Sports Digest

May 16, 2008

One of five suspects charged in the slaying of Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor has pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree murder and burglary.

Recent columns

• Sports Digest

  May 15, 2008

  • Pro basketball // Danny Ainge, who engineered the trades for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen that helped the Boston Celtics post the biggest turnaround in league history, was named Sporting News NBA Executive of the Year. ... Former Indiana University men's coach Kelvin Sampson was hired by the Milwaukee Bucks. He resigned as Hoosiers coach Feb. 22 after an NCAA report accused him of five major NCAA rules violations.

• NCAA has 'new' Mayo info

  May 14, 2008

  Saying the NCAA has "new information," president Myles Brand promised to investigate former Southern California basketball star O.J. Mayo, who allegedly received thousands of dollars in gifts from money given to an event promoter by a sports agency.

• Sports Digest

  May 13, 2008

  Tiger Woods is chipping and putting again, and he hopes to play in the Memorial in two weeks.

• Report: Promoter gave Mayo cash, benefits

  May 12, 2008

  A former associate of Southern California freshman guard O.J. Mayo claims the basketball star received thousands of dollars in cash and other gifts from an event promoter over the past four years that would violate NCAA rules, ESPN reported yesterday.

• Sports Digest

  May 11, 2008

• Federer loses in Rome Masters quarters

  May 10, 2008

  What was once almost unthinkable in tennis now happens more and more often: Roger Federer loses.

• Safina shocks Henin at German Open

  May 9, 2008

  Top-ranked Justine Henin was upset by Dinara Safina, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, yesterday in the third round of the German Open in Berlin.

• Sports Digest

  May 8, 2008

  Paul Maurice was fired as coach of the Maple Leafs yesterday after Toronto failed to make the playoffs during his two years. The dismissal was the first big move in what is expected to be an active offseason for the team.

• Sports Digest

  May 7, 2008

  Jacksonville State coach Jack Crowe has spoken to the family of former LSU quarterback Ryan Perrilloux about a possible transfer to a Football Championship Subdivision team with no scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.

• Sports Digest

  May 6, 2008

  Sean Schimmel has been selected as coach of the Maryland men's and women's swimming and diving program, athletic director Deborah Yow said yesterday.

• Sports Digest

  May 5, 2008

  • Tennis // Rafael Nadal won his fourth straight ATP Barcelona Open title with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 victory over second seed David Ferrer in the final yesterday in Spain. ... Fernando Gonzalez captured his second of the year at the ATP BMW Open by beating Simone Bolelli, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 6-3, in Munich, Germany.

• Sports Digest

  May 4, 2008

• Tennessee kicks 2 off men's basketball team

  May 3, 2008

  Tennessee men's basketball sophomore forward Duke Crews and sophomore guard Ramar Smith were dismissed from the team.

• Alleged shooter says 'Pacman' framed him

  May 2, 2008

  A man charged with shooting three people outside a Las Vegas strip club last year has denied he was involved and accused Adam "Pacman" Jones of ordering the shooting and framing him to avoid identifying the real shooter.

• Sports Digest

  May 1, 2008

  • Pro football // Bypassed in the NFL draft, three Morgan State players -- running back Chad Simpson, defensive end Bryan Wilson and tight end Rohnie Sykes -- have signed contracts as free agents. Simpson signed with the Dallas Cowboys, Wilson with the Washington Redskins and Sykes with the Kansas City Chiefs. ... The New England Patriots released former Ravens linebacker T.J. Slaughter and cornerback Tim Mixon.

• Sports Digest

  April 30, 2008

  The Buffalo Bills will receive $78 million -- more than double their calculated 2006 operating income -- to play eight games in Toronto over the next five years.

• Vasquez to remain with Terps

  April 29, 2008

  The Maryland basketball team has retained a key player but lost another who decided to transfer.

• Sports Digest

  April 28, 2008

  Rafael Nadal won his first championship of the season yesterday, defeating Roger Federer yet again on clay to claim his fourth consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title in Monaco.

• Sports Digest

  April 27, 2008

• Hansbrough returning to North Carolina

  April 26, 2008

  Forward Tyler Hansbrough, the Associated Press National Player of the Year, said yesterday that he will return for his senior year at North Carolina.

• Sports Digest

  April 25, 2008

  • Pro basketball // Larry Brown resigned yesterday as the Philadelphia 76ers' executive vice president after barely two years on the job. He said recently that he is seeking a head coaching position. Brown rejoined the Sixers in January 2007 more than three years after he left his coaching job to take the same position in Detroit.

