Titans, and White, to face Steelers in opener

Tennessee Titans running back LenDale White famously stomped a Terrible Towel into the ground last season. This season, the Pittsburgh Steelers will get a chance to reply.

The Steelers will play host to the Titans on Thursday Sept. 10 in the 2009 kickoff opener, the NFL announced Monday, pitting the defending Super Bowl champions and the team that finished the 2008 regular season with a league-best 13-3 record.

On the opening Sunday, Chicago plays at Green Bay in the prime-time game, a matchup between NFC North rivals that have won seven of the division’s last eight titles.

As has become tradition, the first Monday night will feature a doubleheader -- and this year all four teams have roots in the American Football League, which will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of its formation. New England plays host to Buffalo in the first game, and Oakland plays host to San Diego in the nightcap.

There will be three nationally televised games on Thanksgiving: Green Bay at Detroit, Oakland at Dallas and the New York Giants at Denver.

The league also announced an agreement to extend DirecTV’s rights to carry NFL Sunday Ticket through the 2014 season. In addition, the league will make the “Red Zone Channel” -- which shows crucial live cut-ins of Sunday daytime games -- available on other satellite and cable systems.

-- Sam Farmer

BASEBALL

Schilling announces his retirement

Curt Schilling retired from baseball after a career in which he won World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks and was one of the game’s most dominant pitchers.

The 42-year-old right-hander said on his blog that he’s leaving after 23 years with “zero regrets.” Schilling missed all of last season because of a shoulder injury after signing a one-year, $8-million contract.

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The San Diego Padres added two right-handers, agreeing to a minor league contract with Shawn Hill and acquiring Luke Gregerson from St. Louis to complete the deal that sent shortstop Khalil Greene to the Cardinals. . . . San Francisco Giants minor league pitcher Kelvin Pichardo, 23, was suspended for 50 games because of a positive test for a banned performance-enhancing substance.

JURISPRUDENCE

Lawmaker wants ban on betting reversed

A New Jersey lawmaker is asking a judge to overturn a federal law that bans sports betting in 46 states.

State Sen. Raymond Lesniak filed a lawsuit that says the federal law is unconstitutional because it treats four states differently than the rest.

The law prohibits sports betting in all states except Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon. Of those, only Nevada and Montana currently allow sports wagering.

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Pro golfer John Daly claimed a Florida newspaper libeled him in a column suggesting he failed “the scoundrel sniff test,” but a judge disagreed. Duval County Circuit Judge Hugh Carithers dismissed Daly’s libel lawsuit and granted the Florida Times-Union’s request for summary judgment. He ruled that former columnist Mike Freeman’s statements were either true or constitutionally protected opinion.

ETC.

Owner could put Canadiens up for sale

The Montreal Canadiens could be for sale as part of a plan by owner George Gillett to sort out his varied holdings. The American, who also owns 50% of the Liverpool soccer club in the English Premier League, has retained financial firms in Canada, the United States and Europe to come up with a strategy to maximize the value of his corporate assets.

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U.S. Olympic medalist Walter Dix is trying to end his contract with his agent. The sprinter’s lawyer, Jason Wolf, said agent Kimberly Holland and ICON Management have locked the sprinter into an unfair contract.

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Lil E. Tee, who upset heavily favored Arazi to win the 1992 Kentucky Derby, has died. He was 20. The horse was euthanized at Old Frankfort Stud on March 18 after falling ill last month.

PASSINGS

Komives, 67, led nation in scoring

Howard “Butch” Komives, who led the nation in scoring at Bowling Green in 1964 and went on to play 10 seasons in the NBA, has died. He was 67.