The NFL today announced that Vikings RB Adrian Peterson has been suspended without pay for the remainder of the '14 season and will not be considered for reinstatement before April 15. Under the CBA, Peterson may appeal the decision by giving notice within three business days. In that case, a hearing would be scheduled promptly, and Peterson would remain on the commissioner's exempt list and continue to be paid pending a decision. Peterson is suspended under the league Personal Conduct Policy. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a letter to Peterson said, "The timing of your potential reinstatement will be based on the results of the counseling and treatment program set forth in this decision" (NFL).

The NFLPA in a statement said, "Since Adrian’s legal matter was adjudicated, the NFL has ignored their obligations and attempted to impose a new and arbitrary disciplinary proceeding. ... The NFLPA will appeal this suspension and will demand that a neutral arbitrator oversee the appeal" (NFLPA).

A grievance session over whether Peterson should be removed from the commissioner's exempt list was held yesterday via conference call with arbitrator Shyam Das, and sources said the call lasted "no more than 30 minutes" (ESPN.com, 11/17).

Sources said NBC has fired former ESPN exec Jamie Horowitz as Senior VP & GM of the "Today" show amid a climate of "instability and insecurity." Horowitz was hired last year "following a negotiation with ABC to allow him out of his ESPN contract early," as NBC sought to "push 'Today' back into first place ahead of ABC rival 'GMA.'" Sources "suggested that Horowitz’s longtime friendship with Josh Elliott, who is now in a sports role at NBC and will appear on 'Today' regularly," was "seen as a problem" (N.Y. POST, 11/18).

The NCAA last night announced that the women's basketball Final Four will be played at Dallas' American Airlines Center in '17, marking the "first time the women's championship has gone to North Texas." Other cities with winning bids for '17-20 were Columbus, Ohio ('18), Tampa ('19) and New Orleans ('20). The NCAA on Thursday is expected to announce "future early-round tournament sites, which Dallas officials also hope to land" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/18). Seven cities were bidding for the four years; Houston, Nashville and Pittsburgh "will have to try again" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 11/18).

Goodyear's new Zeppelin, Wingfoot One, is scheduled to make its broadcast debut tomorrow, hovering above ESPN's "SportsCenter" live set in Cleveland from noon-3:00pm ET. Weather permitting, the new $21M Akron-based ship will fly overhead around Quicken Loans Arena for the network's coverage of the Spurs-Cavaliers matchup.

USA Track & Field and TrackTown USA reps are in Monaco today "putting the last touches on their final sales pitch" for the bid by Eugene, Ore., to host the '19 IAAF World Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Eugene, Doha and Barcelona, the three finalists, "will appear before the 27-member IAAF Council, make presentations and take questions." The council then will vote on the site and announce the winning bid (Portland OREGONIAN, 11/18).

EPL club Manchester United today reported revenue decreases and higher debt in Q1 following former manager David Moyes' "disastrous reign at Old Trafford." ManU "failed to qualify for the Champions League" for the first time since '95 and it "cost them across all areas of the business." The "biggest fall was in matchday revenue," down 21.8% to $23.6M (all figures US). Overall revenue fell 9.9% to $138.9M (MIRROR.co.uk, 11/17). Thanks to a record $1.17B kit deal with adidas, sponsorship revenue was up 2.4% to $72.5M (ManU).

FIFA has launched an Ebola awareness campaign, recruiting "a few of the world's most popular and respected players to share tips on how to avoid the virus, as well as awareness about how the virus ... is actually spread." Athletes taking part in the effort include Real Madrid F Cristiano Ronaldo and MF Gareth Bale; FC Barcelona F Neymar and MF Xavi Hernandez; Chelsea F Didier Drogba; and Bayern Munich D Philipp Lahm (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 11/17).

In today’s Must Read, the N.Y. TIMES runs a front-page piece by Steve Eder, the second installment of his look at the NFL’s policy and punishment for domestic violence: “NFL Was Family, Until Wives Reported Domestic Abuse” (N.Y. TIMES, 11/17).

The Raiders announced that Thursday’s game against the Chiefs “has been sold out” and will be broadcast locally on KPIX-CBS (CSNBAYAREA.com, 11/17).
 
Schutt Sports is “expanding beyond its core base of football, softball and baseball equipment” with its new lacrosse helmet, which hits retail today (STLTODAY.com, 11/17).

Villanova has reached an agreement for Vivid Seats to become the official secondary ticket marketplace for the school’s athletic department. The deal was brokered by IMG College (Villanova).

One Daytona project officials announced that Daytona Beach-based P&S Paving has “been awarded the contract for early site work at the location,” across from Daytona Int’l Speedway (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 11/18).

The San Jose Sports HOF last night inducted former soccer player Julie Foudy, former NHLer Owen Nolan, former A's co-Owner Steve Schott and retired NFL coach Dick Vermeil into its 20th class in an event at SAP Center (BAY AREA NEWS GROUP, 11/17).

“I know it’s been widely reported that there’s a deal and there’s going to be a vote. There won’t be any votes. ... Even if we decided tomorrow, it wouldn’t happen for two or three more years” – NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, on possible expansion (ESPN.com, 11/17).

