Report: Fraud common at Oklahoma St.
Miscellany: More than a dozen Oklahoma State football players admitted to academic misconduct over the past decade, including receiving exam answers in advance, passing classes for little or no work and using tutors who completed work for them, according to a Sports Illustrated article.
“The philosophy, the main focus, was to keep (top players) eligible through any means necessary,” former safety Fath’ Carter told the magazine. “The goal was not to educate but to get them the passing grades they needed to keep playing. That’s the only thing it was about.”
The article was the second of five planned by Sports Illustrated looking at alleged misconduct in the Oklahoma State football program dating to 2001 under coaches Les Miles and Mike Gundy. SI said it interviewed more than 60 former players and found evidence of potential NCAA violations including boosters and assistant coaches paying players thousands of dollars for their play; sham jobs arranged by boosters; selective enforcement of anti-drug policy for players; and football program hostesses who had sex with recruits.
Oklahoma State said it has notified the NCAA about the allegations and launched its own investigation.
Miles said those making the allegations “weren’t there long enough to figure it out,” because they were dismissed from the program.
Miles said he and his staff did nothing wrong at Oklahoma State.
• Five SEC stars received payouts during career: Five Southeastern Conference players received improper benefits during their college careers, including former Alabama offensive tackle D.J. Fluker, according to a Yahoo Sports report.
The Yahoo report cited text messages and financial records of former Alabama defensive end Luther Davis and an unnamed NFL source who said Davis was a go-between for the players with NFL agents and financial advisers.
Also named were Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray and defensive end Maurice Couch, Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and wide receiver Chad Bumphis. • Police investigating helmet assault: Police have opened a criminal investigation after a high school football player ripped the helmet off an opposing player and beat him over the head with it during a game in Annville, Pa.
Video aired by WGAL-TV shows Hamburg quarterback Joey Cominsky tearing the helmet off Annville-Cleona lineman Josh Hartman, then hitting him with it at least twice, after a play in the third quarter of Friday night’s game at Annville-Cleona Secondary School near Lebanon.
Several other players pushed and shoved each other, and Annville-Cleona player Taylor Prentice jumped in and threw several punches, the video shows.
Grambling fires head coach Williams
College football: Grambling State fired head football coach Doug Williams after the team lost its first two games of the season.
Running backs coach George Ragsdale is taking over as interim head coach.
Japan’s Miyazaki retains WBA title
Boxing: Ryo Miyazaki of Japan beat Mexican challenger Jesus Silvestre on points to retain the WBA minimumweight title in Osaka, Japan.
The 25-year old Miyazaki was badly bloodied by the end of 12 rounds, but two judges scored the bout 115-113 and 115-114 in favor of the Japanese boxer.
Mollema wins 17th stage of Vuelta
Cycling: Bauke Mollema of Netherlands won the 17th stage of the Spanish Vuelta in a sprinting finish, and Vincenzo Nibali retained his overall lead.
Nibali, of Italy, maintains a 28-second lead over second-place Christopher Horner of the United States, who rides for Radioshack-Leopard.
Sky, Delle Donne win at the buzzer
WNBA: Elena Delle Donne made a 10-foot jump shot as time expired to give the Chicago Sky a 70-68 victory over the Phoenix Mercury in Rosemont, Ill.
Delle Donne’s shot capped a Sky rally from a nine-point, fourth-quarter deficit for their second consecutive victory.
The Phoenix (18-14) were without Diana Taurasi, who was suspended for an accumulation of technical fouls.
Heat bring back free agent Beasley
NBA: The Miami Heat re-signed Michael Beasley, who spent the first two years of his up-and-down career with the team and became a free agent when the Phoenix Suns bought him out earlier this month. Beasley was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 draft by the Heat.
Bowman, Blackhawks agree to extension
NHL: General manager Stan Bowman and the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to a two-year contract extension through the 2017-18 season.
With stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane leading the way, the 40-year-old Bowman has overseen two championship runs since he replaced Dale Tallon as general manager in July 2009.