EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings’ dalliance with supposedly retired quarterback Brett Favre didn’t reach the stage of face- to-face, close-the-deal talks Thursday — and maybe they never will.
Yahoo! Sports reported Favre, who turns 40 in October, called Vikings coach Brad Childress sometime Wednesday or early Thursday and told the coach he wants to stay retired. Favre’s longtime agent, Bus Cook, reiterated that his famously fickle client hadn’t changed his plan to stay out of the game — but added Favre could always change his mind.
• The Cincinnati Bengals acquired running back Brian Leonard from the St. Louis Rams in exchange for defensive tackle Orien Harris.
The Bengals also signed safety Roy Williams to a one-year contract. Williams missed most of last season with Dallas because he broke his right forearm twice, and the Cowboys released him March 5.
• New England Patriots third- round draft pick Tyrone McKenzie, an outside linebacker from South Florida, will miss the 2009 season with a torn ligament in his right knee.
• Matt Millen, the architect of the NFL’s first 0-16 team last season with the Detroit Lions, is joining ESPN as a football analyst. He will call college football games and appear on NFL studio shows.
Ovechkin death threat traced to teenager
PITTSBURGH — Police said they have traced an Internet death threat made against Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin to a 17-year-old boy.
Pittsburgh Lt. Kevin Kraus said the boy lives in Chambersburg, Pa., which is about 125 miles east-southeast of Pittsburgh. Kraus said state police have talked to the boy, but no charges were immediately filed.
The boy’s name wasn’t released because he’s a juvenile.
The posting on a hockey message board read: “I’m killing Ovechkin. I’ll go to jail. I don’t care anymore.”
The Capitals and Penguins play Game 4 in Pittsburgh tonight.
• Canada, a 4-2 winner over Latvia, and Sweden, which defeated the Czech Republic 3-1, will meet in the semifinals for a fourth straight year at the ice hockey world championship in Switzerland. The teams meet today after the United States plays defending champion Russia.
Footnotes.
Virginia police said former NASCAR driver Kevin Grubb died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The 31-year-old was suspended from NASCAR indefinitely in 2006 because he refused to submit to a random drug test following a Busch Series race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
• Hungarian light-heavyweight boxer Andras Nagy died after suffering a brain injury while training in Melbourne, Australia. He was 23.
• China’s triple Olympic gold medalist Yang Wei has retired from gymnastics because of a left elbow injury.
• Southern California defeated defending national champion Penn State 3-1 in the NCAA men’s volleyball semifinals in Provo, Utah, and will play the winner of the late semifinal between Cal-Irvine and Ohio State in the championship Saturday. The Associated Press
