Press Box: New York Marathon canceled
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg responded to mounting criticism by announcing on Friday that the New York City Marathon will not be run as scheduled on Sunday.
Bloomberg and Mary Wittenberg, the president of the New York Road Runners, issued a statement that, according to USA Today, read as follows:
"The Marathon has been an integral part of New York City's life for 40 years and is an event tens of thousands of New Yorkers participate in and millions more watch. While holding the race would not require diverting resources from the recovery effort, it is clear that it has become the source of controversy and division.
"The marathon has always brought our city together and inspired us with stories of courage and determination. We would not want a cloud to hang over the race or its participants, and so we have decided to cancel it. We cannot allow a controversy over an athletic event - even one as meaningful as this - to distract attention away from all the critically important work that is being done to recover from the storm and get our city back on track.
"The New York Road Runners will have additional information in the days ahead for participants."
In recent days, Bloomberg had ignored criticism and announced that Sunday's 26.2-mile race would be run as scheduled despite the destruction created by Hurricane Sandy.
Bloomberg had said it would give the city "something to cheer about."
But his decision to have the race run this weekend was widely criticized because of the resources it would require at a time when New York residents had lost power, their homes and family members.
NHL
---Edmonton Oilers prospect Brandon Davidson is receiving treatment for testicular cancer.
Davidson, a 21-year-old defenseman, had begun his first season with Oklahoma City in the American Hockey League. He had one assist in six games before he received the diagnosis.
---The annual hockey Winter Classic scheduled to be played Jan. 1 in Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., is off, but negotiations between the NHL and the Players' Association could resume soon.
The NHL said Friday that it has cancelled the Winter Classic game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Hockeytown Winter Festival slated for Dec. 16-31 at Comerica Park in Detroit.
The protracted player lockout and failure to reach a new collective bargaining agreement has wiped out the first two months of the regular season.
NBA
--Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade was among the players who questioned the decision to play Friday night's game against the Knicks in New York as scheduled while the city is still struggling to recover from devastating Hurricane Sandy.
"I just felt that (there are) bigger things to be concerned about than us being here to play a basketball game," Wade said after practice in Madison Square Garden via ESPN.com. "Obviously, sports takes people's minds away from things, but I think there are bigger things that need to be done here in this city."
--- New Orleans Hornets guard Eric Gordon will be out 4-6 weeks with a knee injury, but he will not require surgery, Yahoo! Sports reported.
COLLEGES
---Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and former vice president Gary Schultz were arraigned Friday during a short court appearance amid new charges of failing to report child sexual abuse allegations against former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.
An additional $50,000 in bail was set for Curley and Schultz by District Judge William Wenner based on the additional charges that include child endangerment and conspiracy.
Curley and Schultz previously were charged with perjury before the grand jury in the Sandusky case and for failing to report suspected child abuse.
A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 12.
Former Penn State president Graham Spanier is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
