Page 2B
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Saturday, August 8, 2015
NCAA
Minnesota AD resigns after colleagues say he groped them
By JON KRAWCZYNSKI
AP Sports Writer
MINNEAPOLIS — The
University of Minnesota
released redacted transcripts
of the sexual harassment
complaints that led to the
resignation of the school’s
athletic director in which two
female co-workers accuse
him of groping and making
inappropriate advances at
them.
One of the women, whose
names are blacked out in the
reports, told school adminis-
trators that at a recent event,
what started out as her texting
with Norwood Teague about
setting him up with one of
her friends devolved into him
repeatedly pinching her butt
and asking to perform oral sex
on her.
The other women said
Teague seemed intent on
being next to her at the event
and that she felt cornered by
him at times. She said he kept
asking when she was going to
marry her boyfriend, and that
he made unwelcome physical
advances such as rubbing her
back and poking her side.
Both women said they left
the event with others because
they felt that Teague might
otherwise try to follow them.
Teague resigned Friday,
effective immediately, and
apologized for having sent
“inappropriate texts” in a
statement issued through
television station KARE 11.
He said he drank too much
that night and that he will be
seeking help for an alcohol
problem.
“I behaved badly towards
nice people and sent truly
inappropriate texts,” Teague
said. “I’m embarrassed and
I apologize to everyone
involved. This neither reÀects
my true character or the true
character of this great, great
university.”
The school’s president,
Eric
Kaler,
announced
Teague’s resignation in an
email to staff, pointing out
that the women who accused
Teague of harassing them are
not student-workers.
“To be clear, sexual harass-
ment will not be tolerated at
the University of Minnesota
and I sincerely regret that
our employees experienced
this behavior. The University
has an explicit policy and a
strong code of conduct that
articulates our standards,”
NHL
Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune via AP, File
In this 2013 file photo, Minnesota athletic director Norwood Teague speaks at a
news conference in Minneapolis. The University of Minnesota announced Friday
that Teague submitted his resignation after three years on the job.
Kaler wrote.
Beth
Goetz,
deputy
athletic director and senior
woman administrator, has
been named interim athletic
director. Teague brought
Goetz with him when he left
Virginia
Commonwealth
University for Minnesota in
2012.
Teague was hired to replace
Joel Maturi and was charged
with reshaping a Golden
Gophers athletic department
that had fallen far behind the
rest of the Big Ten in terms of
facilities. Unlike Maturi, who
tried to build a department
that put resources into both
the cash-generating sports like
football and men’s basketball
and the lower pro¿le sports
including track and wrestling,
Teague came in with a clear
plan to emphasize the most
popular sports in the hopes of
generating more revenue that
could trickle down to the rest
of the department.
He set about to raise nearly
$200 million to bring new
practice facilities for football
and men’s basketball — a
gargantuan task for a school
that hasn’t had the type of
sporting success that gets big
donors to open their wallets.
But Teague helped raise about
$0 million in the ¿rst year
of the plan, and the school
had hoped to start breaking
ground on new projects this
fall.
Teague carved out a repu-
tation as a basketball adminis-
trator in his previous six years
as athletic director at VCU,
where he teamed with coach
Shaka Smart to bring the little-
known program to national
prominence. While at Minne-
sota, he ¿red Tubby Smith and
hired Richard Pitino, the son of
coaching legend Rick Pitino,
to lead the men’s program.
He also replaced Pam Borton
with Marlene Stollings on the
women’s side.
Teague said he planned to
“reassess my career and life
options. While I’m proud of
my career accomplishments,
I want to stop and take a look
at my life and alcohol issues.”
NFL
Blackhawks’ Kane under Tablets to be used on sideline in NFL preseason
police investigation
By BARRY WILNER
AP Pro Football Writer
grounds and interior of the
home overlooking Lake Erie.
The 26-year-old Kane is from
Buffalo and his family still
HAMBURG, N.Y. — lives in town.
Chicago Blackhawks star
Buffalo lawyer Paul
Patrick Kane is under police Cambria, who has represented
investigation over something Kane in the past, declined
that may have happened at his comment in a text to The
home last weekend.
