Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY ó Olympic silver medalist Jeret “Speedy” Peterson was found dead in a remote canyon in Utah in what police are calling a suicide.
Peterson, a freestyle skier who patented the so-called “Hurricane” and took second place at the Vancouver Games with it, called 911 before shooting himself, police said. The 29-year-old Peterson had been cited for drunken driving Friday in Hailey, Idaho, and had pleaded not guilty.
Officers found Peterson late Monday night between Salt Lake City and Park City in Lambs Canyon. Police said a suicide note was found near Peterson’s car; they declined to reveal what it said.
He was one of the most colorful of athletes, and he wore his heart on his sleeve ó never more than on Feb. 26, 2010, when he walked off the mountain after taking second place ó the silver medal ó with tears streaming down his face.
ROSE ARREST
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. ó Jalen Rose was sentenced Wednesday to 20 days in jail for a March drunken-driving crash near Detroit, despite a recommendation that the ESPN analyst and former NBA player not serve jail time and the public support of several prominent figures, including Detroit’s mayor.
When he pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in May, Rose told the judge he drank six martinis before crashing his SUV along a snowy road in West Bloomfield Township. He apologized in a brief statement after Wednesday’s hearing.
“I’m humbled, I’m embarrassed, and I’m very apologetic. I can assure everyone that nothing like this will ever happen again,” he said.
NHL
DETROIT ó Kris Draper loved playing hockey, and he loved playing for the Detroit Red Wings.
Once the 40-year-old Draper learned he wasn’t a sure bet to play for Detroit next season, he decided to hang up his skates for good.
Draper announced his retirement Tuesday after 20 seasons in the NHL, the last 17 with the Red Wings. He will remain in the organization in a still undefined front-office capacity, but he wasn’t interested in signing a two-way deal to play in the minor leagues, coming to training camp on a tryout or playing with another team.
It was the Red Wings or nothing.
“I loved everything about the game and everything about the Red Wings,” he said at a press conference at Joe Louis Arena. “And that’s why I’m going to miss it so much”
Once one of the NHL’s top checking forwards, penalty killers and face-off men, Draper helped the Red Wings win four Stanley Cups (1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008).
GLENDALE, Ariz. ó The Phoenix Coyotes have signed goaltender Justin Pogge to a one-year deal.
BELTRAN
CINCINNATI ó The New York Mets agreed to trade Carlos Beltran to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday and were waiting for the outfielder’s approval to complete the deal, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the swap had not been completed, said the Mets contacted the commissioner’s office for a 24-hour window to negotiate with the All-Star about waiving his no-trade clause.
Beltran was expected to approve the deal to the World Series champions, who lead the NL West.
GOLF
TOLEDO, Ohio ó Bernhard Langer enjoyed his time spent at home while he rehabbed a thumb injury.
Now the defending U.S. Senior Open champion is honing his game and wants to not only compete, but get back to the winner’s circle.
“I’m trying to find my way back,” he said Wednesday on the eve of the 32nd U.S. Senior Open at Inverness Club.
Langer completed an improbable ó and sleep-depriving ó double dip a year ago when he won the Senior British Open at Carnoustie, then flew 4,500 miles to outduel Fred Couples and win the U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee near Seattle. Those back-to-back wins were part of five Champions Tour victories in 2010 that marked him as the top player among the over-50 crowd.