NFL-NEWS
Cowboys land Dalton...Bears pass on Trubisky option
UNDATED (AP) — One veteran NFL quarterback has found a new team, while another appears to have worn out his welcome.
Two people with knowledge of the situation tell The Associated Press the Dallas Cowboys have signed Andy Dalton to a one-year deal, two days after he was released by the Bengals. The contract guarantees the former Cincinnati starter $3 million and could be worth up to $7 million, although he is expected to serve as Dak Prescott’s backup.
The Houston native led TCU to an undefeated season that included a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin during the 2010 campaign. He led the Bengals to five playoff berths in his nine seasons with the team but was never able to win a playoff game.
Dalton owns most of Cincinnati’s passing records and started 13 games for the Bengals last season.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears are indicating they are running out of patience with Mitchell Trubisky.
A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press the Bears have declined their fifth-year option on the quarterback for the 2021 season.
The move is hardly a surprise considering the way Trubisky struggled in his third season since the Bears drafted him with the No. 2 overall pick. His 2019 statistics sagged across the board from the previous season as he finished with 3,138 yards passing, a 63.2% completion rate, 17 touchdowns and an 83 quarterback rating.
General manager Ryan Pace largely staked his reputation to Trubisky when he traded up a spot with San Francisco to draft him ahead of Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes and Houston's Deshaun Watson.
The Bears acquired 2018 Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles from Jacksonville in March and plan to hold an open competition for the starting job.
In other NFL news:
— The Chiefs have agreed to a contract with defensive end Taco Charlton, the 28th overall pick in the 2017 draft. Charlton flamed out in Dallas and Miami, but his athleticism is a perfect match for coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's defense. The 25-year-old made seven starts for the Cowboys before sustaining a shoulder injury. He was waived just two weeks into last season and was let go by the Dolphins on Thursday.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS
Secretariat wins Kentucky Derby...again
UNDATED (AP) — Secretariat has won a virtual Kentucky Derby against 12 fellow Triple Crown winners, 47 years after the chestnut colt won the real race at Churchill Downs.
Secretariat was the 7-2 favorite, although there was no wagering. Instead, fans selecting the winning horse online were entered to win a VIP experience at the Derby this fall.
Saturday’s 1 1/4-mile race featured computer-generated imagery and was held the same day the 146th Derby had been scheduled until it was postponed by the coronavirus pandemic. The Derby has been re-set for Sept. 5.
In other developments related to the coronavirus pandemic:
— Brighton has become the first English Premier League club to publicly oppose plans to try to restart the season in neutral stadiums during the coronavirus pandemic. Brighton chief executive Paul Barber says the league’s integrity would be damaged if teams couldn’t play at home. The Premier League sees using only up to half of the 20 stadiums as the most viable way of completing the season, which was suspended almost two months ago. West Ham vice chair Karren Brady says “no one wants” neutral stadiums but government and the Sports Grounds Safety Authority would have to approve the locations of games.
— Cologne's players are continuing to train despite three positive tests for coronavirus that have unsettled the German soccer league's restart plans. The squad is currently training in small groups. Players and staff around the league began giving samples Thursday as part of a testing process designed to enable teams to return to full training and then to games later this month. Cologne said Friday that three people had tested positive but didn't name them or say whether they were players.
— Scott McLaughlin has won his second IndyCar iRace in a wild finish that saw most of the leaders crash as they rushed toward the checkered flag. Formula One driver Lando Norris was headed for what appeared a 1-2-3 podium sweep for the Arrow McLaren SP entries on the final lap. But Norris ran into the back of Simon Pagenaud and the defending Indy 500 champion, to take himself out of contention. Conor Daly finished second and was followed by Santino Ferrucci, who figured there would be a lot of angry drivers after the 175-mile race.
— Formula One hopes to finally start the season with a double-header in the naturally isolated environment around the venue for the Austrian Grand Prix. Despite the first 10 races having been canceled or postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, the targeted start date is July 5 in Austria. F1 still hopes to hold 15 to 18 of the 22 scheduled Grand Prix races. One way to make up for lost time would be to have consecutive weekends on one circuit, like the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. Its location in the mountains makes it naturally isolated.
— The NCAA’s chief medical officer says widespread testing for coronavirus will be crucial to having college sports in the fall, especially contact sports such as football and basketball. Dr. Brian Hainline expressed cautious optimism in an interview with The Associated Press. The NCAA unveiled a three-phase recommended plan for getting sports up and running on campuses this fall. They all depend on schools having students back on campus.
— Cycling’s European Road Championships have been postponed until next year amid the coronavirus pandemic. The championships were scheduled to take place Sept. 9-13 in Trentino, Italy, but the European Cycling Union says the “uncertainty of the current health crisis” means there are not enough guarantees “for organizing an event of such magnitude.” The championship will move to either Sept. 1-5 or 8-12 in 2021. The International Cycling Union is expected to announce which dates when it publishes next year’s calendar in the coming months.
HORSE RACING-ARKANSAS DERBY
Charlatan takes first division of Arkansas Derby
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP)— Charlatan romped in the first division of the Arkansas Derby, outlasting Basin and Gouverneur Morris.
Nadal won the second division, giving Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a sweep of the two events.
Charlatan led all the way in a race pushed back three weeks to help fill a void when the Kentucky Derby was postponed until September due to the coronavirus pandemic. Twenty-one 3-year-olds ran in two divisions of the Derby at Oaklawn, each worth $500,000.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-BORDER WAR
Kansas, Missouri renew Border War with 4-game football set
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas and Missouri are resuming their bitter Border War in football.
The former Big 12 rivals have agreed to a four-game series in which each school will play two home games beginning in September 2025.
The fourth-longest rivalry in college football dates to 1891, but it has been on hiatus since Missouri departed for the Southeastern Conference. The schools recently announced a six-game series in men's basketball beginning with the upcoming season that includes two games on each campus and two in Kansas City, Missouri.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-UCLA-HILL
UCLA's Jalen Hill withdraws name from NBA draft
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jalen Hill is staying at UCLA for his redshirt junior season. A team spokesman says Hill has withdrawn his name from the NBA draft.
Hill started 25 of 30 games for the Bruins under first-year coach Mick Cronin last season, averaging 9 points and a team-leading 6.9 rebounds.