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Sports 1B Thursday November 21, 2013 A-Rod walks out on his grievance hearing NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez walked out of his grievance hearing Wednesday after arbitrator Fredric Horowitz refused to order baseball Commissioner Bud Selig to testify. Horowitz was in the midst of the 11th day of hearings on the grievance filed by the players' association to overturn the 211-game suspension given to Rodriguez by Major League Baseball last summer for alleged violations of the sport's drug agreement and labor contract. ''I'm done. I don't have a chance. You let the arbiter decide whatever he decides,'' Rodriguez said during an interview on WFAN radio. ''My position doesn't change. I didn't do it.'' A person familiar with the session said that after Horowitz made his ruling, the New York Yankees third baseman slammed a table, uttered a profanity at MLB Chief Operating Officer Rob Manfred and left. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because what takes place at the hearing is supposed to be confidential. ''I am disgusted with this abusive process, designed to ensure that the player fails,'' Rodriguez said in a statement. ''I have sat through 10 days of testimony by felons and liars, sitting quietly through every minute, trying to respect the league and the process. ''This morning, after Bud Selig refused to come in and testify about his rationale for the unprecedented and totally baseless punishment he hit me with, the arbitrator selected by MLB and the players' association refused to order Selig to come in and face me. The absurdity and injustice just became too much. I walked out and will not participate any further in this farce.'' Rodriguez's legal team remains involved in the proceeding. Rodriguez said he had planned to testify later this week but was warned by the union he could face additional discipline if he did. In a lengthy interview on WFAN, Rodriguez said he consulted Biogenesis of America head Anthony Bosch for ''nutrition and weight loss.'' Rodriguez repeatedly denied using PEDs during the period in question and said Selig ''hates my guts,'' is ''trying to destroy me'' and ''doesn't have the nerve to come and face me face to face.'' Horowitz technically is chairman of a three-man arbitration panel that also includes Manfred and Dave Prouty, the general counsel of the players' union. ''For more than 40 years, Major League Baseball and the players' association have had a contractual grievance process to address disputes between the two parties. This negotiated process has served players and clubs well,'' the commissioner's office said in a statement. ''Despite Mr. Rodriguez being upset with one of the arbitration panel's rulings today, Major League Baseball remains committed to this process and to a fair resolution of the pending dispute.'' Selig testified in 2000 on the rationale of his decision to suspend Atlanta pitcher John Rocker for all 45 days of spring training and the first 28 days of the season, a penalty cut to the first 14 days of the regular season by arbitrator George Nicolau. Selig also testified in the 2002 contraction grievance, which settled. Among other baseball commissioners to testify were Bowie Kuhn in the 1980 Ferguson Jenkins case, Peter Ueberroth in the 1980s collusion proceedings and Fay Vincent in the 1992 Steve Howe arbitration. ''The MLBPA believes that every player has the right under our arbitration process to directly confront his accuser,'' the union said in a statement. ''We argued strenuously to the arbitrator in Alex's case that the commissioner should be required to appear and testify. While we respectfully disagree with the arbitrator's ruling, we will abide by it as we continue to vigorously challenge Alex's suspension within the context of this hearing.'' The three-time AL MVP said four years ago he used PEDs while with the Texas Rangers from 200103, but has denied using them since. At the time of his suspension, MLB said the penalty was for ''use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, including testosterone and human growth hormone over the course of multiple years'' and for ''engaging in a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the office of the commissioner's investigation.'' Tehama Tracker Today's Schedule VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINAL Pierce at Los Molinos, 7 p.m. Sports on TV COLLEGE FOOTBALL 4:30 p.m. ESPN — Rutgers at UCF FS1 — Rice at UAB GOLF 6 a.m. TGC — European PGA Tour, South African Open Championship, first round, at Johannesburg (same-day tape) 10:30 a.m. TGC — LPGA, Titleholders, first round, at Naples, Fla. 6 p.m. TGC — PGA Tour, World Cup, second round, at Cheltenham, Australia MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 2 p.m. ESPN2 — Puerto Rico Tip-Off, first round, Long Beach St. vs. Michigan, at San Juan, Puerto Rico 4 p.m. ESPN2 — 2K Sports Classic, first round, UConn vs. Boston College, at New York 6 p.m. ESPN2 — 2K Sports Classic, first round, Indiana vs. Washington, at New York NBA BASKETBALL 5 p.m. TNT — L.A. Clippers at Oklahoma City 7:30 p.m. TNT — Chicago at Denver NFL FOOTBALL 5 p.m. NFL — New Orleans at Atlanta AP photo Oakland Raiders' Matthew McGloin throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Sunday in Houston. McGloin to start again for Raiders at QB ALAMEDA (AP) — Matt McGloin has made a career out of exceeding other people's expectations. The player who had no scholarship offers coming out of high school walked on at Penn State and became the school's career leader in touchdown passes. The player who sent a letter and video to NFL teams pleading for a chance after getting passed over for the combine went undrafted before finally getting a chance as a camp arm with the Oakland Raiders. The player who entered training camp as a fourth-stringer managed to beat out fourth-round pick Tyler Wilson for a roster spot and moved up to second string when Matt Flynn was released last month. As surprising as all of those accomplishments may have been, it was his performance in his first NFL start last week in Houston that really opened up eyes. Flynn became the fourth quarterback since the 1970 NFL merger to throw three touchdown passes and no interceptions in his first career start in place of the injured Terrelle Pryor to earn himself a longer-term look as the starter in Oakland. ''I never took a backseat to anybody,'' McGloin