Bring out the brooms K.C. ALFRED / Union-Tribune Padres reliever Treveor Hoffman is congratulated by catcher Nick Hundley afetr closing out a 5-4 win over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday afternoon at Petco Park. The Padres swept three from NL West-leading Arizona. Hundley's two-run homer off Randy Johnson sparked a rally after the Padres fell behind 4-0.

Injured Merriman opts to play

Aug. 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)

Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman has decided to begin the season despite two torn ligaments, the PCL and LCL, in his left knee, he said this morning.

"I'm going to play," Merriman said via text message to the Union-Tribune. "I'll deal with it when it's time to get surgery."

Columnists
For Merriman, lights out now is a bright idea	The challenge will now be to keep up with the Chinese

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Shanteau undergoes cancer surgery: Eric Shanteau had surgery Wednesday to remove a cancerous testicle after fulfilling his goal of swimming in the Olympics.

NEW YORK, 7:57 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

No. 2 Jankovic guts out tough 2nd-round win: Jelena Jankovic's leg cramped so badly, she couldn't take another step. Luckily for the No. 2 seed in the U.S. Open, the agony occurred during her post-match run on the treadmill. Anyone who watched could clearly see she left about everything she had out on the court.

7:58 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

U.S. Open at a glance: A look at Wednesday's play at the $20.657 million U.S. Open tennis championships: WEATHER: Sunny and beautiful. High of 78.

DEL MAR, 6:27 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Jockey celebrates birthday with win at Del Mar: Jockey Clinton Potts celebrated his 37th birthday Wednesday by riding Ten Churros to a 2½-length victory over Tammy's Luck in the $108,200 Generous Portion Stakes at Del Mar.

DES MOINES, Iowa, 6:14 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Olympian Johnson to lead pledge at DNC convention: Barack Obama's presidential campaign says Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson will lead the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday.

U.S. OPEN NOTEBOOK, NEW YORK, 4:58 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Jelena Jankovic bristles at opponent's complaints: If opponents aren't ready when Jelena Jankovic is ready to serve, she isn't about to wait. When complaints from her vanquished opponent Sofia Arvidsson were relayed to her by a reporter in a post-match news conference, Jankovic bristled. Arvidsson felt that Jankovic ignored her raised hand, asking her to wait before unleashing a serve.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., 4:55 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Joey Logano to drive in 7 Sprint Cup races: Joey Logano will drive in seven Sprint Cup races this fall as a tuneup before the 18-year-old star begins his full-time ride at Joe Gibbs Racing.

DURHAM, N.C., 3:00 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Coach K to 'live the moment' after Olympic success: Mike Krzyzewski always maintained that leading the U.S. Olympic basketball team would make him a changed coach. Sure enough, Coach K was there on the sideline in Beijing and he stopped himself from saying something he otherwise might have.

OKLAHOMA CITY, 2:54 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Candrea retires as U.S. softball coach: Mike Candrea, the Arizona softball coach whose bid to lead the United States to a second gold medal ended with a loss to Japan in the Beijing title game, stepped down Wednesday as coach of the national team.

2:46 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Sources: De La Hoya finishing deal with Pacquiao: Oscar De La Hoya has nearly wrapped up a deal to finish his boxing career Dec. 6 against Filipino star Manny Pacquiao, two people with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

2:27 p.m. Aug. 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)

San Diego triathlete dies from bike accident injuries: Barbara Warren, one of San Diego's most accomplished endurance athletes, died Tuesday night in a Santa Barbara hospital after being paralyzed in a bike accident. She was 65.

BRISTOL, Tenn., 11:24 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Biffle the unheralded driver lurking in top 10: Most drivers near the top of the Sprint Cup points standings get more attention than Greg Biffle these days.

COLUMBIA, S.C., 10:34 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Darlington festival on former Southern 500 weekend: Like most NASCAR fans, Darrell Waltrip thought Darlington Raceway's goose was cooked. The former champion and current TV broadcaster saw the expansive new tracks on the circuit with their spacious parking, gleaming seats and fan-friendly touches. Darlington, meanwhile, looked about the same as when Waltrip first raced it three decades earlier.

