National Sports - The Morning Sun

FILE - Then-Duke head coach Gail Goestenkors celebrates her team's 67-62 win over North Carolina after a basketball game in Durham, N.C. on Feb. 25, 2007. Goestenkors, a Women's Basketball Hall of Famer and Kentucky women’s basketball assistant, has retired from on-court coaching but will remain on coach Kyra Elzy’s staff until her replacement is hired. (AP Photo/Sara D. Davis, File)

Kentucky assistant Goestenkors retires for off-court role

Kentucky women’s basketball assistant Gail Goestenkors has retired from on-court coaching but will remain on coach Kyra Elzy’s staff until her replacement is hired. A national search will begin … more

6/14/22

Rory McIlroy, left, of Northern Ireland, and Jon Rahm, of Spain, talk before teeing off at the fifth hole at The Country Club, Monday, June 13, 2022, in Brookline, Mass., during a practice round ahead of the U.S. Open golf tournament. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Column: Players who take Saudi money shouldn't need PGA Tour

The Saudi-funded golf league is all the talk at the U.S. Open, and it will probably stay that way for some time. It's hard to believe it was only 3 1/2 months ago when Commissioner Jay Monahan said … more

By DOUG FERGUSON | 6/14/22

FILE - Serena Williams of the United States holds up the trophy after winning the women's singles final against Garbine Muguruza of Spain at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Chris Evert appreciates that she, Serena Williams and other Wimbledon women's singles champions will now be listed on the All England Club's honor boards in a Centre Court hallway simply by their first initial and last name — the way the men's title winners always have been — instead of preceded by “Miss” or “Mrs.”(Sean Dempsey/Pool via AP, File)

Serena Williams implies she'll play at Wimbledon this year

Maybe Serena Williams is going to play at Wimbledon this year. She sure made it seem that way in an Instagram post. Williams has not competed anywhere since getting injured during the first set of … more

6/14/22

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after guard Klay Thompson, right, shot a 3-point basket during the second half of Game 5 of basketball's NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics in San Francisco, Monday, June 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Analysis: However it ends, these NBA Finals may be a classic

The NBA Finals won’t end until Thursday. Or maybe Sunday. But even without a single game decided by single digits through the first five contests, this series is on the brink of going down as a … more

By TIM REYNOLDS | 6/14/22

Atlanta Braves' Marcell Ozuna, right, celebrates with teammate Ozzie Albies (1) after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Monday, June 13, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

Albies breaks foot, but Braves beat Nats for 12th straight

Dansby Swanson and the Atlanta Braves won their 12th straight game, beating the Washington Nationals 9-5 despite losing All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies to a broken left foot. Swanson hit one of … more

By HARVEY VALENTINE | 6/14/22

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts after scoring against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of Game 5 of basketball's NBA Finals in San Francisco, Monday, June 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Streaky Celtics hit cold spot at bad time in Game 5 loss

The Boston Celtics couldn’t make a 3-pointer to start the game and found themselves in a deep hole. Then they couldn’t miss and turned the game around. But when the outside shooting failed them … more

By JOSH DUBOW | 6/14/22

Philadelphia Phillies' Rhys Hoskins is doused with water after hitting an RBI-double during the ninth inning of a baseball game for a walkoff win over the Miami Marlins, Monday, June 13, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)

Hoskins' RBI in 9th rallies Phillies past Marlins 3-2

Rhys Hoskins raised his arms in celebration on his game-ending RBI double in the ninth inning that led the Philadelphia Phillies over the Miami Marlins 3-2. Hoskins’ two-out hit off Anthony Bass … more

By DAN GELSTON | 6/13/22

FILE - United States' Megan Rapinoe, left, and Alex Morgan celebrate after winning the Women's World Cup final soccer match between U.S. and The Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France, Sunday, July 7, 2019. Rapinoe and Morgan were included on the U.S. national team roster for the upcoming CONCACAF W Championship, which will determine four of the region’s teams in the 2023 Women’s World Cup. (AP Photo/Claude Paris, File)

Rapinoe, Morgan back for US for World Cup qualifiers

Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan have been included on the U.S. national soccer team roster for the upcoming CONCACAF W Championship, which will determine four of the region’s teams in the 2023 … more

By ANNE M. PETERSON | 6/13/22

Phil Mickelson ponders a question at a press conference, Monday, June 13, 2022, at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., ahead of the U.S. Open golf tournament. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Column: Golf's civil war likely to produce no real winners

Golf is in the early days of a bitter showdown between the established PGA Tour and an upstart series funded by the repressive Saudi Arabian regime. If history is any indication, there are unlikely … more

By PAUL NEWBERRY | 6/13/22

Bryson DeChambeau hits from the 18th tee during the second round of the Memorial golf tournament Friday, June 3, 2022, in Dublin, Ohio. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

