Bears' Johnson enters guilty plea

NFL
Chicago Bears defensive tackle Terry "Tank" Johnson pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge yesterday in Waukegan, Ill., as part of an arrangement with prosecutors that will keep him from serving additional time in jail. The 25-year-old Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm without an owner's identification, said Mary Stanton, chief of the Lake County Court's misdemeanor division. He was ordered to serve 45 days in jail, which will be served concurrently with a four-month sentence he's already serving in the Cook County Jail for violating his probation . . . Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones has filed his appeal of a season-long suspension, and a hearing with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell likely will be held within two weeks . . . The Philadelphia Eagles cut seven-year veteran Dhani Jones, thinning a linebacking corps made crowded by offseason additions, including Takeo Spikes . . . Rod Coleman underwent surgery to repair a ruptured right quadriceps that could keep the Atlanta Falcons' standout defensive tackle sidelined into September . . . Former NFL linebacker Kevin Mitchell died in his sleep at the age of 36. Mitchell died overnight Sunday at his home in Ashburn, Va., near the Redskins' training facility, according to the team. An autopsy was performed yesterday. The cause of death was not immediately announced. Mitchell was drafted in the second round out of Syracuse in 1994 by the 49ers. He played for the Redskins from 2000-04 . . . Former Green Bay Packers linebacker Bill Forester died Friday after a long illness at 74. Forester spent his entire 11-year NFL career (1953-63) with the Packers.

Undrafted Northeastern tight end Kendrick Ballantyne signed a one-year deal with the Ravens. "They have three tight ends on their roster, and I felt I had the best chance of making the team there," said the 6-foot-4-inch, 245-pound Ballantyne, who hauled in 39 catches for 655 yards, including seven touchdowns, last fall, earning All-Atlantic 10 second-team honors. A number of other New England players agreed to deals, including Harvard tight end Matt Farbotko (Colts) and defensive tackle Michael Berg (Giants); UMass tailback Steve Baylark (Cardinals), wide receiver Brandon London (Giants), and offensive guard David Thompson (Rams); UConn running back Terry Caulley (Redskins), defensive tackle Ray Blagman (Cardinals), and tight end Dan Murray (Jaguars); and UNH wide receiver David Ball (Bears). Maine linebacker Matt King of Stoughton and defensive tackle Mike DeVito of Wellfleet agreed to terms with the Jets. UMass free safety James Ihedigbo has received an invite to the Bengals' rookie camp this week.

CRAIG LARSON

Baseball

The former New York Mets clubhouse worker who admitted selling performance-enhancing drugs to major league players testified last week before a federal grand jury investigating steroids, court records made available yesterday showed. Federal prosecutors charged Kirk Radomski April 12 but asked a federal judge to seal the case until Radomski testified before the same grand jury investigating San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds for perjury. The court records were unsealed after Radomski, 37, pleaded guilty last Friday to felony charges of distributing steroids and laundering money . . . Toronto minor league pitcher Matt Roney was suspended 50 games after testing positive for a drug of abuse, and Detroit minor league righthander Sendy Vazquez was penalized 50 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance . . . The Mets placed pitcher Orlando Hernandez (bursitis in his right shoulder) and second baseman Jose Valentin (torn knee ligament) on the 15-day disabled list . . . The Blue Jays placed lefthander Gustavo Chacin on the 15-day DL with a strained pitching elbow . . . Braves closer Bob Wickman went on the 15-day DL with an upper back strain, one day after the veteran blew a save for the second straight time.

Hockey

Nicklas Backstrom scored 29 seconds after the opening faceoff and Sweden went on to an 8-2 win over Latvia and claim a place in the qualifying round of the hockey world championships in Moscow. In Mytischi, Shane Doan converted on a power play early in the third to complete Canada's rally and help it survive a second scare in as many games, beating Norway, 4-2, in Group C.

Miscellany

China Team upset Louis Vuitton Cup leader BMW Oracle Racing for its first win in America's Cup challengers series racing on the coast of Valencia, Spain, winning by 3 minutes 5 seconds. The Americans' second loss of round-robin match racing means they are tied with Italian syndicate Luna Rossa at the top of the standings with 23 points . . . Suzy Merchant was hired as the women's basketball coach at Michigan State after coaching Eastern Michigan the past nine seasons. She replaces Joanne P. McCallie, who was hired at Duke April 18 . . . Defending champion Olivier Rochus lost, 6-2, 6-4, to eighth-seeded Jurgen Melzer in the first round of the BMW Open tennis tournament in Munich . . . Wayne Ferreira will replace Jimmy Arias at the Champions Cup Boston beginning tomorrow at Agganis Arena. Arias is sidelined with a foot injury . . . Italian cyclist Ivan Basso quit the Discovery Channel team after Italian authorities reopened an investigation into his role in a Spanish doping scandal . . . Roberto Brown and Herculez Gomez scored as Colorado defeated host Real Salt Lake, 2-0, in MLS action . . . There will be a $1 million bonus at the Kentucky Derby if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths -- the margin of Barbaro's victory last year.