Vikings president says Favre is on team’s radar SHORT STAY

The Minnesota Vikings ended their silence Monday, with President Mark Wilf saying the team is considering retired quarterback Brett Favre.

“He’s a Hall of Fame quarterback. He’s a great competitor,” Wilf said. “Ultimately, you’ll have to ask Brett what his plans are, but sure there’s interest in Brett Favre. But again, it’s part of a process we have in general with any of our players. We’re always looking to make our team better.”

Several conflicting and contradictory media reports swirled last week around the possibility of Favre, who retired for the second time at the end of last season, returning to the NFL to play for the Vikings.

Neither Favre nor the Vikings commented last week.

Favre was released by the New York Jets on April 28 and issued a statement that said, “At this time, I am retired and have no intention of returning to football.”

He hasn’t been heard from since.

“That type of decision is up to Brett Favre, and I’ll leave it to Brett Favre to give you that answer,” Wilf said.

Favre’s agent, Bus Cook, has said that Favre remains retired to his knowledge. Cook did not immediately return a phone message from the Associated Press on Monday.

--

PRO BASKETBALL

Toronto hires Triano as coach

Jay Triano signed a three-year contract to coach the Toronto Raptors, dropping the interim tag after taking over the team during the season.

Triano, 50, was promoted Dec. 3 after Sam Mitchell’s dismissal.

The Raptors were 25-40 under Triano but won nine of their last 13 games.

Philadelphia interim Coach Tony DiLeo has withdrawn his name from consideration for the team’s permanent coaching job.

Ed Stefanski, general manager of the 76ers, said DiLeo decided to return to his former job as a senior vice president and assistant general manager.

DiLeo replaced Maurice Cheeks after the 76ers started 9-14 and guided them to a 32-27 record and a playoff spot.

Golden State has fired Chris Mullin, the executive vice president of basketball operations, nearly a year after the former star player apparently lost his authority to run the troubled franchise.

--

HOCKEY

Carolina’s Walker fined by NHL

Carolina Hurricanes forward Scott Walker will not be suspended but was fined $2,500 by the NHL for throwing a punch that may have broken a bone in Boston defenseman Aaron Ward’s face.

Hurricanes General Manager Jim Rutherford told AP that the automatic suspension given to Walker was rescinded during a hearing with league disciplinarian Colin Campbell. It was ruled the hit was not a “sucker punch.”

Tempers flared in the final minutes of Boston’s 4-0 victory Sunday in Game 5 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Mike Modano, the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, said he would play next season, his 20th.

Modano, who turns 39 in June, holds virtually every Stars franchise record, including 1,400 games, 543 goals and 786 assists.

He has played his entire career with the Stars, starting in Minnesota before the team moved to Dallas 15 seasons ago.

The Tampa Bay Lightning made Rick Tocchet its full-time coach, lifting the interim tag and giving him a multiyear contract.

The former NHL star took over in mid-November after Barry Melrose was fired. Tampa Bay had a 19-33-14 record under Tocchet.

--

ETC.

Armstrong moves to fifth in Giro

Alessandro Petacchi of Italy won his second consecutive stage in the Giro d’Italia and took the overall lead.

Lance Armstrong, competing in his first Giro, finished in the main pack in 50th place, with the same time as Petacchi. The seven-time Tour de France winner advanced to fifth place, 31 seconds behind Petacchi.

Petacchi beat Tyler Farrar of the United States and Francesco Gavazzi of Italy in a sprint finish to end the 123-mile third stage from Grado to Valdobbiadene. All had a time of 4 hours 45 minutes 27 seconds.

Farrar is in second place in the overall standings, eight seconds behind Petacchi.

Serena Williams left the Madrid Open after aggravating an injury to her right knee during a first-round match with Francesca Schiavone.

The second-seeded Williams retired after losing the first set, 6-4. She declined to detail the extent of the problem but said it would not keep her out of the French Open, which starts May 19.

Sprinter Usain Bolt of Jamaica, an Olympic triple gold medalist, said he would compete in a 150-meter street race Sunday in Manchester, England. Bolt, 22, returned to training last week. He crashed his car into a ditch along a Jamaican highway April 29.

NBC Sports’ final-round coverage of the Players Championship on Sunday earned a 4.1 overnight rating and a 10 share, which equals the best rating for the event in five years and a 21% increase over last year, according to Nielsen Media Research.