(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
San Diego 6, Seattle 0
Chi White Sox 4, Colorado 2
Baltimore 4, Washington 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay 4, Toronto 2
Cleveland 3, Los Angeles 1
Houston 6, Detroit 3
Toronto 7, Tampa Bay 2
NY Yankees 7, Boston 6
Minnesota 6, Kansas City 3
Texas 8, Oakland 7
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 6, Cincinatti 1
Pittsburgh 1, Cincinatti 0
Florida 2, Miami 1
Chi Cubs 4, NY Mets 1
Milwaukee 8, St. Louis 4
LA Dodgers 4 Arizona 0
Atlanta 5, San Francisco 1
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Las Vegas 85, Connecticut 71
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Montreal 3, Chicago 2
Inter Miami 2, Columbus 1
Minnesota 1, LAFC 1 (Tie)
Houston Dynamo 3, New England 1
Sporting KC 3, D.C. United 0
(NEW YORK) — Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver has been suspended one year by the NBA for sexist and racist language after the league launched an investigation following a bombshell report from ESPN last year.
Sarver was also fined $10 million, the maximum allowed by the league, which will be donated to organizations addressing race- and gender-based discrimination in the workplace.
The league handed down its suspension on Thursday after the Nov. 21, 2021, article triggered an investigation that included 320 interviews with current and former Phoenix employees, according to the NBA.
Sarver had owned the Suns and the WNBA’s Mercury since purchasing the team in 2004 from previous owner Jerry Colangelo.
The report details at least fives times Sarver used the N-word “when recounting the statements of others.” The ESPN article detailed a conversation between Sarver, who is white, and then-coach Earl Watson, who is Black, in 2016 which he repeatedly used the N-word while questioning why Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who is Black, could use the term when Sarver could not.
Sarver also allegedly allegedly “engaged in instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees, made many sex-related comments in the workplace, made inappropriate comments about the physical appearance of female employees and other women, and on several occasions engaged in inappropriate physical conduct toward male employees,” according to the report.
Sarver also yelled and cursed at employees, the report found.
The independent report was conducted by the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. In addition to the hundreds of interviews, the investigation also looked at more than 80,000 documents, including emails, text messages and video, the NBA said. Sarver cooperated throughout the investigation, according to the league.
Still, the NBA said, “The investigation made no finding that Mr. Sarver’s workplace misconduct was motivated by racial or gender-based animus.”
The league said in addition to Sarver’s misconduct, other employees within the organization committed similar transgressions and the human resources function was “historically ineffective and not a trusted source for employees who subjected to improper workplace conduct.”
Sarver, 60, will not be allowed to have any involvement with either team for the course of a year. Sarver made his fortune in banking and real estate.
When the story emerged during last year’s NBA season, Suns star Devin Booker told reporters, “I wasn’t aware of the situation and in my seven years I’ve been here. I haven’t noticed that, but that doesn’t make me insensitive to the subject.”
“[The NBA will] do their due diligence, bringing out facts instead of he said, she said,” Booker said at the time of the just-launched investigation. “I’m sure the NBA has it in good hands and will do the proper research to find out the truth.”
ABC News’ Bonnie McLean contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — For Suni Lee, gymnastics is what she calls her happy place.
“I truly love gymnastics with everything in me,” the 19-year-old Olympian told ABC News’ Good Morning America.
In 2021, Lee took home a gold medal in the individual all-around at the Tokyo Olympics as well as a silver in the team competition and a bronze in the uneven bars.
Though it was her gold medal on the world stage that launched her into the public consciousness, her love for the sport began when her family introduced her to gymnastics at 6 years old.
“It was just amazing to me,” she said. “I loved being able to fly and just kind of do stuff that not a lot of people could do. It kind of made me feel unstoppable.”
Lee said she is thankful for her family and without their support, she could not be where she is today.
“My parents sacrificed so much for me,” she said. “I really have a really great support system.”
Lee said she knew she wanted to compete on the world stage from a young age.
“I would be like, ‘I want to go to the Olympics, and I want to win a gold medal,'” she said.
Lee, who is now competing for Auburn University, is often seen on the mat sporting a confident smile, which she attributes to her passion for the sport as well as Invisalign, for whom she is a spokesperson.
