NFL: Report: Browns to replace Shurmur, GM
The Browns are expected to clean house tomorrow, letting go of both coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported yesterday, citing league sources.
The newspaper reported Shurmur and Heckert either will be fired or will part ways with new Browns owner Jimmy Haslam III. Cleveland (5-10) wraps up its season with a road game against the Steelers today and is assured a last-place finish in the AFC North for the second straight year.
Shurmur’s status became tenuous once Haslam took over and Mike Holmgren exited the organization this season.
Sources told the Plain Dealer Shurmur and Heckert know they will be let go, but have not been informed.
NCAA: Suspension over, Rice back at practice
Rutgers men’s basketball coach Mike Rice returned to practice after a three-game, 16-day suspension for inappropriate behavior and language. He was suspended without pay and fined $50,000 on Dec. 13 for a violation of athletic department policy.
Rutgers (9-2) went 3-0 under associate head coach David Cox. Rice will be on the bench Wednesday when Rutgers opens Big East play at Syracuse.
Connecticut gave men’s coach Kevin Ollie a contract extension through the end of the 2017-18 season before last night’s 61-53 over Washington in Hartford.
The deal is worth a little more than $7 million and begins Jan. 1. Ollie has led UConn to a 10-2 record.
In Minneapolis, Boston College coach Jerry York became the NCAA hockey career victory leader, directing the top-ranked Eagles to a 5-3 win over Alabama-Huntsville in the Mariucci Classic.
York has 925 victories in 41 seasons to move past former Michigan State coach Ron Mason.
In Stanford, Calif., Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis had 19 points and the second-ranked UConn women snapped Stanford’s 82-game home winning streak, 61-35.
ETC: Man U maintains seven-point lead
Manchester United will head into 2013 with a seven-point cushion atop the English Premier League, with another stunning goal from Robin van Persie sealing a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.
Second-place Manchester City held on to beat Norwich 4-3 with 10 men to stay in contention in the defense of its title, and Arsenal hammered Newcastle 7-3.
In Las Vegas, Cain Velasquez (11-1) reclaimed the UFC heavyweight championship, battering Junior Dos Santos (15-2) on the way to a lopsided unanimous decision in UFC 155.