Morning News Links
NFL
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen thinks that the replacement referees cost him a sack on Sunday. Allen successfully tackled Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert behind the line of scrimmage, but he was ruled offside on the play. "I think I've got a rapport with the other refs. They might have given me some leniency," Allen said. Allen led the league with 22 sacks last season. [ProFootballTalk]
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings, who has been listed as doubtful for tonight's game against the Chicago Bears, likely has a 50-50 chance of playing. Jennings has missed all three practices this week. [ESPN]
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will meet with the four players suspended for their involvement in the New Orleans Saints' bounty program on Tuesday in New York. The original suspensions for the four players were vacated on appeal. [ESPN]
Free agent wide receiver Chad Johnson has been formally charged with one count of misdemeanor domestic battery. He faces up to one year in jail. [AP]
San Francisco 49ers kicker David Akers says that he thought he was going to miss his record-tying 63-yard field goal when it left his foot. "Most of my kicks that have hit the poles in years past make that lovely sound like we heard and then it comes bouncing back onto the field," Akers said. [SI.com]
Jacksonville Jaguars president Mark Lamping says that there will be no local blackouts in 2012. [WOKV News]
NBA
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban doesn't think the Los Angeles Lakers' offseason acquisition of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard will translate into a championship. "The Lakers have done this before," Cuban said. "Gary Payton and Karl Malone and Kobe and Shaq were all together, and it didn't work... It takes great chemistry," Cuban said. [ESPN]
Oklahoma City Thunder centre Kendrick Perkins says that teammate James Harden is close to signing an extension with the team. [The Oklahoman]
Miami Heat forward LeBron James has left his longtime agent Leon Rose and CAA to join a newly formed agency with friend Rich Paul. [ESPN]
The Los Angeles Clippers are close to signing free agent forward Matt Barnes. He averaged 7.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game last season with the Lakers. [ESPN]
NBA legend Oscar Robertson reportedly owes more than $2.4 million in loans to two banks. Robertson is the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season. [USA Today]
MLB
Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos says that the team will pursue other options at first base, instead of Adam Lind, if it makes the team better. Lind is batting .232 with nine home runs and 33 RBI in 73 games this season. [MLB.com]
Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre, who left Wednesday's game in the fifth inning with a shoulder injury, will undergo an MRI today. [ESPN]
After throwing a simulated game on Wednesday, New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte says that he is ready to rejoin the rotation, and he could give the team 60-65 pitches. Pettitte hasn't pitched in the big leagues since suffering a fractured ankle on June 27. [NBC Sports]
Yankees pitcher Ivan Nova has been slotted back into the starting rotation, after having not pitched since August 21 due to shoulder inflammation. Freddy Garcia will be moved back to the bullpen to make room for Nova in the rotation. [MLB.com]
Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who leads the league with 41 home runs, left last night's game with a sore left knee. Hamilton is considered day-to-day. [Fox Sports Southwest]
Yankees manager Joe Girardi says that Derek Jeter is suffering from a bone bruise, and that it is not serious. Jeter left Wednesday's game after injuring his lower leg. [USA Today]
Oakland Athletics pitcher Brandon McCarthy, who underwent emergency brain surgery after he was hit in the head by a pitch, revealed a picture of the scar the surgery left on his skull. [USA Today]
NHL
Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis says that the team won't easily trade goalie Roberto Luongo. "We're one of the league's wealthiest teams. We don't have fire sales," Gillis said. [Vancouver Province]
The Detroit Red Wings are close to signing free agent defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo. He recorded 19 points (2 goals, 17 assists) in 64 games with the St. Louis Blues last season. [Detroit News]
Boston Bruins centre David Krejci says he will go play in his native Czech Republic if there is an NHL lockout. "A few teams have already contacted me from the Czech Republic. I would definitely go there. I wouldn't go to any other countries," Krejci said. [CSN New England]