“This wasn’t a sting operation” – Attorney Steven Silverman, who represents 1,300 former NFL players in a class action lawsuit, saying DEA interviews with several teams’ medical staffs were meant to be a warning that the league is being held in compliance with federal drug laws (NOLA.com, 11/17).

“After I got hired, I would call [Red Auerbach] and talk basketball and pick his brain. I’d get out a pen and some Celtic stationary and write it all down and try to absorb as much as I could. I was 23 and Red was in his mid 80s” – Suns GM Ryan McDonough, on working for the Celtics as an unpaid intern (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/18).

“I said to myself, ‘You know what, if I wind up on a bus for years following the Toledo Goaldiggers around, I’d be OK with that.’ I like the job, I like the challenge of trying to describe the fastest game in the world” – Blackhawks TV analyst Pat Foley, who last night was inducted into the Hockey HOF (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/18).

"It's not farfetched to think those Surfaces could be used to make the video replay process with an officiating crew more efficient" – NFL Exec VP/Media Brian Rolapp, on possible future tie-ins with Microsoft Surface, the league's official tablet (AP, 11/18).

Giancarlo Stanton getting $325M...guaranteed. Most guaranteed $$ ever to an NFL player: $60M. NFL players at the children's table.

— Andrew Brandt (@adbrandt) November 18, 2014

No player in US team sports history has gotten a contract worth more than $175 million without first appearing in a playoff game. Until now.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) November 18, 2014

ESPN’s love of UConn women’s basketball rivals only their love of Tim Tebow and embraced debates.

— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) November 18, 2014

2019 World Athletic Championships vote today. If the IAAF goes for Eugene or Barcelona, medium strength story. Doha on the other hand...boom

— Tim Crow (@synergytim) November 18, 2014

Last night’s 2:00am ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with UConn-Stanford, followed by Steelers-Titans, Nuggets-Cavaliers and the Marlins signing RF Giancarlo Stanton to a 13-year, $325M deal. Last night’s 2:00am ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Steelers-Titans, followed by Rockets-Grizzlies and Nuggets-Cavaliers. FS1 reported on Stanton’s record-setting contract 50 minutes into its broadcast.

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann called out his “world’s worst” persons in sports: The Saints male fan that wrestled away a football tossed into the stands to a female Bengals fan. Olbermann also put on notice the Confederation of African Football, which was “scrambling for a venue” to stage its Africa Cup of Nations tournament, for putting an image of Shea Stadium on its website, and the NHL, which “managed to combine two of the worst things in sports: overtime shootouts and elongated replay.” Officials told the Rangers and Penguins the game was over on a shootout goal, but that was later overturned by replay.

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “The Other Side of the Globe.”

“This capital city, which at 12,330 miles is farthest from Madrid, is named for a soldier who spent time in Madrid.”

Last night’s edition of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” investigated the city of Detroit, which has shut off the water supply to poor residents who are delinquent in their bills. But according to Comedy Central’s Jessica Williams, Ford Field, Joe Louis Arena and “even the local golf course collectively owed millions” for their water usage. Williams said, “Out of the $145 million in delinquent water bills, nearly half were from commercial and municipal accounts.” Williams: “Once again, poor people were just blaming the victim, innocent 18-hole golf courses who desperately need their water for critical fountaining.” Williams went to Joe Louis Arena and asked building personnel, “Do you guys have any water or showers here for like me and 5,000 of my friends?” (“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central, 11/17).

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon: “The Colts and the Patriots played last night. It completely freaked me out. I was watching the Indianapolis Colts play the Patriots yesterday and one point the Indianapolis Colts mascot, Blue, … held up a giant picture of my head and tried to distract the kicker. … I was like, ‘Nice try, Blue, but a mascot holding up a giant head isn’t going to distract anybody.” A show staffer in a panda costume then emerged from backstage with a giant picture of Fallon’s face and proceeded to dance around the set (“Late Show,” NBC, 11/17).

CBS’ David Letterman: “The Pope is coming to New York City. He has said that he would like to hold audiences with the downtrodden. This is what I like about the guy. He’s not messing around. He wants to get in there with the downtrodden. He’s talking about the Jets and the Giants” (“Late Show,” CBS, 11/17).

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Things Overheard At The Hollywood Film Awards.” Letterman said, “It was televised for the very first time here right here on this network joining the other 96 televised award shows” (“Late Show,” CBS, 11/17).

10) "They finally found something Neil Patrick Harris wouldn't host."
9) "It's a night to celebrate whichever celebrities show up."
8) "We're here this evening because the Golden Globes aren't enough of a sham."
7) "It's an honor just to be indoors."
6) "My money's on Benedict Cumberbatch for Best Cumberbatch."
5) "Hold your audible sighs until the end."
4) "Always fun to see rich, good-looking people win something."
3) "It's the engraving industry's biggest night."
2) "Feels like the Academy Awards on quaaludes."
1) "Let's be honest -- no one here is a winner."

“What is Wellington?”

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and is named for the Duke of Wellington.