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SPORTS Thursday, September 7, 2017 East Oregonian Page 3B College, pro teams bow to Irma’s potential impact By TIM REYNOLDS Associated Press CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The Miami Hurricanes decided to take the weekend off, the Miami Dolphins were given the weekend off, and many other teams around the state of Florida kept a very cautious eye Wednesday on powerful and destructive Hurricane Irma as it churned across the Atlantic on a path toward the U.S. No. 16 Miami canceled its game at Arkansas State, in part out of concern that the Hurricanes may get stranded away from home if the storm strikes South Florida. The Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were scheduled to play a Miami home game Sunday, now will get the opening week of the NFL year off and won’t meet until Nov. 19. No. 10 Florida State and No. 22 Florida moved up their Saturday home games to midday starts, out of caution. A slew of other events were either canceled or resched- uled, all in deference to the storm that forecasters believe may start affecting the state by Saturday — possibly as a direct hit. “This is about what’s best for our students, coaching staff and their families,” Miami athletic director Blake James said, after telling Arkansas State about the AP Photo/Alan Diaz Motorists head north of Tavernier, Fla., on US 1, in anticipation of Hurricane Irma, Wednesday. Keys officials announced a mandatory evacuation Wednesday for vis- itors, with residents being told to leave the next day. decision that wasn’t exactly warmly received. “We’re not confident that we were going to get back after the game and we weren’t going to leave our players stranded somewhere. There’s bigger things than football.” Arkansas State athletic director Terry Mohajir said his team offered several options to Miami, including moving the game to Friday night. “Ultimately, the Miami administration made the decision not to travel,” Mohajir said. Florida International is hitting the road, now set to play Alcorn State on Friday night at Birmingham, Alabama. That game was originally set to be FIU’s home opener (and first home game under Butch Davis) on Saturday, but Irma forced the switch to a neutral site. FIU taking about 70 other student-athletes from seven different teams on the trip to the UAB as well, relocating them all in the interest of safety. Forecasters aren’t certain what Irma will do to Florida. Forecasts have been fluc- tuating for the past several days and likely will continue to do so as the storm that has been packing 185 mph winds gets closer to the peninsula. Vacationers — and in some cases, residents of vulnerable areas — have been urged to evacuate the Florida Keys BENNETT: Spoke briefly about incident in a press briefing on Wednesday Continued from 1B gunfire to the sharp sound of velvet rope stands being knocked to a tile floor. Bennett, during a brief appearance Wednesday at the Seahawks’ practice facility in Renton, Washington, described the incident as “traumatic” but declined to go into specifics about it. “It’s a traumatic experi- ence for me, my family and it sucks that the country that we live in now sometimes you get profiled for the color of your skin,” Bennett said. “Do I think every police officer is bad? No, I don’t believe that. Do I believe there are some people out there that judge people by the color of their skin? I do believe that.” “I’m just trying to focus on the game, focus on the task at hand and let every- thing take care of itself,” Bennett said. “But like I said this is a tragic situation for me, I hate to be up here at this moment. There is a lot of people who experienced what I experienced at that point, at that moment and they’re not here to tell their story.” Bennett, a 6-foot-4 defensive end who has been a leader of the national anthem protests started by former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick , said he was among several hundred people running away. In his Twitter message, Bennett said he was hand- cuffed face-down on the ground after an officer held a gun to his head saying he would