Vikings’ Smith Reportedly Suspended for the Season

Minnesota Viking running back Onterrio Smith will be suspended for the season by the NFL for violating the league’s substance abuse policy a third time, according to two reports.

Pending an appeal, Smith will have to sit out the 2005 season, ESPN.com and the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Thursday.

Smith skipped a drug test, which qualifies as a violation under league policy, ESPN.com reported, citing two unidentified team sources. The Star Tribune, citing an unidentified league source, reported on its website that the NFL had notified Smith of its decision.

The reports said the suspension was unrelated to Smith’s being stopped by airport security in Minneapolis last month. A search found a device marketed as a way to beat drug tests .

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Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. of the Cleveland Browns tore a ligament in his right knee when he crashed his motorcycle, putting his 2005 season in doubt, two league sources told Associated Press.

An injury such as Winslow’s typically requires at least 10 months of rehabilitation. The Browns have Winslow’s medical test results but can’t disclose the nature of his injuries because they have not received permission from Winslow or his family.

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Ricky Williams is discussing a comeback with the Miami Dolphins, Coach Nick Saban said. Saban would not divulge specifics of the talks.

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Jerry Rice has talked with Denver Bronco Coach Mike Shanahan about the possibility of playing in Denver next season, his agent said.

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The Carolina Panthers traded punter Todd Sauerbrun to Denver for punter Jason Baker and its seventh-round draft choice in 2006.

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The Philadelphia Eagles signed defensive coordinator Jim Johnson to a four-year contract extension.

Golf

Patrick Sheehan just missed a course record in the Colonial, bogeying the final hole for an eight-under 62 in the opening round at Fort Worth, Texas. He also had a double bogey and 11 birdies.

Sheehan settled for his best PGA Tour round and also matched the low first round on tour this year.

Sheehan had a two-stroke lead over Brian Bateman and D.J. Trahan.

Christina Kim had seven birdies in a six-under 65 that gave her a one-stroke lead over Siew-Ai Lim in the opening round of the LPGA’s Sybase Classic at New Rochelle, N.Y.

Anna Grzebien shot a tournament-best six-under 65 to help Duke take an eight-stroke lead over Auburn with one round left in the NCAA Division I women’s championship at Sunriver, Ore. Defending champion UCLA was third in the team race, nine shots behind Duke, followed by Pepperdine, which is 12 strokes out of the lead.

Tennis

Lleyton Hewitt withdrew from the French Open after failing to recover from a cracked rib in an accident at his Sydney home last week. Taylor Dent will also be missing when the clay-court Grand Slam begins Monday. Dent pulled out because of an ankle injury.

Top-seeded Venus Williams tuned up for the French Open with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over seventh-seeded Anna Chakvetadze to reach the Istanbul Cup semifinals.

USC defeated UCLA, 4-3, in the round of 16 at the NCAA championships at Athens, Ga. USC’s No. 4 player Dianna Matias beat Sarah Gregg, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, to clinch the match for the Trojans (19-3), who advance to the quarterfinals today against No. 2 Florida. UCLA ends the season at 17-6.

Miscellany

USC was one of 13 Division I schools that received athletic certification from the NCAA, a process conducted on a 10-year cycle that deals with rules compliance and athletic and academic issues.

Veteran Mike Skinner got the 19th pole of his Craftsman Truck Series career with a record lap of 183.051 mph in qualifying for tonight’s Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.

Marion Jones’ attorney has asked track’s world governing body and the U.S. Olympic Committee to help end a ban imposed on her by major European track meets.

Todd Lee, an associate men’s basketball coach at UC Irvine, was hired as Kentucky Wesleyan’s new coach.