Active sacks leader Strahan retires

Seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Strahan retired Monday after a 15-year NFL career with the New York Giants that was capped by a Super Bowl title four months ago.

The 36-year-old Strahan, the NFL’s active leader in sacks, informed the front office in the morning without telling his coaches and teammates.

Strahan is walking away from a $4-million salary for the final year of his contract. He has long said he wants a job in television.

Giants co-owner John Mara was disappointed after Strahan telephoned him to say he was leaving football.

“I told him he’s been a great Giant,” Mara said. “He thanked me for everything the organization has done for him. I said, ‘I think you’ve done more for us than we can ever do for you.’ ”

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The Chicago Bears waived Cedric Benson after his second alcohol-related arrest in a month, ending a rocky three-season tenure in which he failed to live up to expectations after starring at Texas. “Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate,” General Manager Jerry Angelo said in a statement. “Everyone in this organization is held accountable for their actions.”

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Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens acknowledged having missed a random drug test several weeks ago, blaming it on a “communication problem involving cellphone numbers.”

Owens was not suspended or fined, although he could have been, according to ESPN.com, which first reported the story, citing NFL, team and player sources. The report also said Owens now could face up to 24 tests per year as part of the league’s “reasonable cause” testing program for performance-enhancing drugs.

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Tennessee Titans linebacker Ryan Fowler is under investigation by the NFL in connection with an apparent steroids case, Fowler’s lawyer said.

Peter Ginsberg said Fowler was notified late last week that he faces suspension. The lawyer said he assumes the investigation stems from the death last week of David Jacobs, a convicted steroids dealer who claimed to have sold drugs to pro football players. Police in Plano, Texas, said Jacobs killed himself.

JURISPRUDENCE

Gatlin files suit to compete in Olympic track trials

Banned sprinter Justin Gatlin filed a lawsuit in a last-ditch effort to compete at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials in less than three weeks.

The complaint alleges that penalizing Gatlin for a 2001 doping violation, which involved medication he was taking for attention deficit disorder, violates the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Gatlin’s lawyer, Joe Zarzaur, said they will request an injunction to allow him to compete at the trials, which begin June 27 in Eugene, Ore.

Gatlin, who insists he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs, tested positive for excessive testosterone at the Kansas Relays in 2006.

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A prosecutor in Richmond, Va., says the state trials of Michael Vick and three co-defendants on dogfighting charges will be delayed until they are freed from federal prison.

Commonwealth’s Atty. Gerald Poindexter says it’s not worth the expense for Surry County to get the men from prisons in different states for trial and escort them back later.

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Former NFL star quarterback Ken Stabler was arrested and charged with reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol in Robertsdale, Ala.

Stabler, now a radio analyst for University of Alabama football, was released from jail on $1,000 bond nearly 13 hours after his arrest, police said.

COLLEGE SPORTS

Pac-10 Commissioner Hansen will retire

The Pacific 10’s Tom Hansen, the longest-tenured Division I conference commissioner in the country, will retire next summer after 26 years on the job.

Hansen will step down effective July 1, 2009. The 70-year-old Hansen played a key role in the development of the Bowl Championship Series.

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Start times for USC football games at Washington State, Arizona and Stanford have been set.

The Trojans’ Oct. 18 game at Washington State will kick off at 12:30 p.m. and will be televised by FSN. The network also will televise the Oct. 25 game at Arizona at 7:15 p.m. USC’s Nov. 15 game at Stanford will start at 4 p.m. and will be televised by Versus. Start times for home games against Arizona State on Oct. 11 and Washington on Nov. 1 will be announced two weeks before each game.

-- Gary Klein

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UCLA announced that six of its football games have been selected for television. ESPN will televise UCLA’s opener versus Tennessee at 5 p.m. Sept. 1 at the Rose Bowl. ABC will televise UCLA’s Sept. 27 home game versus Fresno State at 12:30 p.m.

The game at Arizona State on Nov. 28 has been selected by ESPN2. The game against USC at the Rose Bowl on Dec. 6 will be televised by ABC and will kick off at 1:30 p.m., the Sept. 20 home game versus Arizona will be televised by FSN, and Versus will televise the Sept. 13 game at Brigham Young.

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UCLA’s Courtney Mathewson was named the winner of the Peter J. Cutino Award, given to the best female college water polo player in the nation. Tim Hutten of UC Irvine won the men’s award. . . . Coach Bob Burton has signed a contract extension that will keep him in charge of the Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball program through the 2012-13 season.

MISCELLANY

Hasek makes his retirement official

As expected, Detroit Red Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek retired because he said he lacked the motivation for a 17th season.

Detroit General Manager Ken Holland said Hasek’s place in history is secured, calling him not only one of the greatest goalies of his era but also one of the best in NHL history.

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Fifth-seeded Pauline Parmentier ended a six-match losing streak, beating Sanda Mamic, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, in the first round of the Torneo Barcelona tennis tournament at Spain. . . . Tenth-seeded Akgul Amanmuradova and 14th-seeded Jill Craybas both lost at the DFS Classic at Birmingham, England. . . . Tomas Berdych served nine aces in a 6-3, 7-5 defeat of Thomas Johansson in the first round of the Gerry Weber Open at Halle, Germany.