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DRIVER CLAIMS SELF-DEFENCE IN STABBING OF EX-QB, CURRENT ANALYST MARK SANCHEZ

Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans former quarterback Mark Sanchez attends the Pac-12 Champonship game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A 69-year-old delivery driver alleged to have stabbed former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez said he feared that "this guy is trying to kill me" so he acted in self-defense, according to court records filed on Sunday.

The altercation early Saturday morning in an alley in downtown Indianapolis led to Sanchez, 38, going to a hospital for stabs wound to his upper right torso as well as being charged by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police with misdemeanor counts of battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication.

Sanchez, who was in Indianapolis as a Fox Sports analyst for the host Colts game against the Las Vegas Raiders, remained in a hospital early Sunday. He was replaced on the broadcast by another former quarterback, Brady Quinn, in the Colts' 40-6 victory Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium.

"This incident should never have happened," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement on Sunday. "What began as a disagreement between a 38-year-old former professional athlete and a 69-year-old man should not have escalated into violence or left anyone seriously injured. As with any case, we will follow the facts and the law wherever they lead."

According to court documents, Sanchez and the other man, identified by his initials "PT," got into a dispute near Loughmiller's Pub & Eatery. The driver's truck was parked at a loading dock to collect used cooking oil, and Sanchez opened the driver's door to talk to him, per surveillance video.

The driver wasn't wearing his hearing aids and struggled to hear him. When he leaned in, he thought Sanchez smelled of alcohol and his speech was slurred, he told police later in an affidavit.

Indianapolis police wrote in an affidavit that Sanchez ran after the driver, grabbed him and threw him toward the wall of a hotel, leading to a brawl.

After Sanchez threw him to the ground, according to the police investigation's report, the driver "realized things had escalated, and he was now in physical danger," he told police per the court documents.

The driver used pepper spray on Sanchez, who kept advancing, so he pulled out his knife in self-defense and struck him two or three times, he told police.

The driver, who sustained a laceration to his left cheek, per court documents, said Sanchez looked shocked and ran out of the alley. The driver was treated and released from Methodist Hospital, according to The Indianapolis Star.

Sanchez was found by responding officers in a bar next to the alley and was rushed to Eskenazi Hospital in critical condition and later upgraded to stable condition. He has been released from the hospital, TMZ Sports reported on Sunday evening.

Police wrote in an affidavit that Sanchez told them in the hospital that he didn't remember what happened.

Fox Sports acknowledged Sanchez's stabbing and arrest during its national pregame shows and during game coverage. Both Charissa Thompson, host of "Fox NFL Kickoff" on Sunday morning and "Fox NFL Sunday" host Curt Menefee said the Fox Sports team was "still trying to wrap our heads around" what happened and their "thoughts and prayers are with Mark Sanchez, his family and all of those involved."

Sanchez was selected by the New York Jets with the fifth overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft and guided the club to two straight AFC Championship Game appearances. He posted a 37-36 record and threw for 15,357 yards with 86 touchdowns and 89 interceptions with the Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and the Washington franchise.

In college, Sanchez was a big star for Southern California in 2008, when he passed for 3,207 yards, 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The Trojans went 12-1 and finished the campaign as the No. 3 team in the country.

-- Field Level Media

TRIALS OVER, US SWITCH FOCUS TO AUSTRALIA SHOWDOWN IN PARIS

USA TODAY Sports 

 Katie Ledecky and a powerhouse American swim team will turn their attention to another Summer Games showdown with arch-rivals Australia after the U.S. Olympic trials concluded in Indianapolis on Sunday.

After nine days of intense competition at Lucas Oil Stadium, normally the home of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, the final tickets to Paris were handed out with Simone Manuel winning the 50m freestyle and Bobby Finke the men's 1,500m.

Manuel, the first Black woman to win an individual Olympic swimming gold medal at the 2016 Rio Games, won the 'splash and dash' in 24.13 seconds, just .02 head of Gretchen Walsh, who also earned a spot in the event in Paris.

"I put in a lot of work to get to this point," said Manuel. "I wasn't feeling too confident after last night (in the heats), I spent a lot of time watching races where I won and I really wanted to channel that Simone because I know I am a winner and that's what I did tonight."

Finke, gold medallist in the 800m and 1,500m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics, will defend both titles in Paris after touching first in the final event of the meeting in 14:40.28.

