Lochte issues apology, blames ‘language barrier’

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — U.S Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte has apologized for his behavior surrounding a late-night incident at a Rio de Janeiro gas station, saying he should have been more “careful and candid” about how he described what happened. Lochte said in a lengthy post on Instagram Friday that he was apologizing for his role in taking the focus away from other Olympic athletes. “This was a situation that could and should have been avoided,” Lochte said. “I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons.” The 12-time gold medalist reiterated his view that a stranger pointed a gun at him and demanded money to let him leave. Lochte had called it a robbery; Brazilian

Sources: Alan Branch Informs Patriots Teammates He’s Been Suspended

Sources: Alan Branch Informs Patriots Teammates He’s Been Suspended

FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots defensive tackle Alan Branch notified teammates he’s been suspended, sources informed of the situation told NESN.com. The cause and length of the suspension are currently unknown. Branch played 16 games, starting 15, in 2015 with the Patriots. He recorded 35 tackles, one sack, three defended passes and two forced fumbles. Branch was acquired by the Patriots midway through the 2014 season. He played eight games in 2014, starting two. Branch, 31, was selected in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and 2013 with... NESN.com

LeBron says he wishes he was with US team in Rio

LeBron James misses the Olympic stage. The Cleveland superstar, who decided to skip his fourth Olympics after leading the Cavaliers to an NBA title in June, said in an interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols that he’s keeping an eye on his teammates at the Rio Games. “Every time I watch ’em I wish I was out there,” James said in the interview, which will air Thursday. “I did not retire from Team USA. I just did not play this summer. So I still left the door open.” James joined USA Basketball for the 2004 games in Athens, where the Americans lost their opener to Puerto Rico, dropped two more games and settled for bronze. He returned on the 2008 Redeem Team and won

Klay Thompson leads U.S. hoops to 100-97 win over France

By Brian Mahoney AP Basketball Writer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Three wins from gold, and still no reason to think it will be easy for the U.S. men’s basketball team. Klay Thompson ended an Olympic-long slump with seven 3-pointers and 30 points, and the Americans needed almost all of them to hold off France 100-97 on Sunday. The U.S. won its 50th straight tournament game, but the last three have been nothing like most of the previous 47. Winning by three for the second consecutive game, the U.S. improved to 5-0 and clinched first place in Group A. The Americans open quarterfinal play Wednesday, still the favorite but looking as beatable as ever under Mike Krzyzewski. Their opponents couldn’t be determined until the completion of

Simone Biles wins gold on the vault

By Will Graves AP Sports Writer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Simone Biles spent Sunday morning in the warm-up gym thinking not of history but perfection. When it didn’t happen — and really, it never does in gymnastics anymore — the 19-year-old star settled for a pretty sweet consolation prize: a third gold medal in Rio. Twisting and flipping through the air with explosive precision, Biles easily captured gold in the women’s vault final on Sunday. Her two-vault average of 15.966 was more than .7 better than silver medalist Maria Paseka of Russia and bronze medalist Giulia Steingruber of Switzerland. The margin between first and second was greater than second and eighth, a symbol of the canyon Biles created between herself and her peers. Biles’

Kevin Faulk Breaks News On Former Teammates Tom Brady Might Practice With

Share this: Tom Brady is on the practice field for training camp, but he won’t be wearing a New England Patriots jersey for the first four games if the 2016 season due to his Deflategate suspension. But don’t expect TB12 to just take that month off. He likely will do plenty of practicing during that time, and former running back Kevin Faulk, who will be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame on Tuesday, knows two of his potential practice partners. Hear what Faulk had to say in the video from “NESN Sports Today” above. Thumbnail photo via Stew Milne/USA TODAY Sports Images More Stories Source link

Report: Greg Hardy’s ‘Constant Tardiness’ Annoyed Teammates By End Of Season

Greg Hardy’s first season with the Dallas Cowboys could ultimately be his last, as his production didn’t necessarily make up for reported issues. Hardy signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys last March, and while he showed signs of being an impact player after serving a four-game suspension to start the year, there were issues both reported and otherwise throughout the season. The Cowboys missed the playoffs, and Hardy is now a free agent, and a SportsDay report lays out a few reasons why the Cowboys might not commit long term to Hardy. According to SportsDay’s Brandon George, Hardy was a “constant headache” for Dallas head coach J...