Sports & Politics Intersect: Urban Meyer says sorry to everyone but the victim

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• Former coach charged with lying to police about Nassar - Kathie Klages, a former gymnastics coach for Michigan State, was formally charged with lying to police about her knowledge of complaints against Larry Nassar before 2016. As for the university itself, it is facing more lawsuits as more than 50 new women have stepped forward with allegations against the former doctor. (The school is requesting a stay on the new lawsuits.) Separately, the new head of USA Gymnastics, Kerry Perry, spoke to the media at the recent national championships in Boston but revealed little.

• Former AD intervened in sexual misconduct cases - Last year at Maryland, former athletic director Kevin Anderson authorized the use of funds from the athletic department for legal representation for two football players accused of sexual misconduct — an NCAA violation.

• Kaepernick’s lawyer said Elway violated order - In explaining why the team did not sign Colin Kaepernick, Denver Broncos general manager John Elway may have violated a gag order on speaking about the free agent’s collusion case, according to attorney Mark Geragos.

• ESPN president wants to ‘limit’ political commentary - Jimmy Pitaro, the president of ESPN, is hoping that the network will limit political commentary. One particular item that received widespread attention was that ESPN told the NFL that it will not show the national anthem before “Monday Night Football,” which outside of special events, it had not done in recent years. President Trump clearly caught wind of this as he revisited his greatest hits — via email and at a West Virginia rally — of lambasting both ESPN and the NFL over the ongoing player protests. The protests have also added another layer to the hotly contested Senate race in Texas between Democratic candidate Beto O’Rouke — whose response to a veteran’s question went viral — and the Republican incumbent, Senator Ted Cruz.

• Union members protesting against Dolphins owner - In New York, union construction workers are protesting against Stephen Ross, owner of the Miami Dolphins, in an ongoing labor dispute. Ross, who owns Related Companies, is facing charges of racism despite sitting on the NFL’s social justice committee.

• Texans cheerleading coach resigns - Altovise Gary, the director of the Houston Texans’ cheerleading team, resigned in light of multiple lawsuits from former cheerleaders who allege mistreatment. With other former cheerleaders making their stories known, some believe that now is the time for active performers to unionize.

• Colts “retired” radio announcer resigned after racial slur - The Indianapolis Colts admitted that now-former radio play-by-play announcer Bob Lamey “retired” because he used the n-word toward a team employee. Lamey said he actually quoted auto racing analyst Derek Daly, who lost a local freelancing gig as a result of the revelation.

• Finn Balor “proud” of WWE’s inclusion message - WWE star Finn Balor has been an advocate for the LGBTQ community in recent months, and the Irish-born wrestler said he was proud to see the impact of the company’s message of inclusion. Sticking with Europe, Guram Kashia became the inaugural recipient of UEFA’s #EqualGame award — which recognizes players who promote inclusivity in European football — despite backlash in his home country of Georgia. 

• Miami Hurricanes turn waste into wear - For their college football opener, the Miami Hurricanes will take the field against LSU wearing uniforms made from marine plastic waste in hopes of drawing attention to ocean pollution.

• Fan jail for new Raiders stadium - In the spirit of the demolished Veterans Stadium and the Philadelphia Eagles, the developing stadium for the Raiders in Las Vegas will hold a jail and courtroom for unruly fans. (If you’re wondering, “Eagles Court” exists elsewhere in Philadelphia.)

• EA’s attempt to stop likeness lawsuit thwarted - A California federal judge dismissed Electronic Arts’ bid for summary judgment in a lawsuit from former NFL players who claimed that the publisher’s “Madden” franchise violated their likenesses in the video games. EA tried to use a survey that claimed gamers don’t recognize player avatars, but U.S. District Court Judge Richard Seeborg found the survey to be flawed.

• Richard Sherman launches daily fantasy company - San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman has launched Daily Number, a new entrant in daily fantasy sports that offers a different roster construction vs. FanDuel and DraftKings.

• A’s potential new field gets designer - The Oakland A’s hired Danish designer Bjarke Ingels Group to craft the vision for their new ballpark, which may be located at one of two separate sites in the city. The firm already has a Bay Area connection, as it designed the Golden State Warriors’ new digs in San Francisco.

• New NBA training facility in area of humanitarian unrest - The NBA has set up one of its three Chinese training centers in Xinjiang but has maintained a rather low profile about it. Why? Because in Xinjiang, Chinese authorities are alleged to be holding approximately a million Muslims in what may amount to be concentration camps.

• NBA’s process in aiding mental health of players - As part of ESPN’s series on mental health and the NBA, Jackie MacMullan spoke with Kevin Love (and others) about his struggles with anxiety and what the league wants to do for its players going forward.

• Another week, another racist moment (or two) from baseball - Michael Kopech, the prized pitching prospect of the Chicago White Sox, acknowledged racist and homophobic tweets he sent in 2013. (They were deleted.) Separately, San Francisco Giants pitcher Derek Holland apologized for an MLB Network interview where he tried a racially insensitive skit with team massage therapist Haro Ogawa. (Ogawa played to racist Asian tropes.) It’s been a rather trying time for MLB, as these incidents are the latest in a long line of cultural problems within the baseball community.

This week in sports and politics history: Herschel Walker insures his future with Lloyd's of London 

"You learn so much on your own in this game, particularly at that position, just by doing it. He's got a chance to be one of the great backs in history, if he stays healthy, if he keeps having a good supporting cast, and if his attitude keeps up.'' - Vince Dooley, Georgia head coach, on Herschel Walker

Few have fit the “man among boys” trope better than Herschel Walker did in the early ‘80s. The Georgia running back was 6-foot-2, 220 pounds of pure muscle with the speed of an Olympic sprinter and the strength of an ox. Scouts felt that he could jump to the NFL straight out of high school, and there was little doubt that any team wouldn’t want to throw the bank at him as soon as he became draft-eligible. 

Before Walker would become a Heisman Trophy winner in 1982, he would become the first collegiate football player to take out his own insurance policy to cover any potential career-ending injuries. The policy was worth $1 million and had a $12,000 annual premium that was paid for by his parents. It was never said how the policy was financed, but Walker, and all those who have come after, had to tiptoe around quite a few strict rules to avoid any NCAA violations. 

Walker suffered a dislocated shoulder in the Sugar Bowl during his freshman season and had missed time on the field for other nagging injuries. While he was one of the more durable backs in the nation, he was carrying the ball 30 times per game, and every touch increased the risk for injury. 

He was the first collegiate football player to take out this kind of insurance policy, but the idea wasn’t new in the college ranks as it was an emerging practice in basketball, with Ralph Sampson being one of the more prominent figures to do so before he became eligible for the NBA draft. 

There was a slow growth in these kinds of policies being taken out for elite collegiate athletes, but today they’re essentially the norm. A 2009 Sports Illustrated report showed that hundreds of athletes from football, men and women's basketball, baseball and hockey are taking out insurance policies ranging from $1 million to up to $15 million. It’s considered a business expense for those expected to play their sport at the highest level, and Walker was among those who opened the door for athletes to protect themselves against injury.