*Olympic sprinter Justin Gatlin has been banned from his sport of track and field for eight years following an agreement in which he accepts his positive tests for testosterone or other steroids but retains his right to appeal to an arbitration panel. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency handed down the ban Tuesday, a move that puts his 2008 Olympic hopes in jeopardy. Even if his suspension were reduced to two years — a possibility if arbitrators agree with his arguments — it wouldn't be in time for the 2008 Olympic Trials.
*James Blake was bounced from the Pilot Pen Tennis Family Classic on the campus of Connecticut’s Yale University Tuesday night by unseeded Spaniard Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo -6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4). Blake, the tournament’s defending champ who grew up in nearby Fairfield, blew five match points during the match, including two in the first tiebreaker. "It just slipped away and he was playing pretty good tennis," Blake said. "It's kind of inexcusable to have three or four match points on my serve and not convert.” Ranked fifth in the world, Blake will next play in the U.S. Open, which begins next week in New York.
*Known for his spectacular catches as a former NFL wide receiver, Jerry Rice is now pitching an idea for a reality show that would follow his efforts to motivate people and change communities. According to The Associated Press, the player has approached several networks with his idea, titled “The Underdog.” Rice credits the ABC reality show “Dancing with the Stars” with helping him boost his post-NFL profile. As previously reported, Rice is scheduled to retire from the NFL after signing a one-day contract today with San Francisco. This will allow him to retire as a 49er, the team with which he spent most of his 20 years in professional football. "If I had it my way, I'd love to sign a contract for one day and get out on the field," said Rice, who currently volunteers with son Jerry Jr.'s high school football team in Atherton, Calif..
*New Dallas Cowboy receiver Terrell Owens reaggravated his left hamstring injury when he returned to practice last week and is likely to miss his third straight preseason game. "It's frustrating, but it's not where I need it to be to play and perform like I need to," Owens told the Associated Press Wednesday. "So at this point, I'm going to be smart about it." After missing 14 consecutive training camp practices, Owens returned for five practices last week. He missed the final full workout in Oxnard, Calif., last weekend and didn't play Monday night against New Orleans. Owens returned to practice last Wednesday after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones suggested that the receiver needed to learn how to practice at less than 100 percent. His first practice back came only hours after coach Bill Parcells reiterated that Owens needed to be on the field.
*Former NBA player Lonny Baxter was handed a two-month jail sentence by a Washington D.C. judge Wednesday after pleading guilty to gun charges. He was arrested last week after reports of gunshots were fired from an SUV he was driving near the White House. The jail time was imposed because Baxter had a previous gun charge.