Chad Johnson faces

probation violation

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Former NFL player Chad Johnson could get jail time for a probation violation stemming from an altercation with his then-wife.

A hearing was set Monday morning in Broward County court for the six-time Pro Bowl receiver. Johnson was arrested in May after failing to meet with his probation officer. He insisted it was a misunderstanding and not intentional.

Prosecutors indicated they wanted jail time for Johnson. It’s up to a judge to decide.

The 35-year-old formerly known as Chad Ochocinco pleaded no contest to head-butting TV reality star Evelyn Lozada during an argument in August. The “Basketball Wives” star immediately filed for divorce after barely a month of marriage.

Johnson was released by the Miami Dolphins shortly after. He also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots.

 

 

Ex-NBA star charged

with homicide

JONESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Former NBA All-Star Daron “Mookie” Blaylock has been charged with vehicular homicide arising from a head-on crash in suburban Atlanta, authorities announced Monday.

Blaylock, 46, is also charged with driving on a suspended license and failure to maintain his lane in the Friday crash, Jonesboro Police Chief Franklin Allen said.

Blaylock was driving an SUV that crossed the center line of Tara Boulevard — about 20 miles south of downtown Atlanta — and struck a van, police said. A van passenger, 43-year-old Monica Murphy, died hours later. Her husband, who was also in the van, was treated and released at a hospital.

Blaylock was also wanted in Spalding County on charges of failure to appear in court, DUI and drug possession, Allen said.

Atlanta Medical Center spokeswoman Nicole Gustin said Blaylock was in fair condition Monday. He initially was on life support at the hospital, but his condition was upgraded.

 

 

Kidd retiring after

19 seasons in NBA

NEW YORK (AP) — Jason Kidd retired Monday from the NBA after 19 seasons, ending one of the greatest careers for a point guard in league history.

Kidd won an NBA title and two Olympic gold medals, is second on the career list in assists and steals, and was a 10-time All-Star. But he struggled badly in the playoffs for the Knicks shortly after turning 40 and decided to walk away with two years and more than $6 million left on the deal he signed last summer.

His retirement comes two days after fellow 40-year-old Grant Hill, with whom Kidd shared Rookie of the Year honors in 1995, announced his retirement.

Kidd went on from there to have big impacts on every team he joined. He led the longtime-losing Nets to two NBA Finals in 2002-03, helped the Dallas Mavericks win the 2011 title, and was on the first Knicks team to reach the second round of the playoffs since 2000.

He averaged 12.6 points, 8.7 assists, 6.3 rebounds and 1.93 steals in a career that also included a stop in Phoenix. Kidd ranked third on the career list with 107 triple-doubles while finishing third all-time in 3-pointers.

 

 

Ex-Bills’ QB Kelly

has cancer in jaw

BATAVIA, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly says he has been diagnosed with cancer in his upper jaw bone and will have surgery on June 7.

Kelly is suffering from squamous cell carcinoma, but he has recently undergone tests to show that the cancer is isolated in his jaw and has not spread to other parts of his body.

“The past couple of weeks have been difficult for me,” Kelly says. “Because of the nature of social media, I thought it would be best to share with everyone what has been going on with my health.”

The announcement was made Monday morning, just before the start of the quarterback’s Kelly For Kids charitable foundation’s annual celebrity golf tournament.

“Doctors have told me that my prognosis for recovery is very good,” he says.

 

 

Former MLB player

facing abuse charge

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Milton Bradley has been convicted of abusing his estranged wife.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney’s office says Bradley was convicted Monday of nine misdemeanor counts, including assault with a deadly weapon and spousal battery. Hey faces up to 7 1/2 years in jail at his sentencing scheduled for July 2.

Prosecutors say Bradley threatened and attacked his wife five times in 2011 and 2012.

Authorities say Bradley pushed his wife against a wall and choked her after she asked him to stop smoking marijuana in front of their two children and wanted his friends to leave their home.

 

 

Big Ten adds lacrosse,

Johns Hopkins’ team

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — The Big Ten is adding lacrosse as a sport in 2015 and welcoming powerhouse Johns Hopkins as an affiliate member for men’s lacrosse only, two moves that could further boost the profile of conference in the East.

The addition of men’s and women’s lacrosse will increase the number of league sports to 28. Lacrosse has a strong following in much of the East and mid-Atlantic regions.

Both the men’s and women’s lacrosse leagues will include Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Rutgers. Maryland and Rutgers officially join the conference starting in 2014.

Six teams are required to hold a conference championship, so adding Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins as an affiliate member brings the Big Ten to the minimum number for men’s lacrosse. The sixth team on the women’s side will be current Big Ten member Northwestern

 

Big Ten confirms deal with Pinstripe Bowl

NEW YORK (AP) — The Big Ten and the Pinstripe Bowl have agreed to an 8-year deal that the conference hopes will help claim New York as its territory.

Commissioner Jim Delany is at Yankee Stadium for the announcement of the deal with the three-year-old bowl game that will begin in 2014. He appeared at a news conference with Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and team president Randy Levine.

The Big Ten will take the Big 12’s place in the game. It was a natural addition to the Big Ten’s bowl lineup after the league invited Rutgers, located in nearby Piscataway, N.J., and Maryland. Those schools will join the Big Ten in 2014.

The Pinstripe Bowl has been matching the Big East against the Big 12 since it started in 2010.

 

OVC changes fees

to join, leave league

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (AP) — Schools wanting to join the Ohio Valley Conference will have to pay new entrance fees, while members wanting to leave face new exit fees.

The Ohio Valley Conference announced the changes Monday after wrapping up its annual spring meetings last Friday.

Commissioner Beth DeBauche said the changes were made thinking of the future.

Joining the OVC now will cost a lump sum of $150,000 for a Division II university or $100,000 for a Division I school, a jump from only having to pay the admission expenses.

Leaving with two years’ notice will cost $500,000 plus forfeiting year-end and basketball revenue distributions for two years. Previously, schools forfeited their share of the league’s distributions. The fee for bolting with less than two years’ notice had been $200,000, and now will cost $750,000 plus forfeiting distributed money.