Lucerne GC to open on Wednesday
The Lucerne Golf Club will open for the season on Wednesday.
A nine-hole special of $12 will be available, as will deals on memberships. Motorized carts cannot be used.
Two Middle Tennessee players dismissed
Middle Tennessee dismissed two football players from the team on Friday amid an animal cruelty police investigation into a video of the men allegedly striking a dog.
Blue Raiders defensive lineman Justin Akins and linebacker Shalom Alvarez were first suspended by head coach Rick Stockstill on Wednesday after Murfreesboro, Tenn., police were contacted by a concerned citizen of a video on Akins’ Snapchat account showing him allegedly hitting a puppy four times.
“When confronted with situations of inappropriate conduct, it is easy for a coach to simply dismiss players in trouble without taking time to study the situation,” Stockstill said in a statement Friday. “I feel it is important to consider the facts carefully, and seek input from others with information and expertise, before reaching a decision.
“After reviewing the matter further, and speaking with authorities with the appropriate expertise, I have decided to dismiss Justin Akins and Shalom Alvarez from our football team. Their actions were in violation of the values and standards of our program.”
The dog did not belong to either player, according to WSMV-TV in Nashville. There have been no arrests or charges thus far in the investigation.
Alabama football player reports to police
Alabama safety Deionte Thompson turned himself into authorities after an arrest warrant was issued in relation to a charge of felony aggravated assault in Texas.
Thompson was excused from Friday’s spring practice festivities by coach Nick Saban to “cooperate with law enforcement in this matter.”
Thompson is one of four people under suspicion in connection with an assault during spring break that left an 18-year-old man severely beaten.
According to published reports, Noah Frillou was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion and broken bones in his face, nose and eye sockets during the incident at Crystal Beach near Galveston.
Thompson and three of his former West Orange-Stark High football teammates from West Orange, Texas are suspects in the beating. KBMT-TV in Beaumont, Texas identified the other suspects as Morris Joseph, Rufus Joseph and Daletredricc Wolfford.
Redskins LB Murphy draws four-game suspension
Washington Redskins linebacker Trent Murphy will miss the first four games of the 2017 season due to a suspension, the NFL announced in a statement on Friday.
Murphy was suspended for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances. The 26-year-old will be allowed to participate in offseason camp and preseason games.
Murphy recorded nine sacks in 2016 — the most productive season of his three-year career. The Stanford product owns 15 career sacks and 112 combined tackles.
The Redskins are thin at the pass rusher position with fellow outside linebacker Junior Galette coming off a torn Achilles and dealing with an arrest over the weekend on disorderly conduct charges. Ryan Kerrigan led Washington with 11 sacks in 2016.
Rangers, D Kampfer agree to terms
The New York Rangers and defenseman Steven Kampfer agreed to terms on a new contract Friday.
Kampfer, 28, skated in 11 NHL games with Florida and the Rangers during the regular season in 2016-17, recording a goal, an assist and six penalty minutes. He was credited with 23 hits in the 10 games he played for the Rangers.
The 5-foot-11, 192-pound Kampfer skated in 144 career NHL games over parts of five seasons with Boston, Minnesota, Florida and the Rangers, registering 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) and 62 penalty minutes.
Kampfer also played in 43 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League in 2016-17, totaling four goals, 15 assists and 44 penalty minutes.
The Ann Arbor, Mich., native was acquired by the Rangers from Florida on Nov. 8.