PRESS BOX: Former Rutgers player accuses coach of bullying
CFB
Former Rutgers cornerback Jevon Tyree wants the school to discipline defensive coordinator Dave Cohen after bullying caused him to quit the team, NJ.com reported.
Tyree, 19, said Cohen called him emasculating names and threatened to head-butt him during a study hall session in April.
The incident occurred the same month that Rutgers fired men's basketball coach Mike Rice and athletic director Tim Pernetti resigned after Rice was shown on video verbally and physically abusing players during practice.
Rutgers released a statement Friday night, claiming that the incident "was dealt with immediately."
"Cohen apologized the following day for his participation in the escalation of banter, which resulted in the use of inappropriate language," the statement read. "(Head coach) Kyle Flood reprimanded Cohen and addressed the situation immediately with the entire coaching staff.
"This was an isolated incident. At no time was there any threat of physical violence, which was verified by an academic counselor, who was present in the room."
According to the school, Tyree's father, Mark, brought up the incident to new athletic director Julie Hermann in September while questioning his son's diminished role on the team. Flood met with the Tyrees a second time. Jevon Tyree decided to stay on the team, and Tyree's father told Hermann the situation was resolved.
But Tyree's parents claimed they never discussed the matter with Hermann and only spoke with Flood.
"I never talked to her. That is insane," Mark Tyree said. "My mother has passed and I would put my hand on a stack of Bibles in her goodness. That's ridiculous that she would even say that. That's scary."
The Tyrees also said the athletic department's response was not sufficient, despite what the school claimed in its statement.
Tyree is enrolled at Rutgers but plans to transfer to another school.
---Central Florida's leading wide receiver, Breshad Perriman, did not play Saturday's game against Temple after sustaining a head injury last week.
Perriman, who has a team-high 567 receiving yards, was injured against Houston. The Orlando Sentinel reported that Perriman passed baseline tests during the week but was held out as a precaution.
NHL
The Anaheim Ducks sent forwards Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Jesse Blacker and draft picks, according to NHL.com.
Holland, a center, will report to the Maple Leafs while Staubitz was assigned to the AHL's Toronto Marlies.
The Ducks get a third-round draft pick in 2014. However, the pick could turn into a second-rounder under certain conditions. They also get a seventh-round pick next year.
Holland, a 2009 first-round draft choice, had a goal and two penalty minutes in four games for Anaheim this season. He led Norfork of the AHL with nine points, and had 22 penalty minutes in 10 games. In 29 career NHL games, he has five goals, two assists and eight penalty minutes.
Staubitz has 10 penalty minutes in six games for Norfolk this season. He has 10 goals, 11 assists and 520 penalty minutes over 230 career NHL games with the San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim.
Blacker had one goal and four penalty minutes in five games for the Marlies this season.
OTHER
Moto X competitor Kurt Caselli died from head injuries in a crash while racing in the 2013 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 on Friday in Baja, Mexico. He was 30.
Caselli's KTM Racing team was in the lead for most of the 833-mile off-road race and was in second place when he crashed near mile 796 about 5 p.m. PST.
"(We are) hugely shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Kurt Caselli," the team said in a statement. "A huge loss to his family, team and to our sport. Kurt was a wonderful competitor and an all-round top guy."
Caselli reportedly died while being taken to a hospital in nearby Ensenada. Early reports that indicated some type of on-course sabotage were discredited, but an investigation is underway.
The Jonny Campbell Racing Honda team of Colton Udall, Tim Weigand, David Kamo and Mark Samuels won Friday's race in 18 hours, 29 minutes, 14.240 seconds.
Caselli was the WORCS champion in 2007, 2010, and 2011, and began competing as a Moto X Endurocross rider at the X Games in 2011. He was named AMA Sportsman of the Year in 2007 and won three straight AMA National Hare & Hound Championships.
He was competing on the 2x KTM bike, with the FMF Racing/Bonanca Plumbing KTM team that also included X Games Moto X Endurocross gold medalist Mike Brown, and Ivan Ramirez and Kendall Norman.
