Baseball
* USA baseball announces coaching staff for 2013 WBC: Former star pitcher Greg Maddux will join Dale Murphy, Gerald Perry and three former major league managers as the United States baseball team’s coaching staff under manager Joe Torre. USA Baseball announced the staff Monday ahead of the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Former Padres and Phillies manager Larry Bowa will be the bench coach, former Mets skipper Willie Randolph the third base coach and former Angels manager Marcel Lachemann the bullpen and pitching coach. Maddux, who won 355 games in the major leagues, will also serve as a pitching coach. Murphy is set to be first base coach. The 2013 World Baseball Classic begins in March.
• Longoria agrees to deal adding $100 million: Evan Longoria wants to be with the Tampa Bay Rays for his entire big league career. The slugging third baseman got his wish Monday when they Rays agreed to a $136.6 million, 10-year contract that adds six guaranteed seasons and $100 million. “I always wanted to be kind of a benchmark player ... the guy that you could think about or associate with the organization," Longoria said. “My goal from Day One was to be the first player that played their whole career here, to be the first guy that came into the organization and went out in the organization, and played all the years in between. There’s no better place for me."
Football
• Holmgren leaving Browns uncertain of future: Browns outgoing president Mike Holmgren says he still has not decided if he will coach in the NFL again. Holmgren is leaving the Browns this week after initially planning to stay until the end of this season. Holmgren said after weeks of meetings with new owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner he has decided the time was right and feels he has “passed the baton." Holmgren says he departs feeling somewhat unsatisfied because he wasn’t able to finish the job of turning the Browns into winners.
• NFL won’t suspend Suh for low blow against Schaub: Ndamukong Suh might lose some money for his low blow against Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub. The Detroit Lions defensive tackle, though, will be able to play Sunday at home against the Indianapolis Colts. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tweeted Monday that the Lions have been notified that Suh won’t be suspended for last Thursday’s “incident," though it will be reviewed for a potential fine.
• Dolphins DB accused of choking cab driver: Miami Dolphins reserve defensive back Jonathon Amaya allegedly choked a taxi driver and was charged with battery early Monday. According to a police report, Amaya offered the driver $100 to take him from Miami Beach to Weston. The driver told police Amaya became aggressive, so he turned around the car and asked him to get out. The driver said Amaya then leaned forward, wrapped his hands around the driver’s neck and starting choking him. Officers saw the taxi driving erratically and heard the driver scream “this man is trying to kill me." Police escorted Amaya out of the car and he was arrested. The driver wasn’t injured.
• Wisconsin’s Ball leads all-Big Ten selections: Career touchdown leader Montee Ball of Wisconsin was selected the Big Ten’s top running back for the second straight year and was a first-team all-conference pick by both the coaches and media. The announcement Monday came two days after he became the NCAA’s all-time leader in touchdowns. They also went with conference rushing leader Le’Veon Bell of Michigan State (1,648 yards), but they were split at quarterback. The media went with Ohio State’s Braxton Miller and the coaches choosing Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez. Miller got the top QB award. The coaches and media also agreed on the top receivers, going with Penn State’s Allen Robinson and Wisconsin’s Jared Abbrederis at receiver.
• Clemson, UNC, FSU dominate all-ACC 1st team: Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina dominate the all-Atlantic Coast Conference first team. The league announced its all-conference team Monday and six offensive players from the 15th-ranked Tigers made the first team. The 13th-ranked Seminoles and Tar Heels had five players apiece. Quarterback Tajh Boyd, running back Andre Ellington and receiver DeAndre Hopkins were Clemson’s skill players on the first team. They were joined by tackle Brandon Thomas, center Dalton Freeman and tight end Brandon Ford.
• Boise State’s Petersen bats away latest links to coaching jobs: Chris Petersen is taking a different approach to the series of annual questions and speculation linking him to nearly every available head coaching job in college football. This year, at least at the outset, Petersen is resorting to humor. When asked Monday about his name being mentioned in the search for the bevy of new coaching vacancies, Petersen simply looked at his watch, noted the time and chided reporters for taking so long to once again bring up the subject.
— From wire reports
