Times wires
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Saskatchewan Roughriders acquired the negotiating rights to Terrelle Pryor and have spoken to his lawyer about bringing the former Ohio State quarterback to the Canadian Football League.
Pryor's attorney, Larry James, said Wednesday the CFL is a genuine possibility for the ex-Buckeye.
"It's like I told (the Roughriders)," James said. "My house is not for sale, but at the right price, it's on the market."
Pryor, a three-year starter, announced Tuesday he is giving up his senior season while the NCAA investigates Ohio State players getting improper benefits, including tattoos, cash and possible sweetheart deals on cars. Pryor has admitted he broke NCAA rules by accepting improper benefits from a Columbus tattoo-parlor owner.
Roughriders general manager Brendan Taman said the team is intrigued by the 6-foot-6, 233-pounder.
"He's a heck of an athlete," Taman said. "With the (bigger) field up here in Canada, with the athlete that he is, he would be an interesting component to come up here and run around and do some things as a quarterback."
Asked if the ongoing NCAA investigation would be a concern, Taman said no.
"Any time we sign a player, we check into their character and whatnot," he said. "If we get these talks advanced, we'd obviously have a thorough discussion with him and get input back on exactly what went down. What little I know about him, I don't think there's anything that's a major red flag that he's just totally a kid you would ignore."
Pryor has other options. He could make himself available for an NFL supplemental draft, although there are questions if one will be held due to the lockout. He also could take a year off to heal from January's ankle surgery while waiting for next year's NFL draft.
Sooners won't claim USC's vacated title
TULSA, Okla. — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops won't be laying claim to the 2004 national title the BCS stripped from USC.
The Trojans beat the Sooners 55-19 in the January 2005 Orange Bowl. But the victory was vacated Monday because of extra benefits received by star running back Reggie Bush.
"I don't have any thoughts (on USC's situation)," Stoops said before meeting with fans in Tulsa. "And we're not claiming any championships."
Alabama: Corey Grant, the nation's No. 5 all-purpose back coming out of high school in 2010, according to Rivals.com, will transfer, his high school coach said. Brian Blackmon said he doesn't know where Grant, who redshirted his only season at Alabama, will wind up. Four other players have transferred: linebacker Petey Smith, running back Demetrius Goode, defensive back B.J. Scott and defensive lineman Brandon Moore.
Men's basketball: Thomas Emma, Duke's captain in 1983, fell from the 12th floor of the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan to his death in an apparent suicide, police said. He was 49.
Track: Florida's Stipe Zunic finished fourth in the men's javelin at the NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. His throw of 246 feet, 1 inches was fourth best in school history. Florida State's Michael Putman finished ninth in the discus with a throw of 180-6 and USF's Jared Thomas 12th at 177-4.