AP - The Oakland Raiders fired Lane Kiffin on Tuesday just four games into his second season, ending a public feud with owner Al Davis that had been simmering since the start of the year.
AP - A preliminary hearing on a drunken-driving charge for Tennessee defensive end Jevon Kearse has been continued until Jan. 6.
AP - James Shields listens to horror stories about Tropicana Field, shrugs his shoulders and smiles.
AP - Brian Cashman figures he has more work to do with the New York Yankees. After a sustained run of success, he wasn’t about to leave on the heels of a failed season. Cashman is staying on as general manager of the Yankees, agreeing Tuesday to a three-year contract that runs through 2011.
AP - Tennessee expects to play both Jonathan Crompton and Nick Stephens at quarterback Saturday against Northern Illinois. The Volunteers (1-3) are off to their worst start in 14 years and Crompton has struggled to get them into the end zone.
AP - Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell left Tuesday’s workout because of discomfort in his lower back, a day before Philadelphia opens the NL playoffs. The Phillies and Milwaukee play Game 1 on Wednesday afternoon. Burrell will be checked before the game.
AFP - Dimitar Berbatov dashed hopes of a Danish fairy tale with his first two goals for Manchester United as they cruised to a 3-0 victory over Danish champions Aalborg here on Tuesday in their Champions League clash.
AP - Mike D’Antoni stood near the sideline Tuesday with arms folded, smiling as he watched players speed by during full-court drills. At that moment, he might’ve been the only one in the gym enjoying himself.
AP - Running back Cedric Benson signed Tuesday with the Cincinnati Bengals, who needed another runner and were undeterred by two alcohol-related arrests in Texas that prompted the Chicago Bears to let him go.
AP - Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar will have arthroscopic surgery on his dislocated left shoulder Thursday and miss four to six months of the upcoming season.