PRO BASKETBALL
Evans named to all-rookie team: West Side grad Dana Evans slipped to the second round in the WNBA draft but carved out a role after an early-season trade and, late Wednesday, she was voted to the Associated Press' all-rookie team. New York's Michaela Onyenwere won Rookie of the Year averaging 8.6 points per game. Teammate Didi Richards, Aari McDonald of Atlanta, and Charli Collier of Dallas were on the team. Connecticut's Jonquel Jones was voted Most Valuable Player. Sun coach Curt Miller won Coach of the Year. Brionna Jones was named Most Improved. Sylvia Fowles won Defensive Player of the Year and Kelsey Plum was Sixth Woman of the Year.
PRO FOOTBALL
Beckham mum on return: Odell Beckham Jr. shrugged and smiled about his playing status. “We'll see,” the Browns star receiver said. Beckham's comeback from knee surgery is either days from being over or about to drag on for another week or two. He wouldn't commit to playing Sunday against the Chicago Bears in his first interview with media members in nearly a year.
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Canada takes Steelers' blame: Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada appreciates his players — from longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to second-year guard Kevin Dotson — taking the onus for a sluggish start. The first-year play-caller also thinks it's perhaps a bit misguided. Canada knows he was promoted in January to help create a system that would not force the Steelers to rely so heavily on the now 39-year-old Roethlisberger. So far, it hasn't happened. The running game is last in the NFL and the line featuring three entirely new players is struggling to keep Roethlisberger upright. Pittsburgh has three offensive touchdowns through eight quarters while allowing four sacks and 16 quarterback hits heading into a visit by Cincinnati (1-1) on Sunday. That's not the kind of ratio that leads to a successful season, and Canada knows it. “I think I need to do better,” he said Thursday.