Football
Te’o: Not involved in creating hoax — ESPN says Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o maintains he was never involved in creating the dead girlfriend hoax. He said in an off-camera interview Friday night: “I wasn’t faking it. I wasn’t part of this. When they hear the facts they’ll know. They’ll know there is no way I could be a part of this." The comments were Te’o’s first public remarks since Deadspin.com reported that his girlfriend not only didn’t die but, in fact, never existed. Notre Dame and Te’o insist he was the victim of a cruel joke. Still unanswered are questions why the All-American never made it clear he knew the woman only online and by telephone.
Jets hire Seahawks’ Idzik to be GM — The New York Jets hired Seattle Seahawks executive John Idzik to be their general manager Friday, completing an interview process that began two weeks ago and included 10 candidates. Idzik, the Seahawks’ vice president of football administration, was selected by owner Woody Johnson and team president Neil Glat and beat out Pittsburgh executive Omar Khan and Jets assistant GM Scott Cohen, among others, for the job. Idzik’s primary strengths include managing salaries and the salary cap, but has also worked in player personnel. He has been with the Seahawks the past six seasons after previously working in the front office for Tampa Bay and Arizona.
Basketball
Suns part ways with coach — The Phoenix Suns say the team and coach Alvin Gentry have “mutually agreed to part ways." Gentry had coached the Suns since replacing the fired Terry Porter at the All-Star break of the 2008-09 season, compiling a 158-144 record. His 2010 squad, led by Steve Nash, went 54-28 and advanced to the Western Conference finals. But Nash left and the team underwent what has been a disastrous rebuilding effort. The Suns’ 13-28 record is the worst in the Western Conference and fourth-worst in the NBA. Only Cleveland, Charlotte and Washington are worse.
Golf
Hahn, Castro lead Humana - James Hahn and Roberto Castro remained atop the Humana Challenge leaderboard Friday, shooting 5-under 67 in the pro-am tournament in La Quinta, Calif. Hahn and Castro were 14 under after another day of perfect conditions in the Coachella Valley. They began the round tied for the lead with Jason Kokrak at 63. Castro had the lead alone at 16 under, but bogeyed two of his last three holes — three-putting the par-4 ninth — on PGA West’s Arnold Palmer Private Course.
Woods, McIlroy miss cut — Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy missed the cut at the Abu Dhabi Championship in United Arab Emirates on Friday, a woeful start to the season for the world’s top two golfers. Woods missed it after he was penalized two shots for wrongly taking a free drop, while top-ranked McIlroy was frustrated trying to adjust to his new Nike clubs, even though he used his old Titleist putter in the second round. Both finished with 3-over 75s. Justin Rose played solid, mistake-free golf. Away from the large galleries, the Englishman shot a 69 for a 136 total and a one-shot lead at the halfway point over Jamie Donaldson (70) of Wales, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (67) of Spain and Thorbjorn Olesen (69) of Denmark.
Frost leads Champions Tour opener — David Frost of South Africa had a 7-under 65 Friday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Kaupulehu-Kona, Hawaii. The tournament opens the 34th Champions Tour season at Hualalai Golf Club. Kirk Triplett, the 2012 Champions Rookie of the Year, bogeyed the last hole to fall into a six-way tie for second at 66.
— From wire reports
