Associated Press
GREEN BAY, Wis. ó The city of Green Bay is renaming Minnesota Avenue in honor of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers ó for this week, anyway.
It’s one of four fan-inspired suggestions Mayor Jim Schmitt has chosen to help the city take a few lighthearted welcome-back jabs at Brett Favre before Sunday’s game against Favre’s Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field.
Schmitt also announced an essay contest asking eighth-graders to come up with the top 12 reasons to stay in Green Bay. On Friday, the mayor and his staff will wear flip-flops and are encouraging fans to do the same. On Saturday, Schmitt will host a pep rally featuring waffle fries.
Rodgers wears jersey No. 12, and flip-flops and waffle fries are jabs at Favre’s flaky attitude toward retirement.
Fans sent the mayor’s office about 1,700 ideas to welcome back Favre.
– KANSAS CITY, Mo. ó Running back Larry Johnson, who made two gay slurs within a 24-hour period and has a history of poor behavior both on and off the field, was given what amounts to a one-game suspension Wednesday night by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Missing one game check will cost the troubled former Pro Bowler about $213,000.
– WASHINGTON ó The Washington Redskins say tight end Chris Cooley could return to action in a month after having an operation on his broken right ankle.
Cooley’s surgery was Wednesday, two days after he was injured in the first half of Washington’s 27-17 loss to Philadelphia.
NHL
RALEIGH ó David Perron had two goals, Yan Stastny and Jay McClement scored 16 seconds apart, and Chris Mason made 34 saves to help the St. Louis Blues beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 on Wednesday night.
Stastny and McClement gave St. Louis ó 3-1-1 on the road ó a 3-0 lead before Joe Corvo scored for Carolina in the first-period.
Carolina’s Scott Walker batted in his own rebound midway through the third.
Islanders 3, Rangers 1
UNIONDALE, N.Y. ó Islanders captain Doug Weight, in his first game back following a bout with swine flu, earned an assist on Kyle Okposo’s tiebreaking, power-play goal in the second period that lifted New York to a 3-1 victory.
Coyotes 4, Blue Jackets 1
COLUMBUS, Ohio ó Martin Hanzal, Zbynek Michalek and Robert Lang scored power-play goals and Jason LaBarbera stopped 31 shots.
GOLF
MADISON, Miss. ó Just five years after winning the British Open, Todd Hamilton is fighting for his PGA Tour card at the Viking Classic.
He isn’t alone. The tournament begins Thursday with dozens of players trying to retain their eligibility with two events left in the 2009 season. All 21 players between Nos. 114 and 135 on the money list are entered. The top 125 get full exempt status on the 2010 tour.
– NEW YORK ó Two golf magazines have reported that Michael Whan has been selected new LPGA Tour commissioner and will be introduced Wednesday morning in New York.
BASEBALL
CHICAGO ó The $845 million sale of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field and other assets from the Tribune Co. to the Ricketts family was completed, more than 2 1/2 years after the baseball franchise was put on the market.
The family of billionaire Joe Ricketts, the founder of Omaha, Neb.-based TD Ameritrade, takes a 95 percent controlling interest in the baseball franchise, its storied ballpark and 25 percent of Comcast Sportsnet, which broadcasts many Cubs games.