Update on the latest sports - KVIA El Paso

MLB-OBIT-LASORDA

Hall of Fame Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda dies at 93

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hall of Fame baseball manager Tommy Lasorda has died.

Lasorda guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to two World Series titles and later became an ambassador for the sport during his 71 years with the franchise. The Dodgers say he had a heart attack at his home in Fullerton and was pronounced dead at a hospital late Thursday night. The 93-year-old Lasorda had a history of heart problems, including a heart attack in 1996 that ended his managerial career.

NFL-NEWS

Browns finally cleared to practice

UNDATED (AP) — The Cleveland Browns can finally practice for the playoffs. The team has been granted permission by the NFL to resume normal activities at their training facility, which has been closed since coach Kevin Stefanski tested positive for COVID-19 along with Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio and three others.

Stefanski tested positive on Tuesday and will not be on the sideline Sunday night for Cleveland’s wild-card game in Pittsburgh. Stefanski is allowed to communicate with players and coaches in the locker room until they leave for kickoff, but he can’t have any on-field contact with them from 90 minutes before the game until afterward.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield had said he hadn’t thrown a football since last weekend, when the Browns clinched their first playoff appearance since the 2002 season.

In other NFL news:

—Dynamic defensive star Aaron Donald and unstoppable tight end Travis Kelce (KEL’-see) are unanimous choices for The Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team. Donald and Kelce swept the votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. It is the sixth All-Pro selection for Donald, who has helped the Los Angeles Rams to the top-ranked defense in the NFL, and the third for Kansas City’s record-setting Kelce. Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner matches Donald with six selections. Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers is on his fourth All-Pro Team.

—The Dallas Cowboys have fired defensive coordinator Mike Nolan after their defense allowed a franchise record in points and finished 31st in the NFL against the run in his only season. Coach Mike McCarthy hired Nolan from New Orleans, where he was coaching linebackers, when McCarthy replaced Jason Garrett a year ago. The Cowboys tried to implement a new scheme despite having no in-person time with players during the offseason because of the coronavirus pandemic. Dallas also fired defensive line coach Jim Tomsula. Nolan and Tomsula are both former head coaches with San Francisco.

— The NFL expanded its social Justice initiative Inspire Change on Friday by awarding 13 new grants to nonprofit organizations across the country. The league and teams, who now have committed more than $95 million in the initiative, also will provide funding to support closing the digital divide. Also being addressed are the gaps the league has witnessed between African American communities and other groups going into technological education. One grant partner, Per Scholas, will be funding a software engineering course to help open doors in economic advancement and job placement.

—The NFL is making additional advertising time available to its broadcast partners for the playoffs. The increased ad sales are good news during a challenging season for the league and broadcasters. Ratings were down 7% during the regular season as the league dealt with challenges related to the pandemic and increased interest in the presidential election. The league will allow networks to sell four more 30-second spots. Two of the spots will come by reducing league and broadcaster promotional spots.

NHL-NEWS

Stars close training camp

UNDATED (AP) — The Dallas Stars have closed their training camp for several days after six players and two staff members tested positive for COVID-19. The NHL says the development will delay the Stars’ opener from Jan. 14 at Florida until at least Jan. 19 at Tampa Bay. Dallas is the defending Western Conference champion.

The Columbus Blue Jackets also held a number of players out of practice Friday in accordance with NHL coronavirus protocols.

In other NHL news:

—New Jersey Devils goaltender Corey Crawford has taken an indefinite leave of absence due to undisclosed personal reasons. The Devils made the announcement Friday after a week of uncertainty in which the recently signed 36-year-old goaltender did not practice. The team said he was given off on Monday and Tuesday for maintenance after a week of training camp. Crawford was not on the ice on Wednesday and Thursday for personal reasons. Coach Lindy Ruff has refused to discuss the reasons for Crawford’s absence. Crawford signed a two-year contract with New Jersey as a free agent after helping the Chicago Blackhawks win two Stanley Cups.

