Pistons’ Jennings fined for ‘obscene gesture’
Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Jennings was fined $15,000 by the NBA for making an “obscene gesture.”
Rod Thorn, the NBA’s president of basketball operations, made the announcement Wednesday.
Jennings’ actions occurred with 2:58 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Pistons’ 114-111 win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night. Jennings led the Pistons with 34 points and 10 assists.
Braves trade Gattis to Astros
The Atlanta Braves traded catcher/outfielder Evan Gattis to the Houston Astros, according to multiple reports Wednesday.
The Braves will receive three minor league prospects — right-hander Mike Foltynewicz, third baseman Rio Ruiz and right-hander Andrew Thurman — from the Astros.
Gattis, 28, has 43 home runs in just 213 career games with the Braves. The right-handed Gattis has played catcher, first base and left field. In 2014, Gattis hit .263 with 22 home runs and 52 RBIs, but was hindered by a back injury over the second half of the year.
AHL player suspended 20 games
Toronto Marlies forward Brad Ross was suspended 20 games for violating the American Hockey League’s substance abuse program.
“Our organization is diligent in its work to only provide our athletes supplements approved by the Banned Substance Control Group, and we’ve stressed the importance of staying within these parameters to maintain the integrity of what goes into their bodies,” Toronto Maple Leafs general manager David Nonis said in a statement.
Ross, 22, has seven points in 21 games for the Marlies this season while primarily playing on the third and fourth lines.
Ross is the second member of the organization to be suspended for performance enhancing substances this season. Winger Carter Ashton tested positive for Clenbuterol earlier this season and served a 20-game suspension under the NHL’s drug policy.
Prescott stays at Mississippi State
Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott will forgo an early jump to the NFL and return for his senior season in 2015.
Prescott’s announcement Wednesday at a news conference confirmed earlier reports that he would stay in school. The NFL deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft is Thursday.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder led Mississippi State to the top of the national polls for five weeks this season and finished the year with 3,449 yards passing, 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He added 986 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.
NFLDraftScout.com projected Prescott as a second-round pick this year and he said during the season that he wouldn’t leave school unless he knew he would be selected in the first round.
Obama calls Ohio State’s Meyer to salute football championship
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama called Urban Meyer to congratulate the Ohio State head coach on his team’s 42-20 upset victory over Oregon the first College Football Playoff championship.
During Tuesday night’s call with Meyer, Obama discussed “the underclassmen who stepped up in the game despite injury and adversity,” the White House said in a statement.
Obama was looking forward to having the team to the White House to celebrate the championship, the statement said.
Ohio State’s victory on Monday night on ESPN drew the highest ratings and viewership in the history of U.S. cable television.
The 50-year-old Meyer has won three national titles, having previously won two as the head football coach at Florida.