NEW YORK — Progress toward a new NFL labor deal slowed Friday, when a federal appeals court gave the league a narrow victory, ruling that its lockout of players could continue. But the court left open the question of whether the NFL could be sued for antitrust violations.
According to one person briefed on negotiations, the timing of the court’s opinion — issued in the morning — was “awful” and “not helpful” to the talks, unsettling them just as the sides hoped to finish discussions on the revenue split, the heart of the dispute.
The decision emboldened the hawks among both parties, the person said, inspiring some owners to want more concessions from players, and some on the players’ side to want to press their case, with the prospect that the court could allow antitrust damages.
Reavie leads by two after a 62
SILVIS, Ill. — Chez Reavie shot a 9-under-par 62 to claim a two- stroke lead after two rounds of the John Deere Classic.
Reavie, who was 8-under during a nine-hole stretch, is at 14-under 128. Steve Stricker shot a 64 to finish at 12-under in his bid for a third straight victory in the tournament. Steve Marino (66) is also 12-under.
• Russ Cochran made six consecutive birdies and shot a 7-under 65 to take the first-round lead over David Eger (66) at the First Tee Open in Pebble Beach, Calif.
• Storms brought an early end to the second round at the Scottish Open in Inverness, with former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell (8-under 64) in a three- way share of the lead with the Scottish pair of Scott Jamieson and Peter Whiteford, who had 66s, at 11-under 133.
Keselowki wins in Kentucky
SPARTA, Ky. — Brad Keselowski won the NASCAR Nationwide race at Kentucky Speedway, stretching his fuel over the final 67 laps to pick up his first win in the series this year.
• Kyle Busch will be on the pole for the inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup race tonight at Kentucky Speedway, taking the top spot after rain washed out qualifying and the starting order was based on practice times.
U.S. trails in Davis Cup
AUSTIN, Texas — Andy Roddick couldn’t stem Spain’s march to a 2-0 lead over the United States in their Davis Cup quarterfinal, losing 7-6 (11), 7-5, 6-3 to David Ferrer after Feliciano Lopez beat Mardy Fish.
Playing as the No. 2 for Spain, Lopez twice let Fish rally back from match point in the fifth set before winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 8-6 in the first match.
Footnotes.
The Winnipeg Jets acquired center Eric Fehr from the Washington Capitals for a fourth- round draft pick in 2012 and prospect Danick Paquette.
• Five Mexican soccer players who tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol, and then blamed the results on contaminated meat, were cleared by their country’s federation.
• Neil Dougherty, who coached the TCU basketball team from 2002-08 and had a 75-106 record there, died Tuesday while running in Indianapolis at the age of 50.
