er thrower who could easily medal, or perhaps form some sort of crime-fighting unit. Simply put, this team is stacked.And then theres the delightfully confident Reese, who said her goal is to acc

Minnesota football players announced Thursday night that they were boycotting all football activities in the wake of the suspensions this week of 10 teammates.The school did not specify the reasons for the suspensions in Tuesdays announcement. Ray Buford Sr., the father of defensive back Ray Buford Jr., one of the suspended players, said Wednesday the suspensions resulted from a Title IX investigation conducted by the university into an alleged sexual assault, which was separate from a police investigation into the alleged assault in the early hours of Sept. 2.The other suspended players are sophomore running back Carlton Djam; freshman quarterback Seth Green; sophomore defensive back KiAnte Hardin; redshirt freshman defensive back Dior Johnson; freshman defensive lineman Tamarion Johnson; junior running back Kobe McCrary; sophomore defensive back Antonio Shenault; freshman quarterback Mark Williams; and freshman defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr.According to police records, a woman told officers she was drunk when she was sexually assaulted in Djams apartment by several men on Sept. 2, including some of the suspended players. She said her sexual contact with two men may have been consensual, but her contact with four of them was not. Several players told police it was consensual, and an investigator who watched a video Djam took of the incident wrote that she does not appear to be upset by the sexual activity and does not indicate that she wants it to stop ... and the sexual contact appears entirely consensual.In a statement read by senior wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky, the players said: The boycott will remain effective until due process is followed and suspensions for all 10 players involved are lifted.The statement said the players were forced to take action after an unsatisfactory meeting with athletic director Mark Coyle in which they wanted answers but received misleading statements.Coyle and university president Eric W. Kaler released a joint statement after the players announcement that read: We understand that a lot of confusion and frustration exists as a result of this weeks suspension of 10 Gopher Football players from all team activities. The reality is that not everyone can have all of the facts, and unfortunately the University cannot share more information due to federal laws regarding student privacy.?We fully support our Gopher football players and all of our student-athletes. Situations like this are always difficult, and the decision was made in consultation with and has the full support of President Eric Kaler. The decision was based on facts and is reflective of the Universitys values. We want to continue an open dialogue with our players and will work to do that over the coming days. Its important that we continue to work together as we move through this difficult time.There has been some confusion about whether or not Gophers coach Tracy Claeys backed the decision to suspend the players. Coyle and Kaler said Claeys was consulted, but the players said Thursday night they did not believe their coach had a say in the matter.Claeys spoke out in support of his players on Twitter after their decision to boycott.Former Minnesota Vikings star cornerback Antoine Winfield Sr. said his son did nothing wrong and blistered university leadership for what he said was a lack of communication.If the president and athletic director keep their jobs, my son, Antoine Winfield Jr., will not attend the University of Minnesota, Winfield Sr. said.The players are demanding a closed-door meeting with members of the board of regents without the presence of Coyle or Kaler.We got no answers to our questions about why these kids are suspended, when they were just found not guilty by the law, Wolitarsky told reporters after reading the players statement. He [Coyle] basically told us that he didnt have answers, and that led us to believe that this is kind of unjust.Minnesota faces Washington State on Dec. 27 in the National Funding Holiday Bowl in San Diego.Holiday Bowl executive director Mark Neville said, We are continuing to prepare for the National Funding Holiday Bowl on December 27; however, we are aware of the situation at the University of Minnesota and are monitoring it closely.Buford Jr., Hardin, Dior Johnson and Tamarion Johnson were suspended for three games earlier this season when their names came up in the police investigation of the alleged sexual assault. A restraining order filed by the woman who made the allegations prevented the players from being at TCF Bank Stadium on game days because she was involved in game-day operations. But the players were not arrested, prosecutors decided not to press charges and the players returned to the team. The restraining order was lifted after a settlement on Nov. 2.A source tells ESPNs Adam Rittenberg that the primary issue for the boycott was the school suspending the players before a hearing based on the Title IX investigation had been held. That hearing wouldnt have taken place until January, after the bowl game.?The source also said the Title IX investigation started at the same time as the police investigation.Wolitarsky also asked that the Holiday Bowl committee be patient while the team waited for a resolution to the suspensions. The coaching staff is planning to come in on Friday, a source tells Rittenberg, but there isnt expected to be another team practice until players get their meeting.We are concerned that our brothers have been named publicly with reckless disregard in violation of their constitutional rights, Wolitarsky said. We are now compelled to speak for our team and take back our program.ESPNs Brian Bennett, Adam Rittenberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report.?Lanny McDonald Jersey . