AP Sports SummaryBrief at 11:50 a.m. EST

Watson has better shot winning with Browns than fixing image

Deshaun Watson has a better chance of leading the Cleveland Browns to their first Super Bowl title than rebuilding his public image. The disgraced quarterback wouldn’t address his 11-game suspension for sexual misconduct or his league-mandated therapy sessions on Thursday, which were his first comments since returning to the Browns. Watson has been accused by more than two dozen women of sexual harassment and assault during massage therapy sessions. He has settled 23 civil lawsuits brought by the women, while two others, including one filed in October, are pending. Still, Watson could have said he’s grown as a person, that he has a better understanding of how his behavior affects others and that he’s striving to be the best version of himself.

US coach Berhalter to draw on Dutch lessons at World Cup

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Gregg Berhalter went to the Netherlands 28 years ago to turn pro and will apply some of the early lessons he learned when he coaches the United States against the Dutch on Saturday for a berth in the World Cup’s quarterfinals. The U.S. was knocked out in the round of 16 in extra-time losses to Ghana in 2010 and Belgium in 2014 then failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament. The Americans have not reached the quarterfinals since 2002. The Netherlands is a three-time World Cup runner-up and finished third in 2014.

EXPLAINER: How will College Football Playoff expansion work?

The College Football Playoff will include 12 teams, starting with the 2024 season. An expansion plan that was crafted for two years and haggled over for another 18 months finally cleared all the obstacles needed to go from idea to reality. The CFP announced Thursday that the current four-team system would be tripling in size. There are still a few more details to work out, like exact dates of some of the games, but college football is two years away from another dramatic change to its postseason.

Walker, Hutchinson meet again, this time with Jags, Lions

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Travon Walker and Aidan Hutchinson will always be compared to one another. Same class. Same position. Same lofty expectations. The top two picks in the 2022 NFL draft will be on the same field for the first time as pros when Detroit hosts Jacksonville on Sunday. It’s the second game in less than a year that features Walker and Hutchinson on opposite sidelines. They played in the College Football Playoff last December. Walker says he’d like to exchange jerseys. Hutchinson says Jacksonville’s decision to pass on him will stick with him.

Josh McCown hopeful to get a coaching opportunity

Josh McCown played quarterback for 12 teams across nearly two decades in the NFL, and learned a different offense almost every season. He looks forward to sharing his knowledge and experience as a coach. McCown interviewed for Houston’s head coach vacancy after each of the last two seasons. The Texans raised eyebrows when they seriously considered McCown, who spent the final part of his last season in the NFL in 2020 backing up Deshaun Watson. McCown was fresh off the field and had no experience other than helping coach his sons in high school. Houston hired David Culley over McCown in 2021, fired him and then promoted Lovie Smith from defensive coordinator.

AP photo catches key moment before Japan’s World Cup goal

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — From most angles, it looked like the ball went out of play just before Japan scored its winning goal in the 2-1 victory against Spain in the World Cup. Associated Press photographer Petr Josek took a photo from above that appears to support the referee’s decision to allow it. Josek’s image was taken Thursday night from a narrow catwalk, high above the field at the Khalifa International Stadium.

Camel pageant among attractions on World Cup sidelines

ASH-SHHANIYA, Qatar (AP) — The camel batted her eyelashes and flashed a toothy smile for the television cameras at the Mzayen World Cup. The camel pageant was being held in the Qatari desert about 15 miles (25 kilometers) away from Doha and soccer’s World Cup. The pageant is a cross between the Westminster Dog Show and the Miss America Pageant. The winner was Nazaa’a is a majestic light-haired creature that overcame several preliminary rounds and hundreds of other camels to win the pageant at Qatar Camel Mzayen Club on Friday.

Messi, Argentina try to avoid World Cup upset vs. Australia

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Australia’s players speak in glowing and almost reverential terms about Lionel Messi. Mathew Leckie says Messi “does things that no one else can do.” Milos Degenek describes the Argentina star as “probably the best footballer ever to grace the game.” Imagine how they’ll be feeling Saturday when they share the same field as Messi and his Argentina team in the last 16 of the World Cup. These are pinch-yourself times for a group of unheralded players who were expected to be on their way home by this stage of the tournament. It looks to be a mismatch with Australia ranked No. 38 and Argentina starting to play like one of the favorites.

Panthers owner David Tepper scrutinized in criminal probe

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper and his real estate company are being scrutinized in a criminal investigation. The probe is examining whether they misused any public money in their failed effort to build a new practice facility for the NFL team. The York County Sheriff’s Office says state agents and local prosecutors are involved in the probe, which does not mean any crime occured. Tepper’s company GT Real Estate is denying any criminal wrongdoing. It suggests the probe could be timed to disrupt a settlement the team reached agreeing to repay York County more than $21 million, roughly what it took in sales tax revenue to build access roads.

Ganassi adds another Kiwi in Armstrong to IndyCar lineup

Chip Ganassi Racing has signed New Zealand driver Marcus Armstrong to join its IndyCar lineup next season. Armstrong spent the last three seasons in Formula One feeder series F2 and will drive the No. 11 for Ganassi. The No. 11 is the No. 48 that Jimmie Johnson drove the last two seasons but Chip Ganassi is changing it to run the sequential numbers 8, 9, 10 and 11 in IndyCar. Armstrong in this move will be teammates with six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon. That was his childhood hero. He’s a former Ferrari development driver and was once teammates with Christian Lundgaard and roommates with Callum Illot.