Sports

Even as the great, sad Junior Seau killed himself, more and more other old football players are joining in class action to sue the National Football League. They're claiming, generally, that while the NFL understood — for years — how vulnerable its players were to head injuries, the league did not sufficiently warn players about the danger of concussions.

Nor did the teams first do no harm — instead, allowing players to go back into games when they should have been kept out of the action.

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AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

Sports talk is loaded with hyperbole. This is not hyperbole: Yesterday was the biggest day in the history of the Phoenix Coyotes. The often abysmal NHL team defeated the Nashville Predators last night and advanced to the conference finals for the first time ever. And three years after the team's last owner declared bankruptcy, the league announced that it likely has found a new owner, one that will keep the team in the area.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Former Saints defensive lineman Anthony Hargove has described how he was told by ex-Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and current Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt to deny the existence of a bounty program to NFL investigators. In a sworn statement, Hargrove acknowledges that he acted on instructions to "play dumb" if asked whether he was aware of bounties being placed on players.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma has appealed his season-long suspension under the NFL's bounty investigation. Vilma was one of four players given suspensions of various lengths in the NFL's bounty probe.

Think the players on your favorite team are the most overpaid in the world?

Well, American sports fans, you may not be able to brag (or complain?) about that.

As the number crunchers at Sporting Intelligence reported earlier this month, European soccer teams hold the top four spots when it comes to average pay per player.

The 17-inning game went so long, that for the first time since 1925, two Major League teams had non-pitchers on the mound. Baltimore won with pitching from Chris Davis, who's trained to play first base.

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RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

If life is a ball game, Mike Pesca is our umpire, calling the shots as he sees them. Pesca is NPR's sports correspondent and WEEKEND EDITION's guide to the intersections between sports and life, and he joins us now. Hey, Mike.

MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: Hello.

MARTIN: OK. So, this week baseball in the headlines and steroids - back in court again. Give us a rundown of what's happened.

Another football tragedy this week renews questions about the safety of the game that made many stars rich, but at some cost. Also, it may be closing time for one of the all-time greats. Over in hockey playoffs, are they going Hollywood? Host Scott Simon talks with Howard Bryant of ESPN.