Love taps Couples, Hulbert as Ryder Cup assistants

Golf

Love taps Couples, Hulbert

as Ryder Cup assistants

U.S. captain Davis Love III selected two longtime friends, Fred Couples and Mike Hulbert, as his assistants for the Ryder Cup. Love said Wednesday they will help him choose his two other assistant captains for the Sept. 28-30 matches at Medinah.

Neither selection was a big surprise.

Couples last month at the Memorial let slip that he would be an assistant to Love, and then tried to cover his mistake by saying he was only helping him out. No one was fooled, and Love showed his bemusement in announcing his choices.

"I'd like to re-announce some announcements that Fred Couples let slip," he said.

Love and Couples were stalwarts in the World Cup, winning a record four straight years as a team from 1992 to 1995. They also were teammates in the Ryder Cup, going 1-2 in team matches.

Couples has been overlooked as a Ryder Cup captain, but he has led the U.S. to victory in the past two Presidents Cups and has been chosen captain again for 2013.

NFL

Brees ruling upcoming

An arbitrator in Philadelphia expects to rule within a week concerning the Saints' use of the franchise tag on quarterback Drew Brees. Arbitrator Stephen Burbank is handling the matter of how to interpret language in the NFL's collective-bargaining agreement, which requires a club that designates a player as a franchise player for the third time to give that player a 44 percent raise.

Brees, once a franchise-tag player with San Diego, has been designated New Orleans' franchise player in 2012. The QB seeks clarity on whether the raise for third-time franchise players applies to his career, or only his stint with one team.

NHL

Fehr: Season could start without labor deal

The NHL season could start without a new labor agreement if both sides agree to continue talks beyond the Sept. 15 expiration of the current deal.

Don Fehr, players association executive director, said, "The players haven't considered what they would do on Sept. 15 or any other date if no agreement is in place."

If there is no agreement by the expiration date, work could go on under the old pact if management and players agree to that, Fehr said. The regular season starts Oct. 11.

Edmonton hires Krueger

The Edmonton Oilers promoted assistant Ralph Krueger to head coach. Krueger, 52, spent the last two seasons as an assistant under Tom Renney, whose contract was not renewed after the Oilers finished 29th in the NHL last season at 32-40-10.

Hitchcock gets extension

The St. Louis Blues and coach Ken Hitchcock, who led the team to its first playoff series win in a decade, agreed to a one-year contract extension through the 2013-14 season with a mutual option for 2014-15.

WNBA

Lynx improves to 13-1

Rebekkah Brunson and Seimone Augustus each scored 16 points as the host Minnesota Lynx became the second team in WNBA history to start 13-1 after beating the Phoenix Mercury 96-80.

Maya Moore had 15 points and Taj McWilliams-Franklin had 13 for the Lynx. Phoenix (3-9) got 23 points from DeWanna Bonner.

In another game, Shavonte Zellous scored a season-high 18 points for the host Indiana Fever (8-5), which beat the Chicago Sky 81-72. Sylvia Fowles had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Swin Cash scored 17 for the Sky (7-4).

Auto racing

IndCar brings back

push-to-pass feature

IndyCar is bringing back the push-to-pass feature for the remaining five road and street course events this season, starting next week in Toronto. The option, introduced in 2009 to increase passing in the series, gives drivers an added turbocharger boost and additional RPM with the push of a button located in the steering wheel.

Elsewhere

• The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, scheduled for July 8 , was postponed because of extreme weather and safety concerns due to a destructive wildfire near Colorado Springs. A new date will be announced for later this summer.

• Three Arkansas football players — wide receivers Marquel Wade and Maudrecus Humphrey and tight end Andrew Peterson — pleaded not guilty to felony charges tied to the burglary of their fellow students' room.

• The AVP is coming out of bankruptcy with two events in September that the pro beach volleyball tour's new owner hopes will capitalize on strong American performances in the Olympics.

• The PGA Tour agreed to a 10-year deal with Web.com as the sponsor of its developmental tour, previously known as the Nationwide Tour, and the change was effective immediately.

• Santa Clara officials gave the go-ahead for the city to begin negotiations with legendary quarterback Joe Montana for a hotel and entertainment complex across from the 49ers' new stadium.

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