“If you put your mind to something and work really hard, you can do amazing things,” Lee said.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Monday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Seattle 8, Atlanta 7
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 1, Baltimore 0
Kansas City 4, Detroit 0
NY Yankees 10, Tampa Bay 4
Cleveland 4, Minnesota 1
Houston 12, LA Angels 4
Texas 4, Toronto 1
Oakland 10, Chicago White Sox 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis 4, Pittsburgh 3
Philadelphia 7, Washington 5
NY Mets 9, Miami 3
Milwaukee 7, Cincinnati 6
Arizona 12, Colorado 6
LA Dodgers 11, San Diego 2
San Francisco 4, Chicago Cubs 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Baltimore 24, NY Jets 9
Chicago 19, San Francisco 10
Cleveland 26, Carolina 24
Indianapolis 20, Houston 20 (OT)
Miami 20, New England 7
New Orleans 27, Atlanta 26
Philadelphia 38, Detroit 35
Pittsburgh 23, Cincinnati 20 (OT)
Washington 28, Jacksonville 22
Kansas City 44, Arizona 21
LA Chargers 24, Las Vegas 19
Minnesota 23, Green Bay 7
NY Giants 21, Tennessee 20
Tampa Bay 19, Dallas 3
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Las Vegas 67, Connecticut 64
(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) — The family of the girl who was critically injured in a car crash last year involving former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid slammed prosecutors for agreeing to a plea deal in exchange for a lower prison sentence.
Reid, 37, pleaded guilty Monday to driving while impaired in connection with the Feb. 4, 2021, incident. Reid was driving his pickup truck near Arrowhead Stadium and struck two vehicles that were stopped on the side of the highway.
Five people were injured in the crash including then 5-year-old Ariel Young. She suffered “life-threatening injuries” and a “severe traumatic brain injury, a parietal fracture, brain contusions and subdural hematomas,” according to court documents.
Reid, who faces up to four years in prison as part of his deal, apologized in court for his actions. Ariel’s family and the other victims, however, slammed him and prosecutors for not going to trial.
“The five victims of this crime are outraged the prosecuting attorney is not seeking the maximum sentence allowable by law,” Tom Porto, the attorney for the victims, said in a statement.
Prior to taking the guilty plea, Reid, the son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, was expected to begin trial on Sept. 26. He had faced up to seven years in prison.
Reid, who was also injured in the crash, had a blood alcohol content of 0.113 and was driving 84 miles an hour at the time of the incident, according to court documents. At the time of the crash, he was the team’s linebackers coach.
Reid was released by the Chiefs shortly after the incident.
This was not the first time that Reid has been in trouble with the law over a driving-related incident.
He pleaded guilty to simple assault and flashing a gun at another driver in a road rage incident in 2007, according to Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, court records, and served prison time. While in prison, he also pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of a controlled substance from a separate incident, according to court documents.
Reid was ticketed for speeding in 2014 and 2018 and paid both fines.
During Monday’s plea hearing, Reid said he regretted what he did and “made a huge mistake,” according to ABC affiliate KMBC. He then faced Ariel’s family and said, “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone that night,” KMBC reported.
When the judge asked the family if they had anything to say, Felicia Miller, Ariel’s mother, said, “My family and I are opposed to the plea deal. I don’t think he should receive it.”
Reid’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 28.
In November 2021, the Chiefs and Porto announced that the team worked out a plan to help pay for Ariel’s medical care.
(NEW YORK) — While he didn’t make it to this year’s U.S. Open championship, Frances Tiafoe’s tennis journey still looks very bright.
The 24-year-old American was a breakout star of this year’s tournament after he beat tennis legend Rafael Nadal to advance to the quarterfinals.
Tiafoe spoke in an interview with ABC News on Good Morning America Monday about his journey to one of tennis’ biggest stages.
While he said he felt “a ton of different emotions” through his run, he hailed the Grand Slam as “the best two weeks of my life.”
“Probably the best thing [was] seeing the first lady Michelle Obama after the match,” he said of his semifinal match with Carlos Alcaraz. “I was on the one changeover and I looked and she looked at me — and then when they announced her and seeing the crowd erupt, that was pretty impactful.”
He was the first Black American man to reach the semifinals of the U.S. Open since 1972. The last player to do so was Arthur Ashe, the namesake of the stadium where Tiafoe and Alcaraz battled.
“It’s truly a blessing. All the work that my parents did over the years and having them see that and be a part of that is crazy. And to be in the same sentence as Arthur Ashe in anything is unbelievable and something no one can ever take from me. So I’m going to remember that forever,” Tiafoe explained.
Tiafoe said he hopes to continue to move the sport forward for others as a role model.
“My whole life I’ve wanted to pave a way so people like me can also play the game of tennis and just be great leaders as well as great individuals,” he said.
Tiafoe lost in five sets against Alcaraz; their match lasted four hours and 19 minutes. The 19-year-old Spanish phenom advanced to the final and won the tournament.
“I feel I let you guys down,” Tiafoe said after the match, addressing the crowd during an on-court interview. “This one hurts. This one really, really hurts — I’m going to be back — and I will win this thing one day.”
Tiafoe credited picking up a racquet to his father, who was the head of maintenance at a tennis center in Maryland.
