The Ali Summit

LOUISVILLE, Ky. >> Muhammad Ali was on the ropes for refusing induction into the Army, and Jim Brown wanted to help. But first, the NFL great wanted to hear the boxing champion's reasons for not answering the call to military service during the Vietnam War.

So Brown led a group of prominent black athletes who hit Ali with a flurry of questions during a two-hour meeting in Cleveland in June 1967. Ali didn't duck the questions and stuck to his principles, citing his religious beliefs in refusing to join the military.

The dozen athletes, including Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, emerged from the meeting to publicly support Ali at a time when the champ was one of the country's most polarizing figures.

"People got the answers that they wanted," Brown recalled Saturday as several of the participants prepared to reunite with Ali.

Nearly 50 years after the meeting, now known as the "Ali Summit," Brown and Russell prepared to be at Ali's side again Saturday night in the boxing champ's hometown. Brown was receiving a lifetime humanitarian achievement award bearing Ali's name.

The lineup of Ali Award winners included Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon and Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist Common. Other award winners included a half-dozen young adults from around the world honored for their humanitarian roles.

But much of the spotlight was on that meeting decades ago in Cleveland when Ali was at his most vulnerable, and how the group of athletes joined Ali's corner in the fight of the champ's life. Several participants met at the Ali Center a few hours before the awards event Saturday night. Ali, who is battling Parkinson's disease, was scheduled to meet the group at the awards show at a downtown hotel.

"No one had really sat down and listened to him and given him the respect of having him tell his point of view," Brown said Saturday.

Former NFL player John Wooten, another meeting participant, said Ali's questioners "came at him with everything." The man known for his brashness in the ring was humble when explaining his reasons, he said. It was enough to win over another participant, former NFL player Bobby Mitchell.

"I came there ready to try to talk him into going into the service," Mitchell said Saturday. "I actually felt that way. He whipped my behind pretty quick, because he can talk. But when it was all over, I felt good about walking out of there saying, 'We back him.'"

Ali was stripped of his world heavyweight boxing title in 1967 while in his prime and was convicted of draft evasion. Ali found himself embroiled in a long legal fight that ended in 1971, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in his favor.

Ali regained the heavyweight title in 1974, defeating George Foreman in the "Rumble in the Jungle." A year later, he outlasted Joe Frazier in the epic "Thrilla in Manila" bout. Ali's last title came in 1978 when he defeated Leon Spinks.

Long before Ali became an icon, the meeting's participants were taking a risk by throwing their support behind him.

"It was the United States government that we were dealing with," Brown said Saturday. "Careers were at stake. And everybody that showed up at that meeting put all of that on the line. That was heavyweight stuff."

Russell, who pulled up a decades-old photo of himself and Ali on his smartphone, said the legal battle came down to citizenship rights. Russell had known Ali for years and never doubted his sincerity for refusing military service. Russell said the legal fight transformed Ali.

"He became a hero to a lot of young folks in this country, black and white," the basketball great said. "Because what he was talking about was citizenship. And my citizenship, or Jim's ... is not a gift from other citizens. It's a right of birth."

Brown, an outspoken civil-rights advocate who remains active in efforts to stem violence, improve education and uplift neighborhoods, said he didn't want to compare the role of athletes today and in his era.

"I'm here to motivate as many people as I can in this country to take a look at the violence ... and the inferior education that a lot of our kids are getting," he said.

Former NFL star Ray Lewis, who joined the players from a previous generation Saturday, said Ali's principles still resonate with young people today.

"He did stand for something, and that something changed generations of young men, realizing that we all have a true freedom, a true opportunity to do what you're going to do, say what you're going to say," he said. "And if you believe strongly in something, truthfully in your heart, follow it."

Derek Jeter walks off at Yankee Stadium

They don't call Derek Jeter "Captain Clutch" for nothing.

Jeter, who has always had a flare for the dramatics, said farewell to Yankee Stadium on Thursday night with a walk-off single to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning. The Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles, 6-5. An elated Jeter jumped and raised both arms between first and second.

After he was mobbed on the field by his teammates, he stood in the middle of the field and tipped his cap to the fans he has played in front of the last 20 season.

"It was above and beyond anything that I've ever dreamt of," Jeter said on the field immediately after the game.

"This was a lot of fun. Thank you. Most importantly, I'm going to miss the fans," Jeter added.

Jeter finished the game with two hits, including a first inning double that nearly left the park for a home run. Jeter also drove in three runs, including the game winner.

