AP National Sports

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The injury bug has bitten running back Christian McCaffrey again. Panthers coach Matt Rhule said Friday that the 2019 All-Pro running back is expected to miss “a few weeks” with a strained hamstring. Rhule said the injury could sideline him up to four weeks, but

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a massage therapist to three prison terms of 25 years to life for several sex crimes against five people. They include a child and three female soccer players at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Douglas County Judge Sally Pokorny sentenced 50-year-old Shawn P. O’Brien on Friday

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark strained his hamstring and cornerback Charvarius Ward strained his quad in practice this week, leaving the status of both in doubt for their game against the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend. Clark missed most of training camp, all three

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls say forward Patrick Williams has a severe left ankle sprain that could cause him to miss the start of the season. The Bulls expect Williams to miss four to six weeks because of the injury sustained Sept. 15 during an optional individual workout. Chicago opens the season at Detroit

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nick Diaz is a 38-year-old mixed martial artist who hasn’t competed in nearly seven years and hasn’t won a fight in a decade. He is also the biggest star on the card and the most compelling reason to watch UFC 266. The charismatic MMA icon

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays rookie Wander Franco has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list after missing two weeks with a right hamstring injury. The AL East-leading Rays clinched a postseason spot on Thursday. Franco extended his on-base streak to 39 games, then exited in the first inning against Detroit on

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) — Youth is being served for this U.S. team in the Ryder Cup. The Americans brought their youngest team ever to Whistling Straits and left with their largest lead against Europe after the opening day. Dustin Johnson won both his matches. So did Xander Schauffele, one

OBERSTDORF, Germany (AP) — Vincent Zhou won the Nebelhorn Trophy men’s competition, which secured a third entry in the Beijing Olympics figure skating competition for the United States. Nebelhorn Trophy is the final qualifying competition for the Olympics next February.  Zhou entered the free skate in first place after winning the short program. The 2019

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Romain Grosjean will move to Andretti Autosport next season and drive the full 17-race schedule, including the Indianapolis 500. The Frenchman has fallen in love with IndyCar since moving to the series this season from Formula One. He has three podiums this year

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Odell Beckham Jr. has been cleared for takeoff. The star Browns wide receiver made it full through a full week of practice without any issues with his reconstructed knee and coach Kevin Stefanski says Beckham will make his return Sunday against the Chicago Bears. Beckham

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — The troubles for Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman keep piling up. Koeman has received a two-match ban for complaining at the end of Barcelona’s 0-0 draw at Cádiz in the Spanish league on Thursday. The result extended Barcelona’s winless streak to three matches and increased the pressure

By DAN GREENSPAN Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Linebacker Drake Jackson’s season got off to a slow start as he failed to record a sack in the first two games of what he has said will be his final season at Southern California before declaring for the NFL draft. But a strip-sack that was

By The Associated Press The late Bum Phillips, a Texas coaching legend who worked wearing a cowboy hat, is being honored by the team he led to two AFC championship game appearances. In Tennessee, a quarter-century after the franchise left Texas for Music City. The franchise now known as the Tennessee Titans will be inducting

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) — Sergio Garcia blew a kiss to the crowd. Jon Rahm couldn’t stop smiling. It was all part of a high-fiving, back-slapping, magic-filled morning for the Ryder Cup’s latest iteration of the Spanish Armada. Oh, how easy it is to find great chemistry when all those

SHEYBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) — It didn’t take long for Whistling Straits to produce a signature shot in the Ryder Cup. Unfortunately for Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, it didn’t help them in a 3-up loss to Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia. Spieth’s shot from a near vertical slope just off the 17th green not only

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons will be without receiver Russell Gage and cornerback A.J. Terrell for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. Coach Arthur Smith ruled out both players, along with rookie receiver Frank Darby. Terrell is recovering from a concussion. Gage has an ankle injury. Darby is sidelined with a

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — The IndyCar Series speeds into its season finale at Sunday riding a myriad of gains that have America’s top open-wheel series feeling confident about its future. IndyCar will crown a new champion at the Grand Prix of Long Beach and it will be

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Manu Ginobili is back with the San Antonio Spurs, with the club announcing his hiring as a special advisor to the team’s basketball operations. Ginobili spent the entirety of his 16-year NBA career with the Spurs, helping them win four championships. He was a two-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection and

By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer PITTSBURGH (AP) — Veteran NHL forward Brian Boyle is hoping to give his career a kick start with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Boyle sat out the 2020-21 season after no team offered him a contract. Boyle stayed in shape and played well on the U.S. national team that won bronze

By KEN MAGUIRE AP Sports Writer VENICE, Italy (AP) — Italian soccer team Venezia is back in the top division for the first time since 2002. And it has tapped Major League Soccer to recruit young Americans in its bid to stay afloat in Serie A. Nineteen-year-old Gianluca Busio arrived in Venice from Sporting Kansas