Press Box: Tulane football star charged with armed robbery
The Conference USA's preseason defensive player of the year was been charged with armed robbery and suspended indefinitely from the team Saturday.
Tulane senior linebacker Trent Mackey allegedly was involved in an armed robbery with an accomplice involving a cell phone.
The New Orleans Police Department said Mackey, 22, originally was listed as victim. But statement from his accomplice, Robert Murray, alleged Mackey, who is from Port Sulphur, La., orchestrated the robbery.
Mackey was a first-team All-Conference USA player last season with 145 tackles. He is the second player this off-season to be suspended indefinitely after defensive end Lawrence Burl was arrested in May on drug and weapons charges.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
---The University of Georgia men's basketball team reportedly has received a verbal commitment from Booker T. Washington (Okla.) guard Juwan Parker.
The 6-5 Parker had had 24 Division-I offers before picking one from Georgia coach Mark Fox, according to the Tulsa World.
Parker, who had narrowed his choices to Georgia, Memphis and Stanford, averaged 20.5 points and 9.4 rebounds during his junior season, when he was selected as an all-state player for the second year.
NBA
---The New Orleans Hornets have agreed to a four-year contract extension with coach Monty Williams, the team announced late Saturday night.
The deal will keep Williams under contract with the Hornets through 2016. He had a season left on his current three-year contract, which had a team option for a fourth year.
The Hornets, who were purchased by NFL Saints owner Tom Benson three months ago, finished 21-45 last season.
---Don Nelson, the NBA's all-time winningest coach, reportedly said Saturday night he is officially done with coaching.
Nelson, who will be inducted next month into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame, told NBA.com that his coaching career is over after spanning 34 years.
As late as last season, Nelson flirted with returning to the bench when he was a candidate for the head-coaching job with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The job went to Rick Adelman.
Nelson, 72, has coached for 30 seasons during 1976-2010 for teams, finishing his career with a second stint with the Golden State Warriors.
SOCCER
---Manchester City opened its title defense of its Premier League title with a thrilling 3-2 win over Southampton on Sunday.
Samir Nasri scoref the game-winner late in the game.
TENNIS
---Top-ranked Roger Federer defeated No. 2 Novak Djokovic 6-0, 7-6 to win the Western & Southern Open championship in Mason, Ohio.
Federer improved to 5-0 in the finals of this even and tied Rafael Nadal for the most Masters titles with 21. Nadal dropped out of the tournament with a sore knee that has sidelined him indefinitely.