blow his head off if he moved. “All I could think of was ‘I’m going to die for no other reason than I am black and my skin color is somehow a threat,’” he wrote. He said he thought of his wife and children. Bennett said he was taken to the back of a police car “until they apparently realized I was not a thug, common criminal or ordinary black man but Michael Bennett a famous professional football player.” He was released without charges. Las Vegas police Officer Jacinto Rivera said police were checking for casino and police body camera video and written reports. He said the department couldn’t immediately verify Bennett’s account or identify the offi- cers involved. A video posted by celeb- rity news site TMZ shows a view from a balcony as a police officer kneels on the back of a man who looks like Bennett. Protests are heard, including, “I wasn’t doing nothing,” and, “I was here with my friends. They told us to get out and everybody ran.” Bennett’s attorney, John Burris in Oakland, California, confirmed the words were Bennett’s. The attorney said he believed the 30-second video clip showed some of how his client was treated. “We think there was an unlawful detention and the use of excessive force, with a gun put to his head,” Burris told The Associated Press. “He was just in the crowd. He doesn’t drink or do drugs. He wasn’t in a fight. He wasn’t resisting. He did nothing more or less than anyone in the crowd.” Burris said Bennett waited to make public his account of and parts of Miami-Dade and Broward counties. It’s the uncertainty that has teams guessing, and the Hurricanes said if they were going to err they would do so on the side of safety. “We made the collective decision that we simply cannot put our student-ath- letes, coaches and staff in danger traveling to and from contests,” James said. All Hurricanes teams scheduled to play this weekend, home and away, have seen those contests canceled. Florida State and Florida were both going to play night games as their home openers this weekend, with the Seminoles facing Loui- siana-Monroe and the Gators playing host to Northern Colorado. “It won’t affect us until much later in the week,” Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher said. “They’re just trying to get it for some of the families to be able to get in and get out of here. ... There’s a lot of things that are very important, and a game is very important, but also people’s lives and things like that are, too.” No. 21 South Florida’s game at Connecticut on Saturday will be played earlier than planned, with a 10:30 a.m. kickoff. Florida Atlantic’s trip to No. 9 Wisconsin for a Saturday game is on — but there are contingencies for the team to stay longer if the Owls can’t get home Saturday night as scheduled. In other Irma-related sports news Wednesday: — The Florida Panthers chartered a plane to take about 90 people — players, staff, coaches and families — and 20 pets to Boston and out of Irma’s path on Friday. Panthers CEO Matthew Caldwell said the team originally chartered a smaller plane, then upgraded when more seats were needed. The team is planning to stay in the Boston area through at least the weekend, depending on what Irma does. — Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida (about 20 miles north of downtown Miami) called off its racing cards for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Track officials are tentatively hoping to resume racing on Wednesday, Sept. 13. — A four-team tourna- ment for NHL prospects in Estero, Florida (on the south- west corner of the state) was called off. The tournament was to include Florida, the Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville Predators. Later Wednesday, Tampa Bay and Nashville decided to have their rookie teams play in a three-game series that will start Sunday in Nashville. — Florida Gulf Coast’s men’s soccer team canceled its Sunday home opener against VCU, and is keeping its men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s cross country and women’s cross country teams home from competitions scheduled for this weekend. — The University of South Florida, in Tampa, canceled a