Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. NFL notebook: McCarthy opens up on Packers firing

Former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy was surprised to be fired before the end of the 2018 season. McCarthy addressed the situation in his first sit-down interview since the Packers fired him Dec. 2, which he said "couldn't have been handled any worse." MLB notebook: Tulowitzki (calf) likely to go on Yankees’ IL

New York Yankees shortstop Troy Tulowitzki exited Wednesday's game against the visiting Detroit Tigers after the third inning with a Grade 1 strain in his left calf, manager Aaron Boone said afterward. Tulowitzki popped out in his first at-bat in the second inning and exited one inning later, as second baseman Gleyber Torres moved to shortstop to replace Tulowitzki. The Yankees said he was being taken to nearby New York Presbyterian Hospital for further tests. Retired WR Nelson would consider return to Packers

Recently retired receiver Jordy Nelson says he would consider playing in 2019 -- if Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers asks him to. "It would probably be hard to say no," Nelson said during a guest appearance Wednesday morning on "The Dan Patrick Show." 'Retired' Conor McGregor hints at return

Conor McGregor has hinted his "retirement" from mixed martial arts may be over already after the Irishman said in a post on Twitter: " ... see you in the Octagon". "I want to move forward, with my fans of all faiths and all backgrounds," he Tweeted. FanDuel to pay out some AAF football bets despite league stoppage

The Alliance of American Football league is suspending operations before it can crown its first champions, but that is not stopping FanDuel's sportsbook from declaring a winner. FanDuel Group, a unit of Irish bookmaker Paddy Power Betfair PLC, on Wednesday said the Orlando Apollos should have been the AAF champs and that it would pay out all straight futures wagers as winners. Japan bans fencing coach for bullying athletes

The Japan Fencing Association said on Thursday it has banned Ukrainian coach Alexander Gorbachuk from all fencing activities for one month after he was found to have bullied athletes during the Epee World Cup in Buenos Aires last month. The association said it had also banned former European team champion Gorbachuk, who has been preparing the men’s epee team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, from accompanying athletes to competitions for six months. DePaul evens CBI championship series with OT win over USF

Max Strus scored 32 points and Paul Reed added a double-double of 28 points and 16 rebounds to lift host DePaul to a 100-96 overtime victory against South Florida in Chicago on Wednesday night, tying the best-of-three College Basketball Invitational championship series at one game apiece. The Blue Demons (19-16) will host the decisive third game on Friday night. Murray State guard Morant declares for NBA draft

All-America sophomore and projected lottery pick Ja Morant is leaving Murray State to enter the 2019 NBA Draft, he announced at a Wednesday news conference. Morant averaged 24.5 points and led the nation with 10 assists per game this season, highlighted by a triple-double against Marquette in a first-round win in the NCAA Tournament. Pele hospitalized in Paris with urinary infection - friend

Brazilian soccer great Pele was hospitalized in Paris with a strong fever but his condition is not life-threatening and he should be released "within a couple of days," one of his long-time friends said on Wednesday. The 78-year-old was suffering from a urinary infection and being treated with antibiotics, his friend and spokesman Pepito Fornos, who was with Pele at the hospital, said. Draft notebook: Murray State's Morant to make jump

All-American sophomore and projected lottery pick Ja Morant is leaving Murray State to enter the 2019 NBA Draft, The Athletic reported Wednesday. Morant averaged 24.5 points and led the nation with 10.0 assists per game this season, highlighted by a triple-double against Marquette -- 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds -- in a first-round win in the NCAA Tournament.