Jon Gruden stepped down as Las Vegas Raiders head coach following the uncovering of emails written to former Washington Football Team president Bruce Allen from 2011-2018 in which Gruden made homophobic and misogynistic remarks, denounced the emergence of women as NFL referees, criticized the league's role in the then-St. Louis Rams' 2014 selection of openly gay player Michael Sam and exchanged photos of topless women. The emails, in which Gruden also disparaged NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, emerged days after the initial leak of a racially insensitive 2011 email in which Gruden referred to NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith as having "lips the size of michellin tires." (The New York Times)
MLB is reportedly seeking an equity stake in the planned streaming service proposed by Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. subsidiary Diamond Sports Group, a development that delayed a deal between Diamond and its creditors to restructure its regional sports network debt. Sources said MLB's interest in the Diamond Sports project could be seen as a good sign for Sinclair amid industry-wide doubts among top executives about the company's future in the RSN business. (Sports Business Journal)
The NFL narrowed down potential host cities for an upcoming regular-season game in Germany to a list of three — Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich — that it has invited to participate in a final bidding stage. The league did not specify whether it eyes 2022 or 2023 for its first game in Germany, which it views as a market with a strong and growing fan base and one of the world's strongest economies. (The Associated Press)
In Rams case, NFL seeks to disqualify St. Louis lawyer long involved in relocation saga Jacob Kirn, St. Louis Business Journal
The Los Angeles Rams and National Football League want to toss a high-profile lawyer out of St. Louis' relocation lawsuit, set for trial Jan. 10. Bob Blitz, member of the Clayton law firm Blitz, Bardgett & Deutsch LC, is among the attorneys representing the three St. Louis plaintiffs — St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority (RSA), St. Louis County and St. Louis city — in the suit, filed in 2017 over the Rams' 2016 move.
COLLEGE SPORTS
NCAA infractions cases for Kansas, Louisville, LSU, Memphis, Arizona and NC State updated by IARP Kyle Boone, CBS Sports
There remains no timeline for the resolution of NCAA infractions cases for Kansas, Louisville, NC State, LSU, Memphis or Arizona — the six schools whose cases will be resolved by the newly-formed IARP, which was specifically set up to handle complex cases. However, the IARP did release updates to those cases Monday that revealed a timeline of events as things have thus far transpired.
Ohio Valley Conference and Southland Conference announce football scheduling alliance Mike Organ, Nashville Tennessean
The Ohio Valley Conference and Southland Conference announced plans Monday for a football scheduling alliance between the two NCAA Division I FCS leagues in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. OVC commissioner Beth DeBauche and Southland commissioner Tom Burnett made the joint announcement.
Washington State coach Nick Rolovich confirms he is seeking religious exemption from COVID-19 vaccine mandate Brent Schrotenboer, USA Today
Washington State football coach Nick Rolovich confirmed he was seeking a religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for state and university employees. Rolovich addressed the issue in his postgame news conference and appeared to express displeasure at his mentor and former coach at Hawaii, June Jones, who revealed Rolovich's vaccination status this week in an interview with USA TODAY Sports.
3 ways Rebecca Blank's move to Northwestern will impact Badgers athletics Todd D. Milewski, Wisconsin State Journal
Rebecca Blank's exit as UW-Madison chancellor will come a year after she installed a new athletic director during a time of major change in college sports. Blank announced Monday that she's becoming president at Northwestern after she finishes the 2021-22 academic year at UW.
Alcohol, Betting NIL Deals Fair Game for Some Athletes Amanda Christovich, Front Office Sports
In recent years, schools have begun striking deals with companies the NCAA considered "taboo," like alcohol companies and sports betting operators. Now, some state NIL laws and school rules allow athletes to do NIL deals with these types of companies, too.