Thursday home women’s soccer match against Mississippi State, and a volleyball tournament that was to include USF, Florida Atlantic, Oral Roberts and Bethune-Cookman on Friday and Saturday. USF’s women’s soccer game at Florida on Sunday has also been called off. SCOREBOARD Local slate the incident until after Burris contacted Las Vegas police last week by letter and email, seeking police records of Bennett’s detention. McMahill said he had no knowledge of any letter or email last week from Bennett or Burris. Bennett’s brother, Martellus Bennett, who plays for the Green Bay Packers, posted an Instagram account of a telephone call he said he got from Michael Bennett. He said he heard fear in his brother’s voice. “The emotion and the thought of almost losing you because of the way you look left me in one of the saddest places ever,” Martellus Bennett said. Michael Bennett has been one of the most outspoken pro athletes on numerous social issues. Last month, he held a benefit for the family of a pregnant black woman who was fatally shot by two white Seattle police officers in June. Police said the woman threatened the offi- cers with at least one knife after calling 911 to report that someone had broken into her apartment and stolen video- game consoles. Advocates on Wednesday cited Bennett’s treatment by police as an illustration of troubled race relations in America. Patrisse Cullors, a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter advocacy group, called it “a testament to the police violence targeting black people in the United States.” Cullors endorsed an online petition calling for Las Vegas police to release information about what she called an assault on Bennett. COLLEGE MEN’S SOCCER Friday Blue Mountain vs. North Idaho, 4:15 p.m. Saturday Blue Mountain vs. Spokane, 2:15 p.m. PREP FOOTBALL Thursday Pendleton (JV) at Irrigon, 7 p.m. Friday Umatilla at Rainier, 6 p.m. Horizon Christian at Arlington, 6 p.m. Lewiston (ID) at Hermiston, 7 p.m. Putnam at Pendleton, 7 p.m. DeSales (WA) at Mac-Hi, 7 p.m. Union at Riverside, 7 p.m. Weston-McEwen at Imbler, 7 p.m. Heppner at Grant Union, 7 p.m. Stanfield at Cascade (WA), 7 p.m. Pilot Rock at Echo, 7 p.m. COLLEGE WOMEN’S SOCCER Friday Blue Mountain vs. North Idaho, 2 p.m. Eastern Oregon at Puget Sound, 2 p.m. Saturday Blue Mountain vs. Spokane, Noon COLLEGE FOOTBALL Saturday Eastern Oregon vs. Montana-Western, 1 p.m. PREP VOLLEYBALL Thursday Riverside at Helix, 4 p.m. Elgin at Mac-Hi, 4 p.m. Weston-McEwen at Dayton (WA), 5 p.m. Condon/Wheeler vs. Mitchell/Spray (at Mitchell), 5 p.m. Cove at Nixyaawii, 5 p.m. Stanfield at Umatilla, 5:30 p.m. Riverside vs. Pilot Rock (at Helix), 5:30 p.m. Pilot Rock at Helix, 5:30 p.m. La Grande at Pendleton, 6:30 p.m. Friday Irrigon at Ione, 1 p.m. Echo vs. Irrigon (at Ione), 3 p.m. Echo at Ione, 5 p.m. Enterprise at Pilot Rock, 5 p.m. Saturday Irrigon at Waitsburg (WA) tournament, 8:30 a.m. Ione vs. Condon/Wheeler (at Condon), 9 a.m. Helix, Umatilla, Mac-Hi, at Helix Tourna- ment, 9 a.m. Weston-McEwen at Reedsport Invite, 9 a.m. Wallowa at Echo, 10 a.m. Union vs. Ione (at Condon), 11 a.m. Pilot Rock vs. Condon/Wheeler (at Condon), Noon Joseph at Nixyaawii, 1 p.m. Pilot Rock vs. Ione (at Condon), 2 p.m. Pasco (WA) at Hermiston, 3:45 p.m. Pine Eagle at Echo, 3 p.m. Union vs. Condon/Wheeler (at Condon), 3 p.m. Ione vs. Heppner (at Condon), 4 p.m. Enterprise at Stanfield, 4 p.m. Heppner vs. Condon/Wheeler (at Con- don), 6 p.m. Arizona 3, L.A. Dodgers 1 St. Louis 3, San Diego 1 Thursday’s Games Chicago Cubs (Lester 9-7) at Pittsburgh (Taillon 7-5), 4:05 p.m. Philadelphia (Nola 10-10) at Washington (Roark 11-9), 4:05 p.m. Cincinnati (Mahle 0-1) at N.Y. Mets (Harvey 4-4), 4:10 p.m. Miami (Straily 9-8) at Atlanta (Newcomb 2-8), 4:35 p.m. St. Louis (Lynn 10-6) at San Diego (Rich- ard 6-13), 6:10 p.m. Colorado (Gray 6-4) at L.A. Dodgers (Kershaw 16-2), 7:10 p.m. Baseball MLB AMERICAN LEAGUE East Division W L Pct GB Boston 79 61 .564 — New York 74 64 .536 4 Baltimore 71 68 .511 7½ Tampa Bay 70 71 .496 9½ Toronto 64 76 .457 15 Central Division W L Pct GB Cleveland 83 56 .597 — Minnesota 72 67 .518 11 Kansas City 69 69 .500 