• Sports Digest

  April 24, 2008

  • College football // The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is about to get even more interesting, now that former Wolverines player Justin Boren has decided to join the Buckeyes. Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Boren will play after sitting out the 2008 season as required by NCAA transfer rules. The sophomore offensive lineman left the Michigan program last month, saying its "family values have eroded" under new coach Rich Rodriguez.

• Sports Digest

  April 23, 2008

  Florida State football star Preston Parker was arrested late Monday and charged with carrying a concealed .45-caliber pistol and a small amount of marijuana.

• Skiles signs 4-year deal to coach Bucks

  April 22, 2008

  The Milwaukee Bucks moved quickly to find their new coach, signing Scott Skiles to a four-year deal and introducing him at a news conference yesterday.

• Federer captures first title of season

  April 21, 2008

  Top-ranked Roger Federer won his first title of the season at the Estoril Open when second-seeded Nikolay Davydenko retired with a leg injury while trailing 7-6 (5), 1-2 yesterday in Oeiras, Portugal.

• Sports Digest

  April 20, 2008

• Douglas-Roberts entering draft

  April 19, 2008

  All-America junior guard Chris Douglas-Roberts of Memphis will enter the NBA draft, joining teammate Derrick Rose in leaving early for the pros.

• J. Nared signs with Maryland women

  April 18, 2008

  Jackie Nared, the daughter of former Maryland basketball player Greg Nared, has signed a letter of intent to play next fall for Terps coach Brenda Frese, the school announced yesterday.

• Sports Digest

  April 17, 2008

  The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has launched the opening phase of a voluntary pilot program it hopes will improve the accuracy of doping tests.

• Sports Digest

  April 16, 2008

  The Boston Marathon is breaking with a 112-year tradition, putting corporate ads on the start and finish lines to help its two main sponsors extract more value from ties with the world's oldest marathon.

• Sports Digest

  April 14, 2008

  Andy Roddick proved dominant again in the Davis Cup, sending the defending champion United States past France yesterday in Winston-Salem, N.C., and into the semifinals against Spain.

• Pistons VP Hammond becomes Bucks GM

  April 12, 2008

  The Milwaukee Bucks hired Detroit Pistons vice president John Hammond as their new general manager.

• Windsurfer Hall's appeal in hands of panel

  April 11, 2008

  After two days of testimony, Annapolis windsurfer Farrah Hall's appeal rests in the hands of a five-person panel.

• Sports Digest

  April 10, 2008

  Nearly eight years after the Sydney Olympics, the International Olympic Committee is prepared to disqualify Marion Jones' U.S. relay teammates because of her doping history.

• Flyers' Briere aims to play vs. Caps

  April 9, 2008

  The Philadelphia Flyers' Danny Briere has braced himself for a playoff return.

• Sports Digest

  April 8, 2008

  Simply by taking the ice, Patrice Bergeron gave his Boston Bruins teammates a lift yesterday, even though he won't suit up for the team's playoff opener.

• Sports Digest

  April 5, 2008

  California has turned to its biggest rival to find its new men's basketball coach, hiring former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery yesterday to replace the fired Ben Braun.

• Sports Digest

  April 4, 2008

  Andy Roddick ended a streak of 11 consecutive losses to Roger Federer yesterday at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla.

• Sundin's career with Leafs possibly over

  April 3, 2008

  A groin tear will keep Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin out of the final two games of the regular season, leaving open the possibility that he has played his last game for the franchise.

• Sports Digest

  April 2, 2008

  The New York Knicks will turn their basketball operations over to Donnie Walsh today.

• Six St. Mary's baseball players taken off team

  April 1, 2008

  Six players have been removed from the St. Mary's High baseball team for breaking team rules last week in Tampa, Fla. The club was on a spring break trip to play baseball.

• Sports Digest

  March 31, 2008

  Washington State's men's basketball coach Tony Bennett has talked to Indiana about its vacant job but won't pursue it.

• Djokovic loses to qualifier in Sony Ericsson opener

  March 29, 2008

  Defending champion Novak Djokovic went into a funk after being warned for taking too much time between points yesterday, then blew a third-set lead to lose his opening match at the ATP Sony Ericsson Open.

• LSU's Perrilloux back from suspension

  March 28, 2008

  LSU quarterback Ryan Perrilloux returned from suspension and could be allowed to practice with the team by Monday.

• Cal fires basketball coach Braun

  March 27, 2008

  California fired men's basketball coach Ben Braun yesterday after another disappointing season in which the team missed the NCAA tournament.

