AP - Losing for the first time since 2000, the U.S. softball team was denied a chance for a fourth straight gold medal Thursday, beaten 3-1 by Japan in the sport's last appearance in the Olympics for at least eight years — and maybe for good.

AP - Gene Upshaw, the Hall of Fame guard who during a quarter century as union head helped get NFL players free agency and the riches that came with it, has died. He was 63.

AP - Clank. The American men dropped the baton.

AP - Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor were prepared for the downpour, just as they were for a young Chinese team that was the latest to challenge their four-year reign over women's beach volleyball.

AP - They were two Washington Redskins defensive starters with wrecked knees, spending long days together in rehab in the offseason. They supported each other and pushed each other, yet they were also subtly trying to beat each other in the race back to football health.

AP - Clay Bennett's ownership group has reached a final settlement with the city of Seattle, allowing the former SuperSonics franchise to move to Oklahoma City.

AFP - Fabio Capello insists England are ready for next month's World Cup qualifiers despite his side's lacklustre display in a 2-2 draw against the Czech Republic.

AP - Scott Gordon faced a probing question in the time between accepting the job as head coach of the New York Islanders and his introductory news conference.

AP - The NCAA put New Mexico's football program on three years of probation Wednesday and cut five scholarships as punishment for academic violations involving two former assistant coaches.

AFP - Second seed Daniela Hantuchova earned a dramatic victory here on Wednesday to slip into the quarter-finals of the WTA and ATP tournament.