Texans tab QB Mallett as starter
The Houston Texans have selected Ryan Mallett to be the starting quarterback when they meet the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Mallett played well in the opener against Kansas City after replacing first-game starter Bobby Hoyer. He was 8-of-13 passing for 98 yards and one touchdown.
“When Ryan went into the game, he added a spark to our team,” O’Brien told reporters.
O’Brien said his comments weren’t meant as “an indictment” of Hoyer, the veteran who outdueled Mallett for the job during training camp. He said Hoyer has practiced well this week.
But he likes the aggressiveness Mallett has displayed.
Lakers’ Bryant cleared for activities
Kobe Bryant has been cleared to participate in all basketball activities when the Los Angeles Lakers open training camp later this month.
The 37-year-old Bryant suffered a torn rotator cuff in late January and underwent surgery. The original prognosis called for a nine-month recovery period.
Bryant, who is entering his 20th season, has failed to complete the last three seasons. His 2012-13 season was cut short by an Achilles’ tendon injury and a knee injury ended his 2013-14 campaign.
Bills’ McCoy leaves practice with injury
Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy left Thursday’ s practice with hamstring tightness but is expected to play in Sunday’ s game against the New England Patriots.
McCoy suffered a hamstring injury during training camp and it lingered into the season. Bills coach Rex Ryan remains optimistic despite the latest setback.
“Do I expect him to play?” Ryan said after practice. “I certainly hope so.”
If McCoy can’ t play, rookie Karlos Williams is in line to start in his place.
Heat part owner cannot suppress tongue-wagging photo
A federal appeals court said a minority owner of the Miami Heat basketball team cannot stop a woman from running a scathingly critical blog featuring an unflattering photo of him with his tongue protruding askew from his mouth.
Raanan Katz, who is also a Florida real estate developer, had sought to stop Irina Chevaldina, a disgruntled former tenant in one of his shopping centers, from using the “ugly” and “embarrassing” photo, in which he held the copyright.
But the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Miami on Thursday agreed with a lower court judge that Chevaldina made “fair use” of the photo to illustrate and communicate her beliefs about Katz, without trying to profit.
The photo was taken at a February 2011 basketball practice in Jerusalem.