Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EST on Monday, March 2
March 2 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Monday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Free to roam: Lions to let Suh test waters Top-rated free agent Ndamukong Suh will be allowed to explore free agency if the Detroit Lions are unable to sign him to a long-term extension this week. The team opted not to use the franchise tag to retain Suh on a pricey one-year deal. (FBN-LIONS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) See also: Who's It? NFL tag rundown (FBN-NEWS/FRANCHISETAG, expect by 6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - Vikings communicating with Peterson General manager Rick Spielman said last week's ruling opens lines of communication with the Minnesota Vikings and running back Adrian Peterson. (FBN-VIKINGS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 329 words) - - Beware Pro Daze: Numbers can lie There is a reason some scouts refer to the on-campus events to showcase NFL pro prospects as "Pro Daze." They know to beware of the credibility of any alleged improvement at a Pro Day compared to the combine. In this case, the numbers can lie, and usually do in the times for popular running events. (FBN-ANALYSIS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Frank Cooney, 900 words) - - Cobb to hit free agency with Packers waiting Short of a long-term contract extension this week, wide receiver Randall Cobb will be allowed to hit free agency next week. The Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns are all reportedly interested in making him a No. 1 receiver. (FBN-PACKERS-NEWS/, expect by 2:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 375 words) - - Broncos use tag on WR Thomas Tight end Julius Thomas could be headed out of Denver, but the Broncos retain wide receiver Demaryius Thomas with the franchise tag before today's deadline. (FBN-BRONCOS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 377 words) - - Chiefs tag LB Houston; grievance expected Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston is slapped with the franchise tag. He could file a grievance hoping to be identified as a defensive end, which is worth more than $1.5 million more than if he's classified as a linebacker under the one-year tender. (FBN-CHIEFS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - As expected, WR Bryant tagged by 'Boys Wide receiver Dez Bryant is given the franchise tag in Dallas, as expected, but the Cowboys claim they are still pushing for a long-term contract. The one-year tender for wide receivers is $12.8 million. (FBN-COWBOYS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 322 words) - - NFL roundup News and notes from around the league. (FBN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 7:45 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Bulls down another starter All-Star guard Jimmy Butler (elbow) could miss 3-6 weeks, the Chicago Bulls say. (BKN-BULLS-NEWS/, expect by 4 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - TSX covers all NBA games, highlighted matchup below - - Toronto at Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA - The Toronto Raptors (37-22), sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference but just a half-game in front of the Chicago Bulls, look to halt a five-game skid when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers (13-46), a club just a half- game ahead of the New York Knicks, the worst team in the East.(BKN-RAPTORS-SIXERS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 7 PM ET scheduled tip-off, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Today's NBA schedule at a glance Toronto at Philadelphia, 7 PM ET (PIX) Golden State at Brooklyn, 7:30 PM ET (PIX) Phoenix at Miami, 7:30 PM ET (PIX) Los Angeles Clippers at Minnesota, 8 PM ET (PIX) New Orleans at Dallas, 8:30 PM ET (PIX) - - NBA Roundup The latest moves and news from the NBA. (BKN-ROUNDUP/, expect by 6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - NBA Notebook The latest moves and news from the NBA. (BKN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - COLLEGE BASKETBALL Starting Fives: Gonzaga's loss, Villanova's gain An ill-timed loss and poor strength of schedule will cost Gonzaga a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Villanova could be the beneficiary of the Bulldogs' misstep. Column includes top five player of the year candidates, mid-major seniors to catch before they're gone and teams to know before brackets are revealed (hello, Murray State). (CBK-COLUMN/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Josh Verlin, 1,733 words) - - Top 25 Roundup Roundup of all Top 25 games played Monday. (CBK-ROUNDUP/, expect first version by 9:45 PM ET, The Sports Xchange) - - TSX covers all Top 25 games Slug convention: BKC-OHIOSTATE-MICHIGAN-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ - - Top 25 schedule at a glance (2) Virginia at Syracuse, 7 PM ET (PIX) (19) Baylor at Texas, 7 PM ET (PIX) (16) Oklahoma at (12) Iowa State, 9 PM ET (PIX) - - - - GOLF PGA Tour: Honda Classic, Palm Beach Gardens (to March 2) Harrington wins Honda Classic after playoff PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - Padraig Harrington ends a seven-year title drought on the two main tours as he wins the Honda Classic in a playoff with