Tiafoe, whose parents immigrated from Sierra Leone amid war in the 1990s, grew up outside of Washington, D.C., with his brother, Franklin.
“My parents are everything,” Tiafoe told ABC News. “We wouldn’t be doing this interview, all achievements, I wouldn’t have them without them. I’m just so thankful for them, and them instilling in me hard work and understanding — being humble and grateful for everything that comes your way. They shaped me to the person I am today.”
In 2020, Tiafoe won the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, the ATP’s award for off-court impact.
Tiafoe added that being an inspiration is “what it’s all about.”
“We all have a certain gift and to use that gift to inspire so many people to do great things in life,” he said.
As for the fate of the sport, Tiafoe said he thinks “American tennis is in a great place.”
“You’ll see some Grand Slam champions soon,” he said, mentioning Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, who he said are “playing great tennis.”
“I’m super excited to be in that conversation,” Tiafoe said.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Seattle 8, Atlanta 7
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 1, Baltimore 0
Kansas City 4, Detroit 0
NY Yankees 10, Tampa Bay 4
Cleveland 4, Minnesota 1
Houston 12, L.A. Angels 4
Texas 4, Toronto 1
Oakland 10, Chi White Sox 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis 4, Pittsburgh 3
Philadelphia 7, Washington 5
NY Mets 9, Miami 3
Milwaukee 7, Cincinnati 6
Arizona 12, Colorado 6
LA Dodgers 11, San Diego 2
San Francisco 4, Chicago Cubs 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Baltimore 24, NY Jets 9
Chicago 19, San Francisco 10
Cleveland 26, Carolina 24
Indianapolis 20, Houston 20 (OT)
Miami 20, New England 7
New Orleans 27, Atlanta 26
Philadelphia 38, Detroit 35
Pittsburgh 23, Cincinnati 20 (OT)
Washington 28, Jacksonville 22
Kansas City 44, Arizona 21
LA Chargers 24, Las Vegas 19
Minnesota 23, Green Bay 7
NY Giants 21, Tennessee 20
Tampa Bay 19, Dallas 3
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Las Vegas 67, Connecticut 64
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Atlanta 7, Oakland 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
NY Yankees 5, Minnesota 4
NY Yankees 7, Minnesota 1
Chi White Sox 9, Seattle 6
Detroit 5, LA Angels 4
Tampa Bay 1, Boston 0
Toronto 4, Baltimore 1
Kansas City 2, Cleveland 1
Houston 4, Texas 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NY Mets 5, Pittsburgh 1
NY Mets 10, Pittsburgh 0
Colorado 8, Milwaukee 4
LA Dodgers 7, San Francisco 3
Philadelphia 4, Miami 3
Cincinnati 7, Chi Cubs 1
St. Louis 6, Washington 5
San Diego 6, Arizona 3
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Cincinnati 1, New York City FC 1 (Tie)
(NEW YORK) — With an impressive and powerful performance at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens on Wednesday, Frances Tiafoe is smashing his way through the U.S. Open tournament, proving it’s his time to shine — and making history in the process.
Tiafoe’s fast and furious play saw him finish his latest match with 18 aces and a roaring crowd as he defeated the No. 9-seeded Andrey Rublev in straight sets 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-0), 6-4 in the men’s quarterfinal. The 24-year-old advances to the semifinals, ending a 16-year drought for American men’s tennis in the U.S. Open semifinals.
The last time an American men’s tennis player reached the semifinals was Andy Roddick in 2006. (Roddick made it to the finals but was defeated by Roger Federer.) Following two significant upsets in the tournament so far, Tiafoe is also the first Black man from the U.S. to reach the semifinals since Arthur Ashe in 1972.
“The training is paying off,” Tiafoe said during a post-match interview with ESPN. “I’ve been putting in the time, and it’s starting to show.”
Tiafoe, wearing Serena Williams’ GOAT sweatshirt following his dominating defeat, is proof that the Williams sisters’ impact goes far beyond the next generation of Black female tennis players, but also has an inspiring effect on young Black men, as well.
Tiafoe, currently the No. 22 seed, had a shocking and emotional upset against the No. 2-ranked superstar Rafel Nadal, abruptly ending the veteran’s run in the fourth round on Monday.
But the journey to center court was no small feat for the 24-year-old.
A son of Sierra Leone immigrants who fled home from a war in the 90s and laid roots In Maryland, Tiafoe’s father worked as a maintenance man at the College Park’s Junior Tennis Champions Center in Maryland, converting an office into a home for Frances and his twin brother Franklin. This gave Frances access to the tennis facility and coaches — a place where Frances found his opportunity to play and love the sport.
Now a fan favorite, Tiafoe awaits his next opponent, either Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz; they are set to face off later Wednesday evening, and one will meet him at center court in the first major Grand Slam semifinal of his career.
