Associated Press
CORAL GABLES, Fla. ó Mindful of the ongoing economic downturn, Miami’s football team will charter buses instead of planes this fall for trips to Central Florida and South Florida.
The decision by coach Randy Shannon will save Miami $140,000, athletic director Kirby Hocutt said.
Originally, the school planned to fly for those trips to Orlando and Tampa, cities that both are approximately three-to-four-hour drives from the Hurricanes’ campus. But in an uncertain economy, Hocutt has told his department to spend wisely, part of a newly installed 44-point plan to get the Hurricanes through what he called “a critical economic time.”
BASEBALL
NEW YORK ó Here’s a real curve: Instead of accusing more major leaguers of using performance-enhancing drugs, Jose Canseco wants to help baseball deal with the lingering fallout of the sport’s steroid era.
The former Bash Brother hopes to meet with commissioner Bud Selig and union head Donald Fehr to discuss his plan to help baseball move away from the steroid issue and make it “the great sport that it is.”
“I think I have the ear of the nation now,” Canseco said Tuesday. “I think everyone realizes I have not in any way, shape or form tried to create smoke and mirrors like Major League Baseball has and the players have. I have been excruciatingly honest about what’s going on in baseball.”
– WASHINGTON ó All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada pleaded guilty Wednesday to lying to Congress about the use of performance-enhancing drugs in professional baseball.
– SAN DIEGO ó The San Diego Padres traded minor league pitcher Matt Bush to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday for a player to be named or cash. Bush was the No. 1 pick in the 2004 amateur draft.
– LOS ANGELES ó Right-hander Jeff Weaver agreed to a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers after taking last season off. Weaver, who played for the Dodgers in 2004-2005, is 93-114 with a 4.72 ERA in nine seasons.
– ARLINGTON, Texas ó The Texas Rangers completed minor league contracts with outfielder Andruw Jones and reliever Brendan Donnelly.
An All-Star with the Anaheim Angels in 2003, Donnelly was one of 80-plus players named in the Mitchell Report on doping in baseball in December 2007.
NASCAR
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ó Kasey Kahne led the way during Sprint Cup practice at Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday, while Joey Logano continued to struggle during his first week as a full-time driver on NASCAR’s top circuit.
Kahne posted a session-best lap of 190.994 mph in his No. 9 Dodge. He was followed by fellow Dodge drivers Kurt Busch (190.840) and Sam Hornish Jr. (190.678).NHL
HARTFORD, Conn. ó Controversial left wing Sean Avery is resuming his hockey career with the New York Rangers’ affiliate in Hartford, hoping to return to the NHL.
The Dallas Stars assigned Avery to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.
TENNIS
PARIS ó Maria Sharapova’s return to the WTA tour is still on hold. Even she is not sure when her injured right shoulder will be ready.