Sports in Brief: NFL denies pressure on bounty witnesses

Posted: June 22, 2012

The NFL denied accusations it covered up retractions made by key witnesses in its bounty investigation, or that commissioner Roger Goodell has placed gag orders on New Orleans Saints employees and others who could help punished players clear their names.

Lawyer Peter Ginsberg, who represents suspended Saints player Jonathan Vilma, made the accusations when punished players appeared earlier this week for an appeal hearing, a full transcript of which was obtained by the Associated Press.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said claims of a gag order are "completely untrue," and that no potential witnesses were instructed by the league to stay away from Monday's hearing.

The transcript also shows that the NFL Players Association formally asked Goodell to recuse himself from ongoing appeal proceedings, contending that he is incapable of ruling "without the appearance of bias."

NHL: If the league can avoid a work stoppage, the schedule for the 2012-13 season is set.

The NHL announced that the Los Angeles Kings will raise their Stanley Cup championship banner on Oct. 12, when they host the New York Rangers.

The Flyers open at home, against the Boston Bruins at the Wells Fargo Center on Oct. 11.

Detroit will face Toronto in the Winter Classic on Jan. 1 at Michigan Stadium, and the All-Star game is Jan. 27 in Columbus, Ohio.

The current collective bargaining agreement, though, expires Sept. 15.

COLLEGES: Salem Community College named former Widener star Nyere Miller as head men's basketball coach.

ARENA FOOTBALL: The 2012 Eastern Division champion Soul (11-3) announced that their first-round playoff game will be at the Wells Fargo Center at 7:05 p.m. on July 28. The Soul, who still have four regular-season games remaining, will have home-field advantage throughout the American Conference playoffs.

HORSE RACING: The Pennsylvania Racing Commission issued a ruling affirming Parx Racing's 10-year ejection of trainer Carlos Guerrero over an alleged indecent assault on a female worker.

Guerrero was ejected on Dec. 20, 2011, as the result of a Nov. 16, 2011, incident in the track's administration building in which he was accused of groping and kissing the employee. He was charged by Bensalem police with a misdemeanor, but the Bucks County District Attorney's office chose not to prosecute.

A female jockey later testified to the commission that Guerrero had sexually harassed her in 2010, an accusation he denied. - Staff and wire reports

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