AP National Sports

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The Saints don’t want the NFL’s renewed emphasis on punishing unsportsmanlike behavior to squelch C.J. Gardner-Johnson, their ultra-competitive and trash talking defensive back. They only hope Gardner-Johnson can continue to ruffle opposing receivers without drawing flags. A crew of NFL officials has been visiting Saints

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets rookie wide receiver Elijah Moore has a quadriceps injury and is expected to have an MRI. Coach Robert Saleh depending on how the tests come back, Moore could miss the team’s preseason opener Saturday night against the Giants. Moore

LONDON (AP) — British 4×100-meter relay silver medalist Chijindu Ujah has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit for an alleged doping violation at the Tokyo Olympics. The AIU announced Thursday that the doping control laboratory in Tokyo had notified the International Testing Agency of an “adverse analytical finding” in Ujah’s doping sample. Ujah’s

By ANDREW SELIGMAN AP Sports Writer CHICAGO (AP) — Right-hander Jake Arrieta has been released by the Chicago Cubs. Arrieta won a Cy Young Award and helped the Cubs capture a drought-busting World Series championship in his first stint with the club. But he struggled in his second go-round. Arrieta was 5-11 with a 6.88

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer Away from the Premier League’s title favorites stands a collection of outsiders looking to push into European contention or solidify themselves as established members in the world’s richest league. They face plenty of questions. Is the marriage of Everton and its newly appointed manager Rafa Benitez heading for a

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer Romelu Lukaku has sealed a return to Chelsea by moving from Inter Milan for a reported $135 million. It is a record transfer fee for the European champions. The Belgium striker is back at the London club where he spent three seasons from 2011 though he was out on

By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — Former Mexican national team player Gonzalo Pineda has been hired as head coach of Atlanta United. His task will be to stabilize a team that’s seen plenty of turnover at the coaching position. But his debut with Atlanta will be delayed because he tested positive for

MONTREAL (AP) — Bianca Andreescu tumbled out of the National Bank Open on Thursday night, hours after fellow Canadian Rebecca Marino’s surprising run ended. Ons Jabeur of Tunisia beat the second-seeded Andreescu 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1 in a match interrupted by rain for about an hour in the second set. The 13th-seeded Jabeur will face

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with first-round draft pick Brennan Othmann on an entry-level contract. Rangers general manager Chris Drury announced the agreement with the Canadian forward without releasing details. Othmann skated in 34 games in the Swiss League this past season, collecting seven goals and nine assists

PARIS (AP) — Negotiations on Lionel Messi’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain took just a few days. Expect a longer wait for his debut. The 34-year-old Argentina star had just returned from vacation when Barcelona announced it couldn’t afford to keep him, opening the door for PSG. Messi is now under contract for at least two

By JOHN COON Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Utah Utes have entered camp undecided on who will be the starting quarterback for the second straight year. The competition to lead the offense has turned into a two-man race between Baylor transfer Charlie Brewer and redshirt sophomore Cameron Rising. No discernible gap exists

By NOAH TRISTER AP Baseball Writer BALTIMORE (AP) — Baltimore Orioles slugger Chris Davis has announced his retirement. Davis ends a career in which he became one of baseball’s most prodigious home run hitters before his production declined amid injury problems. Davis led the majors in home runs with 53 in 2013 and 47 in

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — The majority of Spanish league clubs have approved a deal with an investment fund worth up to 2.7 billion euros ($3.2 billion), despite opposition from Real Madrid and Barcelona. The league says 38 of the 42 clubs from the first and second divisions in Spain voted

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese mayor has apologized for biting the Olympic gold medal of a softball player who had paid a courtesy visit after Japan beat the United States in the final. Nagoya mayor Takashi Kawamura had praised pitcher Miu Goto during the Aug. 4 visit, but his eyes

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A key medical adviser to Japan’s prime minister says surging infections in the Tokyo area are severely affecting medical systems, and he is urging the government to take stricter measures to drastically reduce people’s activity. The Japanese capital has been reporting record numbers of new infections, with

By CIARÁN FAHEY AP Sports Writer BERLIN (AP) — The new Bundesliga season begins with Bayern Munich the favorite to win yet another title. Bayern begins its bid for a record-extending 10th consecutive German championship at Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday. The defending champion has a new coach in Julian Nagelsmann. Nagelsmann turned Leipzig into Bayern’s

NORWICH, England (AP) — English Premier League club Norwich has signed Greece winger Christos Tzolis to a five-year contract. The 19-year-old Tzolis arrives from Greek club PAOK for an undisclosed fee. He recorded 16 goals and 10 assists in 46 appearances last season for the Thessaloniki-based club. Canaries manager Daniel Farke says “some of the

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer The NCAA infractions committee decided against punishing Baylor for its mishandling of sexual assault allegations against athletes for a simple reason: Its rules don’t allow it. It was a jarring decision, even for members of the committee. The infractions committee says the question was whether athletes were given an

By CHRIS TALBOTT Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — Luis Torrens hit a ninth-inning single to score the winning run, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 2-1. It was the Mariners’ major league-leading 38th one-run game, 24 of them wins. Seattle rookie Jarred Kelenic drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game 1-all in

By MICHAEL WAGAMAN Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kevin Gausman singled twice and pitched five uneven innings in his first start following the birth of his daughter, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-2. Buster Posey had two hits, including his 15th home run. LaMonte Wade Jr., Brandon Crawford and Alex