VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS
Broncos’ Miller has coronavirus
UNDATED (AP) — One of the NFL’s top players is being treated for the coronavirus.
Von Miller's agent says the Denver Broncos linebacker has tested positive for the coronavirus and wanted to come forward with his diagnosis to show doubters how serious the disease is. Joby Branion tells The Associated Press that Miller is in good spirits while resting at his home in Denver and that Miller plans to speak publicly about his diagnosis on Friday.
Miller told KUSA-TV in Denver that he developed a cough a couple of days ago. When his nebulizer for his asthma didn't clear things up, he decided to get tested for the coronavirus.
Miller said last week he trained in San Francisco before returning home to Colorado when the stay-at-home measures went into effect to contain the virus.
Miller was recently a unanimous pick to the NFL's All-Decade team of the 2010s.
In other developments related to the coronavirus pandemic:
— The PGA Tour has hopes of a restart to the season at Colonial on June 11-14 and keeping fans away for at least the first month. Tour officials said Thursday that if government and health authorities give golf the green light, the tour will have an official event every week through Dec. 6 except for the week of Thanksgiving.
— The start of the horse racing season at Belmont Park has been postponed indefinitely from the original April 24 date because of the coronavirus. However, the New York Racing Association says it’s committed to holding the Belmont Stakes this year.
— The new CEO of the U.S. Tennis Association says he expects a decision on the status of the 2020 U.S. Open to be made by June. Mike Dowse said in a conference call with reporters Thursday that “time is on our side at this point” because the U.S. Open is not scheduled to begin until late August.
— The International Skating Union has formally canceled its figure skating and short track world championships because of the pandemic. Both events were originally scheduled for last month but had already been postponed in the early days of the worldwide lockdown.
— The NCAA is permitting coaches in all Division I sports to hold up to eight hours per week of virtual meetings and instruction with their players, beginning Monday and lasting through the end of May. Athletes will be required to have at least one day off per week and required physical activities continue to be prohibited.
— Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar says his three players that tested positive for the novel coronavirus are feeling better. Bednar said in a teleconference call the players followed the recommended guidelines and self-isolated.
— Los Angeles Rams center Brian Allen says he tested positive for COVID-19 three weeks ago. Allen is the first active NFL player to acknowledge testing positive during the coronavirus pandemic. He’s not hospitalized and is “feeling good,” according to a statement issued by the team.
— UEFA (yoo-AY’-fuh) is hoping the Champions League final can be played at the end of August in Istanbul, three months after the competition's showpiece was due to be staged. A person familiar with the planning tells The Associated Press the aim is to play the final on Saturday, Aug. 29. However, the person said that date is only feasible if European leagues are able to resume playing around July or August.
— Tokyo Olympic organizers and the International Olympic Committee will try to cut many of the extras out of next year's postponed games. IOC member John Coates says the IOC priority was to direct “several hundreds of millions of dollars" to help struggling international sports federations and national Olympic committees stay afloat.
— An Oakland Athletics minor league manager with COVID-19 has resumed breathing completely on his own for the first time in more than three weeks, according to his fiancee. Nikki Trudeaux says Webster Garrison no longer requires a ventilator but remains weak and unable to speak after having a tube down his throat. Garrison skippered the Class A Stockton Ports last season and is scheduled to manage in the rookie level Arizona League this year.
— Family members say a former amateur boxer who in 1984 became the sport’s first black boxing referee and judge at the Olympic games has died. Carmen Williamson died from COVID-19 complications on April 8 at a hospital in Toledo, Ohio. He was 94.
— Soccer player Norman Hunter, a former Leeds defender who was part of England's World Cup-winning squad in 1966, died today of COVID-19. He was 76. Leeds says Hunter was admitted to the hospital last week.
NFL-NEWS
Browns GM refutes Beckham trade report
UNDATED (AP) — Cleveland Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta has dismissed a report the team is trying to trade star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Minnesota Vikings, saying it’s “completely false.”
DePodesta says he knows Beckham is excited about the possibilities of what this offensive system could bring for him, adding that he’s excited to have Beckham.
Beckham was injured during his first season with the Browns after arriving from the New York Giants in a blockbuster trade 13 months ago.
Also in the NFL:
— The Saints have re-signed reserve running back and special teams regular Dwayne Washington. The four-year NFL veteran out of Washington has spent the past two seasons with New Orleans, carrying 35 times for 214 yards in that span. He also has had five special teams stops, a deflected punt and a blocked punt recovery in 29 games with the Saints.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA-DANIELS
Daniels looking to transfer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California quarterback J.T. Daniels has entered the transfer portal, although head coach Clay Helton says he’d welcome him back if he decides to stay at USC.
Daniels immediately became the Trojans’ starter as a freshman in 2018, passing for 2,672 yards with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions during an inconsistent season. He won the starting job again out of camp last summer but lost it to Kedon Slovis when Daniels injured a knee.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NBA DRAFT
Mahoney leaving Creighton for NBA
UNDATED (AP) — Denzel Mahoney has joined Creighton teammate Ty-Shon Alexander in declaring for the NBA draft.
Mahoney played 21 games for the Bluejays after transferring from Southeast Missouri, averaging 12 points and 3.1 rebounds as a reserve wing.
He can return to Creighton after going through the evaluation process by league executives as long as he doesn't sign with an agent and withdraws from the draft by June 3.
Sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu also announced he is leaving Illinois to enter the draft. Dosunmu was named a first team All-Big Ten selection last year and was fifth in the conference in scoring at 16.6 points, shooting 48.4 percent in the process.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-TRANSFERS
Aaron Cook, Trey Murphy among latest hoops transfers
UNDATED (AP) — College basketball players continue to switch teams through transfer rules.
Gonzaga says Southern Illinois point guard Aaron Cook will be eligible to play for the Bulldogs next season. The 6-foot-2 Cook played in just six games last season before breaking his shooting hand against Murray State. Cook was leading the Salukis with 15 points and 3.3 assists a game when his season was cut short.
Virginia coach Tony Bennett says Trey Murphy III has joined the Cavaliers as a transfer from Rice. The 6-foot-8 Murphy averaged 13.7 points as a sophomore and made 75 3-pointers for the Owls.
Wake Forest has announced that Ian DuBose would play next year as a graduate transfer from Houston Baptist. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 19 points to lead the Southland Conference last season while also becoming that league’s men’s basketball student-athlete of the year with a 3.84 GPA.
UConn has added guard Tyrese Martin, a transfer from Rhode Island. The 6-foot-6 rising junior started all 30 games for the Rams last season, averaging 12.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
Jamarius Burton has signed with Texas Tech after starting 52 games the past two seasons at Wichita State. Burton averaged 10.3 points and 3.4 assists per game as a sophomore for the Shockers last season.
East Tennessee has added guard Jalen Johnson as a graduate transfer from Tennessee. Johnson started two of 31 games he played for the Vols last season, averaging 3.5 points and two rebounds.
NHL-BLUES-SCANDELLA
Blues extend Scandella
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues have worked out a four-year extension with newly-acquired defenseman Marco Scandella.
The deal is worth $13.1 million and has an annual salary-cap hit of $3.275 million through the 2023-24 season. Scandella played 11 games with St. Louis and recorded one assist after coming over from Montreal in February before the trade deadline.