Robert Griffin III will face high expectations with the Cleveland Browns, blending in with a new city, team, coach and offensive system. But the 26-year-old former Redskins quarterback, who signed a two-year, $15 million contract to resume his career, plans to handle all issues with a motivation stemming from numerous problems in Washington. ‘‘I’m not trying to let any baggage hold me down from the past,’’ Griffin said Wednesday, ‘‘but I do have a massive chip on my shoulder.’’ Griffin’s issues in Washington included a serious knee injury, tiffs with former coaches and a disconnect with some teammates that landed him on the bench for the entire 2015 season. ‘‘I know there’s things that I could’ve done differently,’’ he said. ‘‘I can’t focus on that. I have to focus on what I’m doing here with the Cleveland Browns.’’ Browns coach Hue Jackson grilled Griffin on his time with the Redskins. “He showed me that he’s grown, that’s he’s learned. He understands that sometimes we all play roles when things don’t go well,’’ Jackson said. ‘‘He wanted to move beyond that and grow and become better.’’
Broncos and DE Crick agree on a deal
Free agent defensive end Jared Crick, a fifth-year pro who started 31 of 32 games for Houston the last two seasons opposite J.J. Watt, agreed to a two-year deal with the Denver Broncos, where he could be Malik Jackson’s primary replacement. Crick, 26, will compete with Vance Walker and Kenny Anunike for playing time as the Broncos replace Jackson, who left for Jacksonville in free agency . . . Jets receiver Brandon Marshall testified at his civil assault trial, saying fights inside a Manhattan nightclub annoyed him even before his wife was struck in the face by a bottle. Christin Myles, of Chino, Calif., accused Marshall of punching her in the face outside the club in March 2012 and is seeking unspecified damages for lingering injuries she suffered from the alleged assault. Marshall, 32, was never charged with a crime and his lawyer claims his client never punched Myles.
Colleges
Louisville self-imposes added penalties
Louisville announced additional self-imposed sanctions on its men’s basketball program in the wake of an escort’s allegations, reducing scholarships for the 2017-19 seasons and restricting official recruiting visits and recruiting opportunities for staff. The school announced Feb. 5 a postseason ban for the Cardinals after its investigation into allegations a former staffer hired an escort and other dancers to entertain recruits and players determined that violations did occur. Louisville will lose one scholarship in each of the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons with official visits reduced by one each in 2016-17 and ’17-18 . . . Donyell Marshall, a 15-year NBA veteran and former University of Connecticut basketball player, was hired as coach at Central Connecticut, replacing Howie Dickenman, who retired following his 20th season at the school. ‘‘It is exciting to come back to Connecticut, a place I consider my second home,’’ said Marshall, who recently served as recruiting coordinator at the University at Buffalo . . . Jimmy Allen, associate head coach at Army, was hired as the men’s basketball coach at West Point, replacing Zach Spiker, who departed for Drexel . . . Kentucky freshman point guard Tyler Ulis will enter the NBA Draft, becoming the third Wildcat underclassman in the past week to announce his intention to turn pro, joining fellow backcourt mate Jamal Murray and the 6-foot-11-inch Skal Labissiere . . . Michigan sophomore Aubrey Dawkins is transferring to Central Florida to play for his father, Johnny Dawkins, who was hired as UCF’s coach last month after being fired by Stanford . . . Suspended former Florida quarterback Will Grier, who was banned for one year by the NCAA for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, is transferring to West Virginia. Grier said his failed test was because of an over-the-counter supplement he used. The NCAA upheld its sanction after Grier lost an appeal . . . Murray Wier, the first Iowa basketball player to be named a first-team All-American, died Wednesday in Georgetown, Texas. He was 89.
Baseball
Gibbons clarifies his postgame remark
Toronto manager John Gibbons said he was trying to inject some humor into a tense situation and had ‘‘no malicious intent’’ in his comment that ‘‘maybe we’ll come out wearing dresses tomorrow’’ after the Blue Jays lost, 3-2, at Tampa Bay Tuesday night because of baseball’s new rule on breaking up double plays . . . Washington Nationals center fielder Ben Revere was sent to the disabled list with a strained right oblique after playing less than one full game for his new team.
Basketball
76ers GM Hinkie quits amid woeful run
Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie quit after turning the organization into one of the worst teams in NBA history. Hinkie, whose tenure didn’t even last three full seasons, left the Sixers with the worst record in the league at 10-68. The team went 19-63 his first season as GM and 18-64 last season. ‘‘Sam’s work has put us in a very strong position to take advantage of numerous opportunities for an exciting future,’’ said disappointed team owner Josh Harris . . . Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan, who coached the Utah Jazz from 1988-2011, told the Salt Lake Tribune he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and a form of dementia . . . Atlanta Hawks player Thabo Sefolosha filed a federal lawsuit against New York City, alleging he was unjustly arrested outside of a trendy nightclub last April during a fracas that left him with a broken leg and ended his NBA season. Prosecutors alleged he repeatedly disobeyed officers’ orders to leave the area around the club where another NBA player, Chris Copeland, had been stabbed.
Miscellany
FIFA ethics judge resigns under scrutiny
Under suspicion in the fallout from the global offshore accounts investigation, Uruguayan lawyer Juan Pedro Damiani resigned as a FIFA ethics judge after presiding over the ban of former FIFA president Sepp Blatter from soccer last December. Damiani was under investigation after being identified Sunday in a vast leak of data from a Panama law firm specializing in tax avoidance schemes exploited for money laundering . . . Shagaf was made a 2-1 morning-line favorite and drew the No. 1 post for the $1 million Wood Memorial Saturday, New York’s major steppingstone to the Kentucky Derby . . . Looking to wipe away bad memories from her first-match loss at Indian Wells, Calif., and Miami since winning her 49th WTA event in Taiwain two months ago, third-seeded Venus Williams defeated fellow American Alison Riske, 6-4, 6-2, in the first round of Volvo Car Open, a clay-court event in Charleston, S.C. . . . Allie Long scored her first two international goals, and the United States routed Colombia, 7-0, in the Americans’ first exhibition since five players filed a wage-discrimination action against the US Soccer Federation. Crystal Dunn, Mallory Pugh, Carli Lloyd, Tobin Heath and Christen Press also scored for the Americans, who will try to win their fourth straight gold medal at this summer’s Olympics. Goalkeeper Hope Solo had her eighth shutout of the year, as the US squad improved to 10-0.
Retired NFL quarterback Peyton Manning will serve as honorary race official for the Food City 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race April 17 at Bristol Motor Speedway. As an honorary race official, Manning will accompany Dale Earnhardt Jr. during driver introductions. Bristol Motor Speedway executive vice president Jerry Campbell said in a statement, ‘‘I don’t think it’s possible to pair two more beloved sports figures in the state of Tennessee than Peyton Manning and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’’
