Sports news 05 march 2008

Favre, the ultimate gunslinger, retires
The Star-Ledger – NJ.com
BY PAUL NEEDELL After 17 NFL seasons, just about every passing record known to man, and countless thrills and spills, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre surprised the football nation yesterday by retiring from the game he loves.

Sidney Crosby and Peter Forsberg make NHL returns
SI.com
Former MVPs Sidney Crosby and Peter Forsberg successfully returned to the NHL Tuesday night. Crosby, the reigning Hart Trophy winner, came off the injured list and helped the Pittsburgh Penguins beat Tampa Bay 2-0.

Ex-49er Harris goes to Raiders
Contra Costa Times
By Steve Corkran San Francisco Forty Niners quarterback Alex Smith looks down field as Kwame Harris prepares to make a block in the 3rd quarter of their game with the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, November 5,2006 at Monster Park in San Francisco.

Pistons-Celtics Preview
USA Today
Eight months after a blockbuster offseason made them instant NBA title contenders, the Boston Celtics still are looking to improve.

Hawks can’t keep up, fall to Warriors
Atlanta Journal Constitution
By SEKOU SMITH The Golden State Warriors lured the Hawks into deep waters in the first half Tuesday night, tricking the home team into thinking that they could keep up a blistering pace.

LA mayor attends vigil for gunned down high school football star
San Jose Mercury News
AP LOS ANGELES—Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was among the hundreds of mourners who attended a candlelight vigil to remember a 17-year-old high school football star who was gunned down in what police said was a random, unprovoked gang attack.

Suns-Nuggets Preview
USA Today
Shaquille O’Neal has had little impact on offense since joining the Phoenix Suns. His production in recent years against the Denver Nuggets has been even worse.

Papelbon Argues For Better Deal
Hartford Courant
Boston Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon holds the baseball as he attempts to tag a base runner during pickoff drills. (BRITA MENG OUTZEN / AP / February 27, 2008) By JEFF GOLDBERG | Courant Staff Writer March 5, 2008 FORT MYERS, Fla.

Ohio State Beats No. 15 Purdue
Washington Post
By RUSTY MILLER AP COLUMBUS, Ohio — After a season of nothing going right, Ohio State could do no wrong for one night. The Buckeyes put things together just in time to knock Purdue out of the Big Ten lead.

Haynesworth: Titans are getting ‘worse’
USA Today
By Jim Wyatt, The Tennessean NASHVILLE – Albert Haynesworth is happy for all his friends – and now former teammates – who’ve become richer signing free-agent deals elsewhere this week.

Desperation unites Bears and Booker
Chicago Tribune
By Vaughn McClure | Tribune reporter March 5, 2008 Desperate for help at receiver, the Bears turned to an old friend, signing Marty Booker to a two-year deal.

Motion in Clemens’ suit
San Francisco Chronicle
AP McNamee’s lawyers filed motions in US District Court, claiming that because McNamee made statements to baseball investigator George Mitchell as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors, anything McNamee said was covered by “absolute immunity.

That’s 10 for Spurs; Kobe saves Lakers
USA Today
By AP The Lakers offer more thrills, since Kobe Bryant can do something spectacular at any moment. Can’t argue with either team’s formula right now.

Pacers-Rockets Preview
USA Today
The Houston Rockets are perfect since their last game of January. More importantly, they’re perfect since they lost their leading scorer and rebounder for the season.

Ovechkin’s next goal: Caps in playoffs
SportingNews.com
After reaching a significant scoring milestone, Alexander Ovechkin hangs the puck on a wall in his home to signify the achievement.

Pistons polish off SuperSonics
Boston Globe
AP / March 5, 2008 Tayshaun Prince scored 24 points, Chauncey Billups added 20 points and nine assists, and the host Detroit Pistons overcame a slow start to beat the Seattle SuperSonics, 100-97, last night.

Bruins slip up again
Boston Globe
Letting the chips fall where they may, Bruins goalie Alex Auld had the puck covered on Panthers center Brett McLean’s second-period shot.

Hawks creeping back in it
Chicago Tribune
By Chris Kuc | Tribune reporter March 5, 2008 The Hawks picked up two crucial points in the Western Conference race Tuesday night when they defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-2 before a crowd of 18568 at the Excel Energy Center.

TE becomes sixth Nittany Lion suspended in offseason
SI.com
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State tight end Andrew Quarless was suspended indefinitely Wednesday for an unspecified violation of team rules, the sixth player suspended in the offseason.