PITTSBURGH (AP) - Hines Ward will leave the Pittsburgh Steelers after accumulating 1,000 receptions for 12,083 yards and 85 receiving touchdowns in 14 seasons with the team. Steelers president Art Rooney II said on the team's website that Ward would be released sometime in the next two weeks. Ward helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls and three AFC championships while earning four Pro Bowl selections.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Sports Illustrated is reporting on its website that players and staff members from the past four UCLA basketball teams indicate that coach Ben Howland has lost control of the Bruins' program. The report says SI spoke with more than a dozen players and staff members from those teams over the last two months and they outline a program where teammates have come to blows. It also says several players routinely used alcohol and drugs and one player intentionally injured teammates but received no punishment.
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) - Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard missed workouts again yesterday after a procedure Monday to remove an infection around his surgically repaired Achilles tendon. Howard had the original surgery in October and took part in workouts when camp opened. But he stopped after batting practice Saturday and left the team Monday to see the doctor who performed the original operation.
GENOA, Italy (AP) - The U.S. men's soccer team has picked up a rare victory over a pesky soccer rival by beating Italy 1-0 in a friendly at Genoa. Clint Dempsey's goal in the 55th minute gave the Americans their first win ever over the Italians. The U.S. had been outscored 32-4 while going 0-7-3 in their previous 10 games versus Italy.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - NASCAR has suspended crew chief Chad Knaus (kuh-NOWS') for six races and fined him $100,000 because Jimmie Johnson's car failed an inspection before the season-opening Daytona 500. Johnson was docked 25 points and after his 42nd-place finish in the season opener and heads to Phoenix for this weekend's race with negative 23 points. Hendrick Motorsports says it plans to appeal the penalty, along with a six-race suspension handed to car chief Ron Malec
