In brief: Grossman gets new contract with Bears
Rex Grossman signed a one-year contract Saturday with the Chicago Bears and will compete for the starting quarterback job.
Grossman, a 2003 first-round draft pick, started the Super Bowl for the Bears after an up-and-down season in 2006. He struggled again last year and was benched following the third game. He returned for five more games before injuring his left knee.
Grossman passed for 913 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for an 80.2 passer rating when he returned. In the first three games, his 45.2 rating with one TD and six interceptions contributed to the Bears’ 1-2 start.
Grossman has started 30 games with 489 completions in 900 attempts (54.3 percent) for 5,907 yards with 31 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. His career passer rating is 70.9.
“Linebacker Zach Thomas is headed home to Texas to play for the Dallas Cowboys in the state where he was a high school and college standout before 12 seasons with the Miami Dolphins.
Thomas has reached an agreement on a one-year, $3 million deal with the Cowboys, agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed Saturday night. Thomas, a seven-time Pro Bowler who missed much of last season because of concussions and migraines, has already taken a physical for the Cowboys.
Thomas was released Feb. 14 by the Dolphins.
Baseball
Ramirez switches
Manny Ramirez switched agents and is now represented by Scott Boras.
Ramirez, entering the final guaranteed year of his contract, became the seventh player on Boston’s probable 25-man roster to be represented by Boras. The Red Sox slugger had been represented by Greg Genske.
Ramirez said Thursday he’d like to retire as a member of the Red Sox. He acknowledged that’s out of his control, because the team has an option on his contract in 2009 and 2010 at $20 million per season.
Boras also represents Boston pitchers Daisuke Matsuzaka and Julian Tavarez, catcher Jason Varitek, outfielders J.D. Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury and infielder Alex Cora.
Tennis
Roddick rolls
Top-seeded Andy Roddick advanced to the final of the SAP Open in San Jose, Calif., beating Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6 (2), 6-1 in a drama-free match.
Waiting for Roddick in the final is Radek Stepanek, who had an exciting comeback victory over Robby Ginepri in the first semifinal, winning 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1.
“Maria Sharapova defeated Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 6-3 to extend her unbeaten run to 13 matches and set up an all-Russian final at the Qatar Open in Doha, Qatar.
Sharapova, who avenged her loss to Radwanska at the U.S. Open, will play Vera Zvonareva in the final today. Zvonareva rallied to defeat Li Na 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the other semifinal.
“Top-seeded David Nalbandian and Jose Acasuso won semifinal matches, setting up an all-Argentine championship at the Copa Telmex in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Nalbandian routed fourth-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 6-1, 6-2. Acasuso, unseeded, rallied past eighth-seeded Filippo Volandri of Italy 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Miscellany
Reichelt takes Cup
Austria’s Hannes Reichelt won a World Cup giant slalom in Whistler, British Columbia, on the same course that will host the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
He skied the two runs in 2 minutes, 37.43 seconds and was followed by Switzerland’s Didier Cuche (2:37.82) and Austria’s Benjamin Raich (2:37.87).
“Jeremy Wotherspoon of Canada edged Joji Katoin to clinch the World Cup speedskating title in the 500 meters in Heerenveen, Netherlands.
Wotherspoon won in 34.92 seconds and captured the overall title with 1,080 points.
On Friday, Shani Davis of the United States beat Denny Morrison to claim the World Cup title in the 1,500. Davis finished in 1 minute, 45.25 seconds.