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y., 10:03 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Said has taken long road to carve niche in NASCAR: When rain washed out Sprint Cup qualifying at Watkins Glen International this month, a frustrated Boris Said had to park his No Fear Racing Ford for the second straight year at his favorite track.

ZURICH, Switzerland, 9:55 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

3-time gold medalist Bolt gets back on track: Three-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt wants to get back to his day job – running fast.

9:38 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Johnson eager to get Chase started: If only most NASCAR drivers had Jimmie Johnson's problems. From the outside, the two-time defending NASCAR Sprint Series champion appears to be in the middle of another spectacular season. He heads to this week's race in California fourth in season points, has wins at Indianapolis and Phoenix, and will clinch a spot in the playoffs if he manages to keep his No.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., 9:36 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Top 2 Sprint Cup drivers on probation: NASCAR placed Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards on probation Wednesday for the next six Sprint Cup Series races, the result of their on-track incident last weekend at the end of the race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

NEW YORK, 8:54 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Tennis types on baseball replay: Good call: Jim Courier can find only one possible flaw with instant replay in baseball, and it's purely personal.

8:46 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)

Dixon closing in on 2nd championship: If Scott Dixon can hang on and win the championship, he's going to appreciate this one a whole lot more than the title he took six years ago as an IndyCar Series rookie.

Aug. 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)

Merriman visits another specialist: Linebacker Shawne Merriman will be back at Chargers Park today after seeing a specialist yesterday in Coral Gables, Fla.

GALLERY, Aug. 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)

Rocket-armed 9-year-old hoping for a legal curve: The question of whether a 9-year-old can be barred from pitching in the Youth Baseball League of New Haven (Conn.) because he's too fast is headed to court.

Aug. 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)

On the air / local events: P

9:04 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
BMW Oracle Racing sailors tri-high over new boat: It's big enough to fill the diamond of a major league baseball field and is just a few feet shorter than an NBA court.

NEW YORK, 7:39 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Ivanovic rallies, avoids major upset at U.S. Open: Ana Ivanovic raised her racket, ready for an easy overhead slam in what was shaping up as an easy match.

DES MOINES, Iowa, 6:45 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Olympic gold medal-winner returns home: The story, as told by Shawn Johnson, goes like this: She was headed to David Letterman's show Monday from Chicago when the airline reported a problem.

NEW YORK, 6:07 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

Tennis stars going glam at Grand Slams: Models have the runway, actresses the red carpet and – when it comes to showing off their latest styles – tennis players have center court.

SAN FRANCISCO, 5:46 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

Report: Jones in Bay Area during Graham trial: Federal prosecutors briefly moved disgraced sprinter Marion Jones from a Texas prison to the San Francisco Bay area three months ago in case they needed her to testify against her former track coach on trial for lying to investigators, according to a published report.

5:08 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

U.S. Open at a glance: A look at Tuesday's play at the $20.657 million U.S. Open tennis championships: WEATHER: Sunny and beautiful. High of 79.

SAN ANTONIO, 4:54 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

Hammon reflects on Olympic journey with Russia: Back in the U.S. with a gleaming bronze medal in hand, Becky Hammon said the controversy surrounding her decision to play basketball for Russia in Beijing has given her fresh perspective on life and humbled her.

4:28 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

Sorenson to join Gillett Evernham Motorsports: Reed Sorenson isn't waiting for Chip Ganassi Racing to figure out the Car of Tomorrow. The 22-year-old driver signed a multiyear contract to join Gillett Evernham Motorsports next season, where he'll join Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler.

NEW YORK, 4:19 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

Safin and Safina, siblings starring at Open: It's do as I say, not as I do when it comes to Marat Safin and his up-and-coming sister Dinara Safina.

NEW YORK, 12:22 p.m. Aug. 26 (REUTERS)

Ivanovic stays alive by winning ugly: Ana Ivanovic needed every scrap of her youthful ebullience on Tuesday to narrowly avoid the humiliation of becoming the first top-seeded woman to lose in the opening round of the U.S. Open.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., 12:12 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

Super Bowl hero David Tyree on PUP list: Wide receiver David Tyree was placed on the physically-unable-to-perform reserve list by the New York Giants on Tuesday, meaning the player who made a game-saving catch in the Super Bowl won't be making any for at least the first six weeks of the season.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., 12:08 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

Format change for Shootout at Daytona: The Budweiser Shootout at Daytona will be around at least three more years with a new format that places the emphasis on the four manufacturers in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series.

