Irving, Texas
The Dallas running back is likely to miss the start of training camp as a result, and fourth overall pick Ezekiel Elliott is that much closer to starting.
McFadden’s injury happened at home over Memorial Day weekend, and he missed the next voluntary practice that was open to reporters. But he returned to workouts last week, eventually telling trainers that the elbow was still bothering him.
The fracture showed up on X-rays as part of the physical before mandatory minicamp that started Tuesday, the same day of surgery for the Cowboys’ leading rusher in 2015.
Coach Jason Garrett said McFadden would miss “at least a couple of months,” and training camp in California starts in late July. The Cowboys hope to have him ready for the season opener.
“He’s real tough,” said running backs coach Gary Brown, who said McFadden fell and saved his phone while breaking his elbow.
“He didn’t want to miss any time. He understands what’s going on and how this business works and you really got to appreciate that about him because I know I do.”
McFadden finished fourth in the NFL last season with 1,089 yards rushing despite not taking over as the lead back until the seventh game during a 4-12 season. But the Cowboys still decided to take Elliott, the former Ohio State star, with their highest draft pick in 25 years.
“It just means more reps with the first team, but you hate seeing one of your guys go down,” said Elliott, who had been splitting time on the first team with McFadden. “You hate to see one of your warriors wounded. But he’s going to be around a lot.”
Dallas also signed free agent Alfred Morris, who went to the Pro Bowl twice in Washington. And versatile back Lance Dunbar is expected to be fully recovered from last year’s major knee injury at some point in 2016.
“You want to be deep at all positions,” Garrett said. “It’s hard to do that in the NFL in this day and age with the salary caps and the like, but it’s good to have quality football players at that spot with this injury.”
McFadden gave the running game stability last season after the Cowboys let 2014 NFL rushing champion DeMarco Murray get away in free agency while also thinking backup Joseph Randle could take over as the starter.
Coming off seven mostly disappointing and injury-filled seasons in Oakland after the Raiders drafted him fourth overall in 2008, McFadden rushed for 152 yards after Randle got hurt early in a game at the New York Giants. Randle was waived two weeks later.
The ninth-year player is also seen as a mentor for Elliott, in part because he faced the same expectations as a high pick in Oakland.
“It’s our leader in the room,” Brown said. “It’s going to be hard for these young guys. We’ve got to figure out what we need to get done because that’s the way he’d want us to do. We can’t wallow in it.”
Iceland keeps Ronaldo at bay, Hungary beats Austria
Eds: With AP Photos.
PARIS (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal was upstaged by a team of Icelanders and Hungary beat Austria on a day of surprises at the European Championship on Tuesday.
The smallest country ever to play at a European Championship, with its population of 330,000, Iceland made its major tournament debut in style with a 1-1 draw.
Having recently helped Real Madrid win the Champions League in Milan, Ronaldo lacked his usual accuracy in front of goal, miskicking a great chance in the first half with only Hannes Halldorsson to beat and then sending a powerful header straight at the Iceland goalkeeper from close range in the second.
Even his trademark free kicks came to nothing on a night he’d rather forget in Saint-Etienne.
“Iceland … just defend, defend, defend and play the counterattack,” Ronaldo said. “They had two chances and they scored one goal. It was a lucky night for them.”
It fell to Nani to put Portugal ahead with a neat finish in the 31st minute, only for Birkir Bjarnason to level in the 50th on one of Iceland’s few attacks.
“So many things are happening for the first time to Iceland,” the team’s co-coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said. “This is another first-time achievement. It was fantastic to play here.”
Portugal coach Fernando Santos was left to rue the missed chances in a game that followed Hungary’s 2-0 victory over 10-man Austria in the other Group F match.
“We should have scored more goals, there is no secret about that,” Santos said. “We are to blame for that.”
Aleksandar Dragovic was partly to blame for Austria’s defeat in Bordeaux after being shown a red card in the 66th minute.
At the time, his team was only trailing to Adam Szalai’s opening strike. But Hungary substitute Zoltan Stieber added the second after a rapid counterattack in the 87th to put the result beyond doubt.
