Rashean Mathis, a former Bethune-Cookman football player, enjoyed a strong second season with the Detroit Lions in 2014. He started all 16 games for the first time since 2010, making 55 tackles and one interception. While Mathis has expressed interest in playing professional golf after retiring from football, he continues to play well on the gridiron, keeping his golf clubs stored a little longer. Tom Brady had his appeal hearing for his four-game suspension related to the Deflategate scandal. No decision is expected immediately from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The US Women's National Soccer Team will be without midfielders Lauren Holiday and Megan Rapinoe for their World Cup quarter

1. NFL
Associated Press file/JOSE JUAREZ
B-CU product Rashean Mathis was
productive for Detroit in 2014.
By CHRIS BOYLE
chris.boyle@news-jrnl.com
Rashean Mathis made headlines
earlier this month after declaring
his hopes to play professional golf
when he hangs up his football
cleats.
He’s still finding time to hit the
links as the Detroit Lions take part
in organized team activities this
offseason. This is the time of year
when Mathis is playing his best
golf.
He said he’s a 4-handicap right
now. But one day, he thinks he can
get to scratch-level.
But the way he’s playing on the
gridiron, Mathis will have to keep
his clubs in storage a little longer.
The Bethune-Cookman product
enjoyed a strong second season in
Detroit, ranking 77th among all
NFL players — 12th among corner-
backs — during the 2014 season,
according to Pro Football Focus.
Mathis started all 16 games for the
first time since 2010, made 55
Not time
to hit the
links yet
B-CU grad Mathis
thriving with Lions
SPORTS SECTION
B
NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2015
ON THE TRAIL
Mainland OT Marcus Tatum
said he plans to narrow his
list of schools. PAGE 4B
Associated Press/MARK LENNIHAN
New England QB Tom Brady had his appeal
of a four-game suspension heard Tuesday.
By RACHEL COHEN
Associated Press
NEW YORK — After a 10-hour hearing,
Tom Brady now must wait to find out
if his appeal of a four-game suspension
carried any weight with NFL commis-
sioner Roger Goodell.
Brady was suspended by the league
for his role in the use of deflated foot-
balls in the AFC championship game
win against Indianapolis. He arrived
at the Park Avenue offices Tuesday
morning, as did attorney Jeffrey Kes-
sler, who is leading Brady’s defense.
It was growing dark when Goodell
left the league headquarters after he
heard Brady and representatives from
the players’ union during the lengthy
meeting. League security said Brady
also had left.
No details of the hearing were imme-
diately available.
“I think we put in a very compelling
case,” Kessler said, adding no timeta-
ble on a decision by Goodell had been
given.
Kessler said he would have no fur-
ther comment, and neither the union
nor the league immediately comment-
ed.
This was the latest step in the pro-
tracted “Deflategate” scandal, and no
decisions were expected.
Indeed, it is uncertain how soon
Goodell will announce anything. He
could decide to keep the suspension
as it is, reduce it or completely wipe it
clean.
With training camps set to open
in five weeks, the commissioner has
DEFLATEGATE
Brady has his day in court
New England quarterback has appeal for 4-game suspension heard
Associated Press/JASON FRANSON
Midfielder Megan Rapinoe is one of two American players who will be forced to sit on the sideline in Friday’s
Women’s World Cup quarterfinal because of too many yellow-card infractions.
By ANNE M. PETERSON
Associated Press
EDMONTON, Alberta — The United
States has made it through to the
quarterfinals at the Women’s World
Cup but not unscathed.
The Americans will have to face
China without two key contribu-
tors.
Midfielders Lauren Holiday and
Megan Rapinoe won’t be able to
play because of accumulated yellow
cards. Both received their second
yellows in Monday night’s 2-0 victo-
ry against upstart Colombia in the
round of 16.
It’s a blow to the United States,
which has struggled to find its
offense during the tournament.
Rapinoe has been one of the most
creative and dangerous players for
the Americans, and Holiday has
been steady and dependable.
“Obviously we’ve got some deci-
sions to make, but I think we’ve in-
vested in players significantly over
the past six months and we’ve dealt
with injuries,” coach Jill Ellis said.
“So I feel very confident in the play-
ers we have to be able to come in
and contribute. And I know they’re
going to be confident to be able to
step up and help us advance.”
Rapinoe said she felt her caution
in the 41st came as the result of a
series of calls. Holiday was carded
in the 17th minute.
“I guess you could say I accumu-
lated all those fouls, so that’s worth
the yellow card. But (Holiday) got
the yellow card on her very first foul
of the game, so I didn’t think that
was that fair,” Rapinoe said.
Ellis said after the game Morgan
Brian is likely to take Holiday’s spot
at center with Carli Lloyd. At 22,
Brian is the youngest player on the
team. Rapinoe suggested Christen
Press likely would step into her
spot.
The United States has won the
World Cup twice, but the team’s
previous title came in 1999. The sec-
ond-ranked Americans are among
the favorites in Canada, along with
top-ranked Germany and third-
ranked France.
The U.S. will play No. 16 China on
Friday night in Ottawa. The winner
of that game will go on to face the
winner of the Friday quarterfinal
between Germany and France in
Montreal.
Abby Wambach, who missed a
penalty kick in the match against
Colombia, was asked after the
match whether the yellow cards for
Rapinoe and Holiday were deserved.
“I don’t know,” Wambach said.
“That’s definitely a great question.
I don’t know if they were yellows.
It seemed like (the referee) was
purposefully giving those yellows
to maybe players that she knew
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
DECK SHUFFLEDRapinoe, Lloyd must sit out Americans’ quarterfinal match
Associated Press file/MIKE GROLL
Phil Jackson, right, is under pressure to draft
well Thursday for the Knicks.
By BRIAN MAHONEY
Associated Press
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Had Phil
Jackson been discussing his
six championships with Chi-
cago, nobody would argue.
If he meant the five more
he won coaching the Lakers,
he’d have been correct.
But when he said Tuesday
he did a “great job,” he was
referring to last season, his
first as president of basket-
ball operations for the New
York Knicks.
That’s a 17-65 season that
was the worst in franchise
history, for any Knicks fans
who’ve been trying to forget.
It was bad enough to make
anyone wonder if Jackson,
whose 11 championships are
the most of any NBA coach,
was cut out for the job of
executive.
Now, he can prove he is.
With the No. 4 pick in the
draft and another $25 million
or so to spend in free agency,
the Knicks are in position to
be offseason winners.
To Jackson, that started
NBA DRAFT ANALYSIS
Jackson must rethink philosophy
Up Next
Who: U.S. vs. China
Where: Ottawa, Ontario
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
TV: Fox
At stake: Winner faces Germany-
France winner in a semifinal at
7 p.m. June 30 in Montreal.
Still making an impact
In his second season with Detroit
and 12th overall in the NFL,
B-CU product Rashean Mathis
ranked 77th overall and 12th
among cornerbacks, according
to Pro Football Focus. Here’s his
2014 stats:
Tackles: 55
Interceptions: 1
Yards allowed in coverage: 555
SEE MATHIS, PAGE 6B
NBA Draft
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: Barclays Center;
Brooklyn, New York
TV: ESPN
First round: Orlando has
the No. 5 pick and Miami
the No. 10 selection.
SEE JACKSON, PAGE 5B
SEE SHUFFLED, PAGE 4B
SEE BRADY, PAGE 6B
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