Newsmakers

Pleaded Tennessee Titans draft pick David Howard, a former Brown University defensive lineman, has pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor assault charge in Rhode Island. Howard was accused in April 2009 of punching and kicking a customer at a bar where he was working as a bouncer. He entered the plea to a charge of simple assault, and the charge could be expunged from his record after a year.

Re-signed The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed right wing Jared Boll, one of the club’s toughest players and its leader in penalty minutes the past three seasons. The 24-year-old Boll had four goals and three assists with 149 penalty minutes in 68 games last season. His time in the penalty box was the 15th-highest total in the NHL.

• The Philadelphia Flyers have signed Dan Carcillo to a one-year contract. The 25-year-old winger had 22 points and 207 penalty minutes in 76 regular-season games for the Eastern Conference champion Flyers last season.

Retired St. Louis Blues defenseman Darryl Sydor has retired after an 18-year career. The 38-year-old Sydor played for six NHL teams, including the Dallas Stars where he totaled 334 points and 401 penalty minutes in 714 games. He earned back-to-back All-Star selections in 1998 and 1999, and was on Stanley Cup champions with the Stars in 1999 and 2004 with the Lightning.

Withdrew World-record hurdler Dayron Robles pulled out of Friday’s Diamond League meet in Paris, citing sore legs from last week’s victory in Switzerland. Robles’ manager, Santiago Antunez, told the Associated Press that if Robles is healthy he would run in a Diamond League meet July 22 in Monaco. At last week’s Athletissima meet in Lausanne, Robles won the 110-meter hurdles in 13.01 seconds.

Teaching United States swimmer Michael Phelps will be sharing his swimming skills with public school students in his hometown of Baltimore. Phelps will give a swim lesson to children today as he launches a partnership between the Michael Phelps Swim School and city schools.