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. Auston Matthews Maple Leafs Jersey . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. http://www.officialmapleleafsfanstore.com/authentic-doug-gilmour-maple-leafs-jersey/ . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. Bobby Baun Maple Leafs Jersey . It says Pocklingtons lawyer filed the appeal Friday in a California court. CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard. Wendel Clark Maple Leafs Jersey . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record.The biggest narrative of the Olympics so far -- not related to doping, cupping or tweeting dramatic before-and-after pictures of the Slimer-colored diving pool -- is the story of American female excellence.From Day 1, when Ginny Thrasher lived up to her name by wrecking the air rifle competition, the U.S. women have steamrolled these Games. The countrys gymnasts have soared higher, its swimmers have stroked faster and one of its road cyclists ... won the time trial by several seconds.Now, as the first full week of competition wraps up, its the track athletes turn to take a (hopefully literal) victory lap in Rio. At a press conference on Wednesday, Brittney Beast Reese, a laidback long jumper who won gold in London, said shes enjoyed watching the American women steal peoples souls this week.Its been intimidating, Reese admitted. But its great to see the women dominate like we did four years ago. I feel like track will go in and handle business the same way.The U.S. squad, which is teeming with more favorites than a timely, well-crafted tweet, appears poised to replicate the success of the 2012 Games. That year, the women won six gold medals. According to the 2016 world rankings released last month by the IAAF, theres at least one American woman ranked in the top three of 12 Olympic track events. U.S. runners posted multiple world-beating times at the Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon, this summer.Americas womens gymnastics team was eventually christened The Final Five. Perhaps we should call the American female track stars the Scintillating Sixty-Five. Or dont. Seriously, dont.Reese, the long jumper, seems like a sure bet to win gold next week. In addition to finishing first in London, shes taken three world championships, most recently in 2013. The U.S. track teams marketing person introduced her as a human wind chime because shes won so much hardware. After suffering an injury in 2013, Reese bounced back big time, jumping 7.31 meters at the trials -- the longest distance posted by anyone since 2004.When asked if she felt any pressure, Reese scoffed, flicking away the quesstion like so many languid mosquitos.ddddddddddddI know what Im capable of, she said. If I go out there and do what Im supposed to do, everything else will fall into place.Allyson Felix, another 2012 gold medalist, confessed that shes still a little heartbroken over missing the cut for the 200-meter sprint since she won the event in the last go-round. Itll be tough for me to watch, she said.But Felix is favored by gamblers -- yes, you can bet on Olympic track and field -- to win the 400m race after she posted the second-best time in the world in Oregon after recovering from an injury.I feel a lot better than at the trials, said Felix, who is eerily modest for a woman who could overtake Jackie Joyner-Kersee as the most decorated female Olympian in U.S. track history (theyre currently tied at six medals apiece). I feel confident that Ill be close to my best.Medaling opportunities abound. While Jamaicas Elaine Thompson is favored to take the 100m race, a trio of Americans in English Gardner, Tianna Bartoletta and Tori Bowie barely lagged behind her this year.All three women will probably race in the 4x100 relay, which America has a solid chance of winning next week. The U.S. women are also likely to take gold in the 4x400 relay, which Felix might be a factor in, but the rosters arent set until last minute.Nineties babies Brianna Rollins and Dalilah Muhammad, both first-time Olympians, own the worlds top times in the 100m and 400m hurdles this year. Jenn Suhr, the worlds reigning pole vault champion, recently broke her own record in the event. The U.S. has a high jumper, a shot putter and a hammer thrower who could easily medal, or perhaps form some sort of crime-fighting unit. Simply put, this team is stacked.And then theres the delightfully confident Reese, who said her goal is to accomplish three in one. Translation: she wants to win the Games, shatter the Olympic record, and break the world record.Thats something Im gunning for, Reese said.No big deal, right? ' ' '