Titans' Fowler denies steroid use

Tennessee Titans linebacker Ryan Fowler denied yesterday he had taken performance-enhancing drugs, less than two weeks after his lawyer said Fowler received a letter from the NFL saying he was under investigation and faced a possible suspension. Asked if he could definitively say he had never done steroids, Fowler replied, "I can tell you that." He continued, "I'm really not thinking of that [suspension] as a possibility. I think it will all get cleared up before then. My reputation my whole life has been as a good guy." Fowler was linked to convicted steroids dealer David Jacobs, who told The Dallas Morning News before his death last month that he supplied Fowler with performance-enhancing drugs before and after the 2006 season.

The Raiders expect new receiver Javon Walker to be ready for training camp when he recovers from injuries incurred during a robbery in Las Vegas last weekend. Raiders coach Lane Kiffin finally spoke to Walker by phone, more than two days after Walker was discovered unconscious and beaten. Walker was released from a hospital after treatment for a concussion and facial injuries. "The info that I have is he's going to be fine," Kiffin said . . . Arizona running back J.J. Arrington, 25, was among five people arrested after a fight at a nightclub in Rocky Mount, N.C., and charged with disorderly conduct.

Adding depth to their injury-riddled pitching staff, the New York Yankees re-signed troubled righthander Sidney Ponson to a minor league contract. Ponson was released Monday by the pitching-starved Texas Rangers for being a disruption to the team. He did well on the mound, however, going 4-1 with a 3.88 ERA . . . Willie Randolph didn't think general manager Omar Minaya would fire him. "I thought he was talking about whacking a couple of my coaches," the ex-manager said. "That's why I was stunned." Minaya fired Randolph, pitching coach Rick Peterson, and first base coach Tom Nieto Monday night, announcing it in an e-mail at 3:14 a.m. Tuesday. "Not the way I would have handled it," Randolph said . . . . . . Sean Ratliff homered and Cord Phelps tripled in Stanford's four-run fifth inning, and the Cardinal ousted top-seeded Miami from the College World Series with an 8-3 victory in Omaha, Neb.

Concerns are growing among San Antonio Spurs officials over Manu Ginobili's plans to play for Argentina in the Olympics. Ginobili is nursing a badly sprained ankle and told Argentine media that doctors have told him the injury was worse than he thought. He said he must immobilize the ankle for 3-4 weeks, but that he still hopes to play for Argentina. Coach Gregg Popovich said he hopes his sixth man gives serious consideration to sitting out the Beijing Games in August . . . The Dallas Mavericks' Jason Kidd said he's looking forward to playing for the United States in Beijing. Olympic coach Mike Krzyzewski said the roster will be announced Monday, but Kidd said USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo has telephoned those who'll be participating. "I'm not supposed to say anything, but . . . I'm looking forward to participating this summer," Kidd said in Lake Tahoe . . . Stacy Johnson-Klein, the former women's coach who sued Fresno State in a sex discrimination claim, reached a $9 million settlement deal . . . In WNBA action, former UConn star Diana Taurasi went off for 32 points as the host Phoenix Mercury blocked out the Connecticut Sun, 102-81; Katie Douglas had 16 points as the host Indiana Fever beat New York, 83-69; Becky Hammon had 25 points and nine assists as the visiting San Antonio Silver Stars beat the winless Atlanta Dream, 81-66; in Houston, Alana Beard scored 23 points and the Washington Mystics rallied for a 67-63 victory over the Comets; and Lisa Leslie had 21 points to lead the host Los Angeles Sparks over the Chicago Sky, 80-67.

Five-time champion Roger Federer and new top-ranked Ana Ivanovic were installed as the No. 1-seeded players for Wimbledon, which starts Monday. After Federer, who is going for his sixth straight Wimbledon title and 13th Grand Slam championship, are Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko, and David Ferrer. Ivanovic, who won the French Open, is followed by Jelena Jankovic, Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznetsova (who was upset, 6-2, 6-2, by Caroline Wozniacki in the Eastbourne International Women's Open yesterday), Elena Dementieva, Serena Williams, and Venus Williams.

Rick Dutrow, Big Brown's trainer, appears to be a late scratch for today's House of Representatives hearing on the safety of thoroughbred racing. Dutrow said he has had a virus and didn't feel well enough to travel . . . In European Championship soccer, Spain finished the first round with a perfect record thanks to a 2-1 victory over Greece in Salzburg, Austria. In Innsbruck, Austria, Russia beat Sweden, 2-0 . . . Real Salt Lake remained unbeaten at home, but failed to take advantage of a shorthanded San Jose Earthquakes squad as they played to a scoreless tie in MLS action . . . Brazil and Argentina tied, 0-0, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in a 2010 World Cup qualifier.