Blue Jackets’ Johnson files for bankruptcy

Blue Jackets’ Johnson files for bankruptcy

COLUMBUS

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson has filed for bankruptcy while earning millions under a $30.5 million contract in his ninth NHL season.

In federal court records, the 27-year-old says his finances have fallen apart under his parents’ management. He says creditors and his financial advisers took advantage of him through fraudulent transactions and predatory lending, with his contract earnings pledged as security for unconventional loans that he didn’t authorize.

Johnson filed for bankruptcy Oct. 7, two days before the team began the regular season. Those filings indicated he owed more than $12 million. For estimated assets, he checked the box indicating $1 million to $10 million.

Pirates designate Ike Davis for assignment

PITTSBURGH

The Pittsburgh Pirates have designated first baseman Ike Davis for assignment and have added pitcher Jameson Taillon to the 40-man roster.

Davis hit .235 with 10 homers and 46 RBIs in 131 games with the Pirates after being acquired in an April trade from the New York Mets. The left-handed Davis served as part of a platoon at first base with right-handed Gaby Sanchez but found himself out of a job with the Pirates likely moving Pedro Alvarez to first in 2015. Pittsburgh has 10 days to trade Davis or release him.

Taillon, the second overall pick in the 2010 amateur draft, missed the 2014 season after Tommy John surgery on his right arm. Pittsburgh also added catcher Elias Diaz, infielder Pedro Florimon, outfielder Willy Garcia and pitcher Nick Kingman to its 40-man roster.

Bills’ game against Jets relocated to Detroit

The NFL has decided to move the Bills’ home game against the New York Jets to Monday night in Detroit after a severe winter storm pounded western New York.

League spokesman Michael Signora announced the change on Thursday night. More than 5 feet of snow have fallen in the Buffalo area since Monday, and another 1 to 3 feet was projected to fall by Friday.

Clippers grab big early lead, roll by Heat 110-93

Chris Paul had 26 points and 12 assists, Blake Griffin added 26 points and the Los Angeles Clippers wasted no time in taking control on the way to a 110-93 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday night.

DeAndre Jordan scored 12 points — on six shots, all dunks — and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Clippers (7-4), who led 39-15 after one quarter.

Chris Bosh scored 28 for Miami (6-6), which has dropped three straight home games for the first time since March 3-8, 2011. Rookie reserve Shabazz Napier had a season-high 17 points. Dwyane Wade missed his fourth consecutive game with a strained left hamstring. The Heat are 5-3 when Wade plays this season, 1-3 when he doesn’t.

Boxer Jermain Taylor charged in shooting

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.

Arkansas prosecutors have charged champion middleweight boxer Jermain Taylor in a shooting at his home.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports the 36-year-old Little Rock native was charged Wednesday with first-degree battery and first-degree terroristic threatening. If convicted, he faces up to 26 years in prison.

Pulaski County sheriff’s deputies say Taylor shot his 41-year-old cousin, Tyrone DaWayne Hinton of Jacksonville, at Taylor’s home in Maumelle on August 26. Deputies say Hinton was wounded on his “lower extremities.”

Kelly Pavlik defeated Taylor in 2007 for the middleweight title. Taylor won the International Boxing Federation middleweight title in a Biloxi, Mississippi, bout on Oct. 8.

His attorneys have filed a motion challenging the legality of Taylor’s arrest and asked that evidence collected from that arrest be barred from use in court.

They declined to comment to the newspaper on Wednesday.

Wire reports