FOOTBALL
Steelers re-sign Woodley
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed linebacker LaMarr Woodley to a six-year contract that will keep him with the National Football League team through to the end of the 2016 season, the Steelers said on Friday. Financial terms were not announced, but local media reported the deal was worth US$61.5 million, including a US$22.5 million signing bonus. That would make Woodley the second highest-paid player on the team behind quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The 2009 Pro Bowl selection recorded 10 sacks last season to join James Harrison as the only Steelers to post double-digit sack totals in back-to-back seasons. Woodley, 26, also set a league record by posting two sacks in each of his first four playoff games as the Steelers went on to win last season’s AFC championship and reach the Super Bowl, which they lost to the Green Bay Packers.
ICE HOCKEY
Rangers’ Avery arrested
The New York Rangers’ Sean Avery is out on bail after he was arrested in California on allegations he shoved a police officer at his Hollywood Hills home. Lieutenant Jorge Pardo told City News Service that a neighbor’s noise complaint sent police to the home at about 1am on Friday. Pardo said Avery answered the front door, shoved an officer and slammed the door, but cooperated when officers knocked a second time. The officer was not injured. The 31-year-old hockey player was booked on suspicion of battery on a police officer. He was released about seven hours later after posting US$20,000 bail. The Rangers said they would discuss the matter with Avery and had no immediate comment.
FOOTBALL
Woody retires after 12 years
Pro Bowl offensive lineman Damien Woody, a two-time Super Bowl winner with the New England Patriots, announced his retirement after 12 seasons on Friday. “You never expect this day to happen, but one thing I say is I’m really looking forward to life after football, especially my body,” Woody told reporters. “This is a great day.” Taken with the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft, Woody also played for the Detroit Lions and spent his final three seasons with the New York Jets. He played in 173 career games, including 166 as a starter, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2002.
BASEBALL
Dodgers agree to MLB loans
The Los Angeles Dodgers have reached an agreement to accept as much as US$150 million in loans from Major League Baseball to keep the team afloat as it works its way through bankruptcy. The deal, announced in court papers on Friday, resolves the team’s concern that an MLB loan would contain language allowing the league to take control of team. The agreement is “satisfactory,” both “in its economics and its terms,” a team spokesperson said. The parties submitted their proposed agreement to bankruptcy judge Kevin Gross in US Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. The proposal was the result of negotiations ordered by Gross after the Dodgers initially tried to accept a loan from a unit of JPMorgan Chase & Co instead of the league. Gross said it was “unclear” how the Dodgers expected to operate “within the framework of baseball” if they were unwilling to cooperate with MLB, adding that the league’s deal would save the team US$14 million. Attorneys for the Dodgers said their hesitation was rooted in covenants included in the deal that could allow MLB commissioner Bud Selig to seize the team.
CYCLING
Ireland’s Martin takes lead
Ireland’s Daniel Martin won the sixth and toughest stage of the Tour de Pologne on Friday to take the overall race lead. Martin, a Garmin-Cervelo rider who won last year’s race, finished the mountainous 207.7km route from Terma Bukovina to Bukowina Tatrzanska in 5 hours, 41 minutes and 5 seconds. Dutchman Wout Poels was one second behind and his Vacansoleil-DCM teammate Marco Marcato of Italy finished third, four seconds off the pace. In the overall standings, Martin has a three-second lead over Marcato and Peter Sagan of Slovakia. The race finished yesterday with a 128km run on flat terrain, starting and finishing in Krakow.
SOCCER
Javier Chen tastes defeat
Taiwan international Javier Chen tasted defeat in his second game of the season on Friday as KV Mechelen lost 3-1 to RSC Anderlecht at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium in Brussels. Chen’s Mechelen went into the match on a high following their 2-1 win over Sint-Truiden on the opening weekend of the season, but they fell behind in the 27th minute when Brazilian Fernando Canesin was brought down in the area and American Sacha Kljestan scored from the penalty spot. Mechelen equalized in the 51st minute through Belgian David Destorme, but the hosts were back in front seven minutes later through Argentine forward Matias Suarez. Belgian Romelu Lukaku made the game safe for Anderlecht on 78 minutes.
SOCCER
Scholes bids goodbye
Paul Scholes was on the scoresheet as he marked his Manchester United farewell with a goal in a 6-0 win over New York Cosmos as the former England midfielder waved goodbye to a packed Old Trafford on Friday. The 36-year-old, who retired at the end of last season after making 676 appearances in his 17-year United career and winning 10 Premier League titles, opened the scoring with a fierce 20-yard strike after just eight minutes in the testimonial game. “I hope I gave them a few decent memories,” said Scholes, who was joined by Pele on the pitch at the end of the game. The occasion saw another United legend, Eric Cantona, returning to Old Trafford in his new role as director of football at the Cosmos. The Cosmos were a trail-blazing club in the 1970s in the US when their team featured Pele as well as the likes of Johan Cruyff.
SOCCER
Coverage talks break down
Media coverage of the opening of the Premier League season could be disrupted after a breakdown in talks between the league and media groups over reporting restrictions. The Premier League and Football League have been in negotiations with newspapers and news agencies for several months over the terms for coverage of matches. The Premier League kicks off on Aug. 13. The News Media Coalition said the leagues suspended talks on Wednesday. The coalition, whose members include The Associated Press, Reuters, AFP, Britain’s Press Association and British newspapers, said the leagues then circulated an interim “access contract” containing restrictions on editorial freedom which news organizations had rejected at the start of discussions. “These controls impose highly restrictive limits on the use of news content produced at football grounds,” the group said in a statement. Among others things, the coalition said, the rules include league controls on how and when news can be published online, and how news can be distributed to fans.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about £2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from