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SPORTS Wednesday 24 July 2019

Bengals owner Mike Brown opposes 18-game schedule proposal

By JOE KAY said at the team’s annual way football has been
AP Sports Writer media luncheon. “Maybe played. Baseball is played
CINCINNATI (AP) — Bengals we should just step back that way, different pitch-
owner Mike Brown thinks and accept the 16 number ers and all. In our game,
the NFL’s current 16-game and go with it.” you get the best team out
schedule for the regular Commissioner Roger there, and I think that’s the
season is long enough, and Goodell reiterated last way it ought to be.”
he doubts that the league month that he wants to The discussion is driven by
will be able to shorten the reduce the number of pre- dissatisfaction with regulars
preseason and add games season games. The length held out for most of the pre-
that count in the standings of the season is one topic season. They typically play
because of the players’ of preliminary talks be- only a small portion of two
opposition. tween the league and the games and sit out the final
Brown said Tuesday that he players’ association over one entirely.
strongly opposes a sugges- a new collective bargain- Brown said owners allowed Mike Brown, owner of the Cincinnati Bengals NFL football team,
tion to have an 18-game ing agreement. The current the preseason games to speaks while being interviewed at Paul Brown Stadium during the
regular season and allow one expires after the 2020 evolve into exhibitions with team’s media luncheon, Tuesday, July 23, 2019, in Cincinnati.
teams to rest players for season. little, if any, playing time for Associated Press
two of the games. He can’t One proposal would elimi- starters because coaches two home preseason of no postseason victory
envision playing the Steel- nate two preseason games didn’t want to risk injuries. games last year, when they since the 1990 season.
ers, for instance, with a and add two in the regular “I don’t blame coaches for had a third straight losing Brown pointed out that the
healthy Ben Roethlisberger season. To avoid putting a doing that, they were pro- season and a third straight Bengals made the playoffs
sitting out. more physical toll on play- tecting their interest, their significant decline in at- from 2011-15, a franchise
“Well, that’s absurd,” Brown ers, they would get two players,” Brown said. “They tendance. Cincinnati av- record, but lost in the first
said. “I don’t want that.” regular games off. didn’t want them exposed, eraged only 50,753 fans in round all five times to ex-
Brown thinks that players’ “Different owners have dif- they didn’t want them in- the regular season, the sec- tend their streak of futil-
safety concerns over add- ferent thoughts and they’re jured, but it impacted the ond-lowest in the league. ity. They’ve gone 6-9-1,
ing games will likely keep welcome to express them, product and we didn’t step The plummeting fan inter- 7-9 and 6-10 the last three
the regular season in its cur- to argue them,” Brown up and handle it as owners. est was a factor in Brown years, falling to last in the
rent format. said. “I just don’t think we We accepted it, and I think firing Marvin Lewis after his AFC North .”That’s an eter-
“These seasons are long want to play Boston unless it got us to where we are 16th season as head coach nity in this business,” Brown
and they take a toll on you (Tom) Brady isn’t playing. today.” and hiring Zac Taylor . Lewis said. “That’s what people
mentally, they take a toll on “Everyone knows the dis- The Bengals drew 35,633 went 0-7 in the playoffs, ex- remember. We want to re-
players physically,” Brown cussion on this. It isn’t the and 39,520 fans for their tending the Bengals’ mark excite our fan base.”q

China’s Sun a row. He was timed in 1
minute, 44.93 seconds.
Continued from Page 18 King, who won the wom- In contrast to their run-in at
en’s 100 breaststroke. the Rio Olympics, King and
On the podium, Scott In a statement, FINA said Russia’s Yulia Efimova kept
wanted no part of sharing its executive board met to all the drama in the pool in
the moment with Sun. discuss the situation involv- the 100 breaststroke.
Scott kept his hands ing Sun and Scott and de- They were neck-and-neck
clasped behind his back cided to send warning let- down the stretch before
and refused to shake Sun’s ters to both swimmers. King got her hand on the
hand, standing off on his “Both competitors had an wall first, touching in 1:04.93.
own while the other med- inadequate behavior on Efimova was second in
alists joined Sun to pose for this occasion, which is not 1:05.49. Martina Carraro of
photographers. acceptable,” FINA said, Italy took bronze.
Sun, who served a three- citing a specific rule in its Efimova served a 16-month
month doping ban in 2014, constitution. doping ban in 2013 and
is being allowed by FINA Sun has been accused of Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys reacts after he was disqualified in the failed a drug test in 2016,
to compete in Gwangju smashing vials of his blood men’s 200m freestyle final at the World Swimming Championships but wasn’t punished. King
ahead of a Court for Arbi- with a hammer during a in Gwangju, South Korea, Tuesday, July 23, 2019. called out Efimova in Rio,
tration in Sport hearing in clash last year with testers, Associated Press saying she wasn’t a fan.
September that threatens and faces a lifetime ban if phers on the pool deck, but ing himself now, should he However, the intensity be-
Sun’s career. found guilty. Scott kept on walking. really be in a sport when tween them has clearly dis-
After Sun won the 400 free, “He does quite a good job “The athletes are starting people are booing him?” sipated.
silver medalist Mack Hor- of making sure everyone to stand up for themselves Peaty said Scott’s action King and Efimova clasped
ton of Australia refused to continues to know about and stand up for what they was “completely right.” hands over the lane rope.
step on the podium or ac- it,” Scott said, referring believe in, so I commend “The most important thing Later, Efimova clapped as
knowledge Sun during the to Sun’s pending doping them,” King said. “That’s in- as a sports person is you King took the top spot on
medals ceremony. FINA, case. “So I guess that’s all credibly brave.” have a right to a voice,” the podium and they em-
swimming’s governing I’ve got to say about that.” There were more boos — Peaty said. “Duncan braced and kissed after
body, sent warning letters Sun spread his arms apart and cheers from Chinese shared his voice and so the ceremony.
to Swimming Australia and and looked at Scott as the fans — in the crowd at did the crowd, so it’s com- Without three-time de-
Horton for his actions. Brit turned to come off the Nambu University Munici- pletely fair.” fending champion Katie
“FINA has currently done podium. pal Aquatics Center. Sun, the current Olympic Ledecky in the field, Simona
more to reprimand Mack “You’re a loser,” Sun told “If people are booing him champion in the 200 free, Quadarella of Italy won the
Horton than they have Scott. “I’m a winner.” it’s for a reason,” British earned his third straight 1,500 freestyle in 15:40.89
done to reprimand Sun Sun and the other two med- swimmer Adam Peaty said medal in the event at — well off Ledecky’s world
Yang,” said American Lilly alists stopped for photogra- of Sun. “He should be ask- worlds and second gold in record of 15:20.48. q