sports in brief

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jul 24, 2008

Local & state: KU golfer wins tournament in Manhattan

Kansas sophomore Jennifer Clark took home the victory at the Collegiate Players Tour/Manhattan Collegiate Open on Wednesday.

Clark carded a three-round 217 at the Manhattan Country Club for a four-shot win.

KU teammate Alyssa Rainbolt fired a 231, good for sixth place.

Basketball: WNBA garnering negative attention after brawl

The WNBA always seems to crave more attention.

Mission accomplished, albeit it without a dunk or fantastic play.

The Detroit Shock -- and assistant coach Rick Mahorn -- were involved in a skirmish with the Los Angeles Sparks, making the WNBA a hot topic on TV, sports-talk radio and blogs.

"A lot of people are paying attention to the WNBA right now that have probably never followed it," Shock guard Katie Smith said Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press. "Is it the right kind of attention? No. But I don't think the publicity hurts. In hockey, people live for the fights.

"Who knows, maybe we'll meet in the WNBA finals and there will be even more interest."

Now, the league is left to decide which of the participants will be punished and its decisions are expected Thursday before Detroit plays at Houston and Los Angeles travels to face Connecticut.

"The WNBA is reviewing the incident in its entirety," WNBA spokesman Ron Howard said Wednesday.

Jason Hart is returning to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers acquired the 30-year-old local product from the Utah Jazz on Wednesday in exchange for Brevin Knight in a swap of point guards.

Hart, who attended high school in nearby Inglewood, rejoins the Clippers after averaging 2.9 points, 1.5 assists, 1.0 rebound and 10.6 minutes in 57 games for the Jazz last season. He played in just two of Utah's 12 playoff games.

James Posey, a key reserve on Boston's championship team last season and Miami's two seasons before that, officially became a Hornet on Wednesday after signing a four-year, $25 million contract.

The Portland Trail Blazers signed French guard-forward Nicolas Batum on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-8 19-year-old was the 25th overall pick in the draft by Houston, which traded his rights to Portland for picks Darrell Arthur (27th overall) and Joey Dorsey (33rd overall). Batum played for the Blazers during the NBA Summer League, averaging 6.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in five games.

Football: Goodell monitoring Favre situation with Green Bay

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is monitoring the situation between the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre.

A person with direct knowledge of Goodell's interest said the commissioner has spoken with Packers management several times recently as tensions mounted between the three-time MVP and his team.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.

ESPN.com first reported Goodell's interest in the Favre predicament, indicating that Goodell encouraged Packers general manager Ted Thompson to survey teams around the league to try to find a trade partner in hopes of resolving it quickly.

Marques Colston, Saints wide receiver, got his reward for playing far beyond the expectations for a seventh-round pick.

Colston, whose 168 catches are more than any NFL receiver through his first two seasons, agreed to a three-year extension that could keep him in New Orleans through the 2011 season, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said Wednesday night.

The Chargers released wide receiver Eric Parker on Wednesday.

Rod Smith, Broncos receiver, is planning to hold a news conference Thursday amid published reports that he will retire.

Devin Hester, Pro Bowl kick returner, is absent from Chicago's first training camp practice.

Hester was placed on the Bears' Did Not Report list.

Auto racing: Toyota engines may have too much horsepower

NASCAR tried to even out the competition in the Nationwide Series on Wednesday by ordering all teams using Toyota motors to squeeze down their horsepower before this weekend's race in Indianapolis.

NASCAR ordered all the Toyota motors to use a smaller spacer that will knock down 15 horsepower in the motors.

Lee White, president of Toyota Racing Development, said he was "extremely disappointed" and found no justification for NASCAR's decision, arguing the Nationwide teams have been successful this season because of hard work and not technical advantage.

Kyle Busch, NASCAR Sprint Cup star, has won second-quarter voting for 2008 Driver of the Year, repeating his victory in the first- quarter balloting.

The National Hot Rod Association has named the members of a safety task force created to investigate, analyze and determine ways to implement added safety measures in drag racing.

From staff and wire reports