Newsmakers
Hired The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired former Minnesota Vikings and Washington State defensive tackle Keith Millard. The Bucs said that Millard and Grady Stretz will serve as co-defensive line coaches. Millard set a NFL single-season record for sacks by a defensive tackle with 18 in 1989. He has been an assistant coach in the NFL with Denver and Oakland.
Returning Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy is returning to practice, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll play this weekend. Portland’s three-time All-Star had arthroscopic surgery on both of his knees just three weeks ago. He was averaging 16.6 points in 23 games before he was sidelined indefinitely by the team. Roy says now he is nearly pain free, but still needs to practice at full speed.
Ruled The Minnesota Court of Appeals in Minneapolis ruled that it won’t permanently block the NFL from suspending Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams for violating the league’s anti-doping policy. Barring another appeal, the ruling appears to clear the way for the NFL to suspend the players, which it has been trying to do since both tested positive for a banned diuretic in 2008. The players have been fighting their suspensions and could appeal the latest decision to the state Supreme Court.
Mediated Pitcher Ross Ohlendorf and the Pittsburgh Pirates have gone to salary arbitration in the first hearing of the year. The 28-year-old right-hander went 1-11 with a 4.07 ERA in 21 starts for Pittsburgh last year, down from 11-10 in 2009. Ohlendorf asked a three-man panel in for a raise from $439,000 to $2,025,000. The Pirates argued he should be paid $1.4 million. A decision is expected today.
Suspended Georgia football coach Mark Richt suspended tailback Washaun Ealey for failing to follow “the Georgia way.” Ealey, the Bulldogs’ leading rusher last season, can’t participate in team activities and is barred from team facilities during the suspension. Richt placed no timeframe on the suspension and left the door open for Ealey’s return.
• Washington Nationals minor league catcher Hector Taveras has been suspended 25 games because he was found in possession of an unauthorized syringe, a person familiar with the penalty told The Associated Press.
Fired Tennessee Titans coach Mike Munchak fired offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger along with defensive assistant Rayna Stewart and offensive assistant Richie Wessmanas as he starts to remake his coaching staff a day after taking over the top job. Heimerdinger is continuing cancer treatment after being diagnosed in November.