NEW YORK — Tennessee Titans backup quarterback Chris Simms was acquitted Wednesday of driving while high on marijuana, winning a case he said stemmed from a police officer’s mistake.
“I’m really just happy it’s all over with,” the former Broncos backup said as he left a Manhattan courthouse with his wife, Danielle. “I love the NYPD, and I’m mad that this happened.”
• Two days after tweeting controversial remarks regarding the death of Osama bin Laden, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall wrote a “clarification” of his comments.
“First,” Mendenhall wrote, “I want people to understand that I am not in support of bin Laden, or against the USA. . . . Nothing I said was meant to stir up controversy. It was my way to generate conversation.”
Griffin accepts rookie award
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin accepted the rookie of the year award, becoming the NBA’s first unanimous choice for the award in 21 years.
Griffin, who missed all of the 2009-10 season after breaking his kneecap in the Clippers’ final preseason game, received every first- place vote from a panel of 118 media members, easily outdistancing Washington’s John Wall to become the first unanimous choice since San Antonio’s David Robinson in 1990.
• Miami Heat president Pat Riley was named the NBA’s 2010-11 executive of the year by the Sporting News. Chicago Bulls general manager Gar Forman was second in the publication’s balloting, while Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri was third.
• Stacey Augmon left his assistant coaching position with the Nuggets to join the coaching staff of his alma mater UNLV.
Sweden beats U.S. at worlds
KOSICE, Slovakia — Patrik Berglund scored twice to help Sweden wrap up the group stage of the world hockey championship with a 6-2 victory over the United States.
Despite the loss, the Americans advanced to the qualification round, where they begin with a game Friday against Canada.
Footnotes.
A rare double from Anderson after goals from Antonio Valencia and Darron Gibson sent Manchester United to a 4-1 victory over Schalke and into the May 28 Champions League final at Wembley Stadium, where the Red Devils will face Barcelona.
• Charlie Davies scored his MLS-leading sixth goal and added an assist to lead D.C. United to a 2-1 victory over Seattle Sounders FC.
• Boise State officials are imposing cuts in football scholarships and practices over the next two seasons and additional sanctions in men’s and women’s tennis and track and field for a series of NCAA violations.
• Miami defensive tackle Jeffrey Brown was arrested and accused of forcing sex on an intoxicated female in her dorm room April 30. He has been suspended indefinitely from the Hurricanes football team.
• The International Cycling Union said its “No Needle” policy will take effect immediately, prohibiting injections of recovery-boosting “vitamins, sugars, enzymes and amino acids.”
The Associated Press
