Off the wire

LITTLE ROCK — FOOTBALL

NFL fines 12 more

The NFL fined 12 more players Friday, mostly for unnecessary roughness in games last weekend, sending another strong message that violent conduct wouldn’t be tolerated. Minnesota defensive end Ray Edwards was fined the most, $20,000, for spearing Dallas running back Marion Barber on Sunday. Edwards was cited as a repeat offender; he was previously fined Aug. 28 for roughing the passer and Sept. 26 for unnecessary roughness. Earlier this week, huge fines were given for flagrant fouls by Pittsburgh’s James Harrison ($75,000), Atlanta’s Dunta Robinson and New England’s Brandon Meriweather (both $50,000). The league also promised suspensions for players who make illegal hits on defenseless opponents. A video was sent to the 32 teams explaining what hits are considered legal and illegal. Included in the latestpenalties:

New Orleans cornerback Malcolm Jenkins was fined $10,000 for two hits, one to the head area of Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman and one out of bounds.

Tennessee defensive end William Hayes was fined $10,000 for a late hit, while teammate Dave Ball was given a $5,000 fine for roughing the passer with a hit to the head or neck area against Jacksonville.

Three Houston players were fined $5,000: guard Wade Smith for a leg whip, defensive end Adewale Ogunleye for a late hit on Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel and safety Bernard Pollard for hitting a Chiefs player out of bounds.

Philadelphia quarterback Kevin Kolb was fined $5,000 for a horsecollar tackle on Atlanta’s William Moore while Moore was returning an interception.

San Francisco safety Dashon Goldson was fined $5,000 for striking Oakland receiver Louis Murphy late.

Minnesota receiver Bernard Berrian was fined $5,000 for a late hit on Dallas defensive end Jason Hatcher.

Detroit guard Stephen Peterman was fined $7,500 for a late hit.

San Diego linebacker Antwan Barnes was fined $5,000 for unnecessarily striking St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford in the chest and neck.

GOLF

Byrd takes Vegas lead

Jonathan Byrd shot an 8-under-par 63 Friday at rain-softened TPC Summerlin to take the secondround lead at 13 under in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open. Byrd, seeking his fourth PGA Tour title, had nine birdies and a bogey in perfect scoring conditions in the fourth of five Fall Series events. Ryuji Imada was a stroke back after a 62. He had an eagle, eight birdies and a bogey. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 1-under 70 - four birdies, three bogeys - and is at 6 under for the tournament.

David Mathis charged to the front of the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open Friday by shooting a 7-under-par 63 at the TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley Course in Ponte Vedre Beach, Fla. Mathis is 9 under for the tournament and two shots in front of Andrew Svoboda, Craig Barlow and Kyle Reifers. Tag Ridings (Arkansas Razorbacks) is six shots back at 137 following his 2-under 68 Friday. His round included four birdies and two bogeys. Scott Gardiner (Farmington) survived the cut with a 1-under 69. His round included four birdies and three bogeys. Ron Whittaker (Little Rock) missed the cut with a 141 even though he shot a 2-under 68 Friday, a round that included four birdiesand two bogeys. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) knocked himself out of contention with a 77. His round included a birdie, two bogeys and two triple bogeys.

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin shot a 6-under-par 66 Friday for a one-shot lead after the first round of the Champions Tour’s Administaff Small Business Classic in The Woodlands, Texas. Pavin didn’t play golf for a 45-day period while serving as the Ryder team captain. He returned two weeks ago and tied for 57th in the Senior Players Championships and then rested last week. Mark Wiebe birdied three of the final six holes for a 67 in a steady round that included five birdies and no bogeys. Two more shots back was Russ Cochran.

Japan’s Mika Miyazato and South Korea’s Jee Young Lee shot 5-under-par 66s in steamy conditions Friday to share the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia lead, while Michelle Wie opened with a 68 in the round that was delayed for three hours because of lightning. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) fired an even-par round of 71, which included two birdies and two bogeys. Stacy Prammanasudh (Conway) fired a 2-over 73, a round in which she had three birdies, a bogey and two double bogeys.

AUTO RACING

Hamlin wins pole for Sunday

Denny Hamlin figured to give himself the best chance to succeed at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on Sunday, he had to start making it happen Friday. Using practice to work only on his qualifying setup for what he said was the first time in his career, Hamlin accomplished what he called “objective No. 1” by winning the pole position for Sunday’s 500-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup race on its shortest, trickiest circuit. The reason for the attention to qualifying was twofold: the pole-sitter gets thebest pit stall on the track’s narrow pit road, right at the front with nothing to obstruct his exit, and Hamlin wants to gain ground on points leader Jimmie Johnson this weekend. Johnson holds a 41-point edge over Hamlin with five races left, and the two have won the past eight races combined on the 0.526-mile oval. Hamlin has won three, including the series’ visit in the spring when he plowed to the front from ninth in the final four laps.

HOCKEY Canucks’ Rypien suspended

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Vancouver enforcer Rick Rypien was suspended six games Friday for grabbing a fan during the Canucks’ loss to Minnesota this week.

Rypien was headed to the locker room Tuesday night after being assessed a double minor for roughing and 10-minute misconduct when he reachedup and grabbed James Engquist, a fan applauding at the railing. Rypien was pulled away by teammate Manny Malhotra, and Engquist and his brother, Peter, were removed from the area.

The Canucks also were fined $25,000, as required by NHL policy.

“Prior to each season, all clubs and players areadvised that under no circumstances are club personnel permitted to have physical contact with fans or enter, or attempt to enter, the stands,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “We hold NHL players to a high standard, and there simply is no excuse for conduct of this nature.”

Rypien, who has nine goals and six assists in 113 career NHL games, will be eligible to return Nov. 6 against Detroit. He will not be paid during the suspension.

“We understand and respect the league’s decision today regarding Rick Rypien,” Canucks President Mike Gillis said. “While this game is played with passion and intensity, the safety of all of our fans and players is of the utmost importance at all times.

“... Rick is a valued member of our organization and we willcontinue to support him and all of his teammates to ensure incidents like this do not happen in the future.”

The last time a player was suspended for more than four games for making physical contact with a spectator was in March 1982, when Canucks defenseman Doug Halward was suspendedseven games for an altercation with fans.

Rypien and Minnesota’s Brad Staubitz, who fought in the first period, were about to square off midway through the second before being separated by the linesmen in front of the Wild bench. Rypien punched Staubitz while he was being restrained, then grabbed Engquist while entering the tunnel to the locker room.

Rypien is the cousin of former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien.