AP - John Gibbons was fired Friday by the last-place Toronto Blue Jays and replaced by Cito Gaston, who led the team to World Series titles in 1992 and 1993.
AP - Jack Nicklaus always thought the U.S. Open was the hardest and most complete test in golf. That's what made Tiger Woods' victory even more impressive to the man whose major record Woods is trying to beat.
AFP - The 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli moved closer to another shot at success on grass as she reached the semi-final of the Eastbourne Championships here on Thursday.
AP - Jay Feaster has the easy job — "idiot-proof" is how the Tampa Bay Lightning general manager puts it — and is all but absolutely certain he will select forward Steven Stamkos with the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft on Friday night.
AFP - Germany marched into the last four of Euro 2008 after Portugal pressed the self-destruct button in a five-goal thriller of a quarter-final here on Thursday.
AP - Joba Chamberlain struck out a career-high nine, Alex Rodriguez delivered another key hit and the New York Yankees beat the San Diego Padres 2-1 Thursday for their seventh straight victory.
AP - Through a haze of his own cigar smoke, Paul Pierce peered through sleepless eyes at the sea of green-clad fans and thrust his golden MVP trophy skyward.
AP - The Chicago Bears signed defensive tackle Tommie Harris to a four-year contract extension on Thursday that runs through the 2012 season. -- read full article
AP - New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw is serving a 30-day jail sentence on a probation violation in southwest Virginia, his legal counsel said Thursday. -- read full article
AP - Doctors who treat the kinds of knee and leg injuries that ended Tiger Woods' victorious season have one word for his U.S. Open victory — remarkable.
AP - Carl Crawford's second career grand slam was the big blow in a seven-run, seventh-inning rally that carried the Tampa Bay Rays to an 8-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs and a three-game sweep of the team with baseball's best record Thursday night.