CLEVELAND, 11:56 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

Browns' Jurevicius to miss first 6 weeks of season: Cleveland Browns wide receiver Joe Jurevicius will miss the first six weeks of the regular season while he recovers from knee surgery.

RUIDOSO DOWNS, N.M., 11:47 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

New Mexico horse goes for record win Sunday: Peppers Pride trainer Joel Marr will use Lincoln Handicap at Ruidoso Downs on Sunday to try for a North American record 17th victory in 17 starts.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga., 11:36 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

Falcons move Foster, Lewis off active roster: The Atlanta Falcons reduced their roster to 75 players by moving offensive tackle Renardo Foster and defensive tackle Trey Lewis off their active list on Tuesday.

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., 9:02 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)

Mangini likely to sit Favre vs. Eagles: Jets coach Eric Mangini says he's leaning toward not playing quarterback Brett Favre in the team's preseason finale at Philadelphia.

Aug. 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)

San Diego Tennis Hall of Fame comes to life: The San Diego Tennis Hall of Fame began with an idea and three cabinets. The idea was Larry Belinsky's who, then being in the furniture business, also came up with the cabinets.

Aug. 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)

San Diego second-worst city to be a sports fan: According to Forbes.com, America's Finest City has the dubious distinction of being America's second-worst city in which to be a sports fan. Miami gets the honor of the worst city.

Aug. 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)

Giants want Strahan back from retirement: The New York Giants are interested in luring Michael Strahan out of retirement after losing Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora to a season-ending knee injury Saturday night.

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• Padres give Webb a beating
• Missed tackles raise red flag for Chargers
• BYU again picked to top MWC
• World No. 1 Ana Ivanovic avoids upset
• Gomez does bicoastal bounceback

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	Final results every Sunday in the Union-Tribune.

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Chicago Muscle: Wayne Catalano made his first trip to Del Mar a big one yesterday by winning the Grade II Pat O'Brien Handicap with Frank Calabrese's 5-year-old horse, Lewis Michael. Now Lewis...

Baseball

Bay, Pedroia lead Boston to blowout of Yankees: Jason Bay drove in four runs, Dustin Pedroia hit a grand slam and the Boston Red Sox routed the listless Yankees 11-3 on Wednesday night, putting an emphatic dent in New York's dwindling playoff chances.

NFL

Don't consider this game a Super Bowl rematch: Don't bother looking for an emotional Super Bowl rematch when the New York Giants and the New England Patriots meet in their preseason finale at Giants Stadium on Thursday night.

NBA

Former Trail Blazers Kevin Duckworth dies at 44: Former Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin Duckworth, a “gentle giant” with a feathery touch from the paint, has died. He was 44.

Golf

Taking a less vehement look at the Olympics: The phone rang a couple of Tuesdays ago and the vaguely familiar voice on the other end of the line was that of PGA Tour Vice President Ty Votaw.

Soccer

Top-ranked USC beats USD on botched play: USD goalkeeper Brittany Cameron watched her teammates defend and remain focused at Torero Stadium last night.

College Football

BYU again picked to top MWC: Summoned to share their insights on the upcoming season, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall and junior defensive end Jan Jorgensen drum their fingers on the dais in a Las Vegas ballroom, awaiting the arrival of the third member of their party.

College Basketball

Larry Hennessy, Villanova hoops great, dies at 79: Larry Hennessy, an All-American at Villanova who played in the NBA, has died. He was 79. Hennessy died Wednesday in Williamsburg, Va., according to a statement from the school.

Other Columnists

Musically speaking, this one's a home run: Music and baseball have always seemed to go together. And now, at a CD outlet near you, comes “The Baseball Project: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails” on Yeproc Records.

Manny could reverse curse of the Dodgers' bad moves: On so many levels, the big deal really was a no-brainer. The franchise that's gone from brilliant to brainless just made a trade for a player who often seems to act like he doesn't have a brain in his head.

Paul Brown would frown at son's move: It must have occurred to you as it did to me after Mike Brown stunningly, and I think wrongly, returned Chris Henry to the good graces of the Cincinnati Bengals: his father would not have done that.

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