Fast Break
NFL
Seahawks tag linebacker Hill
Leroy Hill, who has spent most of his four-year NFL career playing in the shadows of Pro Bowl teammates Julian Peterson and Lofa Tatupu, was designated the Seattle Seahawks’ franchise player Thursday.
The designation means that Hill will remain with the Seahawks for at least one more season while being compensated with the average salary of the NFL’s top-five highest-paid linebackers, or about $8.3 million.
Hill, a third-round pick in the 2005 NFL draft, has started 50 games and has 13.5 sacks for Seattle. He was hobbled by injuries last season, when he had just one sack all year.The Seahawks’ other free agents for the signing period that begins next week include fullback Leonard Weaver, running back Maurice Morris and defensive tackle Rocky Bernard.
Baseball
Judge bars Bonds evidence
A federal judge has barred prosecutors from using three positive steroid tests and other key evidence in Barry Bonds’ trial next month because of his personal trainer’s refusal to testify.
The ruling was expected. The judge had said earlier she was troubled by the admissibility of the test results because prosecutors couldn’t conclusively tie them to Bonds.
Prosecutors allege that Bonds’ trainer, Greg Anderson, collected the urine samples and delivered them for testing to the Bay Area Co-Operative Laboratory in 2000 and 2001.
But Anderson has refused to testify. The judge said without his testimony, prosecutors cannot link the tests to Bonds.
Golf
Local golf show this weekend
The Spokane Golf Show on Saturday and Sunday at the Spokane Convention Center includes presentations by local instructors and an appearance by the author of the book “Golf, Naked: The Bare Essentials Revealed.”
Admission is $10 and show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets are available at all TicketWest Outlets, at the door or at the golf show Web site spokanegolfshow.com.
Admission includes three rounds of golf at selected courses in the Northwest.
Instructor Bob Heck from The Creek at Qualchan will talk on three topics: swing simplicity, mental control, and chipping and putting.
Author Greg Rowley, a PGA golf pro, will be signing his book, “Golf, Naked.”
Kids younger than 12 receive a free golf club from the PGA Clubs for Kids Program while supplies last (first 1,000).