Steelers' Polamalu gets lucrative deal

NFL
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu signed a four-year contract extension yesterday worth $30.19 million that makes him the highest-paid player in team history and one of the NFL's top-paid defensive backs. The deal guarantees the Steelers will keep their most versatile defensive player through the 2011 season, when he will be 30. Polamalu was a first-team All-Pro when Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl during the 2005 season and was a second-team All-Pro in 2004 . . . Browns center LeCharles Bentley was cleared by his surgeon to return to the playing field, another major step in his comeback from a career-threatening knee injury. Bentley had a physical with Dr. Russell Warren, the New York Giants team physician who performed two operations on the two-time Pro Bowler, whose injury was complicated by a staph infection. Bentley's first season with the Browns ended on the first play of contact in training camp last summer when he tore the patellar tendon in his left knee . . . The New York Jets placed veteran wide receiver Tim Dwight and linebacker Matt Chatham on the physically-unable-to-perform list . . . Falcons cornerback Jimmy Williams is facing a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge after he was arrested in Richmond June 2 . . . The Chargers signed first-round draft pick Craig Davis, a wide receiver from LSU, to a five-year contract . . . The Dolphins signed quarterback John Beck of BYU, their second-round draft pick . . . The Bills claimed free agent receiver Jonathan Smith, who was released by the Patriots Thursday.

NHL

Chris Simon got a second chance from the New York Islanders. The rugged forward, still serving a record 25-game suspension for a two-handed, stick-swinging attack against the Rangers' Ryan Hollweg last season, re-signed with the Islanders. Simon agreed to a one-year deal worth $475,000, but will be forced to sit out the first five games of the season for the hit. Simon missed the final 15 regular-season games in the Islanders' late push to the playoffs and the entire five-game loss to Buffalo in the first-round postseason series . . . Jim Schoenfeld was promoted by the New York Rangers to assistant general manager, replacing Don Maloney, who became GM of the Phoenix Coyotes last month . . . The Philadelphia Flyers signed goaltender Brian Boucher to a deal with the Phantoms of the AHL.

NBA

Lawrence Frank signed a multiyear contract extension with the New Jersey Nets, who have advanced to the playoffs each of the four seasons he has coached the team. Terms were undisclosed. Frank, the league's youngest coach at age 36, has held the job since midway through the 2003-04 season. His record of 157-129 (.549) makes him the franchise's winningest coach . . . The Detroit Pistons signed forward Antonio McDyess to a two-year contract extension. The 32-year-old averaged 8.1 points per game last season . . . Swingman Desmond Mason is back with the Milwaukee Bucks, signing a two-year deal. Mason, who reacted angrily when the Bucks traded him to New Orleans in 2005, said he had put his differences with Bucks GM Larry Harris behind him . . . Guard Morris Peterson signed with the Hornets after playing his first seven seasons with Toronto.

Tennis

Lester Cook defeated Nikita Kryvonos, 5-2, in men's singles, and also helped Delaware to a 5-4 victory in men's doubles as the Smash defeated the visiting Boston Lobsters, 23-14, in World TeamTennis action . . . Michael Berrer rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory over seventh-seeded Robby Ginepri in the first round of the Indianapolis Tennis Championships . . . A drizzly afternoon didn't deter the family pairings in the US Father and Son Doubles Championships that began a three-day run at Longwood Cricket Club. Defending champs Jerry and Brett Morse-Karzen of Wilmette, Ill., opened with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Arizonans Tom and Robbie Breece. Former touring pro Buddy Schultz and 16-year-old Christo of Sudbury, seeded third, knocked out Georgians Scott and Tom Foster, 6-2, 7-5.

Bud Collins

Miscellany

Sara Slattery set a Pan American Games record of 32 minutes 54.41 seconds in the women's 10,000 meters for the first US track and field medal in Rio de Janiero. Ed Moran took the men's 5,000 in a Pan Ams mark of 13:25.60, as the US ended the day with 147 medals (60-58-29). In women's soccer, Lauren Cheney scored both goals as the US Under-20 team beat a more experienced Canadian squad, 2-1, in the semifinals. And the US women's basketball team secured a spot in the gold medal game with a 75-59 victory over Canada . . . Montana lineman J.D. Quinn, who transferred from Oklahoma after being kicked off the team there, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in Missoula . . . Brandon Moss's run-scoring single in the bottom of the 10th gave the Pawtucket Red Sox a 3-2 victory over Louisville at McCoy Stadium . . . Ryan Patterson snapped a 3-3 tie with a two-run double in the fourth inning, lifting the New Hampshire Fisher Cats to a 5-3 victory over the Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field . . . NASCAR driver Carl Edwards was released early yesterday from an Omaha hospital after suffering a minor injury Sunday night in a dirt track race in nearby Greenwood, Neb. Edwards's brother, Kenny Edwards, told the Omaha World-Herald it could be a dislocated thumb . . . 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi and four-time Boston Marathon winner Catherine Ndereba of Kenya will run in the 35th Cigna Falmouth Road Race Aug. 12.