The NFL is still seeking an audience with the four linebackers its investigating for an alleged link to performance-enhancing drugs.The leagues latest message to James Harrison, Clay Matthews, Mike Neal and Julius Peppers came with an ominous and onerous threat: Answer our questions in the next 10 days, or start your suspension.NFL senior vice president of labor policy and league affairs Adolpho Birch sent a letter Monday to the NFL Players Association detailing a plan to suspend Harrison, Matthews, Peppers and Neal if they dont speak with the league by Aug. 25.Their punishment would then start the following day on an indefinite basis, to be ended at the discretion of Commissioner Roger Goodell once an interview has been completed.Birchs memo to the union was obtained by The Associated Press, according to a person with knowledge of the investigation whos not authorized to speak publicly about it.Harrison, a 14-year veteran, is a longtime leader for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Matthews and Peppers are key cogs in Green Bays defense, and Neal is currently a free agent who spent the past six seasons with the Packers. Harrison, Matthews and Peppers have been picked for the Pro Bowl a combined 20 times.The NFL first notified the quartet on Jan. 11 about the investigation into a television report by Al-Jazeera featuring allegations made by Charlie Sly, who worked as an intern at an anti-aging clinic, about the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs by several athletes including the four linebackers. Sly later recanted his claims.Birch, in his letter, said the league has made at least seven attempts to arrange the interviews.Goodells power to punish has been a prickly issue between the NFL and the union in recent years, so the elevation of this dispute was not surprising since it revolves around the potential of player discipline and how it fits within the collective bargaining agreement.The stance of the players has been steadfast in this case, refusing to be interviewed without being presented with what theyve called credible evidence. Affidavits were sent by the NFLPA on behalf of the players to substitute for the interviews. Birch dismissed each as simply half-page statements, which were wholly devoid of any detail. Birch also said the league determined that an assertion made in Neals affidavit was demonstrably false.Harrison said in his statement, sent to Birch July 25 by the NFLPA, he never met nor communicated with the source of the report and has never violated the NFLs policy on performance-enhancing substances.Neither the CBA nor the policy state that a player must agree to an in-person interview based upon random, baseless verbal remarks or face discipline for a failure to cooperate with a league investigation, union attorney Heather McPhee wrote then on Harrisons behalf.Birch cited Article 46 of the CBA in noting the discipline that can come for noncooperation or obstruction. Such a suspension would be separate from any possible future determination of violation of the steroid policy.We cannot accept your unilateral assertion that the cursory, untested statements you have submitted satisfy the players obligation, Birch wrote.Retired quarterback Peyton Manning was also cited in Al-Jazeeras doping report in December. The NFL announced last month it has closed its separate probe on Manning, who granted interviews and provided all records sought by league investigators.---AP Sports Writer Simmi Buttar in New York contributed to this report.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLChina Jerseys . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. 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Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.MILWAUKEE -- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich cant figure out why his team plays so much better on the road than at home.As long as they keep winning, Popovich will gladly take the results.LaMarcus Aldridge was credited for the go-ahead basket with 21.2 seconds left after Giannis Antetokounmpo was whistled for goaltending, completing the Spurs rally from 15 points down midway through the third quarter in a 97-96 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.You dont win every game by 20. They played well. Thats how they stuck with us. Theyre young and athletic and hungry, Popovich said in typical gruff fashion.What are we, the Magic Johnson Lakers with Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) and everybody? Were just like everybody else, he added.Milwaukee had one last shot to retake the lead, but Mirza Teletovic missed an open 3-pointer from the right corner with 3.9 seconds left. Aldridge secured the rebound and the Spurs ran out the clock.The Bucks went the final 2:25 without a bucket.You cannot afford to make a lot of mistakes and put them in the game, Antetokounmpo said. They can take away the game as they did tonight.San Antonio extended its season-opening road winning streak to 12 games in thrilling fashion. Aldridge had 18 points. Kawhi Leonard finished with 22 points and nine boards.The Spurs improved to 17-4 overall, but dont ask Popovich about the home-road disparity.I dont care, I have no clue, he said before the game. You ask me, Im the coach, Im supposed to know? Ask me about the .500 at home. Start with the bad.Aldridge had 18 points, while Kawhi Leonard finished with 21 points and nine rebounds.BUCKS BALLJabari Parker had 23 points, picking up the slack for much of the fourth quarter with Antetokounmpo on the bench with five fouls.Parker slashed through the lane for buckets and rebounds. But the team went scoreless after Parkers running bucket with 2:25 left for a three-point lead.You can also grow from losing, too, coach Jason Kidd said.ddddddddddddI think tonight, we can learn a lot from our mistakes.Antetokounmpo finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds.DEDMON ONThe Spurs bench keyed the second-half rally. San Antonio trailed 57-42 with 7:27 left in the third before reserves Dewayne Dedmon (10 points) and Nicholas Laprovittola (five assists) gave the team a spark.Dedmon made them guard a different way because he was at the rim. He was really special for us, Popovich said.TENSE MOMENTTensions rose late in the third quarter after Dedmon and Monroe grappled for a rebound. San Antonios Davis Bertans and Milwaukees Michael Beasley were ejected for their roles in the shoving match.TIP-INS:Spurs: G Tony Parker started after missing the previous two games with a thigh contusion. He had six points and five assists in 18 minutes before limping off with about 9 minutes left in the third quarter after falling hard to the floor and appearing to grab at his left knee. Parker stayed on the bench the rest of the night, and Popovich said he could be out for a while. ... The Spurs hit their first three 3-point shots of the game before going 1 of 11 from behind the arc the rest of the first half. They trailed 48-35 at halftime.Bucks: Antetokounmpo was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 3.7 steals and 3.0 blocks per game. The Bucks went 3-0 last week, including a 17-point home win over the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers.UP NEXTSpurs: Play the second game of a three-game swing through the Midwest at Minnesota on Tuesday. San Antonio has won seven straight against the Timberwolves.Bucks: Host Portland on Wednesday. Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts was the Bucks head coach from 2005-07. ' ' '
