PORTLAND, Ore. — The Trail Blazers presented former No. 1 draft pick Greg Oden with an $8.8 million qualifying offer to stay in Portland on Wednesday.
The offer means the 7-foot center becomes a restricted free agent. The Blazers can match any other offer made for him.
Because of injuries, the former Ohio State star has played in only 82 games over parts of two seasons, averaging 9.4 points and 7.3 rebounds.
• Charlie Bell of the Golden State Warriors and Jarrett Jack of the New Orleans Hornets have each been suspended one game without pay for violating the league’s conduct code. The NBA announced Bell was suspended for pleading no contest to reckless driving in California, while Jack was suspended for pleading no contest to reckless driving in Georgia.
• Former Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Woodson is expected to interview for the Detroit Pistons’ coaching job today for a second time.
• Negotiators for owners and players will meet today, about 12 hours before the expiration of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement and seemingly nowhere close to a deal.
Floyd put on probation for DUI
SOUTH BEND, Ore. — Suspended Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken driving and was sentenced to a year of probation. Whether he plays next season as a senior remains unclear.
Floyd, who holds the school record for touchdown catches (28) and ranks second in school history in catches (171) and third in receiving yards (2,539), cannot drive for 90 days and once he does, he must have an ignition device installed on his vehicle for six months that won’t allow it to start if his blood-alcohol level is too high.
Footnotes.
Tiger Woods signed a three-year deal to promote a Japanese pain reliever, his first endorsement since he was caught in a sex scandal toward the end of 2009. Woods already has filmed commercials for “Vantelin Kowa,” a heat rub used to relieve muscle and joint pain.
• Qualifying medalist Cheyenne Woods, the niece of Woods, advanced to the second round of match play in the Women’s U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, beating Ashley Edwards 4 and 3 in Bandon, Ore.
• David Hutsell won the 44th PGA Professional National Championship, beating Faber Jamerson with a birdie on the second hole of a playoff in Hershey, Pa.
• Rosana‘s second-half strike lifted Brazil to a 1-0 victory over Australia, and Emilie Haavi scored to give Norway a 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea in women’s World Cup matches in Germany.
• Nick Soolsma scored on a penalty kick in the 54th minute to lift Toronto FC to a 1-0 MLS victory over the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps.
• Reigning WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson has decided to have surgery to repair the torn labrum in her left hip today in Vail and will likely be out for eight to 12 weeks.
• Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom has a more serious leg injury that will require surgery, and the colt won’t race again this year.
The Associated Press
