George’s Wish Is Granted With Release by Titans

Eddie George’s career with the Tennessee Titans is over.

The team granted George’s request Wednesday and released the franchise’s all-time leading rusher -- a move forced by salary-cap pressures and perhaps George’s declining skills.

“The best thing for Eddie George would be for him to finish his career here,” General Manager Floyd Reese said at a news conference. “For a number of reasons we were unable to get that done.”

The eight-year veteran, who turns 31 in September, rejected the Titans’ latest offer and asked for his release Monday so he would have time to catch on with another team before training camps open next week.

The Titans wanted George back, but at a reduced salary. The team’s final offer was $1.5 million in base salary -- considerably less than the $4.25 million he expected to make this season.

George, who has never missed a start in his career, was popular with Titan fans, but his production slipped in recent years. In 2000, he ran for 1,509 yards, averaging 3.7 yards a carry. Last season his average fell to 3.3 yards a carry as he rushed for 1,031 yards.

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The Buffalo Bills signed free-agent linebacker Jason Gildon to a one-year deal, days after they had reached a verbal agreement.

Gildon, who was going to earn more than $3 million this year with Pittsburgh, was cut by the Steelers in June for salary-cap reasons.

Pro Basketball

Rasheed Wallace, an unrestricted free-agent forward who helped lead the Detroit Pistons to the NBA title last month, has agreed to a five-year contract worth $57 million with the team, two sources told Associated Press.

Wallace, a 6-foot-11, 230-pounder who turns 30 on Sept. 17, averaged 16 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 blocks last season, his ninth in the NBA.

The Pistons also announced they had signed 6-7 forward Ronald Dupree to a two-year contract. He spent most of last season with the Chicago Bulls.

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Todd MacCulloch’s foot disorder has cost him the last 1 1/2 seasons with Philadelphia. A comeback doesn’t seem likely.

Although MacCulloch isn’t ready to announce his retirement, the 76er center knows he may never play again.

“There have been no significant improvements, unfortunately,” MacCulloch told Associated Press. “I’m hoping for a miracle, really.”

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Former NBA player and coach Darrell Walker was hired as an assistant to New Orleans Hornet Coach Byron Scott.

Olympics

Responding to a request from Greece, the United States committed 400 American special forces soldiers to help protect the Olympics, a U.S. counter-terrorism official said, as security costs for the Games swelled to a record-breaking $1.5 billion.

It was not yet decided where the U.S. soldiers would be based: in Athens, on the nearby island of Crete or on alert in Europe, where they are based in Germany. The U.S. is in the process of discussing with the Greek government where the soldiers will be positioned, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The official did not specify which branches of the U.S. military would be involved.

Jurisprudence

Jayson Williams’ lawyers say the former NBA star should not be retried for the shooting of a hired driver because it would violate his constitutional protection against being tried twice for the same offense.

Besides the double-jeopardy argument, Williams’ attorneys said in a motion filed Tuesday that evidence on a charge of reckless manslaughter should not be reintroduced if a retrial takes place. They argue the law forbids it because jurors already acquitted Williams of the more serious charges of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose using the same evidence.

Messages left with prosecutors were not immediately returned.

Williams, 36, is scheduled to be retried Jan. 10 on the reckless manslaughter charge.

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Florida linebacker Taurean Charles remained in jail, a day after he was arrested and charged with aggravated battery during a June off-campus party, a second-degree felony.

Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley immediately suspended Charles, 19, from the team, and said his status would be determined “as we gather more information.”

Charles was arrested Tuesday and was being held at Alachua County Jail on $10,000 bond.

Tennis

Third-seeded Sebastien Grosjean stormed back after losing the first set to defeat Julien Jeanpierre, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-2, in the second round of the RCA Championships at Indianapolis.

Fifth-seeded Mardy Fish was upset by unseeded Gregory Carraz, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4). Seventh-seeded Sjeng Schalken and ninth-seeded Taylor Dent withdrew because of injuries.

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Top-seeded Rainer Schuettler came back to beat Andreas Seppi, 4-6, 7-6 (13), 6-0, in the second round of the Generali Open at Kitzbuehel, Austria.

French Open champion Gaston Gaudio beat Czech qualifier Ivo Minar, 6-4, 6-1, and next faces 14th-seeded Nikolay Davydenko, a 6-2, 6-2 winner against Dick Norman.

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Second-seeded Jiri Novak rallied to defeat Christophe Rochus, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, and reach the quarterfinals of the Croatia Open at Umag.

Diving

Kimiko Soldati, the Olympic trials champion in the 3-meter springboard, was third in qualifying and advanced to the finals of the U.S. National Diving Championships at Mission Viejo. Nancilea Underwood finished first with 464.01 points, Chelsea Davis had 460.65, and Soldati was third with 457.17. The top eight in a field of 31 advanced to Saturday’s finals. Chris Colwill won the men’s 1-meter springboard title.