Associated Press
NEW YORK ó Troy Polamalu might not have to worry about getting tackled again by his hair.
At their meetings in Palm Beach, Fla., next week, NFL owners will consider a proposal to ban players from having hair flow from their helmets below their names on the back of their jerseys.
That might affect Polamaluís image, but help him on the field. Two seasons ago, the Pittsburgh safety with the long ponytail had his hair grabbed by Kansas Cityís Larry Johnson and was thrown to the turf after an interception against the Chiefs.
The rule banning long hair on the field was proposed by Kansas City. It does not require players to get haircuts, but does irequire them to tuck it up inside their helmets,î said Atlanta president Rich McKay, chairman of the leagueís competition committee.
Polamalu is the best known of the players, most of them defensive backs, with hair flowing outside their helmets. Others include cornerbacks Al Harris of Green Bay and Mike McKenzie of New Orleans.
Because the rule was proposed by a team, the competition committee did not take a position on it. It will be discussed Monday with a package of other rules.
KIRKLAND, Wash. ó Come on down to Marcus Trufantís wedding on Saturday. Heíll be able to foot the bill.
The Pro Bowl cornerback and his hometown Seattle Seahawks agreed Wednesday to a $50.2 million, six-year contract that runs through 2013.
TENNIS
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. ó Roger Federer was a winner in more ways than one last year.
The worldís No. 1 player was honored as the ATP Tourís player of the year for 2007. He also won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the fourth consecutive year and the Fansí Favorite Award for the fifth consecutive time.
Bob and Mike Bryan of the United States won the Doubles Team of the Year and Fansí Favorite awards, each for the third straight year. The brothers won 11 titles in 2007.
COLLEGE
MINNEAPOLIS ó Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said running back recruit Kevin Whaley is ifortunate that heís aliveî after being shot in the leg outside a Virginia night club earlier this month.
Police say Kevin Whaley was leaving the club in his hometown of Virginia Beach, Va., shortly after
2 a.m. on March 22 when a vehicle pulled up and a gunman opened fire, hitting the Salem High School star in the leg.
Whaley was hospitalized with inon-life threatening injuries,î but is back at home recovering, Brewster said.
MJ LAWSUIT
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. ó The Illinois Supreme Court said Wednesday it would not hear an appeal in the long-running legal dispute between retired Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan and an Indianapolis woman.
Jordan and Karla Knafel went to court in 2002 after she claimed he agreed in 1991 to pay her $5 million when he retired from professional basketball to keep an affair secret. DNA tests later showed her child wasnít Jordanís.
Jordan claimed Knafel was trying to extort him, and he won an appellate court decision last December.
NHL
RALEIGH ó The Carolina Hurricanes have signed first-round draft pick Brandon Sutter to a three-year contract and say he will report to their American Hockey League affiliate in Albany.
The 19-year-old son of New Jersey coach Brent Sutter is the ninth member of his family drafted into the NHL.
PHILADELPHIA ó Flyers forward Simon Gagne reiterated that he will sit out the rest of the season because of lingering symptoms from a series of concussions, with one unlikely caveat: A trip to the Stanley Cup finals.
iIf we go all the way this year, you might see me skating again and getting ready again,î Gagne said Wednesday afternoon. iBut, no, Iím not coming back.î
SOCCER
KRAKOW, Poland ó The U.S. soccer team has its first winning streak on European soil.Carlos Bocanegra and Oguchi Onyewu headed in first-half goals, substitute Eddie Lewis scored in the second half, and the United States beat Poland 3-0 in an exhibition game Wednesday night.
SAINT-DENIS, France ó David Beckham got a yellow card in his 100th international game for England and was taken off in the 62nd minute of his teamís 1-0 loss at France.