Packers charge Vikings with tampering

The Green Bay Packers have filed tampering charges against the Minnesota Vikings over what team officials believe is inappropriate contact with Brett Favre, a person familiar with the complaint told the Associated Press last night. The person, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, said Packers officials believe a league examination of telephone records will indicate more than "normal contact" between Favre and Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a former Green Bay assistant. Earlier yesterday, Favre's agent, Bus Cook, told ESPN that he and Favre have "no definite plans to ask for reinstatement" and it was up to the Packers to decide what to do next. Favre currently is on the Packers' reserve/retired list. He must write to the NFL asking for reinstatement. Once that is approved the Packers would have to release Favre or place him on their active roster . . . The Baltimore Ravens have agreed in principle to a five-year deal with first-round draft pick Joe Flacco on a contract with a maximum value of $30 million that includes $8.75 million in guaranteed money for the quarterback.

Convicted steroid dealer Kirk Radomski looked under his television last weekend and found overnight mail slips from packages he claims were used to send human growth hormone to Roger Clemens's house, said Richard Emery, the lawyer for Brian McNamee. Clemens sued McNamee, his former trainer, for defamation this year after McNamee claimed the seven-time Cy Young Award winner used steroids and human growth hormone. ESPN.com said Radomski found them under his television, which he moved after it broke . . . The Los Angeles Dodgers will be without Takashi Saito for at least six weeks after the closer was diagnosed with a sprained ligament in his pitching elbow. Saito, 3-3 with 17 saves in 20 chances, will be replaced by setup man Jonathan Broxton . . . Yankees left fielder Johnny Damon could hit off a tee tomorrow and hopes to rejoin the team by late next week. Damon is on the 15-day disabled list with an injured left shoulder . . . Detroit Tigers right fielder Magglio Ordonez is scheduled to be activated from the disabled list prior to tonight's game at Baltimore. Ordonez has been out since June 29 with a pulled oblique . . . Florida Marlins pitcher Sergio Mitre, out since spring training with a forearm strain, had Tommy John surgery and will miss the rest of the season and most of next year . . . The Pawtucket Red Sox' Chris Carter hit a two-run homer and Joe Thurston added three hits, but the Pacific Coast League edged the International League, 6-5, in the Triple A All-Star Game in Louisville, Ky.

Terry Murray will be introduced today as coach of the Los Angeles Kings, the team said. Murray, who coached the Philadelphia Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals 11 years ago, has been an assistant with the Flyers since the 2003-04 season. He will succeed Marc Crawford, who was fired June 10 after two seasons . . . The defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks are taking hockey back outdoors when they meet New Year's Day 2009 at Wrigley Field, the home park of the Chicago Cubs . . . Shawn Horcoff, who had 21 goals and 29 assists in 53 games last season, signed a six-year, $33 million contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers . . . The Atlanta Thrashers have agreed to terms with goaltender Kari Lehtonen, who was a restricted free agent. Terms were not announced . . . The New York Islanders announced that former UMass-Lowell center Ben Walter has accepted a qualifying offer to play under a one-year, two-way contract next season

Off her game and rattled by a 15-year-old opponent, top-seeded Serena Williams rallied from one set down to beat hard-hitting Michelle Larcher de Brito, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, in the second round of the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, Calif. Earlier, Ai Sugiyama ousted fourth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova, 6-3, 6-1 . . . Leading scorer Abby Wambach was carted off the field with an apparent left leg injury after a violent collision in the first half of the Americans' 1-0 win over Brazil in San Diego. There was no word after the match of the extent of her injury. Natasha Kai, who replaced Wambach at striker, scored the only goal on a header in the 84th minute . . . . . . Jack Swarbrick, a lawyer who helped draw numerous sporting events to Indianapolis, including the 2012 Super Bowl, was named athletic director at Notre Dame. He succeeds Kevin White, who left the school May 31 to become the athletic director at Duke . . . James Toney stopped Hasim Rahman in the third round in Temecula, Calif., after Rahman told the ringside doctor he could not continue because of a cut over his left eye. Rahman (45-7-3) was cut after colliding heads with Toney (70-6-3, 43 KOs), and referee Ray Corona ended the rematch of former heavyweight champions at Rahman's request . . . USA Boxing reinstated Luis Yanez more than two weeks after the light flyweight was kicked off the Beijing roster for missing several weeks of workouts . . . Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius fell short of the 400-meter qualifying time for the Beijing Olympics despite running a personal best in Lucerne, Switzerland. The South African finished third in 46.25 seconds, outside the Olympic qualifying standard of 45.55 . . . USA Gymnastics said that a warning Morgan Hamm received this month for getting a prescribed anti-inflammatory shot without proper clearance did not affect his qualification for the team.