Pro Football
SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Chargers must play their next four games without outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, who decided not to appeal his suspension for testing positive for steroids.
Merriman, who’s tied for the NFL lead with 8 1/2 sacks, and his attorney have blamed a tainted supplement for the player’s positive test for the steroid nandrolone.
The suspension won’t officially begin until after Merriman addresses his teammates on Wednesday. After that, he’ll be barred from the team’s headquarters until he’s eligible to return on Nov. 27.
Pro Basketball
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Red Auerbach was buried in a simple graveside ceremony, with Hall of Famers Bill Russell and John Thompson and commissioner David Stern among those paying last respects.
About 150 family, friends and special guests attended the private burial for the NBA great at the King David Memorial Gardens in suburban Washington.
Auerbach, who won nine NBA titles with the Celtics as a coach and seven more as a general manager, died after a heart attack near his Washington home Saturday at age 89.
LOS ANGELES – Kobe Bryant sat out the Los Angeles Lakers’ season opener against the Phoenix Suns because of soreness in his surgically repaired right knee.
Bryant underwent arthroscopic surgery in mid-July, and missed the Lakers’ eight exhibition games.
He said he wouldn’t travel for Wednesday night’s game at Golden State, either, but hoped to return either Friday or Sunday.
Before the game, the Lakers signed Brian Cook to a two-year contract extension.
MIAMI – Guard Kirk Hinrich and the Chicago Bulls agreed on a five-year contract extension believed to be worth about $47.5 million.
TORONTO – Guard T.J. Ford and the Raptors agreed on a contract extension.
Ford signed a three-year deal with an option for a fourth year. The extension could pay the guard as much as $33 million.
SEATTLE – The Sonics announced they have signed forward-center Nick Collison to a multiyear contract extension.
WASHINGTON – Wizards forward Darius Songaila will have back surgery for a herniated disc and be sidelined up to three months.
Pro Baseball
NEW YORK – Oakland’s Barry Zito, who could be the most sought-after pitcher in this year’s free-agent market, filed for free agency.
Greg Maddux, the four-time Cy Young Award winner traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers by the Chicago Cubs in July, also filed. Injured Dodgers closer Eric Gagne filed provisionally _ the team has a $12 million option with a $1 million buyout.
Also filing was Jeff Weaver, who won the fifth and final game of the World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals last Friday and Detroit first baseman Sean Casey, who hit .529 with two homers in the World Series.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was hospitalized for the second time in three years after becoming ill while watching his granddaughter perform in a play.
The 76-year-old Steinbrenner was taken by paramedics to UNC Hospitals on Sunday, The Daily Tar Heel reported. Steinbrenner was released Monday morning and returned to Tampa, Fla., spokesman Howard Rubenstein said.
Steinbrenner fainted at a memorial service for football great Otto Graham in Sarasota, Fla., on Dec. 27, 2003.
MIAMI – An agent for baseball players illegally smuggled Cuban players into the United States, eventually shipping them to California in hopes that they would be signed by major league teams, federal immigration officials said.
The agent, Gustavo “Gus” Dominguez, is charged with paying four aides to transport the athletes and other Cubans to the U.S. in two trips from the island nation. Dominguez, of California-based Total Sports International, has represented several Cuban baseball defectors, including Andy Morales, who was signed by the New York Yankees and later the Boston Red Sox after fleeing Cuba six years ago.
Also charged in the 53-count federal indictment were Geoffrey Rodrigues, Robert Yosvany Hernandez, Ramon Batista and Guillermo Valdez.
HOUSTON – Jeff Bagwell’s $18 million option was declined by the Houston Astros, who will give their career home run and RBIs leader a $7 million buyout to complete an $85 million, five-year contract.
MINNEAPOLIS – Pitcher Carlos Silva’s $4,325,000 option was exercised by the Minnesota Twins.
Pro Tennis
PARIS – Three-time champion Marat Safin rallied from a set down to beat Robin Soderling of Sweden 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the third round of the Paris Masters.
Fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia routed Christophe Rochus of Belgium 6-0, 6-0 in 36 minutes.
HASSELT, Belgium – Second-seeded Francesca Schiavone eliminated Meghann Shaughnessy, winning 6-2, 6-1 in less than 50 minutes at the Gaz de France Stars.
Third-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia beat Andrea Petkovic 6-3, 7-5. No. 4-seeded Anna-Lena Groenefeld and No. 5 Ai Sugiyama ended their seasons with first-round losses.
QUEBEC CITY – Ashley Harkleroad of the United States upset third-seeded Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the first round of the Bell Challenge.
Second-seeded Marion Bartoli of France also advanced, sweeping Galina Voskoboeva of Russia 6-1, 6-4. Seventh-seeded Jamea Jackson of the United States quit while trailing Anastassia Rodionova of Russia 6-2, 2-1.
College Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech dismissed leading scorer Jarrius Jackson from the basketball team because of academic reasons.
College Football
TAMPA, Fla. – Prosecutors dropped charges against a man accused of killing Vanderbilt football star Kwane Doster, the Tampa state attorney’s office said.
Rodney “Roscoe” Roman was charged with first-degree murder in Doster’s Dec. 26, 2004, shooting death.