Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.
FRIDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
MLB: Phillies at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Diamondback at Cubs, 2:20 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Twins at Astros, 8:10 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Pirates at Cardinals, 8:15 p.m. (MLB Network)
College football: Charlotte at Georgia State, 3:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
College football: Baylor at SMU, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College football: Fordham at Army, 7 p.m. (CBSSN)
College football: Michigan State at Western Michigan, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College football: Kent State at Illinois, 9 p.m. (BTN)
College football: Washington at Boise State, 10:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Soccer: Exhibition, Peru at United States, 7:30 p.m. (FS1)
Soccer: Euro 2016 qualifying, Germany vs. Poland, 2:30 p.m. (FS1)
Tennis: U.S. Open, 1 p.m. (ESPN), 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
AROUND THE WEB:
— Count Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers among those pleased by Judge Richard Berman’s ruling Thursday that vacated Tom Brady‘s four-game suspension for Deflategate.
Rodgers, who has said he likes his football inflated on the higher end, spoke in general terms about Brady’s case and what it means in terms of taking some power back from the commissioner.
“I think it’s a good day for the players,” Rodgers told the Packers TV network from the sideline during his team’s preseason finale Thursday night. “I think that anytime we can get one of own back, that’s a good win for us. I think there is maybe a little bit of the, too much absolute power that frankly the players, we had a chance in 2011 to really make a difference in the CBA, and we didn’t. We left the commissioner in charge of a lot of those things, but our unions did a good job of appealing and helping our guys out.”
Meanwhile, Falcons owner Arthur Blank acknowledged that it might be time for the league to consider reworking the way it doles out discipline, implying that commissioner Roger Goodell might have to surrender some of his power.
“It’s not healthy for the NFL to be in the kind of litigious position that it’s been for last several years,” Blank told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I think that the commissioner is working hard to hold up the respect and integrity of the game, the competitive balance of the game and the shield. Having said that, I think we have to find ways to get to a better place sooner with the NFLPA than the process that we’ve gone through.”
Added Blank: “This Deflategate thing — which isn’t about Deflategate any longer, it’s about what has been collectively negotiated for decades in terms of the commissioner’s responsibility in terms of disciplining players. If we have to look at that differently in today’s light, in today’s environment, as an ownership group we should be prepared to do that. The commissioner should be prepared to do that. … I think the commissioner and the ownership around the league have to be prepared to look at things, look at change, and change may be appropriate.”
— On the same day the NFL was getting its hat handed to it in the Deflategate ruling, the league suspended Broncos safety T.J. Ward one game for an incident last year, and the player is none too happy about it.
Ward was charged with misdemeanor assault and disturbing the peace for a May 2014 incident at a Denver strip club in which he allegedly threw a glass mug at a female bartender who told him he could not bring alcohol into the club. The charges eventually were dropped.
“I feel it’s really unfair,” Ward said. “I’m getting punished for being accused of doing something, not for doing something but being accused, and I’ve got to pay the consequences for it. And I just don’t feel the whole process is very fair.”
The tone of Ward’s comments to reporters contrasted with a statement from the team in which Ward apologized to the organization and its fans.
“I take full responsibility for the incident that occurred in May 2014 and am willing to accept the consequences of my actions by serving my one-game suspension,” the statement read. “Although I was never arrested and all charges against me were ultimately dismissed, I have no one to blame but myself for being in the predicament that evening.”
Added Ward: “I have learned from my mistakes and will continue to be a pillar in the community to make myself a stronger person and player for the Denver Broncos.”
Ward is the second Denver defender to be suspended for the opener against the Ravens on Sept. 13, joining Derek Wolfe, who will miss four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
— The Rutgers football team, already with a cloud over its head due to an ongoing academic investigation, will be without five players for its opener Saturday against Norfolk State following their arrest and suspension.
One of the players, starting defensive back Andre Boggs, was charged in two home-invasion robberies in April and May.
The four others, starting cornerback Nadir Barnwell, defensive back Ruhann Peele, fullback Razohn Gross and starting defensive back Delon Stephenson, were charged with aggravated assault, riot and conspiracy to commit a riot for a fight in April in which a man suffered a broken jaw.
Barnacle is the player at the heart of the academic issue, as coach Kyle Flood allegedly called a faculty member about the player’s academic status. The school has been investigating the situation for about a week but has yet to make an announcement.
“I have no reason to believe I won’t be coaching on Saturday,” Flood said.
Flood, in his fourth season as head coach, said he does not believe the investigation is a distraction.
“I feel right now this has brought the team closer together,” he said. “I feel good about where the team is at mentally. Ultimately, we’re going to find out Saturday at 12 noon.”
ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On Sept. 4, 2000, the Red Sox retired a former Sox player’s number for the first time in 11 years, with which legend taking his place among the all-time greats?
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “As I have said during this process and throughout his Patriots career, Tom Brady is a classy person of the highest integrity. He represents everything that is great about this game and this league. Yet, with absolutely no evidence of any actions of wrongdoing by Tom in the Wells Report, the lawyers at the league still insisted on imposing and defending unwarranted and unprecedented discipline. Judge Richard Berman understood this and we are greatly appreciative of his thoughtful decision that was delivered today. Now, we can return our focus to the game on the field.” — Patriots owner Robert Kraft, after Tom Brady’s four-game suspension was nullified in federal court
STAT OF THE DAY: 2 — Touchdown passes for Tim Tebow (vs. one interception) in the Eagles’ preseason finale, a 24-18 loss to the Jets on Thursday
‘NET RESULTS (mobile users, check the website to see the videos): Royals catcher Salvador Perez races over to make a sliding catch on a foul popup against the Tigers.
During a match at the U.S. Open on Thursday, Andy Murray takes a backhand from Adrian Mannarino off his back.
Vine star Logan Paul, a former standout high school athlete from Ohio, surprises New Yorkers by doing splits.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Catcher Carlton Fisk (27)
SOOTHING SOUNDS: Beyonce Knowles was born on this day in 1981.