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Sports
Bucs' Jameis Winston, Donovan
Johnny Manziel Suspended Four Games For Violating Drug Policy
JOHNNY MANZIEL Quarterback Johnny
Manziel has been suspended four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, a source confirmed to ESPN.
TMZ Sports first reported news on Manziel's suspen- sion. Manziel, 23, is a free agent after being released by the Cleveland Browns earlier this year.
His four-game suspension becomes effective immedi- ately. If he signs with a team, Manziel would be suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season and conceivably could play in Week 5.
But Manziel also could face additional discipline under the personal conduct policy for other transgres- sions, including being charged with assaulting his girlfriend, sources told ESPN.
Serena Williams Leads List Of Players Headed To Rio Olympics
SERENA WILLIAMS
Serena Williams is offi- cially Rio-bound, where she’ll look to defend her Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles.
The world No. 1 headlined the list of entrants for four out of the five tennis events (mixed doubles participants will be named on site in Rio), which also includes her dou- bles partner, sister Venus, as well as Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Victoria Azarenka and Caroline Wozniacki, who won an appeal for her spot into the Games.
The Williams sisters will go for their fourth gold medal (2000, 2008 and 2012) as a pair.
Cowboys' DeMarcus Lawrence's Appeal Denied, Suspended 4 Games
Smith Get Royal WWE treatment
Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence had his appeal denied and will be suspended the first four games of the season for violating the substance abuse policy, sources told ESPN's Todd Archer.
Lawrence, who led the team with eight sacks last sea- son, is being disciplined for using amphetamines, sources told ESPN in April.
This is the second consecu- tive year the Cowboys will start the season without at least two key defensive play- ers. Second-year defensive end Randy Gregory will miss the first four games of the season for violating the league's substance abuse pol- icy, and as also reported
WWE Raw was in Tampa, Florida, Monday night and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quar- terback Jameis Winston and left tackle Donovan Smith got in on all the ac- tion.
They hung out with several WWE superstars backstage, including Triple H, Chris Jericho, A. J. Styles, Titus O'Neil, the Big Show, Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens.
JAMEIS WINSTON
DEMARCUS LAWRENCE
Thursday, middle linebacker Rolando McClain was sus- pended the first 10 games for violating the substance abuse policy.
McClain (substance abuse policy) and defensive end Greg Hardy (personal con- duct policy) were each sus- pended for the first four games of the 2015 season.
Fireworks Safety PSA Featuring Jason Pierre-Paul Debuts
Jets' Sheldon Richardson Suspended Week 1 For Conduct Violation
Almost one year after los- ing his right index finger and severely damaging the rest of his right hand in a July 4 fire- works accident, New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is trying to help others avoid the same mistake.
In a public service an- nouncement that debuted Thursday on "Good Morning America," Pierre-Paul briefly recounted what went through his mind when a firework went off in his hand and he had to be rushed to the hospital. As he has sev- eral times since the accident, he talked about his relation-
JASON PIERRE-PAUL
ship with his then-newborn son as being at the front of his mind during the ordeal.
Pierre-Paul's two stated tips during the PSA instruct viewers to "keep fireworks away from kids" and to leave fireworks "to the fireworks professionals."
The New York Jets already have a few pieces missing from a 10-6 team last season in unsigned quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and fran- chised defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson. Now the Jets have another part that will be missing — for Week 1.
The NFL announced on Thursday that Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richard- son will be suspended for the first game of the season for personal-conduct policy vio- lation. The Jets open up at home against the Cincinnati Bengals, who won the AFC North last season.
Richardson previously was arrested for driving 143 mph during a pursuit with
SHELDON RICHARDSON
police in the St. Louis-area. He also was charged with re- sisting arrest for the 2015 in- cident but was not charged with anything else despite driving with a 12-year-old in the car, despite having a loaded gun under his seat and despite police saying that they smelled marijuana in the car. Richardson pleaded guilty to the resisting arrest charge in January.
Heat's Free Agent Pitch: Chris Bosh Return, Erik Spoelstra Stability
Andrew Luck Guaranteed Record $87 Million In Long-Term Extension
Pat Riley's pitch to Miami Heat free-agent tar- gets will include an opti- mistic view of Chris Bosh's potential return to the court next season and the long- term stability of coach Erik Spoelstra.
Bosh is making progress in his recovery from recur- ring blood clots that have cut short each of his past two seasons, according to a source with knowledge of Bosh's condition. Both Bosh and the Heat continue to work toward the goal of having the perennial All-Star power forward available for the start of training camp, sources said.
Neither Bosh nor the Heat have said publicly where Bosh is in his recov- ery or whether the 13-year veteran has continued a regi- men of blood-thinning med- ication. Bosh was the Heat's leading scorer and best 3- point shooter when he was
CHRIS BOSH
sidelined at the February All- Star break and went on to miss the final 29 games of the regular season as well as Miami's playoff run into the second round.
Bosh's $23 million salary due next season will count against the Heat's salary cap regardless of whether he plays, but that salary would come off the books in Febru- aryifheisunabletoplayina game next season and retires because of the medical condi- tion. Last month, Riley said Bosh's status was the "X fac- tor" in determining where the Heat stood entering free agency.
ANDREW LUCK
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay stuck to his word and secured franchise quar- terback Andrew Luck's long-term future with the or- ganization before the start of the 2016 season.
The Colts announced Wednesday that Luck had signed an extension through the 2021 season that will make him the highest-paid player in the NFL, based on guaranteed salary.
The NFL's previous biggest contract was the five-year,
$110 million deal theGreen Bay Packers gave quarterback Aaron Rodgers in 2013. Last summer, theSeattle Sea- hawks gave quarterback Russell Wilson a four-year, $87.6 million extension that included $60 million in guar- anteed money.
Sources told ESPN that Luck is guaranteed $87 mil- lion with this extension. The previous most-guaranteed money for any NFL player was $65 million for both Eli Manning of the New York Giants and Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers.
"I am thrilled and excited to continue with this great or- ganization," Luck said in a statement. "I am thankful to the Irsay family and Mr. Irsay for providing me with this great opportunity and the trust that they've shown in me. I can't wait for this sea- son to start."
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