Associated Press
CHARLOTTE ó John Kasay stood in front of reporters four years ago to announce what he thought was his last contract extension with the Carolina Panthers.
On Wednesday, two days after his 39th birthday and in the midst of a streak of 21 consecutive made field goals, the last original Panther decided he was far from finished, signing another four-year extension that keeps him entrenched as Carolina’s place-kicker through the 2012 season.
With Kasay still one of the NFL’s top kickers, Carolina was happy to keep him ó even if he’ll be 43 at the end of the deal. The left-footer is 16-of-16 this season and hasn’t missed since Dec. 16. Kasay connected from 23 and 50 yards in Sunday’s 27-23 win over Arizona, passing Jan Stenerud for eighth place on the NFL’s career list with 374 field goals.
– ALAMEDA, Calif. ó Former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin filed a grievance with the NFL on Wednesday to claim the lost salary he maintains he is still owed by the team.
Kiffin was fired late last month for cause because of what owner Al Davis described as acts of insubordination and lying by his second-year coach.
Kiffin was still owed about $2.6 million from the three-year contract that he signed in January 2007. But Davis has refused to pay, leading to the grievance.
– ALLEN PARK, Mich. ó The Detroit Lions worked out quarterback Daunte Culpepper and liked how he looked.
“He moved around good,” Lions coach Rod Marinelli said Wednesday. “Good feet and all those things.”
The winless Lions put quarterback Jon Kitna on injured reserve earlier this season and have started Dan Orlovsky the past three games. Drew Stanton and Drew Henson are also on the roster.
NHL
NEWARK, N.J. ó Niklas Hagman scored on a nifty backhand in the fourth round of the shootout to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 6-5 win over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night.
After Hagman gave Toronto a 2-1 shootout lead, Vesa Toskala secured the win with a blocker save on Jamie Langenbrunner. Tomas Kaberle kept Toronto alive, beating Martin Brodeur in the third round after Patrik Elias scored for New Jersey.
VIRGINIA
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. ó Virginia fullback RaShawn Jackson is facing felony charges in connection with a campus burglary committed in 2007.
University police said that Jackson faces one count of breaking and entering and one count of grand larceny in connection with the break-in at Cauthen Dormitory last November.
RACING
ABINGDON, Va. ó Larry McClure, a founding member of Morgan-McClure Motorsports, was indicted on charges of federal tax law violations.
McLure faces up to 115 years in prison and a $2.75 million fine if convicted.