NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The New Orleans Saints have opened the NFL
regular season with a 14-9 win over Minnesota as Drew Brees (breez)
passed for 237 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings led 9-7 until
Pierre Thomas scored on a one-yard run midway through the third
quarter. Brett Favre (fahrv) threw an interception and finished
with 171 passing yards, just 44 yards in the second half.
BOSTON (AP) - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
accepted a four-year contract extension Thursday, hours after he
was involved in a two-car accident. Two people with knowledge of
the deal says Brady would get a guaranteed $48.5 million and could
receive $72 million through the length of the new package, making
him the highest paid player in the NFL. Brady was unhurt in his
morning collision and was able to practice later on Thursday.
NEW YORK (AP) - It will be top seed Rafael Nadal (nah-DAHL')
against No. 12 Mikhail Youzhny (YOOZ'-nee) in the U.S. Open men's
semifinals tomorrow at the National Tennis Center. Nadal was a 7-5,
6-3, 6-4 winner over No. 8 Fernando Verdasco last night after
Youzhny outlasted Stanislas Wawrinka (wah-RINK'-uh) 3-6, 7-6 (7),
3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Second seed Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic
(JOH'-koh-vihch) will square off in the other men's semifinal.
UNDATED (AP) - Just one game separates the first-place San Diego
Padres from the San Francisco Giants in the National League West.
Homers by Aubrey Huff, Juan Uribe (yoo-REE'-bay), Buster Posey and
Pat Burrell (BUR'-ul) led the Giants to a 7-3 win against San
Diego. Atlanta lost to St. Louis 11-4, leaving the Braves one game
behind East-leading Philadelphia and pushing the Cardinals within
five games of the Central-leading Cincinnati Reds.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The NCAA says the University of Dayton will
host all four first-round games of the newly expanded men's
basketball tournament next March. Two games will match the
tournament's lowest seeds, with the winners advancing as No. 16
seeds to play a top seed. The other two games will match the last
four at-large qualifiers.
