NEW YORK — Former Duke basketball player Thomas Emma fell from the 12th floor of the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan to his death in an apparent suicide, police said.
The 49-year-old Emma’s body was found at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday on a second-floor landing of the building on Central Park South, where Emma was a member.
Emma was the captain for the 1983 Duke team that featured the freshman trio of Jay Bilas, Johnny Dawkins and Mark Alarie. Emma was drafted in the 10th round by the Chicago Bulls but never played in the NBA. He averaged 7.1 points while starting 71 games during his college career.
• Former Niagara guard Emilio “Zeke” Sinicola, who went on to play two seasons with the NBA’s Fort Wayne Pistons, died in New York after a brief illness. He was 82.
Stoops: Sooners don’t want title
TULSA, Okla. — Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops won’t lay claim to the 2004 national title Southern California had stripped by the BCS this week.
The Trojans beat the Sooners 55-19 in a battle of unbeatens at the 2005 Orange Bowl to cap that championship season, but now the blowout has been removed from the record books.
“I don’t have any thoughts (on USC’s situation) and we’re not claiming any championships,” Stoops said.
The BCS stripped the Trojans of their national title Monday for NCAA rules infractions involving extra benefits received by star Reggie Bush. Auburn and Utah also finished the 2004 season unbeaten.
• Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett blames athletes rather than coaches and fans for the culture that created problems in the Buckeyes’ football program.
“There’s no secret regime, there’s no secret congregation of people who sit around at Ohio State who gives young guys money,” said Clarett, a third-round pick of the Broncos in the 2005 draft. “Anything that any player goes and gets is all based on him and who he meets in the community.”
The NCAA is investigating Ohio State players who allegedly received improper benefits and special deals on cars.
Footnotes.
NFL owners and players met for a second straight day in New York as Judge Susan Nelson moved up a hearing for the league’s motion to dismiss the players’ antitrust suit from Sept. 12 to Aug. 29 — nine days before the regular season is scheduled to begin.
• Forward Kris Draper said he wants to return to the Detroit Red Wings for an 18th season.
• Longtime hockey executive Kevin Cheveldayoff has been hired as the general manager of the NHL club relocating to Winnipeg.
• Josh Gardner scored his first Major League Soccer goal since 2006 to help lead the host Columbus Crew to a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake.
• Nebraska assistant coach Mark Colligan died while in Iowa for the NCAA outdoor track and field championships. He was 47.
• Two-time world super featherweight champion Genaro Hernandez died of a rare cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma at his home in Mission Viejo, Calif. He was 45.
The Associated Press
