Fast Break
Football
Seahawks’ Gray decides to retire
Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Chris Gray has retired on the eve of his 16th NFL season because of a lower back and spine injury that threatened his ability to walk.
Seattle’s record holder for consecutive games played at 121 at guard and center from 1999 to 2006 made his announcement nine days after he felt his back pop while hitting a blocking sled in training camp.
The 38-year-old Gray said three team doctors told him Saturday that he risked paralysis if he continued playing. He said that made his decision clear but not easy. He added he’d been crying for two days while telling people of his forced retirement.
BASKETBALL
Summitt makes $600K gift to UT
Coach Pat Summitt will donate $600,000 to the University of Tennessee to be shared by the Knoxville and Martin campuses.
The donation will be given over several years to support the women’s basketball programs at both campuses and includes a $100,000 endowed scholarship for a Lady Vols basketball graduate assistant in honor of Summitt’s parents, Richard and Hazel Head.
The 56-year-old Summitt has spent 34 seasons as the Lady Vols coach and led the program to an unprecedented eight national championships, including titles in each of the last two years. She is 983-182 overall.
Summitt played basketball and volleyball at Tennessee-Martin.
“Pat is an amazing asset for the University of Tennessee,” UT President John Petersen said in a statement. “Far beyond her obvious achievements as a coach, she is a role model, a leader, and a champion for academics and graduation.
BASEBALL
Phillies most veggie-friendly
The home of the Philly cheese steak remains the vegetarian king of baseball.
For the second consecutive year, the menu at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Ballpark was named the most vegetarian-friendly Monday by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The faux Philly steak was among the items that landed the Phillies’ ballpark in first place last year, along with meat-free subs and wraps and veggie dogs and burgers. Now the stadium has added crab-free crab cake and a mock chicken sandwich.
San Francisco’s AT&T Park placed second again this year. The home of the Giants features a portobello mushroom sandwich, vegetarian sushi, and the vegetarian cha cha bowl, which is filled with black beans, rice, and pineapple salsa.
Rounding out the top five were Seattle’s Safeco Field, San Diego’s PETCO Park and Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field, home of the White Sox.