Tigers' Evan Reed being investigated for sexual assault

Reliever Evan Reed is being investigated by the Detroit Police Department after allegations of involvement in a sexual assault, according to reports.

MyFoxDetroit.com broke the story Monday evening, reporting that the alleged assault took place the day before Opening Day.

The Tigers issued a response to the report, saying: “The organization is aware of the very serious allegation that has been made against pitcher Evan Reed. This allegation is concerning and we are aware of an on-going investigation. It would be inappropriate for the ballclub to comment further at this time.”

Reed’s attorney, David G. Gorcyca, the former Oakland County prosecutor, also issued a statement, which read:

“I was informed this morning that the Detroit Police Department has opened an investigation involving Evan Reed. We are very confident that once a thorough and full investigation is completed, Mr. Reed will have nothing to fear.

“During the infancy of this investigation, no one should formulate any conclusions that a crime has been committed. Mr. Reed is currently on a seven-day West Coast road trip and has not been contacted by the Detroit Police Department. We plan on cooperating with the investigation when the time is appropriate. Until then, no further comment will be made by me or Mr. Reed.”

The Tigers released a statement Monday night saying the organization is aware of the "very serious allegation," made against Reed, adding the allegation is "concerning," and that it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.

Reed appeared in the Opening Day win over the Royals, pitching the seventh inning. He went 1 1/3 innings in the Tigers’ win over the Orioles on Friday.

Iowa State's Percy Gibson will transfer

 Iowa State says that junior center Percy Gibson is leaving the program.

Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg says Gibson intends to transfer to another school following the end of the spring semester.

Gibson, a 6-foot-9 native of Detroit, played in just 14 games for Iowa State last season despite the team's occasional struggles inside.

“I’d like to thank Coach Hoiberg and the rest of the coaches for the opportunity to play at Iowa State,” Gibson said. “I will take with me the memories and friendships created with my teammates. I also want to thank Iowa State’s fans for their support the last three years.”

The Cyclones also gave post player Daniel Edozie playing time over Gibson after forward Georges Niang broke his foot in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

Iowa State will add promising junior college transfer Jameel McKay next season, a move that likely would have further cut into Gibson's playing time.

Gibson's departure will free up an extra scholarship for the Cyclones to use next season.

One has to wonder where Gibson will land. He was a high major prospect coming out of high school. Will he transfer closer to home or will he try and land at another major conference program? Gibson does have the skills to flourish in the right situation.

Ron Washington calls out Prince Fielder for baserunning mistake

The lasting image of Prince Fielder with the Detroit Tigers was him committing a baserunning blunder in Game 6 of the Tigers' ALCS loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Fielder's nonchalant reaction towards the loss and his playoff performance ultimately contributed to his trade to the Texas Rangers. 

Early on in the 2014 baseball season, Fielder's baserunning gaffes are coming back to rear it's ugly head. Rangers manager Ron Washington called out Fielder for a baserunning mistake that killed a Rangers rally in an 8-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.

Washington said Fielder "blew it" after Fielder stopped at third on a hit by Mitch Moreland. He failed to read coach Gary Pettis coming into third, got himself hung up between third and home and eventually tagged out, effectively squashing a brewing rally.

“Prince just blew it,” Washington said. “(Third base coach Gary Pettis) was winding, but Prince went back to the bag. … It's a different situation with runners on second and third with one out and a run in instead runners on second and third with two. You never know what would have happened. We might have only scored that one run right there, but I would have like to have seen what would have happened.”

Fielder's reaction wasn't anything dramatic even though it seems like Washington threw him under the bus.

 “I didn’t get a good jump and I didn’t pick up Gary in time. It was one of those days. We played hard, but we made a couple of mistakes. We just have to come back and be sharper,” said Fielder.

If Fielder continues making mistakes like this and has an attitude that says there's always tomorrow, Rangers fans will run out of patience with the big man in a hurry.

Rumor: Evan Turner is being called selfish by Pacers teammates

The Indiana Pacers have put so much into gaining the best record and top seed in the Eastern Conference. They know that with the best record comes home court advantage in the playoffs, something the Pacers would love to have against the Miami Heat.

The Pacers have struggled since the trade deadline and rumors are that the trade that sent forward Danny Granger to the Philadelphia 76ers or Evan Turner is blowing up in their face. According to NBA insider Ric Bucher, center Roy Hibbert referred to Turner as being selfish in an indirect way.  