• Sports Digest

  March 26, 2008

  Michael Beasley is still grappling with a decision, but his coach expects the Kansas State star freshman to head into the NBA draft.

• Bengals' C. Johnson skips workout

  March 25, 2008

  Wide receiver Chad Johnson missed the start of the Bengals' offseason workouts yesterday, the latest move to show he's unhappy with how he's perceived in Cincinnati.

• Bernard sets world mark for 3rd straight day

  March 24, 2008

  Alain Bernard broke the world record in the 50-meter freestyle yesterday -- the third time he's broken a world mark in three days at the European swimming championships in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

• Kuznetsova ends Sharapova's 18-match win streak

  March 22, 2008

  Svetlana Kuznetsova ended Maria Sharapova's winning streak at 18 matches last night with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 victory in the Pacific Life Open semifinals in Indian Wells, Calif.

• Djokovic, Ivanovic in Pacific Life semis

  March 21, 2008

  Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic, both 20-year-old Serbs who have joined the ranks of tennis' elite, won matches in straight sets yesterday to move into the Pacific Life Open semifinals in Indian Wells, Calif.

• Colts retain end J. Thomas

  March 20, 2008

  The Indianapolis Colts re-signed free-agent defensive end Josh Thomas yesterday. Thomas started seven games last season after three-time Pro Bowl selection Dwight Freeney suffered a season-ending foot injury in November.

• Sports Digest

  March 19, 2008

  Alex Ovechkin had a goal and two assists to lead the visiting Washington Capitals to a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators last night.

• Arenas has MRI; star 'hoping' to return

  March 18, 2008

  Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas is increasing the intensity of his workouts in an attempt to return this season from knee surgery.

• Sports Digest

  March 17, 2008

  If the Washington Capitals were feeling the pressure of the playoff race, the nerves didn't trickle down to goalie Cristobal Huet.

• Utecht sings Bengals' offer sheet; Colts can match

  March 15, 2008

  Tight end Ben Utecht signed an offer sheet with the Cincinnati Bengals for a three-year contract.

• UMBC's Cassidy makes All-America East team

  March 14, 2008

  UMBC sophomore guard Carlee Cassidy was named to the All-America East first team yesterday.

• Sports Digest

  March 13, 2008

  Lance Mackey won his second consecutive Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Nome, Alaska, yesterday morning, completing the 1,100-mile journey in just less than 9 1/2 days.

• Swing coach Harmon dumps Daly

  March 12, 2008

  John Daly has been cut loose by swing coach Butch Harmon, who said yesterday that he was not going to waste his time with a two-time major champion who is more interested in drinking than working on his golf game.

• Sports Digest

  March 11, 2008

  A day after Tony Stewart assailed Goodyear for the tires it provided at Atlanta Motor Speedway, three other drivers echoed his complaints - but without the same venom.

• Sports Digest

  March 10, 2008

  John Wooden's daughter says the former UCLA basketball coach should be leaving the hospital in the next few days.

• Champ Car owners file Chapter 11; IRL deal likely OK

  March 8, 2008

  The owners of the Champ Car World Series have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection just two weeks after agreeing to an open-wheel unification plan with the Indy Racing League.

• No. 756 could be on display by Opening Day

  March 7, 2008

  Barry Bonds' 756th home run ball, adorned with an asterisk, could be on display at the Hall of Fame by Opening Day, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Jeff Idelson, the Hall's vice president for communications and education, said fashion designer Marc Ecko still has the ball he purchased in an online auction for $752,000. Ecko conducted an Internet poll on how to dispose of the ball. People voted to send it to Cooperstown affixed with an asterisk. "We'll display it, but the text accompanying the ball will cover when it was hit and how it ended up in Cooperstown," Idelson said yesterday.

• Chicago on NHL's list for outdoor game

  March 6, 2008

  An outdoor game in Chicago "would make a lot of sense" to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, and the site could be the "Frozen Confines" of Wrigley Field. Bettman did not commit to staging one in the Windy City during a news conference yesterday, but he said the emerging Blackhawks are on the list to host one - possibly next season. New York, Boston, Detroit, Colorado, Montreal, Toronto, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have also expressed interest. Bettman said his "guess" is there will probably be an outdoor game next season.

• Sports Digest

  March 5, 2008

  Austrian skier Matthias Lanzinger's lower left leg was amputated yesterday because of complications from two broken bones in a crash at a World Cup race in Norway.

