Crimes of sexual abuse committed by doctor Larry Nassar and the chaos they provoked have been named the Story of the Year in balloting by Associated Press members and editors.
The second- and third-place finishers announced Monday are the Eagles winning their first Super Bowl championship and the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to allow sports gambling to expand beyond Nevada. The stories were selected by AP members and editors. The Nassar saga earned more than double the number of votes than the other finishers.
More than 150 female athletes testified at Nassars sentencing hearing in January 2018 for convictions on child-porn and sex-abuse charges. It marked a turning point in a crisis that has inflicted untold damage.
The testimony gave women in sports — and society in general — a more powerful voice when it comes to exposing abuse that had been swept out of the publics conscience for decades.
NBA
LeBron James is sorry for posting a lyric that referenced “Jewish money.” The Los Angeles Lakers star says he simply got caught up in the music, thought the lyric was a “compliment” and offers “apologies, for sure.”
The lyric comes from the song “ASMR” by rapper 21 Savage. James shared it over the weekend on his Instagram account, which has nearly 46 million followers.
The lyric says, “We been getting that Jewish money, Everything is Kosher.”
James apologized on ESPN — “if I offended anyone.” He says he regularly posts lyrics and listens to “great music” in his car. He adds: “That was the byproduct of it. So I actually thought it was a compliment, and obviously it wasnt through the lens of a lot of people.”
Later the rapper tweeted his own apology.
James posting was highlighted by Darren Rovell of The Action Network, a media company.
BASEBALL
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Free agent right-hander Mike Fiers has agreed to a two-year contract to stay with the Oakland Athletics, who were determined to find an experienced starter this offseason to help lead a young rotation.
And Oakland would like to add another starter, too, realizing it must provide depth given all the injuries last season. Ace Sean Manaea is recovering from shoulder surgery and not expected back until at least the All-Star break. The As announced Fiers deal Monday.
The As acquired Fiers in August from Detroit, and he helped the club reach the playoffs for the first time since 2014. The 33-year-old Fiers went 5-2 with a 3.74 ERA in 10 outings with nine starts after joining Oakland, which lost the AL wild-card game at New York.
Fiers was 12-8 with a 3.56 ERA in 30 starts and 31 overall appearances and 172 innings in 2018.
NFL
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is sticking around through the 2021 season after signing a three-year contract extension.
Carroll was first approached about an extension last week and finished the deal Monday. The contract will take Carroll through his 70th birthday in September 2021.
Carroll is in his ninth season as Seattles coach and clinched his seventh playoff berth with Sundays victory over Kansas City. He is 97-59-1 overall in his tenure and led Seattle to a pair of Super Bowl appearances, winning the franchises only championship after the 2013 season.
There was some question about the direction of the franchise following the death of owner Paul Allen in October, but Carroll says he “in great shape,” and is appreciative of how hes been treated by the organization since his arrival.
UFC
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A UFC rematch this weekend between Alex Gustafsson and former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is being moved from Las Vegas to Southern California after doping officials reported that Jones tested positive for low levels of a banned steroid, officials said Monday.
UFC 232 events that had been set for Saturday at T-Mobile Arena will be held at The Forum in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, UFC spokeswoman Lenee Breckenridge said.
Breckenridge did not respond to questions from The Associated Press about the reason for the relocation.
Jones (22-1) beat Gustafsson (18-4) in a tough bout in 2013. Jones hasnt fought since for testing positive for a banned steroid in July 2017.
Nevada State Athletic Commission executive Bob Bennett said Jones was allowed to withdraw his application for a fight license in Nevada after commission Chairman Anthony Marnell III said he wanted to postpone the fight until after a January hearing about Jones recent doping tests.
Crimes of sexual abuse committed by doctor Larry Nassar and the chaos they provoked have been named the Story of the Year in balloting by Associated Press members and editors.
The second- and third-place finishers announced Monday are the Eagles winning their first Super Bowl championship and the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to allow sports gambling to expand beyond Nevada. The stories were selected by AP members and editors. The Nassar saga earned more than double the number of votes than the other finishers.
More than 150 female athletes testified at Nassars sentencing hearing in January 2018 for convictions on child-porn and sex-abuse charges. It marked a turning point in a crisis that has inflicted untold damage.
The testimony gave women in sports — and society in general — a more powerful voice when it comes to exposing abuse that had been swept out of the publics conscience for decades.
NBA
LeBron James is sorry for posting a lyric that referenced “Jewish money.” The Los Angeles Lakers star says he simply got caught up in the music, thought the lyric was a “compliment” and offers “apologies, for sure.”
The lyric comes from the song “ASMR” by rapper 21 Savage. James shared it over the weekend on his Instagram account, which has nearly 46 million followers.
The lyric says, “We been getting that Jewish money, Everything is Kosher.”
James apologized on ESPN — “if I offended anyone.” He says he regularly posts lyrics and listens to “great music” in his car. He adds: “That was the byproduct of it. So I actually thought it was a compliment, and obviously it wasnt through the lens of a lot of people.”
Later the rapper tweeted his own apology.
James posting was highlighted by Darren Rovell of The Action Network, a media company.
BASEBALL
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Free agent right-hander Mike Fiers has agreed to a two-year contract to stay with the Oakland Athletics, who were determined to find an experienced starter this offseason to help lead a young rotation.
And Oakland would like to add another starter, too, realizing it must provide depth given all the injuries last season. Ace Sean Manaea is recovering from shoulder surgery and not expected back until at least the All-Star break. The As announced Fiers deal Monday.
The As acquired Fiers in August from Detroit, and he helped the club reach the playoffs for the first time since 2014. The 33-year-old Fiers went 5-2 with a 3.74 ERA in 10 outings with nine starts after joining Oakland, which lost the AL wild-card game at New York.
Fiers was 12-8 with a 3.56 ERA in 30 starts and 31 overall appearances and 172 innings in 2018.
NFL
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is sticking around through the 2021 season after signing a three-year contract extension.
Carroll was first approached about an extension last week and finished the deal Monday. The contract will take Carroll through his 70th birthday in September 2021.
Carroll is in his ninth season as Seattles coach and clinched his seventh playoff berth with Sundays victory over Kansas City. He is 97-59-1 overall in his tenure and led Seattle to a pair of Super Bowl appearances, winning the franchises only championship after the 2013 season.
There was some question about the direction of the franchise following the death of owner Paul Allen in October, but Carroll says he “in great shape,” and is appreciative of how hes been treated by the organization since his arrival.
UFC
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A UFC rematch this weekend between Alex Gustafsson and former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is being moved from Las Vegas to Southern California after doping officials reported that Jones tested positive for low levels of a banned steroid, officials said Monday.
UFC 232 events that had been set for Saturday at T-Mobile Arena will be held at The Forum in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, UFC spokeswoman Lenee Breckenridge said.
Breckenridge did not respond to questions from The Associated Press about the reason for the relocation.
Jones (22-1) beat Gustafsson (18-4) in a tough bout in 2013. Jones hasnt fought since for testing positive for a banned steroid in July 2017.
Nevada State Athletic Commission executive Bob Bennett said Jones was allowed to withdraw his application for a fight license in Nevada after commission Chairman Anthony Marnell III said he wanted to postpone the fight until after a January hearing about Jones recent doping tests.