Associated Press on Friday.
Hamburg Police Chief
The investigation comes
Gregory Wickett on Friday after Chicago won its third
did not elaborate on the
Stanley Cup in six
investigation, alluding
seasons. Kane was
to an “incident that
scheduled to enjoy
allegedly occurred” at the
his time with the
player’s offseason home
Cup, and tour it
in suburban Buffalo.
around Buffalo on
Police are still gathering
Saturday. Kane’s
information and awaiting
whereabouts are
forensic tests, he said.
unknown, and it’s
Kane
Wickett made a brief
unclear if he will
statement outside police
still host the Cup.
headquarters but would not
The front gates of Kane’s
say if police have spoken with home were closed Friday
Kane or if the player is coop- morning.
erating. He responded to one
The Blackhawks said
question, saying he did not in a statement Thursday it
know if Kane would appear at was “aware of the matter”
headquarters Friday. Wickett and gathering information.
added there will be no further The club said it would be
comment.
“inappropriate” to comment
Word of the investigation further. The NHL added that
surfaced Thursday, prompting it, too, was “aware of a police
responses from the NHL, investigation” and “following
Blackhawks and Kane’s developments.”
agent, Pat Brisson. The
——
investigation began Sunday
AP freelance photographer
night, when several plain- Gary Wiepert contributed to
clothes of¿cers searched the this report.
By JOHN WAWROW AND
JONAH BRONSTEIN
The Associated Press
NEW YORK
—
Coaches, players and game
of¿cials will be allowed
to examine video on the
sideline during preseason
games. There’s strong
thought they will be able to
do so in the regular season
by 2016.
NFL teams began using
Microsoft Surface tablets
last year to examine photos
of plays, and the feed-
back was so positive that
Seahawks star quarterback
Russell Wilson said, “It’s a
difference maker for me.”
In several preseason games
this summer, reviewing
video of plays will be
tested on new Surface Pro 3
devices.
Video was available
on the tablets on an
experimental basis for last
January’s Pro Bowl, and
Saints quarterback Drew
Brees credited being able
to review it as leading to a
touchdown pass.
Of¿ciating crews will
use the Surface Pro 3 to
conduct video reviews
rather than going “under the
hood” during the preseason.
“We will use the tablets
in 10 games through the
¿rst three weeks of the
preseason,” said Dean
Blandino, the NFL’s vice
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
In this Aug. 15, 2014, file photo, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick stud-
ies a tablet device on the sideline in the first half of an NFL preseason football game
against the Philadelphia Eagles in Foxborough, Mass. Coaches, players and game
officials will be allowed to examine video on the sideline during 2015 preseason
games. And there’s a chance they will be able to do so in the regular season by 2016.
president of of¿ciating.
“The goal is to be more
ef¿cient in administering
replay reviews. Rather than
going under the hood, the
referee will have the tablet
brought to him so he can
review the play, similar to
what was done at the Pro
Bowl.
“Having New York
involved in the replay
PGA
Furyk builds big lead at Firestone
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
AKRON, Ohio — Jim
Furyk is two rounds away
from erasing a couple of
bad memories at Firestone.
Even with a bogey on
his last hole for the second
straight day, Furyk did
plenty right Friday in the
Bridgestone
Invitational
for another -under 66 that
gave him a four-shot going
into the weekend of this
World Golf Championship.
Furyk ran off three
birdies in a four-hole stretch
late in his round to reach
8-under 132.
It’s a familiar position
for Furyk at Firestone,
where he has done every-
thing right except leave
with the trophy. During a
seven-hole playoff against
Tiger Woods in 2001, Furyk
missed three birdie putts
inside 12 feet for the win,
and Woods ¿nally closed
him out on the 79th hole of
the tournament.
More painful was three
years ago, when Furyk led
wire-to-wire and was in the
18th fairway on Sunday
when one bad swing led to
a double bogey and he lost
by one.
Furyk doesn’t see this as
a shot at redemption.
