ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — This week, for only the second time in his NFL career, Chris Cooley missed a practice. Want the details? It’s all there on his blog, how his back went into spasms when he bent over to pick up a napkin while eating at a sushi place with wife Christy. What the […]

NEW YORK (AP) — Facing the prospect of spending at least 3½ years behind bars, one-time Super Bowl star Plaxico Burress on Thursday accepted a plea bargain with a two-year prison sentence for accidentally shooting himself in the thigh at a Manhattan nightclub. The former New York Giants wide receiver pleaded guilty to one count […]

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Plaxico Burress’ decision to plead guilty to a weapons charge and accept two years in prison surprised his former New York Giants teammates and left at least one claiming the Super Bowl hero was punished too severely. Browns receiver Donte’ Stallworth served 30 days in jail for running over and killing […]

TORONTO (AP) — Jason Bay hit a two-run homer, David Ortiz and Victor Martinez added solo shots and the Boston Red Sox beat Roy Halladay and the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1 on Wednesday night. The Red Sox, who came in tied with Texas atop the AL wild card race, have hit at least two homers […]

MASON, Ohio (AP) — The ball really zipped off the fast, blue court, especially when it came off Roger Federer’s racket. Federer held serve throughout a 6-3, 7-5 win over Jose Acasuso on Wednesday, facing only one break point in his first match at the Cincinnati Masters. The Swiss star made 70 percent of his […]

TORONTO (AP) — Dinara Safina is out of the Rogers Cup. The No. 1-ranked Russian fell 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 to Aravane Rezai of France in a second-round match Wednesday at the $2 million WTA Tour event. Safina’s loss came one day after No. 3 seed Venus Williams was upset by Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko. Safina opened […]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — John Smoltz agreed to a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, giving the 42-year-old former ace a chance to rejuvenate his career in the middle of a pennant race. Smoltz joined the NL Central leaders shortly after he cleared waivers, following his release by Boston. He was 2-5 with […]

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — The salt and pepper in Brett Favre’s hair is long gone, with only a few flecks of brown remaining in the silver atop his 39-year-old head. He has a torn rotator cuff in that famously bionic arm and it’s been 12 years since he won the last of his three […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady could get another chance to take a hit on his surgically repaired left knee. Carson Palmer may not even throw a pass with his rehabilitated right elbow. Brady heads into the New England Patriots’ exhibition game with the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night after throwing two touchdown passes in […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Original team owner Billy Sullivan and former American Football League MVP Jim Nance will be posthumously inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. The ceremony is scheduled for Thursday before the team’s preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Gillette Stadium. Sullivan was awarded the AFL’s eighth franchise in […]