In brief: Dancing defensive end to play one more year
Jason Taylor wants to play one more season, even if it’s with the Miami Dolphins.
The six-time Pro Bowl defensive end denied reports Sunday that he demanded to be traded from the Dolphins, but did acknowledge for the first time that if Miami wants to move him, he would be receptive.
“I want to win in ‘08,” Taylor said.
Taylor and the Dolphins have been estranged for weeks, partly over his decision to perform on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and not work out with teammates in South Florida.
Taylor met with Tony Sparano last week and said he has a good relationship with the Dolphins’ new coach – but would not firmly commit to being with the Dolphins when training camp begins next month.
“Police are investigating a hit-and-run accident in Buffalo, N.Y., involving a sports utility vehicle registered to the Bills’ Marshawn Lynch, but didn’t know whether he was in the SUV when it struck and injured a female pedestrian early Saturday at an intersection near Buffalo’s downtown bar district.
Track & field
Kenyan breezes
Simon Wangai of Kenya broke away from countryman Leonard Maina at mile 23 and breezed to victory in the San Diego Rock n’ Roll Marathon.
Wangai finished in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 7 seconds. Yulia Gromova won the women’s division in 2:28:23.
“Dmitriy Karpov of Kazakhstan and Tatyana Chernova of Russia posted the best scores in the world this year to win the decathlon and pentathlon, respectively, at the Hypo Meeting in Goetzis, Austria. Karpov finished with 8,504 points. Chernova finished with 6,618.
Rowing
China’s rowers strong
China sent a strong message to the rowing world that it will be a force at the Beijing Olympics.
Chinese crews won five of the 14 finals – including four of the six women’s boat classes – in a World Cup regatta at Lake Rotsee in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Canada and the United States were next best with two gold medals apiece.
The U.S. men’s quadruple sculls delivered an upset in beating three-time word champion Poland and the second American gold came from the women’s eight.
Cycling
Contador wins in Italy
Tour de France champion Alberto Contador wrapped up victory in the Giro d’Italia, becoming the first non-Italian to win the three-week race since 1996.
Contador joined Miguel Indurain, who won in 1992 and 1993, as the only Spaniards to win the Giro. Russia’s Pavel Tonkov won in 1996.
miscellany
Storm forward to Brazil
Seattle Storm forward Kelly Santos has joined the Brazilian national team in Spain in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
After joining the Brazilian national team in 1997, Santos earned a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic games and also competed in the 2004 Olympics.
“LSU’s outgoing athletic director and former national championship baseball coach Skip Bertman could go home as early as today after being hospitalized in Baton Rouge, La., with what doctors believed were early signs of a heart attack.
“Joe Axelson, a former executive and general manager for the Cincinnati Royals who remained with the NBA team when the franchise moved first to Kansas City-Omaha and became the Kings, then later shifted to Sacramento, has died in San Diego. He was 80.