• Sports Digest

  March 3, 2008

  John Wooden had the cast on his arm cut open because of swelling but was otherwise in good health and high spirits on his third day in the hospital, the former UCLA basketball coach's daughter said yesterday.

• U.S. figure skaters rule early in junior worlds

  March 1, 2008

  The American young ladies were as good as expected at the junior world figure skating championships.

• Eyeing Beijing, Gatlin appeals ban

  February 29, 2008

  Sprinter Justin Gatlin has filed a brief with the Court of Arbitration for Sport outlining the appeal of his four-year ban for doping violations.

• Sports Digest

  February 27, 2008

  The PGA Tour amended its cut policy, giving players on the cut line one more day of competition to separate themselves from the bottom of the pack.

• Calvert Hall No. 2 in baseball poll

  February 26, 2008

  Calvert Hall's baseball team is ranked No. 2 in the nation behind defending national champion Wilson High of Long Beach, Calif., (32-3 last year) in Baseball America's Preseason High School Top 50.

• Vikings' McKinnie charged in brawl

  February 25, 2008

  Minnesota Vikings tackle Bryant McKinnie was arrested on charges of aggravated battery after a street brawl outside a Miami nightclub early yesterday. McKinnie also was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest without violence, according to a police report. The 6-foot-8, 335-pound McKinnie, a staple on the Vikings' offensive line since being drafted out of Miami in 2002, was arrested and bonded out for $9,000 at 2:25 p.m., Miami-Dade County Corrections Department spokeswoman Janelle Hall said.

• Okla. gets '05 wins back

  February 23, 2008

  The NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee released a ruling yesterday reinstating Oklahoma's eight wins from its 2005 Holiday Bowl season.

• Today's live racing at Laurel canceled

  February 22, 2008

  A wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain that was expected to hit the Baltimore region last night and not end until late tonight caused Maryland Jockey Club officials to cancel live racing at Laurel Park today. Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course will be open for simulcasting this afternoon. Live racing is scheduled to resume tomorrow.

• Capitals lose in shootout to Islanders

  February 21, 2008

  Mike Comrie scored the only goal of the shootout, and the New York Islanders extended their winning streak to a season-high five games last night with a 3-2 victory over the host Washington Capitals.

• Krzyzewski's remarks irk R. Williams

  February 20, 2008

  North Carolina men's basketball coach Roy Williams apparently doesn't think too highly of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski's views on injury reports.

• Arenas cleared for light drills

  February 19, 2008

  Gilbert Arenas was cleared to participate in light, non-contact drills by the Washington Wizards yesterday, a step forward in his return from left knee surgery.

• Belichick denies Pats taped walkthrough

  February 18, 2008

  New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has denied suggestions by a former employee that his club taped the St. Louis Rams' walkthrough before the 2002 Super Bowl.

• Penalties likely for Earnhardt, Waltrip teams

  February 16, 2008

  A pair of high-profile Nationwide Series teams owned by drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip likely will be penalized after NASCAR inspectors found technical violations before qualifying in Daytona Beach, Fla.

• Churchill Downs to observe Barbaro anniversary

  January 29, 2008

  Barbaro's owners will return to Churchill Downs today to honor the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner on the first anniversary of his death.

• Vick goes to Kan. prison to serve sentence

  January 8, 2008

  Michael Vick left Richmond, Va., yesterday, being transferred to a Kansas prison to serve the rest of his 23-month sentence on a federal dogfighting charge.

• Sports Digest

  December 8, 2007

  • Swimming // Katie Hoff of Towson set two American records at last night's North Baltimore Aquatic Club Christmas Meet at the Naval Academy. She finished the 1,000-yard freestyle in 9:10.77, beating the old record by 11 seconds. She had a time of 1:53.77 in the 200 IM.

• No federal probe of Nifong

  December 6, 2007

  The Department of Justice will not investigate former Duke lacrosse prosecutor Mike Nifong for his handling of the case, a spokesman for the federal agency said yesterday.

• Sports Digest

  September 2, 2007

• Sports Digest

  August 29, 2007

• Sports Digest

  August 28, 2007

• Sports Digest

  August 26, 2007

• Sports Digest

  August 26, 2007

• Sports Digest

  April 13, 2007

• Sports Digest

  November 21, 2006

• Sports Digest

  October 13, 2006

• Sports Digest

  May 21, 2006

• Sports Digest

  February 5, 2006

• Sports Digest

  February 4, 2006

• Sports Digest

  December 3, 2005

• Sports Digest

  June 27, 2005

  Phelps finishes third in 100-meter freestyle