US OPEN NOTEBOOK: Golf schism the talk of The Country Club

Bryson DeChambeau says it's a business decision to play for the LIV Golf series. The 2020 U.S. Open champion says defecting to the new tour also frees up some time. DeChambeau didn't want to get into … more

By JIMMY GOLEN | 6/13/22

Phil Mickelson not giving up on playing PGA Tour

Phil Mickelson isn’t giving up on playing on the PGA Tour again, even if he is currently not welcome there. During his 25-minute session with reporters in advance of the U.S. Open, Mickelson said … more

6/13/22

Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates with the bench after his goal against the New York Rangers during the third period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs Eastern Conference finals Saturday, June 11, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Steven Stamkos thriving in different role with Lightning

At 32 and wrapping up his 14th season, Steven Stamkos is no longer one of the NHL’s most prolific scorers or even the second- or third-best player on his own team. The six-time All-Star and … more

By FRED GOODALL | 6/13/22

Oklahoma's Jocelyn Alo holds the trophy after Oklahoma defeated Texas in the NCAA softball Women's College World Series finals Thursday, June 9, 2022, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Alo having choice of softball leagues shows sport's growth

Oklahoma softball player Jocelyn Alo has options this summer, drafted by both Athletes Unlimited and the new Women's Professional Fastpitch league. The leagues will overlap this summer, forcing Alo … more

By CLIFF BRUNT | 6/13/22

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 18, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tigers' Rodriguez on restricted list due to personal matters

Detroit Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez has been placed on the restricted list. Tigers general manager Al Avila announced that Rodriguez will not rejoin the team due to personal matters. The … more

6/13/22

CORRECTS ID TO MIKKO RANTANEN, NOT KURTIS MACDERMID AS ORIGINALLY SENT - Colorado Avalanche's Gabriel Landeskog (92), Artturi Lehkonen (62), Mikko Rantanen (96) and Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrate a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during third period NHL hockey conference finals action in Edmonton, Alberta, on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Avalanche try to ignore being favored in final vs. Lightning

The Colorado Avalanche are favorites to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final. They're not trying to think about that. One of Colorado's few players who have won the Cup says the team … more

By STEPHEN WHYNO | 6/13/22

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks at a news conference before Game 1 of basketball's NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics in San Francisco, Thursday, June 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

NBA's Adam Silver enters protocols, missing Game 5 of finals

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver canceled plans to attend Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Warriors and Celtics because of the league’s health and safety protocols. Silver typically attends all … more

6/13/22

New York Yankees' Josh Donaldson reacts after flying out to end the third inning of the team's baseball game against the Chicago Cubs on Friday, June 10, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Donaldson's 1-game ban upheld by MLB, fine cut to $5,000

Major League Baseball has upheld Josh Donaldson’s one-game suspension, a penalty that was assessed after the New York Yankees third baseman made a remark to White Sox star Tim Anderson about Jackie … more

By RONALD BLUM | 6/13/22

FILE - At left, Chellsie Memmel is shown during the final round of the U.S. gymnastics championships, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2011, in St. Paul, Minn. At right, Alicia Sacramone waves to the crowd during the women's senior division at the U.S. gymnastics championships, Sunday, June 10, 2012, in St. Louis. Alicia Sacramone Quinn and Chellsie Memmel won Olympic and world championship medals together. Now the two longtime friends and USA Gymnastics teammates are tasked with leading the organization back to the top of the podium. (AP Photo/File)

Sacramone Quinn, Memmel embrace new roles at USA Gymnastics

Two former star gymnasts are eager to lead USA Gymnastics into a new era. Olympic medalists Alicia Sacramone Quinn and Chellsie Memmel have taken on roles within the organization in hopes of getting … more

By WILL GRAVES | 6/13/22

FILE - Baltimore Orioles executive vice president John Angelos speaks at a news conference on Nov. 19, 2018, in Baltimore. Orioles CEO John Angelos was accused in a lawsuit in June 2022 of seizing control of the team at the expense of his brother Lou, and in defiance of their father Peter’s wishes. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Orioles CEO John Angelos insists team won't leave Baltimore

Orioles CEO John Angelos says the team will remain in Baltimore — and that he and his parents have never contemplated otherwise. Angelos’ comments were released by the team days after he was sued … more

6/13/22

Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after defeating Serbia's Novak Djokovic in their quarterfinal match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium Tuesday, May 31, 2022 in Paris. Nadal won 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

None of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic in ATP top 2; 1st since '03

None of the so-called Big Three of men’s tennis is in the No. 1 or No. 2 spots in the ATP rankings. It's the first time in nearly 20 years that Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were … more

By HOWARD FENDRICH | 6/13/22