In brief: Penguins ink five-year extension with Crosby
Sidney Crosby has a new contract before his 20th birthday and his eye on the Stanley Cup for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The NHL MVP and scoring champion signed a five-year extension through the 2012-13 season worth $43.5 million. The deal leaves room for the team to re-sign other young stars, such as Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal, in the coming seasons.
The three-year contract Crosby signed as a rookie lasts through the coming season, and the five-year extension keeps him under contract for the next six seasons. Crosby may negotiate a new deal shortly before he turns 26, when he should be in his prime, agent Pat Brisson said.
Crosby, who turns 20 next month, won the Hart Trophy last month to become the league’s youngest MVP since Wayne Gretzky.
“Left winger Brendan Shanahan agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the New York Rangers.
“Defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski signed a $1.4 million contract to play next year for the New Jersey Devils.
Football
DUI charges dropped
The drunken-driving charge against Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair was dropped because a related DUI charge against his brother-in-law was reduced to reckless driving.
When asked whether he would change how he handles himself when he goes out at night, McNair did not answer.
“The Oakland Raiders signed former Jacksonville safety Donovin Darius, bolstering a unit that was the strongest on the team during a difficult season last year.
The Raiders had the NFL’s third-ranked overall defense and No. 1-ranked pass defense last year, despite finishing with an NFL-worst 2-14 record.
“Bobby Awrey, a running back for Saginaw Valley State, scored on an 85-yard opening kickoff return, leading the United States to a 77-0 rout over South Korea in the American football World Cup in Kawasaki, Japan.
Miscellany
Williams withdraws
Serena Williams withdrew from next week’s Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open because of a hand injury she suffered at Wimbledon.
“Maria Sharapova withdrew from the Fed Cup semifinals against the United States because of a right shoulder injury.
“Francis “Bucko” Kilroy, a former New England Patriots executive who was known throughout the league as a top talent scout, died Tuesday at age 86 in Foxborough, Mass. Kilroy was a six-time All-Pro guard for the Philadelphia Eagles during a 13-season playing career in the 1940s and 50s.
“Ralph Bernstein, who peppered coaches and players alike with tough questions for nearly a half-century while covering the Philadelphia sports scene for The Associated Press, has died of cancer. He was 85.
“American Tyson Gay won the men’s 200-meter race with the season’s fourth-best time at the Athletissima Grand Prix in Lausanne, Switzerland. Gay, who posted the second-fastest time in history when he ran 19.62 at the U.S. trials in Indianapolis last month, finished in 19.78.