NFL
• Slumping Ravens fire offensive coordinator Cameron: OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Cam Cameron has been fired as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, who have lost two straight and are still striving for consistency in the running and passing game.
Cameron ran the team’s offense since the start of the 2008 season, when current coach Jim Harbaugh replaced Brian Billick. Since that time, the Ravens’ attack has repeatedly taken a back seat to the team’s defense.
The move came Monday.
Jim Caldwell, who was hired as quarterbacks coach before the season, will assume Cameron’s duties. Caldwell was head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2009-11.
Baltimore (9-4) scored seven points after halftime Sunday in a 31-28 overtime loss to the Washington Redskins. Quarterback Joe Flacco passed for only 182 yards, lost a fumble and was intercepted in the third quarter.
• Player death again raises question of safety: IRVING, Texas (AP) — The death of Dallas Cowboys practice squad member Jerry Brown in a car accident is raising new questions about the effectiveness of the league’s warnings and safety nets.
Brown died Saturday and teammate Josh Brent has been charged with manslaughter after police say he caused the wreck by speeding and driving drunk. It has brought the NFL Players Association’s safe ride program back into focus about three years after it was revamped over concerns that enough players weren’t using it.
Union spokesman Carl Francis says the program is a strong point of emphasis, and every player’s membership card includes the contact information. Still, Jacksonville cornerback CB Rashean Mathis, the team’s union representative, says players rarely, if ever, use the program.
• AP source: Tagliabue bounty ruling coming today: A person familiar with the decision says former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue will rule Tuesday afternoon on the latest round of player appeals in the NFL’s bounty probe, and that any potential punishment will be delayed by a week.
The person says the delay is designed to give a federal judge in New Orleans the opportunity to rule on pending motions to throw out the suspensions and remove Tagliabue as the appointed arbitrator for these player appeals to the league. The person spoke to The Associated Press Monday on condition of anonymity because no rulings have been announced.
The NFL’s decision to delay potential sanctions for four current or former Saints means linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive end Will Smith may play Sunday when New Orleans hosts Tampa Bay.
NCAA
• Western Kentucky hires Petrino as football coach: Western Kentucky has announced that it has hired Bobby Petrino as be the Hilltoppers’ next football coach.
WKU athletic director said in a release that Petrino will be introduced at a Monday afternoon news conference.
The 51-year-old Petrino replaces Willie Taggart, who left WKU Saturday to become South Florida’s coach. Petrino had a 34-17 record at Arkansas.
He was fired by Arkansas in April for a “pattern of misleading” behavior following a motorcycle accident. Petrino had an affair with former Razorback football staffer Jessica Dorrell, who he had given $20,000 in gifts. Petrino said initially he was the only person on the motorcycle but later admitted to Dorrell’s presence.
BOXING
• Arturo Gatti, Virgil Hill enter boxing hall: SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — The late Arturo Gatti and five-time world champion Virgil Hill have been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Gatti died three years ago in Brazil under mysterious circumstances. He won titles in two weight divisions. Hill won a silver medal at the 1984 Olympics and defended his light heavyweight title 20 times.
Both were elected Monday in their first year of eligibility.
Elected from the modern category were two-time light flyweight champion Myung-Woo Yuh, referee Mills Lane, ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. and journalist Colin Hart.
Lightweight Wesley Ramsey and middleweight Jeff Smith joined the 2013 class from the posthumous category. Manager Arturo “Cuyo” Hernandez, cartoonist Ted Carroll and 19th century Irish boxer Joe Coburn made it in the pioneer division.
Selections were made by the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of international boxing historians. Induction ceremonies are June 9 in Canastota, N.Y.
HOCKEY
• NHL cancels games through Dec. 30: NEW YORK (AP) — If there is going to be an NHL season, it won’t happen before New Year’s Eve.
The NHL announced Monday that all games have been canceled through Dec. 30. There had already been 422 regular-season games lost through Dec. 14 because of the lockout, and the latest cuts on Day 86 of the league shutdown claimed 104 more. The NHL also has called off the New Year’s Day Winter Classic and the All-Star game.
In all, the 526 lost games account for nearly 43 percent of the regular season that was scheduled to begin Oct. 11.
The cancellation of just 16 more days of the season, however, could perhaps signal hope of a deal to begin play in early January. Negotiations between the league and the players’ association broke off last week, but NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Sunday the sides are trying to restart talks this week.
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