The game was not without drama. The Yankees had a 5-2 lead going into ninth inning, and Jeter made his way to shortstop already driving in two runs. It was good, but Jeter wasn't done yet. As if it was planned all along, Yankees closer David Robertson gave up two home runs to tie the game at five. That sent the game to the bottom of the ninth inning, where Jeter was due up third in the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, Fans continued to serenade Jeter, hoping he could pull off one more clutch performance. With a man on second base and one out, Jeter strolled to the plate with a chance to write the perfect ending to his storied career in pinstripes. Jeter hit a sharp, opposite-field single to right that knocked in the winning run.

After celebrating with his teammates, Jeter went back out to shortstop, crouched down at the edge of the outfield grass and bounced on his toes a couple of times before rejoining the group.

Johnny Manziel's big play

Too bad it got called back.

2014 World Cup Basketball

[9/14/14] USA defeats Serbia for the gold

[9/11/14] France upsets Spain in quarterfinals, spoiling dream matchup with USA

[8/24/14] USA Basketball's men's national team trimmed its Basketball World Cup roster by cutting Damian Lillard, Chandler Parsons, Gordon Hayward and Kyle Korver late Friday.

With the cuts, USA Basketball trimmed its roster to the needed 12-man team ahead of the Aug. 30 start of the FIBA tournament in Spain. The final squad includes Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose, Golden State Warriors guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving, Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan, Houston Rockets guard James Harden, Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried, Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pelicans center Anthony Davis, Kings forward Rudy Gay, Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond and Brooklyn Nets center Mason Plumlee. USA Basketball announced the roster after its 112-86 exhibition victory over Puerto Rico on Friday evening in New York.

Mason Plumlee?

***

[7/14/14] Coach Mike Krzyzewski hopes Derrick Rose's NBA comeback begins in a USA uniform.

Even if Rose isn't ready, the Americans have plenty of talent for another run at a world championship.

Rose and four returnees from the 2012 Olympic men's basketball champions were among the 19 players selected Monday for this summer's U.S. national team roster.

Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, James Harden and Anthony Davis were the four holdovers from London, and there were new additions of Toronto's DeMar DeRozan and Chandler Parsons, who is leaving Houston for Dallas.

Players will report to training camp this month in Las Vegas, where Rose will try to show he's recovered from his latest knee surgery.

''We'd like to see him play like the Derrick of old, because he's one of the best players in the world, an MVP in the NBA,'' Krzyzewski said during a conference call. ''What we've heard is that he's in great shape.''

The rest of the roster: Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson (Golden State), Kyrie Irving (Cleveland), Blake Griffin (Clippers), Paul George (Indiana), Damian Lillard (Portland), Gordon Hayward (Utah), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento), Bradley Beal (Washington), Andre Drummond (Detroit), Kenneth Faried (Denver) and Kyle Korver (Atlanta).

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said the roster could be trimmed to 15 after the camp in Las Vegas that begins July 28, with the final 12 selected before the Americans depart for the World Cup of Basketball in Spain in late August.

[7/25/14] Blake Griffin withdraws [7/29/14] back injury disclosed

[7/26/14] Kevin Love withdraws too.

[7/28/14] John Wall added to World Cup roster
[7/28/14] Paul Millsap added to National Team roster

[8/4/14] Wall, Millsap, Beal cut from roster

[8/7/14] Kevin Durant to withdraw from Team USA

[8/9/14] Team USA adds Rudy Gay to roster

June Jones resigns from SMU

Former University of Hawaii coach June Jones, who engineered two of the biggest turnarounds in college football history, abruptly resigned from his latest one Monday at Southern Methodist University.

Two days after saying, "we just have to keep fighting," in the wake of an 0-2 start in which the Mustangs had been outscored 88-6, Jones announced his immediate departure from SMU to deal with undisclosed "personal issues."

Jones, 61, had signed a three-year contract extension just before Christmas that was to take him through 2017 at an annual salary reported to be $2.1 million.

"This job has a lot of demands, as you know, and along with that journey comes a price that is paid. I have some personal issues I have been dealing with and I need to take a step away so I can address them at this time," Jones said in a statement distributed by SMU.

Jones did not attend a press conference and did not immediately return phone calls or text messages.

His departure was first announced by agent Leigh Steinberg, who tweeted, "JUNE JONES RESIGNS SMU COACHING JOB--June had felt for some time he had accomplished mission to turn around program and needed a break."

