Bowdoin headed to curling nationals
Bowdoin College in Brunswick has qualified for the collegiate curling national championships to be held next month.
The Polar Bears are among 16 teams to earn a berth in the USA Curling College Championship scheduled for March 10-12 at Utica, New York.Cole Hamel captains the Bowdoin squad, which will send six curlers to the competition.
Patriots decline to use franchise tag on LB Hightower
The New England Patriots reportedly passed on using the franchise tag on Dont’a Hightower, making the linebacker a free agent on March 9.
The Super Bowl hero could still return to the Patriots but ESPN reported that Hightower is intent on testing the free-agent market.
Hightower earned $7.751 in 2016 during his fifth NFL season. The franchise tag is expected to be worth approximately $14.7 million.
The Patriots can negotiate with Hightower until March 7.
Hightower’s fourth-quarter strip sack of Atlanta Falcons quarterback in Super Bowl LI was one of the biggest plays as the Patriots rallied from a 25-point comeback to win the contest.
Hightower, who turns 27 on March 12, had 65 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season. He has 404 tackles and 17 sacks in his career.
Jets set to release Revis
Darrelle Revis, arguably the best defensive back in New York Jets history, will be released, the club announced Tuesday.
The expected move saves the Jets some $9.3 million in salary-cap space.
The 31-year-old Revis recently was arraigned on five counts of assault stemming from an altercation in Pittsburgh on Feb. 12.
“Darrelle Revis is one of the greatest players to ever wear a Jets uniform,” Jets owner Woody Johnson said in a statement. “His combination of talent, preparation and instincts is rare and helped him become one of the most dominant players of his generation. I appreciate Darrelle’s contributions to this organization and, wherever his career takes him, his home will always be here with the Jets.”
Also, the Jets said they will allow Revis to collect the $6 million he was guaranteed for the 2017 season.
Revis’ career reached a peak in 2009, when he intercepted six passes and recorded an NFL-most 31 passes defended. He was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and won Super Bowl XLIX with the New England Patriots in 2015.
Revis spent his first six NFL seasons with the Jets, then one each with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Patriots, then the past two with the Jets. He has 29 career interceptions, four forced fumbles, two sacks and 137 passes defensed in 140 games (all starts).
Bogut ready to join Cavs
The Cleveland Cavaliers are close to adding frontcourt depth for the rest of the regular season and playoffs.
Veteran center Andrew Bogut is committed to joining the Cavaliers, The Vertical reported Tuesday. He would be the second acquisition for the Cavs this week, joining point guard Deron Williams, who signed with the team on Monday after he was waived by the Dallas Mavericks.
The Cavs now have to wait for Bogut, who was released Monday by the Philadelphia 76ers, to clear waivers before they sign him.
The 12th-year pro was dealt to the 76ers last week from the Mavericks in a deal that included young center Nerlens Noel going to Dallas. Bogut never played a game with the 76ers before he was waived.
Before committing to the Cavs, Bogut also reportedly was sought by the Boston Celtics and the Houston Rockets.
The 32-year-old started his career with the Milwaukee Bucks and was there seven seasons before he went to Golden State in 2012. He was part of the Warriors championship team in 2014-15.
Last summer, the Warriors traded him to the Mavericks to open cap space to allow them to sign free agent Kevin Durant.
In 26 games with the Mavericks this season, Bogut averaged 3.0 points and 8.3 rebounds. The 7-footer has career averages of 10.0 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 670 regular-season games.
Canadiens deal Desharnais to Oilers for Davidson
The Montreal Canadiens acquired defenseman Brandon Davidson from the Edmonton Oilers for forward David Desharnais on Tuesday.
Davidson, 25, played in 28 games this season with the Oilers collecting one assist, 16 penalty minutes and 46 blocked 46 shots with an average of 15:23 ice time per game. In 91 career NHL regular-season games since his debut in 2014-15, he has five goals and eight assists, including two goals on the power play.
Signed by the Canadiens as a free agent in 2008, Desharnais appeared in 31 games in 2016-17, registering four goals and six assists.
“You check a lot of boxes with him… He’s got experience, he’s smart with & without the puck,” Oilers President/general manager Peter Chiarelli on Desharnais via the team’s twitter account.
In 435 regular-season games since making his NHL debut with the Canadiens in 2009-10, he has 79 goals and 171 assists to goal along with three goals and 10 assists in 38 career playoff games.
“I would like to thank David for all his years as a Montreal Canadien,” Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said. “He developed and matured within our organization providing valuable services. We wish him the utmost success with the continuation of his career.”
Nuggets’ Faried to miss at least one week with injuries
Denver forward Kenneth Faried will miss the next week to 10 days because of back and ankle injuries, according to the Denver Post.
With 23 games remaining and the Nuggets clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, Denver can ill afford to go very long with Faried in street clothes.
The 27-year-old has missed five of the Nuggets past seven games, and Denver is 3-4 in that span. The Nuggets have five games over the next 10 days.
In 49 games this season, Faried is averaging 9.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.