Flyers ship star Forsberg to Nashville

The Philadelphia Flyers finally traded Peter Forsberg, sending the star center to the Central Division-leading Nashville Predators last night for Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent, and two draft picks. Forsberg, slowed this season by his chronically troubled right foot, can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and the Flyers decided to get some value for the former NHL MVP rather than risk losing him for nothing. He has 11 goals and 29 assists in 40 games this season, his second with Philadelphia after 10 years with Quebec and Colorado. Since Forsberg, 33, returned from an All-Star break trip to visit a foot specialist in Sweden, he has three goals and nine assists in nine games . . . Phoenix Coyotes forward Patrick Fischer will be out of the lineup 6-8 weeks following abdominal surgery. Fischer has been in and out of the lineup since December with a groin injury.

BALCO INVESTIGATION

A Colorado lawyer pleaded guilty in San Francisco to obstructing justice by leaking secret grand jury documents to two reporters covering the government's probe of steroids in sports. Troy Ellerman could be sent to prison for up to two years and fined up to $250,000 for the convictions. His sentencing is scheduled for June 14. He entered the plea the day after federal prosecutors announced he struck a deal that would prevent San Francisco Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams from going to jail for refusing to divulge their source. Prosecutor Douglas Miller said the plea concludes the government's investigation of the leaks and the subpoenas of the reporters will be withdrawn. In court papers, Ellerman, 44, said he allowed Williams and Fainaru-Wada to view the grand jury testimony of baseball stars Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, and sprinter Tim Montgomery. Ellerman briefly represented Victor Conte, the founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative, the supplements lab that allegedly provided performance-enhancing drugs to the elite athletes. He later represented BALCO vice president James Valente and that's when he obtained transcripts. "I find the fact that Troy Ellerman has admitted to leaking the BALCO grand jury transcripts to be outrageous," Conte said in an e-mail to the Associated Press.

NFL

Defensive end Justin Smith, who has led Cincinnati's line in tackles in each of the last five seasons, was designated as the Bengals' franchise player. The franchise tag means the Bengals can keep Smith by matching any offer sheet he signed with another team. If they choose not to match, the Bengals would get the other team's first-round picks in 2007 and 2008 as compensation. Smith is guaranteed $8,644,000, the average salary of the top five defensive ends next season . . . While Jerry Jones expects Terrell Owens to still be with the Cowboys next season, the team owner stopped short of guaranteeing it. Asked if he was happy Owens called new coach Wade Phillips, Jones said, "I am, of course I am. We've got some decisions to make, but still, I'm enthusiastic about it." . . . Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan and San Francisco offensive coordinator Norv Turner interviewed for the Chargers head coaching job . . . Former players Bernard Parrish and Herb Adderley filed a lawsuit accusing the league's union of inadequately representing them and 3,500 retired players in licensing deals and allege the players association may owe millions of dollars in licensing fees. Gene Upshaw, the union's executive director, called the lawsuit "baseless." . . . A second son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid was charged with drug violations, just days after the coach took a leave of absence to deal with family matters. Garrett Reid, 23, was charged with 14 misdemeanor offenses stemming from a high-speed traffic accident Jan. 30.

MISCELLANY

Texas Tech men's basketball coach Bob Knight was reprimanded by the Big 12 Conference for comments about officiating in a double-overtime loss at Oklahoma State. After last Saturday's 93-91 defeat, Knight said a call on a charge was "horrendous" and "maybe as bad a call as I've ever seen." . . . D.C. United signed Troy Perkins to a four-year contract extension, rewarding him for a breakout season in which he was selected as the MLS goalkeeper of the year. Perkins will earn approximately $90,000 this season, about triple his $29,400 salary for 2006 . . . Ivo Karlovic, ranked No. 103, upset second-seeded James Blake, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, at the SAP Open in San Jose, Calif. . . . World No. 1 Maria Sharapova (hamstring) and Australian Open champion Serena Williams (flu) have withdrawn from next week's Dubai Open.