DENVER (AP) — Joe Sakic, the Colorado Avalanche’s longtime captain who led the team to two Stanley Cup titles, is retiring after a 20-year NHL career, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because Sakic, a 13-time All-Star, is expected to formally […]

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s national team will play on home soil on Friday for the first time since 2002 as the security situation in the country appears to be improving after years of chaos. Tareq Ahmed, a senior official in the Iraqi Football Federation, said Tuesday that Iraq will play two friendly matches against Palestine […]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s state medical examiner said Tuesday that investigators have been hesitant to conclude that Steve McNair’s girlfriend killed the NFL star and herself because she didn’t appear to have a motive, but that murder-suicide is the most likely scenario. After the couple was discovered shot to death on Saturday, police were […]

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina has reported 14 NCAA secondary violations from the past six months, including one for an improper text message to a recruit and another for “impermissible snacks.” Five of the violations were from the first-year program of men’s basketball coach Darrin Horn. The school’s athletic department released details of the […]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Todd Marchant is staying with the Anaheim Ducks. The unrestricted free agent center signed a two-year deal Tuesday that goes through the 2010-11 season. Marchant, who turns 36 in August, had five goals and 13 assists in 72 games last season, his fourth with Anaheim. He had one goal and one […]

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (AP) — Anna Kournikova is still the center of attention on center court. Or, at least, on a makeshift one in a mall parking lot. A tennis sensation from the time she was a teen, Kournikova spent more hours posing for photographs than she ever did raising tournament singles trophies. Her […]

NEW YORK (AP) — A baseball fan has settled a lawsuit that claimed he was kicked out of Yankee Stadium by a police officer because he left his seat to use the bathroom during the playing of “God Bless America.” Bradford Campeau-Laurion had named the Yankees and New York City in his federal lawsuit, which […]

LONDON (AP) — The four candidates for the 2016 Olympics took their campaign to Africa on Tuesday, with President Barack Obama renewing his support for Chicago’s bid in a video message less than three months before the vote. Representatives from Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo made key presentations to the general assembly of […]

TORONTO (AP) — Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi says he’s willing to listen to offers for ace Roy Halladay. “I don’t think anything has changed, I just think, ‘You know what, why not listen? The worst we can say is no,’” Ricciardi told The Canadian Press on Tuesday. “If someone wants Roy and they’re […]

CORNELIUS, N.C. (AP) — With four wins over 25 seasons, Michael Waltrip isn’t foolish enough to believe his driving record will ever earn him a spot in NASCAR’s Hall of Fame. As a team owner, though, Waltrip has plenty of time to build a distinguished career. He took a huge step toward upgrading Michael Waltrip […]