Sports in brief: McKelvin’s lawn trashed after fumble
NFL: Bills players are concerned with their privacy and safety after the front lawn of a home in Hamburg, N.Y., belonging to cornerback Leodis McKelvin was vandalized following Buffalo’s loss to New England on Monday night.
Hamburg police on Tuesday confirmed the home of a Bills player was vandalized, but declined to release details of their investigation after an obscenity and the score of Monday night’s game – a 25-24 loss to the Patriots – were painted in white on the player’s lawn.
McKelvin fumbled a kickoff return with under two minutes to play and the Bills leading 24-19. Three plays later, New England’s Tom Brady hit Benjamin Watson for the go-ahead touchdown as the Patriots overcame an 11-point deficit in the final 2:06.
•League investigating Mangini: Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini can’t seem to escape from New York.
The NFL is investigating Mangini’s role in the Jets’ failure to list quarterback Brett Favre’s arm problem on injury reports last season. Mangini coached the Jets during Favre’s one season in New York before he was fired after the team collapsed down the stretch.
Last week, Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum admitted the club should have listed Favre, who had a torn biceps tendon, as “probable” on the injury report for the last four or five games. Favre said the Jets knew of the injury, which required off-season surgery.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Mangini’s actions will be examined as part of the league’s inquiry.
•Suspensions on hold: The NFL has decided against enforcing four-game suspensions of Charles Grant and Will Smith at this time, opening the way for the New Orleans Saints’ starting defensive ends to play this week and possibly the whole 2009 season.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said it would be unfair to suspend the two Saints players now, when the league has been blocked from suspending two Vikings players for the same offense while their case is pending in Minnesota state court.
The four players all tested positive for the banned diuretic bumetanide, which can mask the presence of steroids.
•Chiefs sign Wade: The Kansas City Chiefs signed receiver Bobby Wade, a six-year NFL veteran with stops in Chicago, Tennessee and Minnesota. The Chiefs waived Turk McBride, who had been playing linebacker after being a starter most of last year at defensive end.
Chiefs coach Todd Haley said it was too early to know if quarterback Matt Cassel will miss a second straight start this weekend because of an injury to his left knee.
•Eagles lose Andrews for season: The Philadelphia Eagles placed Shawn Andrews on injured reserve, ending the two-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman’s season. Andrews missed the entire preseason and season opener with a back injury. He briefly returned to practice, but his surgically repaired back flared up again.
Quarterback Jeff Garcia took Andrews’ spot on the roster. Garcia was signed to provide insurance because Donovan McNabb has a cracked rib and is uncertain to play this week.
•Redskins draw ire of American Indians: A group of American Indians who find the Washington Redskins’ name offensive wants the Supreme Court to take up the matter.
The group asked the justices to review a lower court decision that favored the NFL team on a legal technicality.
Seven Native Americans have been working through the court system since 1992 to have the Redskins trademarks declared invalid.
JR Motorsports hires Bires to drive
Auto racing: Kelly Bires has signed a two-year deal to drive in the Nationwide Series for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports program.
Bires replaces Brad Keselowski, who will join Penske Racing’s Sprint Cup program in 2010.
UCLA suspends four players for violations
Miscellany: UCLA has suspended four football players for violating team rules, sidelining them for Saturday’s game against Kansas State.
Starting cornerback Courtney Viney was suspended by coach Rick Neuheisel along with running back Milton Knox and receivers Morrell Presley and Randall Carroll. The school didn’t specify the nature of the rule violations.
•Judge approves sale of horse racing tracks: A Delaware bankruptcy judge approved the sale of two of Magna Entertainment Corp.’s horse racing tracks – Thistledown in Ohio and Remington Park in Oklahoma City – for a combined total of almost $170 million.