American rookie Daniel Berger following a thrilling final round. (GOLF-PGA/ (UPDATE 2, PIX), moved, 417 words) - - Berger so close to remarkable rookie win PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - Rookie Daniel Berger comes from nine strokes behind the lead to enter a playoff for the Honda Classic but loses out on the second sudden-death hole to Ireland's Padraig Harrington. (GOLF-PGA/BERGER, moved, 403 words) - - PGA, agent deny Woods was suspended PGA officials and Tiger Woods' agent deny that Woods has been suspended by the tour. In an interview with a Michigan radio station, Dan Olsen, a relative unknown on the Tour, says an exempt player told him that Woods had been suspended, possibly for a failed drug test. (GLF-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 321 words) - - Stenson enters 2015 rested, ready Henrik Stenson is motivated to become the first Swedish man to win a golf major, and his recent resume indicates he could be ready to do it in 2015. (GLF-INSIDETHEROPES/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Tom LaMarre, 700 words) - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Active deadline makes waves The Montreal Canadiens acquire defenseman Jeff Petry from the Edmonton Oilers and forward Brian Flynn from the Buffalo Sabres in separate deadline-day deals, a day after the Tampa Bay Lightning bolster their blue line acquiring defenseman Braydon Coburn from the Philadelphia Flyers. (HKN-NEWS/, expect by 5 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 800 words) - - TSX covers all NHL games, highlighted matchup below - - Montreal at San Jose SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Sharks, losers of three straight, can tie the Calgary Flames for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West if they can beat the Montreal Canadiens, the top team in the East and winners of four straight. (HKN-CANADIENS-SHARKS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after 10 PM ET scheduled start, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru)I - - Today's NHL schedule at a glance Nashville at New York Rangers, 7 PM ET (PIX) Carolina at Chicago, 8:30 PM ET (PIX) Montreal at San Jose, 10 PM ET (PIX) - - NHL Roundup The latest moves and news from the NHL. (HKN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - CONCUSSIONS NHL concussion lawsuit following a path blazed by the NFL WASHINGTON - Gary Leeman, an all-star who played 15 seasons in the NHL before retiring in 1997, is one of about 70 players suing the league for knowingly withholding information about the long-term effect of concussions, a suit similar to the one filed by ex-NFL players. "Obviously part of the entertainment value of the NHL is fighting," said Leeman. "You get five minutes for fighting. If you did that on the street, you'd be in jail." (NHL-LAWSUIT/, moved, by Steve Ginsburg, 600 words) - - - - ALPINE SKIING Vonn appears to be out of the mix BANSKO, Bulgaria - Anna Fenninger increases the pressure on World Cup leader Tina Maze with her fourth back-to-back victory in a women's Super-G. Despite finishing third, American Lindsey Vonn, who staged a sensational comeback by beating the record of 62 World Cup victories following a year-long injury break, looks out of contention as the season draws to a close. (ALPINE SKIING-WORLD/WOMEN (PIX), moved, 241 words) - - - - AUTO RACING He's back: Johnson back in Chase hunt ATLANTA - Jimmie Johnson had at least seven reasons to smile about his victory Sunday. The six-time NASCAR champion very likely qualified for the Chase just two races into the 2015 schedule. "It's pretty much a lock," he said Sunday after taming Atlanta. Includes notes from around the track heading to Vegas. (AUTO-SPRINT-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 3 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by Jonathan Ingram, 1,500 words) - - - - TENNIS Nishikori breaks into world's top four, Murray out LONDON- Japan's Kei Nishikori breaks into the top four of the ATP world rankings as the Asian trailblazer continues to shake up the top echelon of men's tennis. (TENNIS-NISHIKORI/RANKING, moved, 169 words) - - - - JURISPRUDENCE Accused Boston bomber's lawyers seek to discuss brother early in trial BOSTON - Lawyers for the Boston Marathon bombing suspect spar with federal prosecutors over how early in the trial they may discuss his older brother's role in the attack, suggesting the defendant's life may well hang on that question. (BOSTON BOMBING-TRIAL/ (UPDATE 3), moved; will be led, by Scott Malone, 617 words) - - Florida group to sue FBI in death of friend of Boston bombing suspect ORLANDO - A Florida Islamic group files a formal notice with the FBI that it plans to sue the agency for $30 million in the death of Ibragim Todashev, a friend of one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects. (BOSTONBOMBING-TRIAL/TODASHEV (UPDATE 3), moved, 400 words) - - - - FITNESS Streaming fitness videos leave no excuses for procrastinators NEW YORK - For people who are financially strapped, time challenged or on the road without a gym in sight, fitness experts say streaming videos can provide cheap or free workouts, leaving no excuses for even the most dedicated couch potatoes to avoid exercise. (FITNESS-STREAMING/, moved, by Dorene Internicola, 396 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)