Jones, a former UH player (1973-74) and assistant coach (1983), became head coach in 1999, taking over a team that had gone 0-12 in 1998. He immediately oversaw what remains the biggest single-season turnaround in NCAA major college history, taking UH to a 9-4 finish, a share of the WAC championship and a bowl game victory over Oregon State.

He managed seven winning seasons in nine years and took UH to six bowl games.

Jones left following the 12-1 Sugar Bowl season of 2007 and remains the winningest football coach in school history with a record of 76-41.

He took over an SMU program scarred by NCAA sanctions, including the first "death penalty." SMU did not field a football team in 1987 or '88 and had one winning season in 19 years preceding Jones' arrival.

But that changed in his second year with an 8-5 finish, a Conference USA divisional title and Sheraton Hawaii Bowl victory, the school's first bowl in 25 years. It was the first of four consecutive bowl appearances.

Jones, who has maintained a condo in Hawaii and an 808 phone number, has always talked about eventually returning to the islands. Immediately after the resignation was announced Monday, there was widespread speculation about Jones returning to UH. But athletic director Ben Jay said there was no plan to talk to Jones about a position at UH, where head coach Norm Chow is 4-22 in two-plus seasons. Chow's $550,000-a-year contract runs through 2016.

Jay said, "I'm sticking with Norm (Chow). Norm deserves our support and we'll see how the season goes."

In the past Jones has also talked about someday returning to UH as an administrator.

*** [12/17/14, posted 12/22/14]  June Jones on Leahey and Leahey

Marvin Barnes

Marvin Barnes, whose NBA career was derailed by substance abuse after leading Providence to the Final Four in 1973, has died, according to the college. He was 62.

Nicknamed Bad News and Marvin the Magnificent, Barnes was a 6-foot-9 center who teamed with fellow stars Kevin Stacom and Ernie DiGregorio to lead Dave Gavitt’s Friars to a 28-4 record in 1972-73, ending with a loss to Memphis State in the NCAA semifinals.

“Marvin will always be remembered as one of the greatest Friars of all-time,” Providence A.D. Bob Driscoll said in a statement.

Barnes was a consensus All-American during the 1973-74 campaign, leading the NCAA in rebounding with 18.7 per game. He was drafted No. 2 overall in the 1974 by Philadelphia, but instead signed to play with the Spirits of St. Louis in the ABA.

Barnes was the ABA Rookie of the Year in 1975, averaging 24 points and 15.6 rebounds and was taken fourth by the Pistons in the 1976 ABA dispersal draft. Moses Malone went 5th to Portland.

Barnes appeared in only 171 games for four NBA teams, but averaged only 9.2 points and 5.5 rebounds in the NBA and was out of the league by 1980, which he later attributed to heavy drug use during his career.

Barnes also had several run-ins with the law − and stints in drug rehab − during and after his career ended, including arrests for burglary, trespassing and drug and gun possession. Providence retired his jersey in 2008.

“He struggled with his demons, but he was a great friend,” Stacom told the Providence Journal. “He was a great talent and a great teammate, but most of all he was our friend.”

Ray Rice

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Ray Rice was let go by the Baltimore Ravens on Monday and suspended indefinitely by the NFL after a video was released showing the running back striking his then-fiancee in February.

The grainy video, released by TMZ Sports, shows Rice and Janay Palmer in an elevator at an Atlantic City casino. Each hits the other before Rice knocks Palmer off her feet and into a railing. Months ago, a TMZ video showed Rice dragging Palmer, now his wife, from the elevator at the Revel casino, which closed Sept. 2.

Earlier Monday, the Ravens said they never saw the new video. Hours later, they sent out a one-sentence release:

''The Baltimore Ravens terminated the contract of RB Ray Rice this afternoon.''

Coach John Harbaugh said he met with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, team president Dick Cass and general manager Ozzie Newsome after they saw the video, and they made the decision to let Rice go.

''It's something we saw for the first time today, all of us,'' Harbaugh said. ''It changed things, of course. It made things a little bit different.''

After Goodell drew criticism not being tough enough on Rice, in a letter to all 32 NFL owners in August he wrote, ''My disciplinary decision led the public to question our sincerity, our commitment, and whether we understood the toll that domestic violence inflicts on so many families. I take responsibility both for the decision and for ensuring that our actions in the future properly reflect our values.''

