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DETROIT — A popular Zamboni driver for the Detroit Red Wings said he was dismissed for urinating in a drain.Al Sobotka filed a discrimination lawsuit this week against Olympia Entertainment, two months after he was fired, following 51 years with the Red Wings. His lawyer said he has a health condition that causes him to frequently urinate.AdvertisementSobotka, 68, couldn’t get to a restroom so he urinated in a drain that carries ice runoff from the Zamboni machines at Little Caesars Arena. Someone saw him and apparently reported it in February.“He thought no one was in the building,” attorney Deborah Gordon said. “He was given no warning, no second chance.”AdvertisementAl Sobotka hurls an octopus onto the ice before Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinal series in 2009. (Osorio/AP)Olympia Entertainment said it wouldn’t comment on a legal matter.Besides steering the Zamboni at Red Wings games, Sobotka was known for removing octopus thrown to the ice by fans, a Detroit tradition at Olympia Stadium, Joe Louis Arena and now Little Caesars Arena. Fans cheered as he twirled the sea creatures over his head.Gordon said management was aware of Sobotka’s prostate problem.“I was shocked,” Sobotka told WDIV-TV, referring to his dismissal. “I didn’t know what to say. Heartbroken, yes.”

A frustrated Stroman struggled for a second consecutive start to find a rhythm on the mound, unable to get in sync mechanically. Stroman never got going on a cool, wet night against the Tampa Bay Rays, surrendering eight runs, including seven earned — both tying his career high — in 4⅓ innings. The Cubs lost 8-2 when the game was called after a 1-hour, 4-minute rain delay before the bottom of the sixth.

Remember, the Bears targeted Montgomery in 2019 because they deemed him a better fit for Matt Nagy’s offense than Jordan Howard, the running back who was in place from the previous coaching staff. The key for Montgomery is to use the 2022 season to convince the decision makers he’s the right fit for the new system, something Howard didn’t do despite rushing for 3,370 yards and 24 touchdowns in three seasons and missing only one game before he was traded.

Charm City is home to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Before or after the game, swing by Eutaw Street, where an array of bars and restaurants stretch along the east side of the stadium, including Dempsey’s Brew Pub, named for Orioles Hall of Fame catcher Rick Dempsey; and Boog’s BBQ, which serves barbecue beef, pork and turkey.

The top-seeded Bulls lost the series and never had a dominant team again. Friday’s game will be their first home playoff game since 2017, and suddenly fans have reason for optimism, something that was in short supply after the way the Bulls finished the regular season. They lost their final four home games to the Miami Heat, the Bucks, the Boston Celtics and the Hornets by an average of 19 points and limped into the playoffs.

Their big three of DeRozan, Nikola Vučević (24) and Zach LaVine (20) combined for 85 points. Vučević knocked down four 3-pointers — including a clutch shot with 2:30 remaining, punching the air in a rare celebration. Alex Caruso whipped the ball precisely around the court, finishing with a playoff-best 10 assists before drawing a charge on Antetokounmpo to close the game.

PHILADELPHIA — Jay Wright, the Villanova basketball coach who led the Wildcats to two national championships and four Final Fours, stunned college basketball with his resignation Wednesday night.The 60-year-old Wright guided Villanova to titles in 2016 and 2018 and led the Wildcats this season to the Final Four, where they lost to national champion Kansas. He went 520-197 in 21 seasons at the school and 642-282 overall, also coaching Hofstra from 1994 to 2001.Advertisement“It’s time for us to enter a new era of Villanova basketball,” Wright said in a statement. “After 35 years in coaching, I am proud and excited to hand over the reins to Villanova’s next coach. I am excited to remain a part of Villanova and look forward to working with (Villanova) and the rest of the leadership team.”Kyle Neptune, who served on the Villanova coaching staff before accepting the head coaching position at Fordham in 2021, will return to replace Wright.AdvertisementWright’s decision was unexpected and there was no immediate word if the move was health-related or that he’s leaving for the NBA. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Before he arrived, Villanova was known for upsetting Georgetown in the 1985 national championship game and the occasional trip to the NCAA Tournament.Wright needed three years to build a foundation before Villanova broke through with a trip to the 2005 Sweet 16. An Elite Eight appearance followed the next year, and the Wildcats reached the Final Four in 2009.Villanova won its first national title under Wright in 2016 on Kris Jenkins’ buzzer-beater against North Carolina, and the Wildcats decimated the NCAA Tournament field in 2018, winning every game by double digits.Wright was selected as AP coach of the decade in 2020.The 37-year-old Neptune was on Wright’s staff for the 2009 Final Four team. He went 16-16 in his lone season at Fordham.Wright’s decision comes after another successful season:He reached 25 or more victories for the 10th time in 21 seasons.The Wildcats have won a regular-season or postseason conference championship in each of the nine seasons since the Big East reconfigured in 2013.The Wildcats earned a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time under Wright.During Wright’s tenure, he coached several future NBA stars, including Kyle Lowry, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Saddiq Bey.

Home runs weren’t the only thing flying at this Washington Nationals game.A plane carrying parachuters who dropped into Nationals Park on Wednesday night triggered a brief evacuation of the U.S. Capitol and surrounding buildings.AdvertisementThe U.S. Army Parachute Team the Golden Knights descend into National Park on Wednesday. (Alex Brandon/AP)Capitol Police sent out an evacuation alert to people on Capitol grounds shortly after 6:30 p.m. before quickly retracting the panic-inducing notice.“The Capitol was evacuated out of an abundance of caution this evening,” the department tweeted. “There is no threat at the Capitol.”AdvertisementFILE – The U.S. Capitol building is seen on March 21, 2022. (Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP)Instead, the plane that scared Capitol Police dropped parachuters over the Nationals game against the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of a pregame stunt. The plane had been circling the area but avoiding the prohibited airspace above the Capitol.Two sources told the Associated Press that the parachute plane, carrying members of the U.S. Army Golden Knights, didn’t get proper clearance before taking off from Joint Base Andrews.The pregame parachute drop went according to plan, and the game began as scheduled.With News Wire Services

“Just when you’ve seen it all, you really haven’t,” Keuchel said. “It’s one of those things going in we were facing (Shane) Bieber and I knew it was going to be a pretty good fight, but I did some stuff that I wanted to do. But at the end of the day I can’t really think about it too much because it wasn’t like I was walking the world or inconsistent or anything like that.

“Obviously we’re resetting things and starting over fresh, new faces, new regime,” Smith said. “So it’s a great opportunity to be the face of the new regime, and doing whatever it takes to make this the best regime in Bears history, that’s my plan.”