Off the wire

MOTOR SPORTS Stewart released from hospital

Three-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart has been released from the hospital and is resting at home. His team, Stewart-Haas Racing, tweeted the news on Sunday night: “Tony Stewart is out of the hospital & resting as comfortably as he can at home. Thx for the thoughts & prayers.” The tweet closed with a “SmokeWillRise” hashtag. Stewart broke his right leg in two places last Monday night in a sprint car race in Iowa and is out indefinitely after two surgeries to repair the damage. A five-time winner at Watkins Glen International, Stewart missed race Sunday, snapping his streak of 521 consecutive Cup starts and dropping him six spots to 17th in the Sprint Cup standings. Max Papis drove Stewart’s No. 14 Chevrolet and finished 15th. Several drivers had stickers on their cars honoring Stewart with the message: “Get Well Smoke 14.” The team is expected to name a replacement driver for Stewart as early as today.

BASKETBALL

ESPN: Interest in Collins

Citing unnamed sources, two ESPN.com writers reported that the Pistons have expressed interest in backup journeyman center Jason Collins. Collins made national news in April for becoming the first openly gay athlete to come out in one of the four major U.S. sports leagues. Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars doesn’t comment on potential free agent targets until after they sign with the Pistons, but Dumars said last week that the Pistons do have a roster spot open and could be looking for a big man. The story stressed that talks are just in an exploratory stage with no offer being made to the 7-footer. Collins, 34, could be insurance for young centers Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe. He hasn’t averaged more than 15 minutes per game since 2007-08 and his specialty is post defense. Collins was ineffective last season with Boston and Washington, averaging just 1.1 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. Collins played 12 years in the league, starting his career with the New Jersey Nets after being drafted out of Stanford. He also had stops in Memphis, Minnesota and Atlanta.

FOOTBALL

Ravens sign Clark, Stokley

The Baltimore Ravens have bolstered their receiving corps, agreeing in principle to a contract with tight end Dallas Clark and re-signing wideout Brandon Stokley to a one-year contract. The team announced the deals Sunday. The Ravens lost top tight end Dennis Pitta to a season-ending hip injury early in training camp, and Ed Dickson, the player being counted on to replace him is sidelined by a partially torn hamstring. The 34-year old Clark has 474 catches 5,322 yards and 50 touchdowns in 10 NFL seasons. The 37-year old Stokley was drafted by the Ravens in the fourth round of the 1999 draft and caught a touchdown during Baltimore’s victory over the New York Giants in the 2001 Super Bowl. He has 384 catches for 5,224 yards and 39 touchdowns in 14 NFL seasons.

Minnesota rookie defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd didn’t think his knee injury was serious and an MRI on Sunday proved it. Floyd said the test showed no damage, and he’s ready to resume practice whenever the Vikings’ coaching and medical staff gives him the OK. “No worries on my part,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s Coach [Leslie] Frazier’s) call, not mine.” Floyd’s left knee was still sore early Sunday after the first-round draft pick out of Florida was injured in the second quarter of a 27-13 preseason loss to Houston on Friday night.So Frazier said the team decided Floyd would have an MRI to make sure there wasn’t any damage. Floyd was hit low from behind in the second quarter and did not return. He was on the field for Sunday’s morning walk-through and the afternoon padded practice, but did not participate. Frazier said he liked what he saw before Floyd got injured, including a tackle for a loss and a deflected pass against the Texans.

Browns CEO Joe Banner has called former Cleveland quarterback Bernie Kosar’s on-air criticism of the St. Louis Rams “unprofessional.” During the TV broadcast of Thursday night’s exhibition opener, Kosar, working as an analyst, made brutal comments about Rams third-string quarterback Kellen Clemens and the Rams receivers. Banner said the Browns “don’t condone the personal and unprofessional approach that Bernie took with some of his comments during the broadcast.” Banner said Kosar has been spoken to and “we would expect the situation is resolved moving forward.” The Browns said Kosar called Rams Coach Jeff Fisher personally and apologized Sunday. Fisher said Saturday that he had lost a lot of respect for Kosar, who has not been removed from his commentating job and is expected to be in the booth Thursday night when the Browns host the Chicago Bears.

GOLF

Svoboda wins in Missouri

Andrew Svoboda won the Price Cutter Charity Championship in Springfield, Mo., on Sunday for his first Web.com Tour title, closing with an 8-under 64 for a three stroke victory. The 33-year-old former St. John’s player finished at 22-under 266 at Highland Springs Country Club. He opened with a 64 and followed with rounds of 72 and 66. In 17 PGA Tour starts this year, Svoboda has made only four cuts and withdrew from another event. He has played six Web.com Tour events, missing three cuts. Svoboda earned $121,500. Brazil’s Fernando Mechereffe shot a 67 to finish second. Matt Davidson and Sweden’s Daniel Chopra tied for third at 18 under. Davidson had a 64, and Chopra finished with a 68.TENNIS Nadal downs Canadian

Rafael Nadal beat Milos Raonic 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday in the Rogers Cup final, spoiling Raonic’s bid to become the first Canadian winner in the event in 55 years. Robert Bedard, the last Canadian to win what was then called the Canadian Open in 1955, was in attendance to see Nadal claim his third Rogers Cup title. The Spanish star also won in 2005 and 2008. Raonic was the first Canadian since the now 81-year-old Bedard even to reach the final. Nadal, playing his first tournament since a first-round loss at Wimbledon in June, posted his eighth tournament victory this year and the 58th of his career. On Saturday night in the semifinals, Nadal beat two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (2). By reaching the final, the 22-yearold Raonic will move up to 10th in world rankings, a record for a Canadian. He will be the youngest player in the top 10. Nadal will move from fourth to third.

TRACK AND FIELD Bolt recaptures 100-meter title

His legs were hurting, the rain was pouring and he was trailing late in the race.

Doesn’t matter. This is Usain Bolt.

And nothing gets in the way of him and first place, especially when he’s driven as he was Sunday night in the 100-meter final at the world championships in Moscow.

Bolt blew by Justin Gatlin with about 30 meters to go and never glanced back. He also didn’t even crack a smile when he crossed the finish line because this took a lot more work than the world’s fastest sprinter usually needs.

Gatlin was second and Bolt’s Jamaican teammate Nesta Carter took third.

Of all Bolt’s titles, this one will have a special meaning, considering he false-started two years ago in the final to lose his crown.

Now, it’s his again.

“It’s always great to get back your title,” said Bolt, who won in 9.77 seconds. “I’m happy with myself I got it done.”

Like Bolt, Brittney Reese and Ashton Eaton were just as dominant. Reese won her third straight long jump gold, while Eaton now owns the world and Olympic decathlon titles.

Many of Bolt’s top rivals were missing. Gone were former Arkansas Razorback Tyson Gay (doping offense) and Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake, who was the reigning champion but skipped the worlds because of an injured hamstring.

“I’m just doing my part by running fast, winning titles and letting the world know you can do it clean,” Bolt said. “My focus is to continue doing what I do.”

And that means running fast times, even on a drenched track.

Sports, Pages 14 on 08/12/2013

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