Off the wire

GOLF Mickelson to play Texas Open

Phil Mickelson has decided to play the Texas Open next week. That means the three-time Masters champion would play both Texas events before he arrives at Augusta National for the first major of the year. Mickelson has not played the Texas Open since 1992. It now is played on the AT&T Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio. It’s the second consecutive year the Valero Texas Open received a top player at the last minute. Rory McIlroy played last year and was runner-up to Martin Laird. Mickelson prefers to play before majors. He previously has said he would play the Shell Houston Open, which is the week before the Masters. He had been undecided on the Texas Open.

FOOTBALL Winston new union president

Offensive lineman Eric Winston was elected president of the NFL Players Association on Wednesday, three years after he was active for the union during the lockout. Winston, 30, was the Arizona Cardinals’ starting right tackle last season, his eighth in the league. He is currently a free agent. He succeeds Domonique Foxworth as NFLPA president. Foxworth was out of the league last season and so could not seek re-election. Winston has played for Houston, Kansas City and Arizona since being chosen by the Texans in the third round of the 2006 draft. He played his first six NFL seasons with the Texans, joined the Chiefs in 2012, then moved to the Cardinals last season. Winston has started 112 consecutive games. He has served on the union’s committees for finance and agent discipline and does community work on behalf of Shriners Hospital for Children.

The Carolina Panthers said Cam Newton had successful surgery on his left ankle and the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback will be sidelined for four months. Panthers team physician Robert Anderson performed the surgery Wednesday in Charlotte. Panthers head athletic trainer Ryan Vermillion said in a release that “Dr. Anderson did not find anything unexpected in the procedure and the surgery went well.” Newton first tweaked the ankle in a regular-season game against New Orleans late in the season and then experienced some additional problems in Carolina’s playoff loss to San Francisco on Jan. 12. Newton is expected to be ready in time for training camp.

Florida State Coach Jimbo Fisher said offensive lineman Ira Denson has been dismissed from the team. Denson was arrested Tuesday and charged with petit theft and fraudulent use of a credit card over $100. He allegedly stole running back Mario Pender’s debit card Dec. 20, 2013, and made three transactions for a total of $501.36. A four-star prospect from Madison, Fla., Denson redshirted last season as a freshman after suffering an injury.

BASKETBALL James sits out

LeBron James sat out Miami’s game against Boston on Wednesday night with back spasms. His absence against the Celtics came a day after he scored 43 points in the Heat’s 100-96 victory at Cleveland. He had 25 points in the first quarter when he made 10 of 11 shots and 5 three-pointers. The Heat have won their other two games without James. They beat Portland 108-107 on Dec. 28 when he had a strained groin and Chicago 93-79 on Feb. 23 when he was sidelined with a broken nose. Dwyane Wade was back in action for the Heat after missing the win against the Cavaliers while resting his sore knees. Greg Oden is inactive to give him a chance to rest after starting the previous two games.

A formula developed by students and faculty in the statistics department at North Dakota State has Arizona beating Virginia in the championship game of the NCAA Division I men’s tournament. The model takes into account strength of schedule and seasonal averages in statistical categories such as assists, turnovers and defensive rebounds. It shows that NDSU has a 32 percent chance of knocking off favored Oklahoma in today’s first game, which is close to the historical averages for a No. 5 seed beating a No. 12 seed. Three No. 1 seeds are predicted to reach the final four in Arizona, Virginia and Florida. The other projected semifinal qualifier is Louisville, a No. 4 seed. The figures compiled for the women’s tournament show Connecticut topping Notre Dame in the championship.

HOCKEY Peverley recovering

The Dallas Stars said Rich Peverley has undergone successful surgery to correct an abnormal heart rhythm, just more than a week after the forward collapsed on the bench during a game. Stars General Manager Jim Nill said Peverley was released from the Cleveland Clinic on Wednesday, a day after surgery. Peverley is expected to return today to Dallas. He will be monitored closely and may require further treatment. Peverley, 31, chose for less invasive treatment after an irregular heartbeat was diagnosed during training camp. Nill said there is “no decision being made at this time” on whether Peverley will play hockey again. He is out this season. Peverley collapsed during the first period March 11 against Columbus. The game was postponed and will be made up April 9.

FOOTBALL NFL owners will discuss expanding playoffs

NEW YORK - NFL owners likely will consider expanding the playoffs by two teams, beginning in 2015, when they hold their spring meetings next week in Orlando, Fla., but a vote on the subject is uncertain.

A groundswell for raising the number of playoff qualifiers to seven in each conference figures to get plenty of support from the 32 owners. Most notably, Arizona’s Bill Bidwill, who saw his Cardinals go 10-6 and not get in, while Green Bay (8-7-1) qualified by winning the NFC North.

The current format of four division winners and two wildcard teams has existed since 2002, when Houston joined the league as an expansion team and brought the membership to 32.

“There will be a report on the potential of expanded playoffs,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Wednesday. “We don’t know if there will be any vote at this meeting.”

Also on the agenda will be alterations to extra points, changing who oversees video replay reviews and further clamping down on the use of racial slurs by players during games.

A change in the playoff structure would be needed if 14 teams qualify, with the top seed in each conference still getting a first round bye. The next six teams would play in what is now the wild-card round, with the second seed facing No. 7, the third seed taking on No. 6 and the fourth and fifth seeds playing each other.

But the NFL’s influential competition committee is not presenting a proposal to the owners.

One reason the league is looking at more playoff teams is a stalemate in talks with the players union about expanding the regular season from 16 games. Another is the added revenue stream two more postseason games would provide, with those matches up for bidding among the current network partners - Fox, NBC, ESPN and CBS, which just grabbed an eight-week Thursday night package - and potential new broadcasters such as Turner Sports.