Victory over a team ranked 10 places higher by FIFA made it an even more special match for Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, who set an age record by becoming the first 40-year-old player to feature at a European Championship.
“He contributed to this victory,” Hungary coach Bernd Storck said. “He was rewarded for all of his hard work over the years.”
The second round of group matches starts Wednesday, with police in northern France braced for possible trouble after violence last week involving supporters from England and Russia in the southern city of Marseille.
Russia plays Slovakia in Lille, while England fans will be gathering in nearby Lens for their team’s Group B match the following day against Wales.
Police reinforcements have been sent in, and more than 2,500 security personnel including police officers and soldiers will fan out across Lille on Wednesday. More than 2,400, a combination of police and private security personnel, will be deployed in Lens, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) away.
On the pitch, the four Group A teams will be in action, with Switzerland bidding to become the first team to qualify for the knockout stages with a victory over Romania.
Host nation France, a 2-1 winner over Romania in the tournament opener, will also aim to qualify with a victory over Albania in the late match.
Chile defeats Panama 4-2, advances to Copa quarterfinals
Eds: Chile 4, Panama 2. With AP Photos.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Eduardo Vargas and Alexis Sanchez each scored twice and Chile advanced to the Copa America Centenario quarterfinals with a 4-2 win over Panama on Tuesday.
Chile (2-0-1) will likely face Mexico in the next round on Saturday in Santa Clara, California. Panama (1-0-2) was eliminated.
Miguel Camargo scored for Panama in the fifth minute with a shot that deflected off Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo. Vargas equalized 10 minutes later on a rebound off an Alexis Sanchez shot.
The Hoffenheim striker added his second goal with a header just before halftime, and Sanchez scored in the 50th and 90th minute. Abdiel Arroyo scored for Panama in the 75th.
Defending Copa America champion Chile had several other scoring chances, including an Arturo Vidal header saved by Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo in the first half.
Brazil’s football confederation fires coach Dunga
Eds: Adds details. LPA please translate. With AP Photos.
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s football confederation fired national coach Dunga on Tuesday in the wake of the team’s elimination from the Copa America in the United States.
The confederation announced Dunga’s dismissal in a brief statement, adding that the search for a new coach has begun.
Gilmar Rinaldi, the team’s general manager, was also fired
Brazil failed to get past the group stage after drawing 0-0 with Ecuador, beating Haiti 7-1 and losing 1-0 to Peru on Sunday.
According to local media, the favorite to replace the 53-year-old Dunga is Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, known as Tite.
Tite is currently the coach of Brazilian league champion Corinthians.
Dunga was the captain of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup-winning team, and previously coached the national team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He was dismissed after Brazil lost 2-1 in the quarterfinals to the Netherlands.
Memorial planned at ice rink for former MSU coach Ron Mason
Eds: APNewsNow.
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The public is invited to attend a memorial Thursday for Ron Mason, the longtime Michigan State hockey coach.
There will be a public viewing at Michigan State’s Munn Ice Arena, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by a memorial service.
Mason was hockey coach from 1979 to 2002, winning a national championship in 1986. He won 924 games over nearly 40 years at Michigan State, Bowling Green and Lake Superior State.
Separately, Mason served as MSU athletic director from 2002 to 2007.
He died Monday at age 76. Mason will be buried Saturday in Port Albert, Ontario in Canada.
Baylor: No vote on fired Art Briles’ employment status
Eds: APNewsNow. Should stand.
WACO, Texas (AP) — A Baylor spokeswoman says the school’s governing board did not take a vote on the future of former football coach Art Briles amid reports some prominent donors wanted to bring him back.
Briles was suspended “with intent to terminate” on May 26 when Baylor officials released a 13-page summary of an investigation into how the school mishandled sexual assault allegations, including several against football players.
The report said the football program operated like it was “above the rules,” and Briles was fired after eight seasons. Reports Monday said a group of prominent school donors wanted to bring him back in 2017.
Baylor spokesman Tonya Lewis said the board met Monday night to discuss a “variety of matters,” but there was no vote on Briles’ employment status.