Tomlinson decides to stay with Chargers

LaDainian Tomlinson is staying with the San Diego Chargers.

Tomlinson and the Chargers agreed to a renegotiated deal that gives the team salary-cap relief. The Chargers confirmed the agreement Tuesday night. Financial terms weren’t immediately available.

The deal ends a two-month saga during which it looked as if Tomlinson, the 2006 NFL most valuable player, could be finished with the Chargers.

Orlando Pace, a seven-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle dogged by injuries in recent seasons, was released by the St. Louis Rams. The 33-year-old Pace was the first overall pick of the 1997 draft. The move cleared $6 million in cap space for the Rams, who were 2-14 last season. . . . Quarterback Alex Smith is staying with the San Francisco 49ers after agreeing to a restructured contract sharply reducing his base salary. Financial terms weren’t immediately available, but the 49ers now have Smith under contract for the next two years. . . . The Atlanta Falcons signed free-agent linebacker Mike Peterson, who spent the last six seasons in Jacksonville.

JURISPRUDENCE

Clemens’ materials show substances

Federal authorities have found performance-enhancing substances on the materials Brian McNamee said he used to inject Roger Clemens, the New York Times reported Tuesday.

McNamee turned over the syringes, vials and gauze pads to federal investigators last year, after he told baseball investigator George Mitchell he injected the pitcher with steroids and human growth hormone. The Washington Post reported Feb. 6 that tests linked Clemens’ DNA to blood in the syringes given to investigators by McNamee.

Clemens has said repeatedly that McNamee, his former personal trainer, injected him with B-12 and the painkiller lidocaine.

SOCCER

Liverpool, Chelsea reach quarterfinals

Liverpool charged into the Champions League quarterfinals with a 4-0 victory over Real Madrid behind two goals from Steven Gerrard, and Chelsea went through after drawing 2-2 with Juventus.

Bayern Munich, already 5-0 up from the away leg, brushed aside Sporting Lisbon, 7-1, at home to complete an overwhelming 12-1 aggregate triumph, and Villarreal won 2-1 at Panathinaikos to advance 3-2 overall.

Michael Essien scored for Chelsea.

Star midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme quit the Argentina team, saying he and Coach Diego Maradona did not get along.

HOCKEY

General managers take on fighting

NHL general managers, trying to curb so-called staged fights, recommended that starting next season participants in fights that occur off a faceoff should receive an additional 10-minute misconduct penalty.

Focusing on ending fights begun by players who are avenging clean hits against teammates, the general managers also recommended that the little-used instigator penalty be called more often.

Their recommendations will go to the competition committee, which can send them to the Board of Governors for a vote and possible adoption.

-- Helene Elliott

ETC.

Wooden released from hospital

John Wooden went home after spending nearly a month at a local hospital because of pneumonia, a UCLA spokesman announced.

“He is settling in and is happy to be back in his own home,” daughter Nan Muehlhausen said in a statement.

Earlier, the family had asked that fans no longer mail or ship items to Wooden, 98, for his signature.

-- David Wharton

Hollywood Park is slashing $1.5 million in purse money from its stakes schedule for the track’s 65-day meet that opens April 22. . . . Jimmy Watts, the crew member who chased a tire across pit road, forcing NASCAR to throw a race-changing caution at Atlanta Motor Speedway, has been suspended for four races.