VIRUS OUBREAK-NBA-76ERS

AP source: 76ers quarantine in New York after positive test

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers are quarantining in New York because of a positive COVID-19 test for guard Seth Curry.

A person familiar with the situation says the Sixers stayed overnight after the team learned of Curry’s positive result during Thursday’s loss to the Nets. The person spoke to The Associated Press Friday on condition of anonymity because the team has not made Curry’s condition public. The person said as of Friday morning Curry was the only positive test on the Sixers.

Curry sat out Thursday’s game because of a sore left ankle and appeared to wear a mask as he sat on the bench for part of the first half. Curry hit six 3-pointers and scored 28 points in Wednesday’s win over Washington.

The Sixers are scheduled to play Denver in Philadelphia on Saturday.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-COLLEGE BASKETBALL

COVID-19 forces more postponements

UNDATED (AP) — No. 13 Missouri has paused all men’s basketball activities as a result of COVID-19 protocols and postponed Saturday night’s home game against LSU. The Tigers did not disclose any details in today’s announcement and said the status of the Jan. 12 game against Vanderbilt and the Jan. 16 game at Texas A&M will be determined later. Missouri said the game against LSU will be rescheduled.

LSU will visit Mississippi Saturday night after both teams had their originally scheduled games postponed because of virus issues. Makeup dates for South Carolina-Ole Miss and LSU-Missouri haven’t been determined.

In other virus-related developments:

— A men’s basketball game between UConn and Villanova, scheduled for Jan. 15 in Connecticut, has been postponed because of COVID-19 issues within the Villanova program. No makeup date has been announced. This will be the fifth game Villanova has had to postpone since coach Jay Wright tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Dec. 26. Several other members of the program have also tested positive. It’s the seventh UConn game canceled or postponed this season for coronavirus-related issues.

— The Georgia State men’s basketball team has postponed games against Troy on Friday and Saturday and paused all team activities following multiple positive COVID-19 tests. The games have not yet been rescheduled. Georgia State says players, coaches and staff members have received positive test results. All team activities will be paused for at least seven days while those who tested positive will remain in isolation.

— No. 25 Florida State’s visit to Pittsburgh scheduled for Saturday has been postponed due to COVID-19 testing issues within the Seminoles program. The postponement is the third this week for Florida State. Duke’s visit to Tallahassee, Florida, last Saturday was postponed, as well as a trip to Syracuse scheduled for Wednesday. The Panthers ended up playing the Orange instead, rallying for a 63-60 victory. Meanwhile, Pitt’s game against Georgia Tech set for Tuesday, Jan. 12 has been shifted forward one day. The Yellow Jackets are having COVID-19 issues of their own. Games against Notre Dame and Louisville scheduled for this week have already been postponed.

MICHIGAN-HARBAUGH

‘Work to be done”: Harbaugh has new, 5-year deal at Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan has decided to stick with coach Jim Harbaugh.

He has finalized a new, five-year deal. The school will pay him $4 million this year with a chance to make nearly $8 million in the fifth year of his contract.

He was making about $7 million under his original seven-year contract. Harbaugh has won nearly 70% of his games, but is winless against archrival Ohio State. The Wolverines were 2-4 in Harbaugh’s sixth season, which ended with three straight games being canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the program.

MLB-YANKEES-CHACIN

Pitcher Jhoulys Chacín gets minor league deal with Yankees

NEW YORK (AP) — Right-hander Jhoulys Chacín (joh-LEES’ cha-SEEN’) and the New York Yankees have agreed to a minor league contract.

The 33-year-old would get an $800,000 salary in the major leagues if added to the 40-man roster. He was 1-0 with a 7.20 ERA in five innings over two relief appearances for Atlanta last season.

Chacin is 78-87 with a 4.04 ERA in 226 starts and 51 relief appearances over 12 seasons with Colorado (2009-14), Arizona (2015), Atlanta (2016, ’20), the Los Angeles Angeles (2016), San Diego (2017), Milwaukee (2018-19) and Boston (2019).

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