Newsmakers

Explained Now Curt Schilling has a political platform. The former Boston Red Sox pitcher, who has expressed interest in running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Edward M. Kennedy for almost 50 years before he died last month, laid out his credentials on Saturday as an independent who has supported both Republicans and Democrats. In a blog post titled “What I Believe,” Schilling said he supports gun owners but wants restrictions on assault weapons and wouldn’t allow convicted felons to own guns. He described himself as pro-life, with exceptions, and anti-gay marriage but said both should be left up to the states. “I have no idea if I’ll even do this, but if by some slim chance I do it won’t be a joke, and it won’t be for laughs,” he wrote on his blog, 38pitches.com. “These are deadly serious times at home and abroad and this country absolutely has to elect public servants who don’t head to Washington with an ‘Out of sight, out of mind’ approach to us living back home.”

Cut Scoring the winning touchdown in the preseason finale wasn’t enough for reality TV star Jesse Holley to make the Dallas Cowboys. Holley, fellow dreadlocked receiver Isaiah Stanback of the University of Washington and quarterback Rudy Carpenter were among the most notable of the 22 players cut by the Cowboys to reach the 53-man roster limit. Dallas also put rookie linebacker Stephen Hodge on injured reserve. Undrafted rookie Kevin Ogletree snagged the fifth receiver spot, as expected, which made Stanback, a fourth-round pick in ’07, and Holley expendable. Safety Courtney Brown was another incumbent to lose his job.

Died Former Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jesse Mahelona has died after being involved in a car accident. He was 26. Agent Chad Speck said Mahelona died Friday night after being involved in an accident about a mile from his home in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Speck said he didn’t know any more circumstances of the accident. Mahelona was drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL draft by the Titans, where he played in 10 games as a rookie. He also spent time with the Miami Dolphins before playing his last NFL game with Atlanta in 2007. He is survived by his wife, Brandi, who is pregnant with the couple’s second child. In two seasons at the University of Tennessee, he had 77 tackles and seven sacks.