News
Email
Print
Sports Briefs: Daly loses suit against Florida newspaper
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: March 24, 2009
Pro golfer John Daly claimed a Florida newspaper libeled him in a column suggesting he failed "the scoundrel sniff test," but a judge disagreed.
Duval County Circuit Judge Hugh Carithers dismissed Daly's libel lawsuit yesterday and granted the Florida Times-Union's request for summary judgment. He ruled that former columnist Mike Freeman's statements were either true or constitutionally protected opinion.
Daly had sued in 2005, saying a column by Freeman written during The Player's Championship that year defamed him.
Freeman's column said: "How does Daly not fail the scoundrel sniff test with fans despite possessing definite Thug Life qualifications. Look at the Daly blog. Domestic violence accusations? Yup. Substance abuse issues? Unfortunately, three different kids from three different moms, making him the Shawn Kemp of golf? Yes. A former wife indicted for laundering illegal drug profits? Roger that."
Carithers wrote in his opinion that the alleged defamatory statements were opinions based upon disclosed facts.
"The only possible basis for a defamation action would be if Daly proved that one of the four underlying facts was false, but there is no genuine dispute with respect to any of the underlying facts," Carithers wrote.
Pro football
■ The Super Bowl champion Steelers will open the 2009 NFL season in Pittsburgh on Sept. 10 against the Tennessee Titans.
In announcing the opening weekend's nationally televised games, the league also said the Chicago Bears will play at Green Bay in the first Sunday night game. Both the Titans-Steelers and Bears-Packers games will be on NBC.
The Monday night doubleheader on Sept. 14 will feature Buffalo, with Terrell Owens, at New England, with, the Patriots hope, a returning Tom Brady. That game will be followed by San Diego at Oakland.
No changes were made in the traditional Thanksgiving afternoon games, which again will be played at Detroit and Dallas.
■ The Denver Broncos may be listening to offers for disgruntled quarterback Jay Cutler at the NFL owners meetings this week.
If Coach Josh McDaniels has his way, though, they'll try to work things out to keep Cutler with the Broncos.
"He's our quarterback. We can't predict the future. He's our quarterback, we want him to be our quarterback, we made that very clear to him and we hope he feels the same way," McDaniels said yesterday, a day before he speaks publicly about the feud for the first time.
McDaniels reiterated that trade talks never reached owner Pat Bowlen's desk, a sign that the issue never got to the serious stage.
"Conversations were had and we've never denied that, but at the same time it's our job to look at every opportunity that we can to see if it's something that could improve our football team, and that's what we were doing," McDaniels said.
Their relationship was strained when McDaniels failed to inform his Pro Bowl quarterback before trying to trade him for Matt Cassel, whom he tutored as New England's offensive coordinator last year. Cutler asked for a trade through his agent after two meetings failed to soothe his hurt feelings.
■ Terrell Owens was a no-show yesterday for the start of the Bills voluntary offseason conditioning program.
That didn't stop his new teammates from eagerly awaiting Owens' arrival -- whenever that might occur -- and even getting in a laugh or two.
"I'm really excited about meeting the guy," center Geoff Hangartner said. "I've heard he's a great teammate."
Owens' absence was not a big concern for Bills strength and conditioning coach John Allaire.
Stressing that the program is voluntary, Allaire said he was already impressed with the shape Owens was in when the two met shortly before the player signed with the Bills on March 7.
"He's a physical specimen," Allaire said. "He has a very good history of being in shape, ready to go. We're not anticipating anything different this year."
■ John Stallworth, a former wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was among three new partners added yesterday to Pittsburgh chairman Dan Rooney's ownership group, one that may expand further before it is finalized in several months.
Rooney and son Art Rooney II, the Steelers' president, have added six partners to help them acquire all or part the shares held by Dan Rooney's four brothers. The three new partners were approved by NFL owners.
Olympics
■ The committee trying to bring the 2016 Olympics to Chicago has invited President Barack Obama to be in Copenhagen for its final presentation but doesn't yet have a firm commitment.
Pat Ryan, chairman of the Chicago 2016 bid, said yesterday that Obama planned to attend the meeting in October barring an emergency.
Later, however, he said he wasn't positive about the president's schedule but was optimistic Obama would be there.
When London overcame favorite Paris to land the 2012 Games, a strong, in-person push by British Prime Minister Tony Blair was viewed as one of the reasons.
Email
Print