said. ''I didn't put myself in a position that I'm buried behind all these guys. I really don't look at who is ahead of me on the depth chart or who's behind me on the depth chart. Each day is a better way to get better, improve as a leader, improve as a person.'' McGloin will make his second start on Sunday against Tennessee (4-6) as Pryor still is dealing with a right knee injury and the Raiders (4-6) want to see if he can repeat that performance. ''This is a production business,'' coach Dennis Allen said. ''If you go out and you perform and you make plays, you get opportunities to continue to go out and perform and make plays. Matt did that last week. He's going to get another opportunity this week. We'll see how it goes.'' McGloin's ascension from undrafted quarterback to starter is not unique as players such as Kurt Warner, Tony Romo and Jeff Garcia also took that route. But those players came from much lower-profile colleges than Penn State, where scouts had ample opportunity to watch McGloin play against NFL-caliber opposition, and took longer to reach their NFL success. They all spent time either in the Arena Football League, NFL Europe, Canada or an NFL bench before getting a chance to start in the NFL. ''I think some guys weren't born or blessed with great athleticism, size or speed or strength, all those things you can measure,'' Allen said. ''You can't measure what's in their head or their heart. This guy has overcome a lot of challenges.'' It started when he got no scholarship offers coming out of high school in Scranton, Pa., and decided to walk on at Penn State. One reason McGloin didn't get a scholarship was because Penn State was waiting to see if Pryor would come to State College. But even being at the same school as the top quarterback recruit in the country couldn't scare the confident McGloin. ''I remember asking him, 'What happens if Terrelle goes to Penn State,''' McGloin's father, Paul, said. ''He said, 'Dad, I don't care. I'll go there and beat whoever is there.'' Pryor went to Ohio State and McGloin spent much of his time in college fighting off more heralded recruits like Rob Bolden, Paul Jones and Kevin Newsome before earning his chance. He became the starter midway through his sophomore season in 2010 before throwing five interceptions in a loss to Florida at the Outback Bowl. McGloin began the 2011 season as the backup to Bolden before becoming the starter just weeks before the Jerry Sandusky scandal went public at Penn State, throwing the program in disarray. That eventually led to the firing of longtime coach Joe Paterno and crippling sanctions but McGloin decided to stick it out for his senior season under new coach Bill O'Brien, who had previously been offensive coordinator for Tom Brady in New England. ''Not too many kids go through something like that,'' he said. ''I've seen it all. I've overcome many different types of adversity. In a way it has helped me at this level.'' McGloin had his best year under O'Brien, throwing for 3,266 yards and 24 touchdowns with only five interceptions in leading the Nittany Lions to an 8-4 record. ''He's a smart guy,'' O'Brien said. ''Smart guys that work hard, that have some talent, they really thrive in that league. They really do. I think he'll thrive in that league.'' But few NFL teams believed the same thing as McGloin was not invited to the scouting combine, leading him to send out a video to all 32 NFL teams which began with him saying, ''My entire life has been defined by the words 'You'll never make it.' So hard work is not new to me.'' McGloin cited his upbringing in Scranton and experience at Penn State as reasons why he should get a chance in the NFL. That came to fruition in May when he worked out for the Raiders and earned a contract. ''It shows the type of person he is, the character and determination that he's not going to let someone tell him what he can't do,'' said Titans coach Mike Munchak, a Scranton and Penn State product who has followed McGloin's career. ''I'm sure when he went to Penn State a lot of people said he should have done something else. Obviously, he worked his way through it.'' 49ers' Brooks fined for hit on Brees SANTA CLARA(AP) — San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. Brooks' agent, Greg Williams, said his client would appeal the penalty — the standard fine for such hits to the head and neck area. Brooks leveled Brees, forcing a lost fumble. But the personal foul penalty kept the ball in the Saints' possession, and they soon kicked two late field goals to win 2320. The tackle left Brees with blood on his chin. Brooks vehemently argued against the penalty, saying he didn't use his hands or helmet and called it a ''bear hug.'' Brees labeled the hit a clothesline tackle. 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh also reiterated Monday he thought the hit was clean. ''Our interpretation was, when we grade a player, if he's got a penalty we give him a minus, but we did not assign a minus on that play,'' Harbaugh said Monday. ''The play occurred that occurred. I thought Ahmad hit at the right level, hit at the shoulder level. The quarterback kind of shrunk down and that's the official's call to make. I'm going to see it the way I see it and that's going to be a slanted view. I really don't know much more to say about that.'' The linebacker also was fined $12,750 for a roughing-the-passer call against Aaron Rodgers during the season opener against Green Bay. Brooks declined to speak to reporters Wednesday, when a downpour in the Bay Area caused Harbaugh to cancel an outdoor walkthrough and move preparations for Monday night's game at Washington indoors. AP photo New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) is sacked by San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks (55) in New Orleans on Sunday. Cornerback Carlos Rogers defended his teammate. ''That's bad,'' Rogers said of the fine. ''When you look at it, it's a vicious hit. He's 260 pounds and I'm pretty sure Brees is a little over 200. Any time you blindside a guy like that it's a vicious hit. ''But when you slow it down, he didn't touch his head. I'm surprised in the fine. A lot of people are probably surprised. Enough's been said around the world about that hit. I think at the time, as a referee just seeing it, I think the back judge threw it, you have to throw that flag then. Unfortunately it hurts us on our side of the ball. That was a big play at that time of the game.''