Giants, Redskins make picks in NFL’s supplemental draft
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Giants have spent a 2019 third-round draft pick on Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal, and Washington has selected Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander in the sixth round Wednesday.
New York will surrender its third-round pick in next April’s draft in Nashville, while the Redskins give up a sixth-rounder.
Both players were ruled academically ineligible for the upcoming college football season and entered the supplemental draft.
Not selected were Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant, Grand Valley State running back Martayveus Carter and Oregon State linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu.
Beal’s strength is in man coverage, featuring agility and good hands; some scouts projected him as a higher prospect than a third-rounder in the next draft. The Giants need depth in their secondary.
Alexander has good size at 6-foot-3, 196 pounds and is physical. He does his best work against passes in front of him and isn’t shy about defending the run.
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Sagan wins hilly Tour stage as Froome avoids trouble
QUIMPER, France (AP) — Peter Sagan had the yellow jersey holder to thank for his victory on Stage 5 of the Tour de France on Wednesday.
Chris Froome could also thank his Team Sky colleagues for keeping him out of danger — and helping overcome a mechanical problem — in the race’s first hilly stage.
Greg Van Avermaet mistimed his sprint and Sagan, the three-time reigning world champion with the Bora-Hansgrohe team, took advantage to claim his second victory in this year’s event.
“I don’t know if he did it on purpose or if he wanted to drop everybody but I have to say thanks,” Sagan said.
Van Avermaet still increased his overall lead over BMC teammate Tejay van Garderen to two seconds by gaining precious time in an intermediate bonus sprint.
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U of Oregon runs through design tweaks for new Hayward Field
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The University of Oregon has announced changes to the design of the new Hayward Field, as well as a new name for the defining nine-story tower that will overlook the venue.
On the stadium’s north side, the concrete bowl for lower-level seats that previously wrapped around the full field will be brought down to ground level, The Register-Guard reported Wednesday. The move eliminates 400 permanent seats, leaving the new capacity at 12,500, but it will replicate some of the open feel of the old stadium that was recently demolished.
The change also means people walking outside will be able to see into the venue. For big events, temporary seating will be installed in the open section, expanding the stadium’s capacity to 30,000, as required for the 2021 World Track & Field Championships.
Meanwhile, the large tower overlooking the field will be relocated to the east-side stands. It will now be called the Oregon Tower because sons of legendary track coach Bill Bowerman — critics of the stadium design — objected to it being named after him.
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Sexism tops racism as a World Cup fan problem in Russia
MOSCOW (AP) — Sexism has been a bigger problem than racism at the World Cup in Russia, according to anti-discrimination experts advising FIFA.
Fans harassing female broadcasters while they worked are among about 30 cases of “sexism on the streets” reported to FIFA by the Fare network.
Analyzing the World Cup’s issues at a briefing Wednesday, the head of FIFA’s diversity program also acknowledged wanting fewer images of attractive women in stadiums to be shown on future broadcasts. Federico Addiechi said FIFA plans to talk with national broadcasters and its own TV production team about the issue.
Racism was predicted to be the main World Cup problem because of longstanding issues in Russian soccer and other European fan bases.
“There haven’t been a great deal of incidents of the type we expected,” Fare director Piara Powar said, praising Russian people who “played a magnificent role making people feel welcome.”
Instead, soccer’s treatment of female media workers and fans provoked debate.
Powar said about half of those reported incidents involved female broadcasters being “accosted while on air.” He estimated up to 10 times more unreported cases where Russian women were targeted.
“If you come to this tournament with prejudices, and don’t like people from a different nationality, then generally you’re in the wrong place,” he said.
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NFL player Pacman Jones attacked by employee at airport
ATLANTA (AP) — Police say former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones was attacked during a run-in with a facility-service employee at the airport in Atlanta.
Atlanta Police spokesman Jarius Daugherty says Jones confronted ABM Industries employee Frank Ragin after Ragin made a “gesture” toward the football player Tuesday night at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Police say words were exchanged before Ragin struck Jones with a closed fist, causing a cut to Jones’ face.
Cellphone video footage shows that Jones and Ragin traded several punches with each other. Jones ultimately knocked Ragin down to the ground with a punch to the face then hit the employee one more time before a man broke up the fight.
Daugherty says that at some point during the fight, Ragin ended up hitting a woman who was with Jones, injuring her hand. He says Ragin was the aggressor and Jones defended himself.
Jones and his friend declined medical treatment.
