Sports Log

RB Taylor visits with Bills, Patriots

February 25, 2009

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NFL

Free agent running back Fred Taylor visited the Buffalo Bills yesterday and said he was headed to New England late yesterday for a visit with the Patriots. The 33-year-old Taylor, who has spent his 11-year career with Jacksonville, said he hopes to play 2-3 more years and covets a Super Bowl ring. With LaMont Jordan a free agent, the Patriots have Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and Laurence Maroney as their top returning running backs, although with Morris's and Maroney's injuries the last two seasons, Taylor could be seen as an important cog. In other developments, the Patriots will name Vikings assistant coach Chad O'Shea as receivers coach. O'Shea, 36, spent the last three seasons as an offensive assistant.

MIKE REISS

NFLPA investigating top-spot candidate

The NFL Players Association has retained a lawyer to determine whether Troy Vincent, one of its leading candidates to become executive director, revealed confidential information about player agents. Vincent is one of three finalists to replace Gene Upshaw, who died in August. The other candidates are former NFLPA president and current agent Trace Armstrong and Washington-based lawyer DeMaurice Smith. The union's new leader will be selected by vote at the NFLPA's annual general meeting in Hawaii next month . . . The agent for Kurt Warner says he expected the quarterback and the Cardinals would have a contract agreement by now and hopes the team isn't using his client's desire to stay in Arizona against him. Agent Mark Bartelstein said Warner deserves a salary among the top "four or five" quarterbacks in the league, no matter where he plays . . . The Colts released Marvin Harrison, ending the star receiver's 13-year stay with the team. Colts owner Jim Irsay announced the move after meeting with Harrison in a final effort to re-sign the franchise's career receiving leader. Harrison had the highest salary-cap number of any NFL receiver at $13.4 million. . . . Three oft-injured veterans who hardly played last season were cut loose by the Chiefs: linebacker Donnie Edwards, quarterback Damon Huard, and cornerback Patrick Surtain.

COLLEGES

Governor: Calhoun rant 'embarrassing'

Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun's tirade at a freelance journalist asking about his $1.6 million salary was an "embarrassing display," Governor M. Jodi Rell said. Rell believes Calhoun regrets the outburst directed at Ken Krayeske, who questioned the veteran coach about his salary after a game Saturday. "I think if Coach Calhoun had the opportunity right now, he would welcome a do-over and not have that embarrassing display from last week," Rell said after meeting with local college officials and business leaders. Calhoun hasn't spoken with the media since the tirade . . . UConn sophomore Maya Moore has been named to the CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-America first team . . . In another sign of the trying economic times, Atlantic Coast Conference officials said tickets are available for the men's basketball tournament. Tickets will be made available to the general public for the first time since 1966. They go on sale starting next Monday for the March 12-15 tournament, which will be held at Atlanta's Georgia Dome . . . Bentley junior Colette Josey of Framingham, her minutes limited by knee rehab, had 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks in just 14 minutes in a 71-60 win at Assumption . . . George Washington is cutting its men's and women's diving teams effective immediately, in part due to belt-tightening during the economic downtown.

TENNIS

US to field familiar lineup at Davis Cup

The US Davis Cup team will go with its regular lineup for an opening-round match against Switzerland. Captain Patrick McEnroe said that Andy Roddick, James Blake, and the doubles team of twins Bob and Mike Bryan will compete March 6-8 in Birmingham. The foursome has been together for 11 of the past 12 Davis Cup matches . . . Davis Cup matches between Sweden and Israel will be played without spectators in Malmo next month. Swedish organizers cited security concerns for the closed-door policy because anti-Israeli demonstrations are expected . . . Lleyton Hewitt lost on his 28th birthday, falling to eighth-seeded Lu Yen-Hsun, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, in the first round of the Delray Beach (Fla.) International Championships . . . Flavia Pennetta began her title defense with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Mariya Koryttseva at the Mexican Open in Acapulco. Pennetta, the No. 2 seed, improved her record in the tournament to 25-4.

MISCELLANY

Boxing champion defects from Cuba

Former Olympic boxing champion Guillermo Rigondeaux has defected to the United States, 18 months after he was kicked off the Cuba team as punishment for a previous defection attempt. Farah Colina said her husband had no choice but to flee Cuba if he wanted to box again. Luis de Cubas, an agent for Arena Box Promotions in the United States, confirmed that Rigondeaux was in Miami and interested in fighting. The 28-year-old won bantamweight gold medals at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics . . . Kikkan Randall held off Finland's Pirjo Muranen in a photo finish to take silver in the sprint at the Nordic skiing world championships in Liberec, Czech Republic, becoming the first American woman to win a world or Olympic medal in cross-country skiing . . . Salt Lake City police said that thieves who ransacked the home of David Zabriskie stole thousands of dollars in bikes and Olympic memorabilia from the world-class cyclist.