NATIONAL ANTHEM PROTESTSWASHINGTON -- Tommie Smith and John Carlos voiced their support for Colin Kaepernick and other athletes staging national anthem protests, 48 years after they raised their gloved fists on the medals stand in a symbolic protest at the Olympics.The American sprinters who were sent home from the 1968 Mexico City Olympics for what they called a human rights salute say the San Francisco 49ers quarterback and others are right to use their platform to raise awareness about racial inequality and police brutality.Speaking Wednesday at the Team USA Awards, the first U.S. Olympic Committee event theyve been invited to since their protest, Smith says hes backing Kaepernick because his protest is proactive and Carlos says theres no better platform than sports to stand up for something, even if it brings criticism.LINCOLN, Neb. -- Gov. Pete Ricketts has agreed to meet next week with one of the Nebraska football players he criticized for kneeling during the national anthem at the Cornhuskers most recent game.Michael Rose-Ivey and two teammates each took a knee before last Saturdays game at Northwestern as a protest against police brutality and racial injustice.Ricketts spokesman Taylor Gage said a day for the meeting had not been set but that it would be held next week, at Rose-Iveys request, so it doesnt interfere with football game preparation. The Cornhuskers dont have a game on Oct. 8.After Ricketts called the act disgraceful and disrespectful on his radio show Monday, Rose-Ivey tweeted at Ricketts that he would like to discuss the issue with him.Ricketts on Tuesday night responded on Twitter: Thanks for reaching out. Direct message me your information, and we will get something set up right away!Also Tuesday, Rose-Ivey and teammates Mohamed Barry and DaiShon Neal were criticized by two university regents, but received support from the university president Hank Bounds.PRO FOOTBALLPHILADELPHIA -- A second petition has been filed asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reject the $1 billion settlement of NFL concussion lawsuits because of how it treats current brain injuries versus future ones.The former players who filed the petition complain that chronic traumatic encephalopathy diagnosed before the April 2015 cutoff can bring $4 million while future CTE diagnoses arent compensated. They say that violates Supreme Court rulings that insist each subgroup in a class action settlement be treated fairly.The petition, filed Monday, echoes earlier complaints that the lead players lawyers signed a quick deal with the NFL in 2013 favoring their clients over thousands of others.Lawyers on the Plaintiffs Steering Committee, who negotiated the deal, reject those arguments and say the appeals are holding up payments that ailing retirees need. The NFL declined to comment.BASEBALLMIAMI -- Somber Marlins players and personnel escorted a hearse carrying the body of star pitcher Jose Fernandez from the teams ballpark, as the farewell for their beloved teammate marched on.As players and fans honored Fernandezs memory, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio sought a safety probe into the rock jetty where a boat crash claimed the lives of the baseball star and two friends.Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, manager Don Mattingly, hitting coach Barry Bonds and the players including Marcell Ozuna and Giancarlo Stanton wore white T-shirts emblazoned with Fernandezs image and the letters RIP as they slowly walked the hearse away from Marlins Park in Miamis Little Havana neighborhood. Many in the crowd of about 1,000 chanted Jose! Jose! and some waved Cuban flags in honor of the popular Cuban-American player.CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs announced a five-year contract extension with president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, rewarding him for an overhaul that has the long-suffering franchise eyeing its first championship since 1908.The extension comes with the Cubs wrapping up one of the greatest seasons in franchise history and their fans believing that this just might be the team to end the 108-year World Series title drought.They reached 100 wins for the first time since 1935 and were a major league-leading 101-56 heading into Wednesdays game at Pittsburgh. Chicago clinched the best record in the majors with more than a week left in the regular season.Terms were not disclosed. Chairman Tom Ricketts said the contract ensures the baseball operations team assembled by Epstein will continue its remarkable tenure of building a consistent championship contender.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Pete Rose has appealed directly to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in an effort to restore his eligibility to be elected.In a seven-page letter to the Halls president, Roses longtime attorney Raymond Genco makes the case that the career hits leaders ban from baseball for gambling in 1989 was not intended to make him ineligible for the Hall of Fame.The Hall of Fame changed its bylaws two years after Roses banishment to make banned players ineligible for the Hall. Rose argues that it wasnt then-Commissioner Bart Giamattis intention to keep him out of the Hall when the two reached a settlement that banned him from baseball.Genco said new commissioner Rob Manfred denying Roses reinstatement last December opened the door for the new argument.Cheap NFL Jerseys China .