AP Sports Summary for Friday, August 16th, 2024:
Mauricio Pochettino negotiating to succeed Gregg Berhalter as U.S. soccer coach, AP source says
A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. Soccer Federation are working toward a deal for him to be the men's national team coach. Pochettino formerly coached Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. The person says Pochettino has agreed to become the U.S. coach but no final deal has been reached. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal wasn't complete. Pochettino is a 52-year-old from Argentina. He would succeed Gregg Berhalter, less than 22 months before the Americans host the 2026 World Cup. The USSF declined to comment.
Harbaugh says Kaepernick will not be a player or coach with the Chargers this season
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — If Colin Kaepernick wants to join the Los Angeles Chargers, it will not be until next year at the earliest. And it will only be as an assistant coach according to coach Jim Harbaugh. "I love Colin, but he's not going to be on the coaching staff, which is set for this year. And he's not going to be playing on the roster either," Harbaugh said after Thursday's practice. Harbaugh told USA Today Sports earlier this week that he reached out to Kaepernick about joining his Chargers' staff shortly after being named coach on Jan. 24. Kaepernick, who turns 37 on Nov. 3, still has hopes of returning to the playing field, despite not playing since 2016. He told Britain's "Sky Sports News" during the recent Paris Olympics that he is still training.
Weston Wilson becomes 1st Phillies rookie to hit for cycle
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Weston Wilson became the first rookie in franchise history to hit for the cycle. He became the ninth Phillies player to ever hit for the cycle, Wilson tripled and singled in the fourth; homered in the seventh and, then — with fans chanting "Double! Double!" — doubled to right in the eighth, with Alex Call failing on a diving attempt. Wilson had the 10th cycle in Phillies history — Chuck Klein did it twice — and he was the first home player to accomplish the feat at Citizens Bank Park since David Bell in 2004.
NBA schedule released. Among highlights: Celtics-Knicks on ring night, Durant going back to school
Boston will get its championship rings on Oct. 22, and the rival New York Knicks will be there for the celebration. The NBA schedule was released Thursday for the coming season, and Game 1 on the slate is the Celtics hosting the Knicks on opening night. The league released 1,200 of the 1,230 games on the schedule Thursday. The other 30 will be slotted in December, depending on how teams fare during the NBA Cup. Some were previously known, such as Miami and Washington playing in Mexico City on Nov. 2 and the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers playing a home-and-home in Paris on Jan. 23 and Jan. 25.
Kirk makes an ace and leads St. Jude. Matsuyama right behind with new caddie and no coach
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Chris Kirk is in the lead at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele are in the mix as they have been all year. The surprise at the start of the PGA Tour postseason might have been Hideki Matsuyama. He's been through a lot the last week. He lost his wallet in London last week when someone snatched his bag. He also lost his caddie and coach for the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Their passports were in the stolen bag and they had to go back to Japan. All that and Matsuyama still shot 65.
Is freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith the next big thing for No. 2 Ohio State?
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jeremiah Smith might be the next big thing for No. 2 Ohio State. The pass-catching prodigy from Miami Gardens, Florida, was the country's top-rated high school recruit when he signed with Ohio State in December and enrolled early amid a frenzy of hype. Since then, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Smith has shown flashes of being what everybody expects he'll be for the No. 2 Buckeyes. He's impressed coaches and teammates with his work ethic, route-running and acrobatic catches as he goes against the Buckeyes' experienced defensive backs in preseason practice. Smith is a cousin of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith.
Notre Dame suspends men's swim team for one year after review finds NCAA gambling violations
Notre Dame has suspended its men's swimming program for at least one year after an external review found members of the team violated NCAA rules by wagering among themselves on results of their competitions. The review also found that team members failed to "treat one another with dignity and respect." Athletic director Pete Bevacqua said in a statement Thursday that not all team members participated in the poor conduct and that coach Chris Lindauer and his staff fully cooperated with the review. Members of the team will be permitted to transfer, though NCAA sanctions would follow those found to have broken rules against gambling.
Torrid NL West is baseball's hottest division race with Dodgers, Padres and Diamondbacks
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks are in the midst of a stretch that most big-league clubs can only dream about, winners of six straight games, 20 of 25 since the All-Star break and 30 of 40 since late June. They're fitting in quite well in the NL West, which is home to three of the game's hottest teams. As pennant races around baseball heat up, the one out west looks like the best. San Diego has a 19-4 record since the All-Star break and Arizona is 20-5. The Dodgers aren't playing poorly at all with a 15-9 record, but they're struggling to hold their division lead.
American rider Sepp Kuss takes on leading role as he begins title defense in Spanish Vuelta
MADRID (AP) — This time the spotlight will be on Sepp Kuss from the start as he tries to retain his title in the Spanish Vuelta. Kuss won last year's race over Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard, who then were the top riders for Team Visma-Lease a Bike. Roglic has now switched to Team Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe while Vingegaard has skipped the Vuelta to rest and prepare for the birth of his child. Kuss arrives in good form to repeat as champion, having won the Burgos Vuelta last week. The American did not participate in the Tour de France because of COVID-19.
Brewers' outfielder Christian Yelich to have season-ending back surgery
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers will have to continue their playoff push without Christian Yelich. Yelich is undergoing season-ending back surgery Friday, putting an end to the 2018 NL MVP's resurgent season. Yelich was leading the NL in batting average (.315) and on-base percentage (.406) when he went on the injured list in late July. But, he hasn't played since getting removed from a game at Chicago's Wrigley Field on July 23. Yelich has been dealing with back trouble for the last few years, and the issue landed him on the injured list twice this season.
AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:54 a.m. EDT
Mauricio Pochettino negotiating to succeed Gregg Berhalter as U.S. soccer coach, AP source says
A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. Soccer Federation are working toward a deal for him to be the men's national team coach. Pochettino formerly coached Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. The person says Pochettino has agreed to become the U.S. coach but no final deal has been reached. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal wasn't complete. Pochettino is a 52-year-old from Argentina. He would succeed Gregg Berhalter, less than 22 months before the Americans host the 2026 World Cup. The USSF declined to comment.
Harbaugh says Kaepernick will not be a player or coach with the Chargers this season
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — If Colin Kaepernick wants to join the Los Angeles Chargers, it will not be until next year at the earliest. And it will only be as an assistant coach according to coach Jim Harbaugh. "I love Colin, but he's not going to be on the coaching staff, which is set for this year. And he's not going to be playing on the roster either," Harbaugh said after Thursday's practice. Harbaugh told USA Today Sports earlier this week that he reached out to Kaepernick about joining his Chargers' staff shortly after being named coach on Jan. 24. Kaepernick, who turns 37 on Nov. 3, still has hopes of returning to the playing field, despite not playing since 2016. He told Britain's "Sky Sports News" during the recent Paris Olympics that he is still training.
Weston Wilson becomes 1st Phillies rookie to hit for cycle
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Weston Wilson became the first rookie in franchise history to hit for the cycle. He became the ninth Phillies player to ever hit for the cycle, Wilson tripled and singled in the fourth; homered in the seventh and, then — with fans chanting "Double! Double!" — doubled to right in the eighth, with Alex Call failing on a diving attempt. Wilson had the 10th cycle in Phillies history — Chuck Klein did it twice — and he was the first home player to accomplish the feat at Citizens Bank Park since David Bell in 2004.
NBA schedule released. Among highlights: Celtics-Knicks on ring night, Durant going back to school
Boston will get its championship rings on Oct. 22, and the rival New York Knicks will be there for the celebration. The NBA schedule was released Thursday for the coming season, and Game 1 on the slate is the Celtics hosting the Knicks on opening night. The league released 1,200 of the 1,230 games on the schedule Thursday. The other 30 will be slotted in December, depending on how teams fare during the NBA Cup. Some were previously known, such as Miami and Washington playing in Mexico City on Nov. 2 and the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers playing a home-and-home in Paris on Jan. 23 and Jan. 25.
Kirk makes an ace and leads St. Jude. Matsuyama right behind with new caddie and no coach
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Chris Kirk is in the lead at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele are in the mix as they have been all year. The surprise at the start of the PGA Tour postseason might have been Hideki Matsuyama. He's been through a lot the last week. He lost his wallet in London last week when someone snatched his bag. He also lost his caddie and coach for the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Their passports were in the stolen bag and they had to go back to Japan. All that and Matsuyama still shot 65.
Is freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith the next big thing for No. 2 Ohio State?
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jeremiah Smith might be the next big thing for No. 2 Ohio State. The pass-catching prodigy from Miami Gardens, Florida, was the country's top-rated high school recruit when he signed with Ohio State in December and enrolled early amid a frenzy of hype. Since then, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Smith has shown flashes of being what everybody expects he'll be for the No. 2 Buckeyes. He's impressed coaches and teammates with his work ethic, route-running and acrobatic catches as he goes against the Buckeyes' experienced defensive backs in preseason practice. Smith is a cousin of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith.
Notre Dame suspends men's swim team for one year after review finds NCAA gambling violations
Notre Dame has suspended its men's swimming program for at least one year after an external review found members of the team violated NCAA rules by wagering among themselves on results of their competitions. The review also found that team members failed to "treat one another with dignity and respect." Athletic director Pete Bevacqua said in a statement Thursday that not all team members participated in the poor conduct and that coach Chris Lindauer and his staff fully cooperated with the review. Members of the team will be permitted to transfer, though NCAA sanctions would follow those found to have broken rules against gambling.
Torrid NL West is baseball's hottest division race with Dodgers, Padres and Diamondbacks
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks are in the midst of a stretch that most big-league clubs can only dream about, winners of six straight games, 20 of 25 since the All-Star break and 30 of 40 since late June. They're fitting in quite well in the NL West, which is home to three of the game's hottest teams. As pennant races around baseball heat up, the one out west looks like the best. San Diego has a 19-4 record since the All-Star break and Arizona is 20-5. The Dodgers aren't playing poorly at all with a 15-9 record, but they're struggling to hold their division lead.
American rider Sepp Kuss takes on leading role as he begins title defense in Spanish Vuelta
MADRID (AP) — This time the spotlight will be on Sepp Kuss from the start as he tries to retain his title in the Spanish Vuelta. Kuss won last year's race over Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard, who then were the top riders for Team Visma-Lease a Bike. Roglic has now switched to Team Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe while Vingegaard has skipped the Vuelta to rest and prepare for the birth of his child. Kuss arrives in good form to repeat as champion, having won the Burgos Vuelta last week. The American did not participate in the Tour de France because of COVID-19.
Brewers' outfielder Christian Yelich to have season-ending back surgery
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers will have to continue their playoff push without Christian Yelich. Yelich is undergoing season-ending back surgery Friday, putting an end to the 2018 NL MVP's resurgent season. Yelich was leading the NL in batting average (.315) and on-base percentage (.406) when he went on the injured list in late July. But, he hasn't played since getting removed from a game at Chicago's Wrigley Field on July 23. Yelich has been dealing with back trouble for the last few years, and the issue landed him on the injured list twice this season.