David Johnston finished 12 seconds back of the winner but the result was good enough to earn him a spot on his first Olympic team.

With the U.S. and Australian Olympic trials wrapped up the stage is now set for what is set to be an explosive competition in the Paris pool.

Team USA will once again be targeting top spot in the pool after winning 11 gold medals and 30 overall.

But Australian swimmers are heading to France on a mission to end the American reign after coming close in Japan with nine golds among their 21 total.

"This has been a legendary rivalry in our sport and it is shaping up again to be a really exciting one, both sides of the pool, men and women," U.S. swimming great Michael Phelps told NBC Sports.

Competing in her fourth Olympics, Ledecky will be counted on to make a major contribution to the U.S. medal haul after winning four individual events (200, 400, 800 and 1,500 freestyle) at the trials.

A seven-time Olympic champion and one of the all-time greats of the sport, Ledecky's battles with Australian Ariarne Titmus and Canada's teenage wunderkind Summer McIntosh are expected to be one of the highlights of the Paris Olympics.

With Ledecky and another seven-time gold medallist Caeleb Dressel leading the way, the U.S. will not lack for experience in a squad packed with Olympic and world champions and world record holders.

But the U.S. roster also includes some fresh faces, like 17-year-old Thomas Heilman, who will contest the 100m and 200m butterfly and becomes the youngest male to make the U.S. swim squad since Michael Phelps at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Dressel, winner of five golds in Tokyo, did not qualify to defend his 100m freestyle crown but will be kept busy in Paris in the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly as well as potentially being involved in three relay teams.

Regan Smith is also set for a heavy workload after winning the women's 200m butterfly and 100m and 200m backstroke.

The 22-year-old added some spice to the U.S. and Australia rivalry when she regained the 100m backstroke world record from Kaylee McKeown.

Walsh opened the trials by setting a world record in the women's 100m butterfly on the opening day and will travel to Paris with her older sister Alex, who earned her spot on the team after finishing second in the 200m individual medley.

They will not be the only siblings on the U.S. squad - Alex Shackell qualified in the women's 200m butterfly and her brother Aaron won the 400m freestyle.

- Reuters 

CAITLIN CLARCK TAKEN NO.1 IN THE WNBA DRAFT BY THE INDIANA FEVER, AS EXPECTED

AP Photo 

 NEW YORK (AP) — Caitlin Clark admitted she was a bit nervous before being chosen with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, even though it was no surprise.

"I dreamed of this moment since I was in second grade, and it’s taken a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs, but more than anything, just trying to soak it in,” Clark said.

The former Iowa star became a household name among basketball fans during her record-breaking college career, and she will now try and help revive the Indiana franchise along with last season's No. 1 pick, Aliyah Boston, who previously played with Clark on a USA Basketball Under-19 team.

“Obviously going to an organization that has, in my eyes, one of the best post players in the entire world,” Clark said. “My point guard eyes just light up at that. And obviously, Aliyah has been one of my teammates before. I’m excited. I can’t wait.”

The Fever taking Clark had been a foregone conclusion since she announced on Feb. 29 she would turn pro. Nearly 17,000 tickets were claimed to watch the draft at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home to the Fever and the NBA's Indiana Pacers.

Clark has helped bring millions of fans to the women's game with her signature shots from the midcourt logo and passing ability. The NCAA's all-time scoring leader was a big reason why a record 18.9 million viewers tuned in to the national championship game, which Iowa lost to unbeaten South Carolina. The Hawkeyes were also the national runners-up to LSU a year earlier.

AP Photo 

It's been a whirlwind few weeks for Clark. After the title game, she flew to Los Angeles to receive the John R. Wooden Award and then came to New York for an appearance on “Saturday Night Live.”

“I think obviously the course of the last few weeks has been pretty insane in my life, the last two months playing basketball as long as I possibly could in my college career,” Clark said. “I think the biggest thing is I’m just very lucky to be in this moment, and all these opportunities and these things, they’re once in a lifetime.”

Clark, who wore a white Prada jacket and skirt, hugged her parents and brothers and Iowa coach Lisa Bluder after she was drafted.

The draft was held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in front of 1,000 fans, who bought all the tickets within 15 minutes of them going on sale a few months ago.