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. Authentic Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. http://www.outletnfljerseys.com/ . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping . -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Discount NFL Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla.SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- This hurts, but its not the writhing, seething pain he felt a year ago at St. Andrews, where Jason Day wondered if it was ever going to happen for him in a major championship.There at the home of golf, Day let an excellent opportunity slip away over the closing holes, missing a playoff by one excruciating shot, the doubts surrounding him growing darker and deeper as he left The Open.Here, another opportunity presented itself at the PGA Championship, and Day again came up a shot short of a playoff, having to watch from the 18th green at Baltusrol Golf Club as Jimmy Walker holed the winning par putt, defenseless to do anything.But this loss was different.The PGA Championship he won a year ago at Whistling Straits helped alleviate a lot of the angst. So did all the success that followed and led him to being the No. 1-ranked player in the world. He has a major, and that can never be taken away.And then theres the way he played here at Baltusrol, shooting four rounds in the 60s, eagling the final hole to make it interesting, rebounding from two early bogeys in the final round to shoot 67. Day finished 13 under par.It is kind of difficult to beat yourself up over that.Im a little disappointed, but you know what? At the end of the day, I came in here with not the greatest preparation, Day said. Im very, very happy with how I played all week.Day, 28, now has four runner-up finishes in majors and 13 top-10s. It is an impressive record, no doubt, and hes still on track for a PGA Tour player of the year award after three wins, including a World Golf Championship event and the Players Championship.Perhaps at some other time he will rue all the close calls. A second major championship is crucial, if being considered among the greats of the game is part of Days ultimate plan.Phil Mickelson has often spoke about how important winning the PGA was here in 2005. It was his second major victory, following his breakthrough at the Masters in 2004. Mickelson also said he would win multiple majors, and that one at Baltusrol sent him on his way, as he won the Masters the following spring and nearly the U.S. Open after that. Now hes in the Hall of Fame with five wins at majors.Like others, Day could point to the unrelenting schedule this year, made necessary by golfs returnn to the Olympic Games.dddddddddddd. Just two weeks ago, he was competing in Scotland, and although he didnt contend at The Open, he was there for four days. From Scotland, he headed to Toronto to defend his title at the Canadian Open. Then he came to New Jersey for the PGA Championship.An early-week cold left him feeling lethargic and in need of rest, so he didnt get onto the course for a practice round until Wednesday. Day wasnt making any excuses, but clearly thats not the ideal way to go into a major championship. Walker, for his part, missed the cut at Royal Troon and didnt play last week. Maybe that was the difference at Baltusrol?I think they all hurt, said Colin Swatton, Days long-time caddie and coach. But its not like he went out and shot 75. Hes won three times, second in a major. Its one of those days where he gave it a go and someone else plays a bit better and gets the job done.The circumstances surrounding the weather and the way the final two rounds unfolded also did not help Day.When play was suspended on Saturday with the leaders never getting on the course, the decision was made to keep the same pairings throughout the third and fourth rounds, in order to speed up play and attempt to get the tournament finished Sunday -- which unfolded better than could have been expected.But had the situation been normal, Days third-round 67 would have put him in a final pairing with Walker, who had his own issues to deal with in trying to win his first major.Yes, that would have been nice, Day said. It would have been nice to play in the last group with him, just to be able to go back and forth with him, maybe put a little bit more pressure on him, because usually that becomes a match play format, where youre going back and forth. More mistakes or crucial moments can happen in situations like that.Day wasnt complaining. He understood exactly why it played out as it did. And he was gracious in defeat, waiting beside the green to congratulate Walker and his family.So Day wont be losing any sleep.In fact, he expected to sleep quite well, given the level of exhaustion that came with a grueling final day that ended up being one shot too many. ' ' '