“I would say that I’m
disappointed I’ve never
won here,” he said. “It’s
one of my favorite courses
we play. But to have like
review process for the ¿rst
time last season was a very
positive factor in stream-
lining the process, and we
would like to determine
if using the tablets could
streamline it even further.”
If all goes well, Micro-
soft, in the midst of a
¿ve-year, $00 million deal
with the league, will make
presentations to the NFL’s
NCAA
South Carolina
seeks NCAA events
with ban over
By BRUCE SMITH
Associated Press
AP Photo/Tony Dejak
Jim Furyk tees off on the 12th hole during the second round of the Bridgestone In-
vitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club, Friday in Akron, Ohio.
a chip on my shoulder?
No. It’s another year and
opportunity, and we’re only
halfway. I’m going to try
to do the same things this
weekend and not really
look at the leaderboard that
much and go try to shoot
under par.”
It might take every bit
of that considering the cast
behind him.
Bubba Watson (66) and
Dustin Johnson (67), whose
power is suited for this
monster of a course, joined
Shane Lowry of Ireland
(66) at -under 136. Henrik
Stenson (69) and Graeme
McDowell (71) were among
those another shot behind.
Masters and U.S. Open
champion Jordan Spieth
got within two shots of the
lead when he chipped in
for birdie on the third hole
(his 12th of the round). He
followed with back-to-back
bogeys to drop back about
the time Furyk was starting
to pull away.
The wind was swirling,
and Spieth says he didn’t
miss a shot during a four-
hole stretch when he made
two bogeys. The good news?
In his sixth round at Fires-
tone, Spieth ¿nally broke par
with a 68 that left him six
shots behind.
“It goes with the bigger
goal of trying to give
myself a chance to win this
championship,” Spieth said.
“It wasn’t going to happen
shooting even.”
Spieth would have to
win this week to replace
Rory McIlroy at No. 1 in
the world.
Only 19 players from
the 77-man ¿eld remained
under par.
when he goes to the Hall
of Fame exhibition against
the Vikings. But there’s still
plenty of work to do.
competition committee and
then to the owners after the
season.
“The NFL has a process in
implementing new technology
and paradigms to the game,”
“said Jeff Tran, Microsoft’s
director of sports marketing
and alliances. “Part of that
process is the preseason test
to ensure everything works
without a hitch.”
CHARLESTON, S.C. —
South Carolina is back in the
game to host predetermined
NCAA championships now
that the Confederate Àag
has been lowered from the
Statehouse grounds.
A group of top tourism
leaders visited Indianapolis
this week to let the asso-
ciation know that the state
is ready and willing to bid
on and host such events
following the NCAA ban that
had been in effect almost 15
years.
Department of Parks,
Recreation and Tourism
Director Duane Parrish
visited NCAA headquarters
on Wednesday with members
of the South Carolina Sports
Alliance, a group working to
promote sports tourism.
Parrish said they discussed
the state’s athletic facilities
and bidding for future events
with 30 NCAA of¿cials who
handle championships.
He told The Associated
Press on Friday the state
might have a step up on
hosting events such as
basketball tournament games
because it’s been so long
since South Carolina has
done so.
“If everything else is equal
in terms of the bid package
because we are new and
people haven’t been here in
a long time I think that gives
us an edge,” he said. “It may
not be on paper but I think
that gives us a psychological
edge.”
Lawmakers voted to
remove the Confederate Àag
from the Statehouse grounds
after the shooting deaths
of nine black parishioners
at a Charleston church in
June. The white gunman
charged with numerous
counts including murder and
hate crimes had posed with
Confederate Àags.
The Àag was removed
July 10 and, the same day,
the NCAA dropped its ban
that went into effect in 2001.
Mark Emmer, the president
of the NCAA said lowering
the Àag “sends an important
message of respect for and
dignity of every person.”
The AP left messages with
the NCAA inquiring about
the meeting with the tourism
representatives.
Attracting NCAA men’s
basketball regionals is highly
competitive and the events
can mean millions of dollars
for host communities. There
are arenas in Columbia,
Greenville and Charleston
large enough to host NCAA
tournament games.