The former Los Angeles Lakers star won an Oscar in the animated short category for ”Dear Basketball,” a poem he wrote after ending his 20-year career on the court in 2016.
He’ll add it to an already jammed trophy collection that includes five NBA championships with the Lakers, two Olympic gold medals, NBA Finals most valuable player awards, a league MVP award and four All-Star game MVP awards.
Backstage, Bryant looked lovingly at the statue cradled in his hands and mouthed, ”My God.”
”I feel better than winning championships,” he said, a smile never leaving his face. ”This is crazy, man Darius Slay Jersey , it’s crazy.”
As executive producer of the six-minute film, Bryant accepted his golden Oscar statue from ”Star Wars” star Mark Hamill on Sunday night. He shared the award with Disney animator Glen Keane.
PRO FOOTBALL
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Shaquem Griffin did 20 reps on the bench press with a prosthetic left hand in what was by far the best feel-good story of the NFL combine.
”My goal was six,” acknowledged Griffin, who almost doubled his previous high of 11 reps and surpassed the 17 his twin brother, Shaquille, managed at last year’s combine before the Seattle Seahawks selected the speedy cornerback in the third round.
Griffin is expected to be a mid-rounder like his brother.
”This is a legitimate football player,” NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. ”He’s an energy giver.”
One who, conversely, fed off the hoots and hollers during his bench press.
”Everybody in the stands was hyping me up. I got the guys I’m here with hyping me up. It felt amazing,” Griffin said.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Police were searching for suspended Oakland Raiders linebacker Aldon Smith Shelby Harris Jersey , who authorities said Sunday is suspected of domestic violence.
Someone called 911 to report a domestic violence incident at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday, a San Francisco police spokesman said. He added Smith fled the San Francisco home before officers arrived.
Sgt. Michael Andraychak said the victim’s injuries were not life-threatening. Andraychak said investigators are asking for the public’s help finding him.
The troubled linebacker has been arrested several times on charges of drunken driving, vandalism and illegal possession of assault rifles among other charges since the San Francisco 49ers drafted him in 2011 in the first round. The 49ers released him 2015 after he was arrested and charged with his third drunken driving in four years.
The Raiders signed him in 2015 and he played nine games for them until the NFL suspended him for substance abuse violations. The 28-year-old’s application to the NFL commissioner for reinstatement was initially denied in 2016 and is still pending.
DOPING
LONDON (AP) – A report published by British legislators has accused IAAF President Sebastian Coe of misleading a parliamentary inquiry into doping.
The digital, culture, media and sports committee’s report was critical of Coe’s responses to questions regarding how much he knew about doping within track and field before the problems were revealed by investigative journalists and whistle-blowers.
The committee suggested Coe could have acted sooner to clean up the sport while he served as vice president of the international track and field federation until 2015, when he won an election to succeed Lamine Diack as president.
Coe appeared before the committee in December 2015.
LONDON (AP) – Bradley Wiggins used a banned powerful corticosteroid to enhance his performance while preparing to win the Tour de France in 2012, a British parliamentary committee said in a doping investigation report that accuses Team Sky of crossing an ”ethical line” after preaching zero tolerance.
The legislators said they received evidence that shows Team Sky sought a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for Wiggins to take triamcinolone ”not to treat medical need” – asthma – ”but to improve his power to weight ratio.”
In a statement, Wiggins denied ”any drug was used without medical need.” Team Sky defended its reputation in a statement criticizing ”the anonymous and potentially malicious claim” by members of parliament.
But the report from a committee established in 2015 to investigate doping casts doubt on the team’s use of medication and failure to keep accurate medical records.
TRACK AND FIELD
LONDON (AP) – Roger Bannister, the first runner to break the 4-minute barrier in the mile, has died. He was 88.
Bannister’s family said in a statement that he died peacefully on Saturday in Oxford.
On a windy late afternoon in Oxford on May 6 Marcell Dareus Jersey , 1954, Bannister ran four laps on a cinder track in 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds to crack the mythical 4-minute mile – a feat many had thought humanly impossible.
A few months later in 1954, Bannister beat Australian rival John Landy in the ”Miracle Mile” or ”Mile of the Century” at the Empire Games in Vancouver, British Columbia as both men ran under 4 minutes.
Bannister then gave up running to pursue a long and distinguished medical career.
>The NFL accused some lawyers representing players in the $1 billion concussion settlement of fraud and wants a special investigator appointed.Plaintiffs’ lawyers contend the league is not awarding settlement funds fast enough. So far, $227 million in claims have been awarded.The league made its request Friday in U.S. District Court for Eastern Pennsylvania, saying that attorneys, doctors and former players are attempting to cheat the program.The NFL cited an independent study that recommended denying more than 400 claims because of fraud, including schemes by lawyers and medical personnel working with former players.“We want to ensure that players and their families receive the benefits they deserve,” league lawyer Brad Karp said. “Fraud threatens the integrity of the settlement and the prompt payment of legitimate claims.”Karp added that the appointment of a special investigator was “specifically contemplated” in the agreement D.J. Reader Jersey , and would help identify “fraudulent claims and related misconduct.” The motion seeks subpoena powers for the investigator.The NFL alleges that the attempts to scheme the system are causing any delays in handing out funds. The league insists that each case be properly documented as worthy of payment.An independent outfit handles approval of claims as part of the settlement, though the NFL can appeal claims it deems unworthy or deceitful. The motion cites a law firm advising former players as “willing to pay doctors directly out of their pocket” to get a qualifying diagnosis.Christopher Seeger, co-lead class counsel for the retired NFL players, agrees that the appointment of a special investigator is appropriate.“However, we will not allow this small number of claims to be used as an excuse by the NFL to deny payment to legitimately injured former players,” Seeger said. “Unlike other NFL benefits programs, this settlement is overseen by the court, and the league cannot escape its responsibility. We will make sure that former NFL players and their families receive every benefit they are entitled to under this agreement.” Womens Danny Shelton Jersey