UMaine women’s soccer team receives academic honor
The University of Maine women’s soccer team has been honored with the 2014 Division I Team Academic Award presented by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Monday. The award honors all teams which post a 3.00 grade point average or better. Maine posted a team GPA of 3.37 during the 2013-14 season.
To qualify for the award, the team must have a minimum grade point average of 3.00 for the entire academic year.
NFL, union reps to discuss conduct policy
NFL officials and representatives of the players union will meet Tuesday to discuss revisions to the league’s personal conduct policy.
This will be the fourth time the two sides will convene to discuss revisions. The league wants commissioner Roger Goodell oversee discipline and appeals himself. The players union is pushing for formal collective bargaining on personal conduct policy.
The union will be represented by executive director DeMaurice Smith, president Eric Winston and a handful of active players.
“We want to work with the league office and the NFL owners to fix the personal conduct policy,” Winston said. “A collective bargaining process is the only way to ensure that a new policy is fair, transparent and has the full support of the players.”
Five-time NHL All-Star Oliver dies
Five-time NHL All-Star and former North Stars coach Murray Oliver died Sunday after suffering a heart attack. He was 77.
In 1,127 NHL games, the diminutive playmaking center scored 274 goals and had 454 assists
Oliver played for the Detroit Red Wings (1957-61), Boston Bruins (1961-67), Toronto Maple Leafs (1967-70) and North Stars (1970-75). He finished second to Billy Hays of the Chicago Blackhawks at the league’s top rookie in 1960.
He was an assistant coach for the North Stars from 1978-86, and was head coach for 36 games in 1982-83 after Glen Sonmor stepped down for health reasons.
Season over for Texans QB Mallett
Houston Texans’ quarterback Ryan Mallett has taken his last snap of the season.
Mallett aggravated a pectoral injury during warmups of Sunday’s 22-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. According to the Houston Chronicle, Mallett decided to play through the injury because he had waited so long for the opportunity to play.
Mallett, who for three years was Tom Brady’s understudy at New England, underwent an MRI on Monday and the injury was confirmed.
He got his first start against the Cleveland Browns the week before and led the Texans to a 23-7 victory. He originally suffered the injury while warming up for that game.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, who started the first nine games and compiled a 4-5 record, is expected to start against Tennessee on Sunday.
Mariners’ 3B Seager gets $100 million deal
Third baseman Kyle Seager and the Seattle Mariners are nearing a long-term deal that will keep the 27-year-old in the Northwest for the next seven years.
According to multiple reports, the Mariners will lock up Seager at a cost of nearly $100 million. The contract will include an option in the eighth year and could be worth another $20 million.
Seager is coming off an All-Star type season. He won his first Gold Glove while hitting .268 and belted 25 home runs.
Seager must pass a physical before the deal becomes official.