BC-AP Sports Preview Digest

Aug 31, 2015 - 4:45 PM Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Monday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by 3 p.m. All times EDT:

- NEW YORK - Last-minute settlement talks fail, leaving NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Tom Brady to await a judge's ruling in a day or two on the four-game ban of the New England quarterback.

- NEW YORK - Serena Williams begins her bid for a U.S. Open title that would give tennis its first calendar-year Grand Slam since 1988. Williams opens at night against 86th-ranked Russian Vitalia Diatchenko.

- CLEVELAND - Indians President Mark Shapiro is leaving the club after 24 years to become the Toronto Blue Jays' new president and CEO following the 2015 season.

- LOS ANGELES - The Dodgers, who on Sunday were no-hit for the second time in 10 days, begin a key series with the Giants. Los Angeles leads the NL West by 3 1/2 games over San Francisco. Game starts 10 p.m.

- ATLANTA - Three fans have died from falls at Turner Field in the last eight years. The latest death leads to questions about the Braves' plans for their new stadium that is to open in 2017.

- SONOMA, Calif. - IndyCar heads into another long offseason, mourning the loss of driver Justin Wilson and facing uncertainty about the series.

- The AFC East got a lot more entertaining this offseason: Rex Ryan goes Buffalo; the Jets clean house, with their quarterback socked in the jaw; Miami lands Ndamukong Suh. And then there's the Patriots.

- The Seattle Seahawks take aim on a third straight Super Bowl trip. Their biggest rival, the 49ers, are expected to plummet, leaving the Cardinals and Rams to challenge for the NFC West crown.

- ARLINGTON, Texas - Tony Romo opened camp with a painful sty below his left eye; he ends his preseason with another one. The Dallas quarterback isn't concerned, but it has become a curious case.

- TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama coach Nick Saban hasn't even given so much as a hint about who will start at quarterback, but it appears to be a three-man race.

- LINCOLN, Neb. - Mike Riley's been in football coaching for 40 years, including three years with the San Diego Chargers. But he's never worked at a place like Nebraska, where football is a 365-day-a-year passion.

- CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Bill Cubit doesn't exactly ease into his new job. He is now the interim coach at Illinois following the firing of Tim Beckman last week. The Illini open at home Friday against Kent State.