The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Newsmakers

From Staff And Wire Reports

Named Rookie Matt Stafford has won the Detroit Lions’ starting quarterback job. Lions coach Jim Schwartz told his team Monday morning that the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft would start Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. Stafford had been battling veteran Daunte Culpepper for the position, and Schwartz stressed it had been a case of Stafford winning the job instead of Culpepper losing it.

Excused Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce missed the New York Giants’ practice for personal reasons. Coach Tom Coughlin said afterward that Pierce was excused from the roughly one-hour workout. He refused to disclose the reason for Pierce’s absence. Also, the team announced that quarterback Rhett Bomar was among eight players added to the practice squad.

Starting Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez says Tate Forcier will start against No. 23 Notre Dame. Rodriguez had his weekly news conference and insisted junior quarterback Nick Sheridan will rotate with the team’s talented freshmen, Forcier and Denard Robinson, on Saturday at home against the Fighting Irish.

Signed The New Orleans Saints have signed rookie linebacker Stanley Arnoux to a four-year contract and placed him on injured reserve. He will miss the 2009 season. Drafted in the fourth round out of Wake Forest, Arnoux tore his left Achilles’ tendon during his first practice of rookie camp in May and has been unable to practice since. Financial terms of the contract were not released.

Arrested Indianapolis police say former Notre Dame and NFL quarterback Blair Kiel was arrested after fighting with an officer. Police say an off-duty officer working security during an Indianapolis Indians baseball game at Victory Field told the 47-year-old Kiel to leave Saturday night after learning that a woman was afraid to leave a restroom while he was there. The officer reported that Kiel soon returned and shoved and struck him. Kiel was arrested on preliminary misdemeanor charges of domestic battery, public intoxication and resisting arrest. He was released on bond Sunday.