AP - A-Rod and the Material Girl? That's a lot of hits. Reports that Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez and Madonna have become close just as their marriages are disintegrating have both the celebrity gossip industry and the sporting world — each a chatty bunch — buzzing with questions about the two "friends."
AP - Gilbert Arenas has agreed to re-sign with the Washington Wizards for $111 million over six years, essentially taking millions less so that his team could have more financial flexibility, two newspapers reported Thursday.
AFP - Serena Williams will face big sister Venus for the third time in a Wimbledon final after ending wildcard Zheng Jie's hopes of becoming the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam final on Thursday.
AFP - Raymond Domenech has survived the sack with the French Football Federation announcing Thursday that he had kept his job as manager despite France's poor showing at Euro 2008.
AP - Brian McNamee asked a federal court late Wednesday to dismiss Roger Clemens' defamation lawsuit or move the case to New York. -- read full article
AP - The Pittsburgh Penguins signed goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to a seven-year, $35 million dollar contract, the third long-term deal inked with one of their younger players in two days. -- read full article
AP - Baseball's drug-testing program was threatened when federal prosecutors seized player records and samples four years ago, baseball commissioner Bud Selig said in a letter to Congress released Thursday.
AP - Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez and his wife have split less than three months after the birth of the couple's second daughter, according to a report in the New York Daily News.
AP - Venus and Serena Williams won in straight sets Thursday to set up their third all-sister Wimbledon final and seventh Grand Slam championship matchup.
AP - Steve Stricker burned a lot of fuel on his way back to the top, a journey so amazing that he became the first player in PGA Tour history to repeat as comeback player of the year.
AFP - Chinese history-maker Zheng Jie and brittle blonde Elena Dementieva will attempt to derail the Williams sisters' Wimbledon express in the semi-finals on Thursday.
AP - Evgeni Malkin is staying in Pittsburgh for quite some time. The Penguins signed the MVP finalist to a five-year extension worth $43.5 million on Wednesday, a deal that will keep him under contract until 2013-14. The 21-year-old forward still has one year left on his initial three-year, entry level contract.
AFP - Brazilian striker Jo joined Manchester City from CSKA Moscow on Wednesday for what the English Premier League side said was a "club record" undisclosed fee.