''I didn't get it right,'' he added. ''Simply put, we have to do better. And we will.''

First-time offenders now face a six-game suspension.

Rice began his suspension Sunday, when the Ravens opened their season with a 23-16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He was scheduled to return after Thursday night's game against Pittsburgh.

He leaves the Ravens as the second-leading rusher in franchise history, behind only Jamal Lewis. A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Rice is the team's career leader in total yards from scrimmage (9,214) and is the only player in Ravens history to rush for 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons.

*** [12/19/14]

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. >> A video released Friday shows Ray Rice's then-fiancee crying and kissing him while they are both handcuffed and being taken to jail by police officers after Rice punched her in a casino elevator.

The video was obtained by ABC News through a public records request filed with the New Jersey Gaming Enforcement Division. Rice's attorney fought to keep the video from being released but lost.

The video shows Janay Palmer-- now married to the former Baltimore Ravens running back -- crying and being comforted by officers or security officials at the Revel casino early on the morning of Feb. 15.

An officer walked a handcuffed Rice toward an elevator, pulling Rice's sweatshirt hood over his head. Palmer, also handcuffed, appeared to be crying as another officer led her behind Rice.

Both of them were placed in an elevator with several officers. Rice and Palmer moved their heads together as if they were talking. Palmer leaned in and appeared to kiss Rice before they are escorted out of the elevator.

Kenny Hill

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Just call him Kenny Trill.

Many, including Johnny Manziel himself, started calling new Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill by the nickname Kenny Football after his record-setting, 511-yard passing game in an upset of South Carolina last week.

But the sophomore quarterback says that's Manziel's thing -- and he prefers Kenny Trill.

"I like that one," he said. "That one's cool."

Before settling on Kenny Trill, Hill went through a laundry list of nicknames people have suggested since Thursday's game.

"I heard there's Kenny Trill, Kenny Thrill, King of the Hill, Kenny Football, Kenny Chill, Kenny Touchdown," he said. "I mean there's too many of them."

Nishikori stuns Djokovic

NEW YORK >> Japan's Kei Nishikori became the first man from Asia to reach a Grand Slam final, stunning top-ranked Novak Djokovic 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3 in stifling heat Saturday at the U.S. Open.

"It's just amazing, an amazing feeling beating the No. 1 player," Nishikori said during an on-court interview.

He had played five-set marathons in his last two matches totaling more than 8 1/2 hours, yet he looked far fresher than a player known as one of the fittest on tour.

"He just played better in these conditions than I did," Djokovic said.

Under coach Michael Chang, the 1989 French Open champ, the 24-year-old Nishikori has sharpened his mental game to pull out victories like these.

"We've been working super well," Nishikori said, referring to Chang and co-coach Dante Bottini. "That's why I'm here."

***

NEW YORK >> Instead of Novak Djokovic vs. Roger Federer for the U.S. Open title, first-time Grand Slam finalists Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic will vie for the championship after a pair of semifinal surprises Saturday.

First, Japan's Nishikori became the first man from Asia to reach a major singles championship match by staying fresher than Djokovic in stifling heat and winning 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Then, Croatia's Cilic used every bit of his 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) frame to deliver stinging serves and flat groundstrokes during a quick-as-can-be 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Federer.

"It's fairly simple, I think: Marin played great and I maybe didn't catch my best day," Federer said after his 1-hour, 45-minute loss. "That's pretty much it in a nutshell."

So much for No. 1-seeded Djokovic facing the No. 2-seeded Federer in a matchup between men who have combined to win 24 Grand Slam trophies. In what some will see as signaling a generational shift in tennis, Monday's final will be No. 10 Nishikori against No. 14 Cilic.

"That's going to be a sensational day for both of us," said Cilic, who at 25 is a year older than Nishikori.

For the first time in nearly a decade -- since Marat Safin beat Lleyton Hewitt at the Australian Open in January 2005 -- a major final will be contested without at least one of Federer, Djokovic or Rafael Nadal, who didn't attempt to defend his 2013 U.S. Open title because of a right wrist injury.

That trio won 34 of the past 38 Grand Slam trophies, including two months ago at Wimbledon, when Djokovic edged Federer in a five-set final.

The Homecoming

LeBron's essay recited by Cleveland fans

recited by Frank Caliendo (with music!) (as Morgan Freeman)

Aaron Goldhammer

by LeBron James (as told to Lee Jenkins)