LITTLE ROCK — FOOTBALL Vols lose assistant
Tennessee Coach Butch Jones announced on Twitter on Monday that running backs coach Jay Graham “has informed us of his decision to accept a position at another institution.” The running backs coach had been the lone holdover from former Tennessee Coach Derek Dooley’s staff. Graham rushed for 2,609 yards at Tennessee from 1993-1996. He ran for at least 100 yards in 11 games in 1995, setting a school record for 100-yard performances in a single season. In his lone season as Tennessee’s running backs coach, the Volunteers averaged 160.3 rushing yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry after gaining 90.1 rushing yards per game and 2.8 yards per carry the year before his arrival. He worked as an assistant at South Carolina from 2009-2011.
The Philadelphia Eagles have released veteran defensive tackles Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson. Jenkins signed a five year, $30 million contract with the Eagles in 2011 and started every game the past two seasons. He was due to make $5.5 million this season, but rebuilding Philadelphia cut the 32-year-old Jenkins on Monday. After spending the first seven seasons of his NFL career with Green Bay, Jenkins left for Philadelphia. He had 5 1/2 sacks in 2011 and four in 2012. Patterson, the team’s longest-tenured player, spent eight seasons with the Eagles. A first-round draft pick in 2005 out of Southern California, the 29-year-old Patterson played in 115 games with 99 starts. He made 551 tackles, 16 1/2 sacks and had 4 forced fumbles and 7 fumble recoveries. Patterson underwent brain surgery in January 2012, but returned to the Eagles for five games last season. He was diagnosed with a brain malformation in August 2012 after suffering a seizure during a training camp practice.
BASEBALL Umpires promoted
Major League Baseball has reshuffled its umpire roster for this season after the retirements of crew chiefs Ed Rapuano, Tim Tschida and Derryl Cousins. MLB announced the moves Monday. Jim Joyce, Ted Barrett and Fieldin Culbreth have been promoted to crew chiefs. MLB also hired Vic Carapazza, Manny Gonzalez and Alan Porter as full-time staff members after they split time between the majors and minors in recent years. The 66-year-old Cousins worked 4,496 big league games, which had been the most among current umpires and ranked seventh all-time. Rapuano is 55 years old and Tschida is 52. The 47-yearold Barrett becomes the youngest crew chief in the majors. He is the only umpire to be the plate umpire in two perfect games, including Matt Cain’s gem last season.
HOCKEY Lashoff gets deal
The Detroit Red Wings have signed defenseman Brian Lashoff to a three-year, $2.175 million contract. The team announced the move Monday. Lashoff has a goal and two assists in 15 games this season, his first in the NHL. The 22-year-old native of Albany, N.Y., has made the most of his opportunities to fill in for banged-up defensemen in Detroit. The undrafted free agent played in 36 games during the NHL lockout with the Grand Rapids Griffins after playing all of last season with the Red Wings’ American Hockey League affiliate.
The Phoenix Coyotes have signed defenseman David Schlemko to a two-year contract extension. General Manager Don Maloney announced the deal Monday, but didn’t disclose financial terms. The 25-year-old Schlemko has been sidelined since Feb. 4 with a shoulder injury. He has two assists in nine games this season and ranks second on the team with 26 blocked shots. Schlemko originally was signed by the Coyotes as a free agent in 2007. In 118 career NHL games, all with Phoenix, Schlemko has 6 goals, 27 assists and 44 penalty minutes.
San Jose Sharks forward Ryan Clowe has been suspended two games without pay by the NHL for instigating a fight late in Friday night’s 2-1 loss to Chicago. The suspension was announced Monday by the league’s Department of Player Safety. Clowe was assessed a minor penalty for roughing and a game misconduct for leaving the bench on an illegal line change to start a fight with Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw with 8.4 seconds left in regulation - an infraction that calls for a 10-game suspension.But upon further review the line change was deemed legal. Clowe then skated directly at Shaw, who was not engaged with any other player, grabbed him and wrestled him to the ice. Clowe, who will forfeit $39,189, missed San Jose’s 3-1 loss to Dallas on Saturday and will also sit out today’s game against Colorado. He is eligible to return Thursday against Detroit.
The Washington Capitals have re-signed goaltender Braden Holtby and defenseman John Erskine to two-year deals. The Capitals announced Monday that the 23-yearold Holtby will earn $3.7 million - $1.7 million next season and $2 million in 2014-2015. He was set to become a restricted free agent this summer. The 32-year-old Erskine’s deal is worth $3.925 million - $1.925 million next season and $2 million in 2014-15. He would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer. Holtby is 5-6-0 this season with a 3.37 goals-against average, an .896 save percentage and one shutout. He has started Washington’s past six games, going 4-2-0. Erskine has one goal and one assist this season and ranks fourth on the team in hits and is tied for third in blocked shots.
New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur is being listed as day to day after tests were performed on his sore back Monday. Brodeur, 40, has missed the past two games for the Devils while dealing with a tweak that he’s been feeling for a few weeks now. Backup Johan Hedberg started and lost both of those games for the defending Eastern Conference champions. Brodeur last played Thursday, finishing with 17 saves in New Jersey’s 3-2 victory at Washington. He is 8-2-3 with a 2.27 goals-against average this season.
FOOTBALL Source: Brady gets three-year extension
Tom Brady agreed to a three year contract extension with New England on Monday, a person familiar with the contract told The Associated Press. The extension is worth about $27 million and will free up nearly $15 million in salary cap room for the team, which has several younger players it needs to re-sign or negotiate new deals with.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the extension has not been announced.
The 35-year-old two-time league MVP was signed through 2014, and has said he wants to play at least five more years.
A three-time Super Bowl champion, Brady will make far less in those three seasons than the going rate for star quarterbacks. Brady currently has a four year, $72 million deal with $48 million guaranteed.
Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are the NFL’s highest paid quarterbacks, at an average of $20 million and $18 million a year, respectively.
Brady has made it clear he wants to finish his career with the Patriots, whom he led to Super Bowl victories for the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons, and losses in the big game after the 2007 and 2011 seasons. By taking less money in the extension and redoing his current contract, he’s hopeful New England can surround him with the parts to win more titles.
Among the Patriots’ free agents are top receiver Wes Welker and his backup, Julian Edelman; right tackle Sebastian Vollmer; cornerback Aqib Talib, and running back Danny Woodhead.
Brady holds the NFL record for touchdown passes in a season with 50 in 2007, when the Patriots went 18-0 before losing the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. He has thrown for at least 28 touchdowns seven times and led the league three times.
Last season, Brady had 34 touchdown passes and eight interceptions as the Patriots went 12-4, leading the league with 557 points, 76 more than runner-up Denver.
Sports, Pages 18 on 02/26/2013