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Thursday’s Morning Mashup: WADA formally rebukes Russia’s anti-doping agency amid calls for Olympic ban

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Welcome to Thursday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

THURSDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NHL: Wild at Bruins, 7 p.m. (NESN)
NFL: Titans at Jaguars, 8:25 p.m. (NFL Network; WEEI-FM)
College football: Coastal Carolina at Liberty, 7 p.m. (ESPNews)
College football: East Carolina at UCF, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
College football: Louisiana-Monroe at Texas State, 9:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
NBA: Bucks at Cavaliers, 8 p.m. (TNT)
NBA: Warriors at Clippers, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
College basketball: Central Conn. at Boston College, 6 p.m. (WEEI-AM)
College basketball: Temple vs. Minnesota, 11:30 a.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Butler at Missouri State, 1:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Miami at Mississippi state, 5 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Long Beach State vs. Seton Hall, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Creighton at Indiana, 7 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
College basketball: Rutgers at St. John’s, 7 p.m. (FS1)
College basketball: Utah at Texas Tech, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Iowa at Marquette, 9 p.m. (FS1)
College basketball: Virginia at Bradley, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: SMU at Stanford, 11:30 pm. (ESPN2)

AROUND THE WEB:

— The World Anti-Doping Agency delivered a harsh rebuke to Russia on Wednesday, with the group’s board handing down a declaration of noncompliance to the nation’s anti-doping agency, and other leaders are pushing for Russia’s track and field team to be banned from next year’s Rio Summer Olympics.

Less than nine months before Rio, Russia acknowledged its anti-doping program was deeply flawed and supported changes to bring it into compliance. That’s not enough for many in the Olympic community.

Former U.S. Olympic hurdler Edwin Moses told the board that “the only sanction that can send the message that enough is enough is to state loudly and clearly that the Russian athletics team cannot go to Rio. … Athletes see wide-scale, high-level corruption at the top, and it’s a kick in the stomach for them to see leadership not following rules.”

“I feel that there are a lot of athletes watching and waiting right now,” said Beckie Scott, a Canadian cross-country skier and chair of the WADA athlete commission. “We’re at a crossroads. We urge you to please consider these athletes and consider these sports as a whole.”

WADA’s 38-person board applauded Scott’s comments but did not act on her request, saying more investigating is needed.

WADA is considering how to get Russia in compliance, including examine how drug-testing should be handled and who should oversee it.

“We as an anti-doping community have to decide, are we going to be relegated to a toothless bureaucracy or are we going to roll up our sleeves, make tough decisions and validate clean athletes’ decisions to do things the right way,” said Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

— ESPN analyst Cris Carter delved into the issue of race in the NFL, defending white wide receivers such as Julian Edelman.

During an appearance on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike,” Carter noted that white wide receivers often are viewed as products of a system.

“I just don’t think they give them credit,” The Hall of Fame wide receiver said (via CBS’ Eye on Football). “They make excuses, they say it’s the system, they say it’s the quarterback. But a guy has a certain skill set and that means if he plays outside, plays inside, to me they are very, very good athletes. And they don’t give them credit for their athleticism.”

Less than 10 percent of NFL wide receivers last season were white, but two of them — Edelman and Green Bay’s Jordy Nelson — finished among the top 10 in receptions. Both players are injured this season, and Carter said they’re difficult to replace.

“Jordy Nelson is one of the best route-runners, very, very explosive, a deep threat and can run any route in the route tree and is great with the ball in his hands after the catch,” Carter said. “Now, Edelman is a tremendous slot receiver, has great short-area quickness, has the understandability to read the defense and great chemistry with Tom Brady … and when people evaluate them they think that they’re less athletes or products of the system and I just don’t think that’s fair to what they’re doing and what they’re accomplishing.”

— The Jets have surpassed last season’s win total, but after their 4-1 start they’ve lost three of four and there is concern that they might not make the playoffs. According to coach Todd Bowles, the season will be a failure if New York is not participating in the postseason.

“For me, yes,” he said about considering the season a failure with no postseason. “You want to get to the playoffs every year. You don’t accept not going.”

Added Bowles: “I said it when I came in, your goal is to get to the playoffs so you can get to the Super Bowl. You’re trying to get to the playoffs and win the Super Bowl, and that’s still our goal.”

General manager Mike Maccagnan, however, was more tempered in his response.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that the playoffs or not are our benchmark,” Maccagnan said, adding: “At the end of the day what we’re trying to do is, in a perfect world, get to a position where we’re a competitive team on a weekly basis, and potentially competing for the playoffs, but we don’t feel it’s like a short-term one.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On Nov. 19, 2000, who became the Patriots’ all-time leader in games played when he started his 207th career game?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I pick this day to announce that next season I’m going to be done with my career playing baseball.” Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, in a video announcement via The Players’ Tribune

STAT OF THE DAY: 18 — Points the Celtics led by in the first quarter before they allowed the Mavericks to rally for a 106-102 victory Wednesday night

‘NET RESULTS (mobile users, check the website to see the videos): Evan Fournier hits a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left in overtime to give the Magic a win over the Timberwolves.

Rockets guard Corey Brewer nails a running 3-pointer with 1 second left to force overtime against the Trail Blazers (Houston would go on to win).

Raptors forward DeMar DeRozan hangs in the air and delivers a thunderous dunk on Utah’s Rudy Gobert.

Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford slides over and makes a great glove save on Oilers forward Taylor Hall in overtime.

Alabama coach Nick Saban embarks on a profanity-laced tirade about people overlooking the Crimson Tide‘s next opponent, Charleston Southern.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Offensive lineman Bruce Armstrong

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Big band legend Tommy Dorsey, who died in 1956, was born on this day in 1905. Here he is playing the trombone and leading his band in the 1947 movie “The Fabulous Dorseys.”


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