INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Speculation already has begun concerning quarterback Peyton Manning after the four-time MVP was released by the Indianapolis Colts yesterday. Manning says he wants to play this season following a series of neck surgeries that forced him to miss all of 2011. Arizona, Miami, Seattle, Tennessee, Washington and the New York Jets all have been rumored as possible destinations.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The NFL Players Association will conduct its own investigation of the New Orleans Saints' bounty system and has asked the league to help set up interviews with the team's coaches and front-office staff. The union issued a statement today vowing to "vigorously protect the rights of all players." Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has admitted to running a bounty pool of up to $50,000 over the past three seasons, rewarding players for knocking targeted opponents out of games.
UNDATED (AP) - The NCAA men's basketball tournament will include Montana, Lehigh and LIU-Brooklyn after they won their conference tourneys yesterday. Montana downed Weber (WEE'-bur) State 85-66 to win the Big Sky tournament, Lehigh knocked off Bucknell 82-77 in the Patriot League title game and LIU took the Northeast Conference crown by beating Robert Morris 90-73.
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) - Yu Darvish struck out three in two scoreless innings and made a run-saving play in his spring training debut during the Texas Rangers' 6-2 win over a split squad of San Diego Padres. Pitching exclusively out of the stretch, Darvish threw 36 pitches, 26 for strikes and allowed two hits, both doubles. The Rangers spent more than $107 million this winter to land the 6-foot-5 right-hander who was a dominant pitcher for seven years in Japan.
NEW YORK (AP) - Temple is about to become a full-fledged member of the Big East Conference, putting its football program in the league this year and all other sports in 2013. The Owls' football team was pushed out of the conference in 2004 and was a member of the Mid-American Conference last season. The rest of the school's athletic programs were in the Atlantic 10, which will receive an exit fee of $1 million while the Mid-American Conference will get $6 million for Temple's departure.
