AP - Clayton Kershaw worked seven dominant innings and Manny Ramirez homered for the fourth time in six games with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who averted a three-game sweep by beating the St. Louis Cardinals and 13-game winner Kyle Lohse 4-1 on Thursday.

AP - Tiger Woods isn't even playing in the PGA Championship, yet still provided some much-needed inspiration for co-leader Robert Karlsson.

AP - Chad Pennington quickly became the odd man out once Brett Favre joined the New York Jets. Pennington was released Thursday, ending the quarterback's eight-year, injury-plagued career with the Jets. He was expected to find a new home soon: Minnesota and Miami were mentioned as possible destinations.

AP - Stepping down from the dais after a news conference where he didn't shed a single tear, Brett Favre squeezed the green No. 4 jersey in his hands. Before the door to New York's locker room was shut, the Jets' new quarterback was asked one final question. "Brett, is this a one-year commitment?" he was asked. "We'll see," Favre said. Goodbye, Green Bay. Hello, Gotham.

AFP - Lionel Messi rewarded Argentina for fighting for his right to play in the Olympics when he orchestrated a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast on the opening day of the Beijing men's football Thursday.

AP - Carlos Pena called it a sign that Tampa Bay is destined for big things this season. Joe Maddon said it was the most exciting win since he's been with the Rays.

AP - President Bush's Olympic odyssey started with a game of political one-upmanship Thursday, as his blunt critique of the host country prompted China to warn the U.S. president to stop meddling in its business.

AP - The wall of gray haze around the National Stadium and across the city cut visibility down to a mile. On the eve of opening ceremonies, Beijing's polluted air took center stage Thursday as the most visibly pressing problem for Olympic organizers who had promised to clean up the Chinese capital.

AP - Morgan Hamm's eyes were red, his voice shaky.

AP - Brett Favre's journey from retirement and back has ended in New York. The Green Bay Packers traded their three-time MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback to the Jets on Wednesday, ending an emotionally grinding month of indecision over Favre's future.

AFP - Two Spanish seeds had their Los Angeles Classic tournament debuts cut short as they were sent crashing out of the ATP event in the second round on Wednesday.

AFP - IOC president Jacques Rogge united with FIFA supremo Sepp Blatter on Thursday and called on football clubs to let their players compete in the Olympic Games.