13½ Detroit 59 80 .424 24 Chicago 54 84 .391 28½ West Division W L Pct GB Houston 86 53 .619 — Los Angeles 72 68 .514 14½ Texas 70 69 .504 16 Seattle 69 71 .493 17½ Oakland 59 80 .424 27 ——— Wednesday’s Games N.Y. Yankees at Baltimore, ppd. Minnesota 10, Tampa Bay 6 Texas 12, Atlanta 8, 1st game Oakland 3, L.A. Angels 1 Boston 6, Toronto 1 Kansas City 13, Detroit 2 Atlanta 5, Texas 4, 2nd game Cleveland 5, Chicago White Sox 1 Houston 5, Seattle 3 Thursday’s Games N.Y. Yankees (TBD) at Baltimore (TBD), 10:35 a.m. Cleveland (Kluber 14-4) at Chicago White Sox (Rodon 2-5), 5:10 p.m. Minnesota (Gibson 9-10) at Kansas City (Gaviglio 3-5), 5:15 p.m. PREP BOYS SOCCER Thursday Pendleton at Sandy, 4 p.m. Irrigon at Hermiston (JV2), 4:30 p.m. Umatilla at Columbia Christian, 4:15 p.m. Saturday Catlin Gabel at Riverside, 1 p.m. Putnam at Hermiston, 1:45 p.m. Banks vs. Mac-Hi (at The Dalles), 5 p.m. NATIONAL LEAGUE East Division W L Pct GB Washington 85 54 .612 — Miami 67 72 .482 18 Atlanta 61 77 .442 23½ New York 60 79 .432 25 Philadelphia 53 86 .381 32 Central Division W L Pct GB Chicago 76 63 .547 — St. Louis 72 67 .518 4 Milwaukee 72 68 .514 4½ Pittsburgh 67 73 .479 9½ Cincinnati 61 79 .436 15½ West Division W L Pct GB Los Angeles 92 47 .662 — Arizona 82 58 .586 10½ Colorado 74 65 .532 18 San Diego 62 78 .443 30½ San Francisco 55 87 .387 38½ ——— Wednesday’s Games Cincinnati 7, Milwaukee 1 Texas 12, Atlanta 8, 1st game Chicago Cubs 1, Pittsburgh 0 N.Y. Mets 6, Philadelphia 3, 6 innings Washington 8, Miami 1 Atlanta 5, Texas 4, 2nd game San Francisco 11, Colorado 3 PREP GIRLS SOCCER Thursday Riverside at La Grande, 4 p.m. Umatilla at Portland Christian, 6:15 p.m. Irrigon at Hermiston (JV), 4:30 p.m. Sandy at Pendleton, 6 p.m. Saturday Banks vs. Mac-Hi (at The Dalles), 11 a.m. Putnam at Hermiston, Noon Portland Christian at Riverside, 1 p.m. PREP CROSS COUNTRY Saturday Hermiston, Mac-Hi, Heppner, Helix, Weston-McEwen, Umatilla, Stanfield at Runner’s Soul XC Fest (Hermiston), 10 a.m. COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Thursday Blue Mountain at George Fox University, 7 p.m. Friday Blue Mountain vs. Umpqua (at Clacka- mas CC), 2:30 p.m. Wild Card Standings AMERICAN LEAGUE W New York 74 Minnesota 72 Los Angeles 72 Baltimore 71 Texas 70 Kansas City 69 Tampa Bay 70 Seattle 69 L 64 67 68 68 69 69 71 71 Pct GB .536 +2½ .518 — .514 ½ .511 1 .504 2 .500 2½ .496 3 .493 3½ NATIONAL LEAGUE W Arizona 82 Colorado 74 St. Louis 72 Milwaukee 72 L 58 65 67 68 Pct GB .586 +7½ .532 — .518 2 .514 2½ MiLB Northwest League Playoffs Division Finals Series best-of-3 Wednesday’s Games Eugene 3, Hillsboro 2 Vancouver 2, Spokane 1 Thursday’s Games Eugene at Hillsboro, 7:05 p.m. Spokane at Vancouver, 7:05 p.m. Basketball WNBA Playoff Glance First Round Wednesday Washington 86, Dallas 76 Phoenix 79, Seattle 69 Second Round Winner advances Sunday Phoenix at Connecticut, Noon (ESPN2) Washington at New York, 2 p.m. (ESPN2) Tennis U.S. Open Wednesday At USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York Arthur Ashe Stadium Men’s Singles Quarterfinal Rafael Nadal (1), Spain, def. Andrey Rublev, Russia, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. Juan Martin del Potro (24), Argentina, def. Roger Federer (3), Switzerland, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (8), 6-4. Women’s Singles Quarterfinal CoCo Vandeweghe (20), United States, def. Karolina Pliskova (1), Czech Republic, 7-6 (4), 6-3. Madison Keys (15), United States, def. Kaia Kanepi, Estonia, 6-3, 6-3. Football NFL Week 1 Thursday’s Game Kansas City Chiefs at New England, 5:30 p.m. (TV: NBC) Soccer MLS Wednesday’s Game New York City FC 1, Sporting K.C. 0 EAST'40OREGON marketplace Place classified ads online at www.eastoregonmarketplace.com Bargain Bin! 4 Special No”ices 10 CLASSIFIED LINE AD DEADLINES Eas” Oregonian 3pm the day prinr tn publicatinn Special No”ices 10 Sign up nnw fnr ynur Tnur tn Australia in April 2018. This will be ynur trip nf a lifetime DOWNUNDER. The tnur is made tn fit the grnup! References available. Call Kerry nr email ynur questinns tn kjcbaird@gmail.cnm. 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