Los Angeles chose Stanford's Cameron Brink at No. 2. She'll get to stay in California and gives the Sparks a two-way player.

“When they called my name, a huge wave of emotions hit me,” Brink said. “I saw my mom tearing up and my dad and it hit home.”

A prolific scorer, Brink was also the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. The Sparks needed to replace franchise player Nneka Ogwumike, who left for Seattle in free agency. Brink's godmother, Sonya Curry, is the mother of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry.

“I FaceTimed Steph five minutes before the show started and he said have fun with it,” Brink said. “He can share so much great advice since he’s been through this. Make stuff like this fun as it can be stressed.”

Chicago had the third pick and chose South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso before the Sparks were on the clock again and and selected Tennessee's Rickea Jackson.

Cardoso had a busy week, helping the Gamecocks win the national championship to complete an undefeated season. She took part in the team's championship parade on Sunday before traveling to New York.

Dallas took Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon with the fifth pick. Washington drafted Aaliyah Edwards of UConn sixth before Chicago took LSU's Angel Reese at No. 7, pairing her with Cardoso.

“She’s a great player and I’m a great player. Nobody’s going to get no rebounds on us,” the 6-foot-7 Cardoso said, laughing.

Minnesota, which had swapped picks with Chicago, drafted Alissa Pili of Utah eighth.

A pair of French guards, Carla Leite and Leila Lacan, went next to Dallas and Connecticut, respectively.

New York drafted Ole Miss' Marquesha Davis at No. 11 and Atlanta closed out the first round by taking Australian Nyadiew Puoch.

AP Photo 

THE CHAMPS ARE HERE

Two-time defending champion Las Vegas didn't have a first-round pick, but made the most of three second-round choices. The Aces chose Syracuse guard Dyaisha Fair, who finished as the third-leading scorer in NCAA Division I history, with the 16th pick. Two picks later, they chose Iowa's Kate Martin. The team closed out the round drafting Virginia Tech's Elizabeth Kitley, who is recovering from a torn ACL. She's out for the season and showed up on crutches.

HEADING TO PHOENIX

Charisma Osborne was the last of the 15 players invited to the draft to get chosen, going with the first pick of the third round to Phoenix. Osborne, who played at UCLA, said getting chosen so late didn't faze her.

“I was nervous the entire night. My feelings didn't change,” she said. “I heard my name and was so excited. I can't wait to get to work in Phoenix.”

- DOUG FEINBERG

NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND TAKEAWAYS: LOTS OF POINTS LOTS OF WINNERS IN INDY

 

AP Photo 

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — NBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis had plenty of winners.

There was Damian Lillard, a 3-point shootout winner Saturday and the All-Star Game MVP on Sunday — a two-trophy weekend the likes of which only Michael Jordan pulled off previously. There were Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu, who made their 1-on-1 shooting contest into must-see-TV. There was Karl-Anthony Towns, the fourth player to score at least 50 in an All-Star Game.

And there are the people tasked with updating the NBA’s All-Star record book. They’ll be busy for a while after the Eastern Conference’s 211-186 victory over the Western Conference on Sunday night in the highest-scoring All-Star Game.

The league goes quiet now, at least in terms of games, until Thursday. Everyone gets a break until then, and for those who were part of the shows in Indianapolis this weekend, it’s needed.

Some takeaways from Indianapolis:

ALL THOSE POINTS

Scoring 186 points is something that only two teams in the history of the All-Star Game had done before Sunday night.

The West scored 186 — and lost by 25. Hard to say anyone would have seen that coming.

AP Photo 

Here’s just some of the records: Most points by one team (211), most points by both teams (397), most points in a half by one team (the East tied it with 104 in the first half, then broke it with 107 in the second half), most 3-pointers by one team (42), most 3-point attempts by one team (97), most 3-pointers by both teams (67), most 3-point attempts by both teams (168), most field goals by both teams (163), most field goal attempts by both teams (289), and most assists by one team (the West had 60 to tie the record).

“Usually our preparation to get ready to compete, it looks a lot different than it looks when we come here,” Lillard said. “This weekend was a lot better than the past, but I think when the game is any type of loose, if it’s not a game where you’ve got a scouting report and you’re locked in and a lot is on the line, then guys who are too talented and are going to make a lot of 3s. That’s the kind of game it’s going to be.”