stadium, which now has a retractable roof, and what a way to get things started. That cover was not needed to protect from rain on Day 1 at the years last major tournament — although some protection from the bright sun and its 90-degree (33-degree Celsius) heat might have been appreciated.
Since professionals were admitted to the Grand Slam tournaments in 1968, only five times did women who were seeded No. 1 lost 3.their opening match at a major — and never before had it happened at the U.S. Open. It happened twice to Martina Hingis and once to Steffi Graf at Wimbledon, once to Angelique Kerber at the French Open and once to Virginia Ruzici at the Australian Open.
ATHLETE ABUSE
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan judge has denied disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassars request for a new sentence in his sexual assault convictions.
In denying Nassars request, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said she didnt feel there was an error in the sentence she issued.
Before Mondays hearing, Nassars attorneys asked the Court of Appeals to stop the proceeding and allow them to appeal rulings that kept Aquilina on the case. The Court of Appeals refused to intervene.
Aquilina sentenced Nassar in January to 40 to 175 years in prison on seven first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges. The sentence came after seven days of victim-impact statements from 156 women and girls.
The former Michigan State University employee and USA Gymnastics team physician argued Aquilina erred in increasing his sentence.
The 55-year-old Nassar is currently serving a 60-year federal sentence on child pornography charges.
POLITICS
President Donald Trump praised two African-American athletes after they recently defended him in public.
Trumps public praise comes amid his continued disapproval of NFL players, most of them African-American, who kneel during the national anthem to protest police treatment of black men. It also follows his recent criticism of NBA star LeBron James.
Tiger Woods, a friend and sometime golf partner of Trump, called Sunday for respect for the office of the president.
Asked how hed respond to people who are intrigued by his “friendly relationship” with Trump, Woods told reporters: “Hes the president of the United States and you have to respect the office. And no matter whos in the office, you may like, dislike personality or the politics, but we all must respect the office.”
Trump responded Monday by praising Woods and criticizing journalists. “The Fake News Media worked hard to get Tiger Woods to say something that he didnt want to say. Tiger wouldnt play the game — he is very smart. More importantly, he is playing great golf again!” Trump said on Twitter.
WASHINGTON (AP) — PRO FOOTBALL
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants is now the NFLs highest-paid wide receiver.
The Giants on Monday announced they have signed Beckham to a five-year contract extension that will keep the three-time Pro Bowler with the franchise for another six seasons.
“We got him until hes 108,” general manager Dave Gettleman quipped. “I never worried whether or not we would get it done. Im pleased, because the litmus test for a contract is that neither side is ticked off before the ink can dry, and neither side should be ticked off. Its a very fair deal.”
The signing comes less than two weeks before the season opener against Jacksonville on Sept. 9 at MetLife Stadium.
While terms were not disclosed, the deal with the 25-year-old, 2014 first-rounder is worth about $95 million with $65 million guaranteed.
Beckhams $19 million average salary would top the $17 million earned by Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers. His $95 million deal also tops the $82.5 million deal receiver Mike Evans has with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Texans star J.J. Watt said he has distributed the $41.6 million his foundation raised to help rebuild the Texas Gulf Coast after Hurricane Harvey.
An online fundraiser Watt launched after the storm hit Texas last year went viral and far exceeded his original goal of raising $200,000.
“Its incredible to see just the generosity of strangers and what its able to do and what its able to accomplish, and the fact that thats just year one,” Watt said. “We still have more to do and we still have a lot going on moving forward.”
Watt routed the money to eight groups actively involved in Texas rebuilding and recovery. According to the Texans, the funds have already been used to clean up and rebuild more than 600 homes, distribute more than 26 million meals and provide health care to more than 6,500 people.
The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year has dealt with serious injuries in each of the last two seasons, playing just eight games combined in 2016-17, though hes back and healthy now. He said working on this project and seeing how people came together to help others in such a huge time of need was good for him.
PRO BASKETBALL
Manu Ginobili has played his final game, and with that a new era awaits the San Antonio Spurs.
Ginobili announced his decision to retire, the 41-year-old wrapping up what he called a “fabulous journey” in which he helped the Spurs win four NBA championships in 16 seasons with the club.
The smooth left-handed guard from Argentina came to San Antonio in 2002, forming what quickly became a powerful “Big 3” alongside Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Now, theyve all moved on: Duncan retired two years ago, Parker left San Antonio earlier this summer as a free agent to sign with the Charlotte Hornets, and Ginobili has worn Spurs colors for the last time as well.
Ginobilis pro career lasted 23 seasons in all, starting with stints in Italy and Argentina. His drawing power was massive even in his final season, and it was common for him to spend plenty of time before road games posing for photos and signing autographs — often international fans proudly displaying an Argentine flag.
TENNIS
NEW YORK (AP) — Simona Halep made a quick-as-can-be exit from the U.S. Open, becoming the first No. 1-seeded woman to lose her opening match at the Grand Slam tournament in the half-century of the professional era.
Halep simply was overwhelmed by the power-based game of 44th-ranked Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-2, 6-4 in a match that was stunningly lopsided and lasted all of 76 minutes.
It was the first match at the rebuilt Louis Armstrong Stadium, which now has a retractable roof, and what a way to get things started. That cover was not needed to protect from rain on Day 1 at the years last major tournament — although some protection from the bright sun and its 90-degree (33-degree Celsius) heat might have been appreciated.
Since professionals were admitted to the Grand Slam tournaments in 1968, only five times did women who were seeded No. 1 lost 3.their opening match at a major — and never before had it happened at the U.S. Open. It happened twice to Martina Hingis and once to Steffi Graf at Wimbledon, once to Angelique Kerber at the French Open and once to Virginia Ruzici at the Australian Open.
ATHLETE ABUSE
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan judge has denied disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassars request for a new sentence in his sexual assault convictions.
In denying Nassars request, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said she didnt feel there was an error in the sentence she issued.
Before Mondays hearing, Nassars attorneys asked the Court of Appeals to stop the proceeding and allow them to appeal rulings that kept Aquilina on the case. The Court of Appeals refused to intervene.
Aquilina sentenced Nassar in January to 40 to 175 years in prison on seven first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges. The sentence came after seven days of victim-impact statements from 156 women and girls.
The former Michigan State University employee and USA Gymnastics team physician argued Aquilina erred in increasing his sentence.
The 55-year-old Nassar is currently serving a 60-year federal sentence on child pornography charges.
POLITICS
President Donald Trump praised two African-American athletes after they recently defended him in public.
Trumps public praise comes amid his continued disapproval of NFL players, most of them African-American, who kneel during the national anthem to protest police treatment of black men. It also follows his recent criticism of NBA star LeBron James.
Tiger Woods, a friend and sometime golf partner of Trump, called Sunday for respect for the office of the president.
Asked how hed respond to people who are intrigued by his “friendly relationship” with Trump, Woods told reporters: “Hes the president of the United States and you have to respect the office. And no matter whos in the office, you may like, dislike personality or the politics, but we all must respect the office.”
Trump responded Monday by praising Woods and criticizing journalists. “The Fake News Media worked hard to get Tiger Woods to say something that he didnt want to say. Tiger wouldnt play the game — he is very smart. More importantly, he is playing great golf again!” Trump said on Twitter.