With Turner and Lance Stephenson both being in a contract year, Turner reportedly has been taking shots from Stephenson and hasn't been passing the ball. Team chemistry has suffered since the trade. Granger was a veteran locker room leader for the younger players despite being on his way out.

That's why a Heat official said they didn't trade Udonis Haslem. In both cases it's not about production, but more about team harmony. There were opinions out there that said Turner would make the Pacers a worse team and they might've been spot on with that assessment.

Bucks' Larry Sanders apologizes for his marijuana use; thinks it should be legal

Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders has had it rough since he signed his $44 million deal in the offseason. He's been involved in bar fights , fights with teammates, cited by the police for animal cruelty,  a broken thumb and eye socket which torpedoed his season.

After failing multiple drug tests, Sanders was suspended or five games for violating the NBA's Anti-Drug policy. Sanders had been using marijuana, presumably for medical reasons. Sanders' suspension will take effect next season when he is healthy and eligible to play.

Sanders apologized to Bucks fans and organization for his marijuana use , but he does feel that it should be ok to use it and that it should be legalized.

“I apologize to the entire Bucks organization and our fans for being suspended five games for using marijuana in violation of the NBA Anti-Drug Program,” Sanders said in a statement. “I take full responsibility for my actions.” 

"It's a banned substance in my league. But I believe in marijuana and the medical side of it. I know what it is if I'm going to use it."

Sanders went on to defend his use of the drug and feels that once the "prohibition" is lifted all of it will go away.

“It’s something I feel strongly about, just to let you know something personal about me,” Sanders told NBA.com and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel prior to the Bucks’ game against Chicago at United Center Friday. “I will deal with the consequences from it. It’s a banned substance in my league. But I believe in marijuana and the medical side of it.

“I know what it is if I’m going to use it. I study it and I know the benefits it has. In a lot of ways we’ve been deprived. You can’t really label it with so many other drugs that people can be addicted to and have so many negative effects on your body and your family and your relationships and impairment. This is not the same thing.”

I'm not too keen on the activity itself but I don't think that there should be restrictions on athletes using especially since they take so much physical punishment. If you can take medication in pill that you can get busted for, why not marijuana. How many commercials have you seen where a drug manufacturer puts out a disclaimer telling you what effects on your health a "legal" drug can have on you, where marijuana is a natural solution. I'm not stumping for marijuana to be legal. That's another argument for another day.

Missouri's Zach Price suspended from the basketball team after two arrests in 24 hours

University of Missouri basketball player Zach Price is suspended from the team after being arrested twice in 24 hours for allegedly assaulting his roommate and a woman.

Columbia Police Sgt. Joe Bernhard says that Price, 20, was arrested Thursday afternoon for domestic assault and assault after the 23-year-old victims reported that Price rammed their car at least twice Wednesday afternoon. That investigation was ongoing when Price was arrested on another alleged encounter with the same victims Thursday morning.

Police say he hit his male roommate in the face then pushed the woman to the ground.

Price had bonded out of jail on the charges stemming from the first incident.

Missouri Coach Frank Haith said after the first arrest that he was "very disappointed" with Price and will discipline him accordingly.

Price sat out last season after transferring from Louisville. You probably won't be seeing him suit up for the Tigers next season unless head coach Frank Haith turns a blind eye to the incident.

Sampson agrees to deal with the University of Houston

The Houston Cougars have found their next head coach and they didn’t have to look far.

Houston Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson has agreed to return to college hoops as the Cougars’ coach, according to CBSSports.com.

Sampson had worked in the NBA with the Rockets and Milwaukee Bucks over the past six years.

Sampson, 58, was fired from Indiana in 2008 after an NCAA investigation into improper and excessive contact with recruits regarding phone calls and text messages.

The violations were repeat offenses from when he was head coach at Oklahoma. This led to a five-year show-cause on Sampson, one of the harshest in NCAA history against a D-I college basketball coach.
The NCAA no longer puts such restrictions on text messages with recruits.

Sampson compiled a 496-271 career record at Indiana, Oklahoma, Washington State and Montana Tech. However, he received a five-year show-cause order in 2008, which meant that if a team wanted to hire him, it would need to impose sanctions on Sampson or “show cause” that Sampson properly served his punishment. The show-cause recently expired, so Sampson will be able to coach without any sanctions levied upon him.

Say what you want about Sampson but he will have the Cougars playing at a different level than in years past. Call him a cheater or a dirtbag but Sampson has the potential to make Houston a nationally relevant program once again.