Friday State Sports Briefs: Player's union files lawsuit for Packers' Hargrove

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GREEN BAY - The NFL players’ union filed a lawsuit yesterday on behalf of Green Bay Packers’ defensive end Anthony Hargrove and two others in the Saints’ bounty scandal.

The suit asks that the players’ suspensions be tossed out, and that a neutral arbitrator hear their case. The legal action came two days after Commissioner Roger Goodell upheld the suspensions he imposed on Hargrove and three other present-and-former New Orleans’ players. Hargrove remains suspended for eight games, after the NFL said he misled league investigators about the Saints’ pay system for injuring opposing quarterbacks. The lawsuit accuses the league of conducting a biased investigating – and it said the arbitration process was a “sham.” The union said it never agreed to let Commissioner Goodell arbitrate this type of player dispute – and it claims he had no authority to do so. The union also said Goodell showed his bias by publicly proclaiming the players guilty before issuing his suspensions. And it said the commissioner’s follow-up process was quote, “bogus.”

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Marquette University men’s basketball center Chris Otule is recovering ahead-of-schedule, after he tore an ACL knee ligament early last season. Coach Buzz Williams says Otule is doing some activities, but he’s nowhere near full speed yet. Still, Williams says his center is doing fine, and is two-and-a-half to three weeks ahead of schedule. Otule averaged six points, five rebounds, and two blocked shots in 20 minutes per game last season. But he only played in seven contests before tearing his ACL early last December. He’s expected to be ready in October, when the Golden Eagles start practicing for next season.

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In the Midwest League…

Cedar Rapids 5, Wisconsin 3

Clinton 5, Beloit 3

Peoria 2, Burlington 1

Kane County 9, Quad Cities 2

Fort Wayne 8, Bowling Green 3

West Michigan 5, Lake County 1

South Bend 11, Dayton 2

Great Lakes 5, Lansing 2

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In the Northwoods League…

Green Bay 10, Wisconsin Rapids 2

La Crosse 7, Lakeshore 0

Wisconsin 9, Battle Creek 1

Madison 9, Eau Claire 4

Willmar 14, Waterloo 13 in 10 innings

Saint Cloud 9, Alexandria 8 in 10 innings

Mankato 5, Thunder Bay 4

Rochester 6, Duluth 4

Tags: wisconsin sports, proam, sports