Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS ó Two teams with unsettled quarterback situations ó the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings ó might be interested in acquiring suspended Atlanta Falcons star Michael Vick.
Vick is in federal prison on felony charges related to dogfighting and is scheduled to be released in July. The Falcons have said they will try to trade him, though they could cut him and make him a free agent.
San Francisco coach Mike Singletary said Vick deserves the chance to play in the league, and believes he will be successful if he returns. He wouldn’t say if the 49ers would pursue him.
“He’s still under contract, you can’t really talk to him or have any contact with him,” Singletary said. “Right now, we’re just going to look at the quarterbacks we have and go from there.”
Minnesota coach Brad Childress said the Vikings are looking for someone to challenge Tarvaris Jackson, and are willing to make moves to ensure that it happens.
“We need to put somebody in place that will push him and compete with him,” Childress said. “I think competition is the nature of the game.”
Childress wouldn’t confirm or deny interest in Vick.
“I really don’t get into hypotheticals because I think there’s too much water that’s got to happen. I’d cross that bridge when I come to it.”
– INDIANAPOLIS ó Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree wanted to solidify his status as the top receiver in the NFL draft at this weekend’s scouting combine. Instead, he left more questions than answers.
On Saturday, NFL doctors diagnosed Crabtree with a stress fracture in his left foot. He reportedly will need surgery to insert a screw and might face a recovery of 10 or more weeks.
– INDIANAPOLIS ó General manager George Kokinis said Friday that the Cleveland Browns are in no hurry to get rid of Derek Anderson and were willing to let Anderson battle Brady Quinn for the starting quarterback job.
GOLF
LOS ANGELES ó Phil Mickelson showed up early Saturday to work with swing coach Butch Harmon, then ran off four straight birdies late in his round for a 9-under 62 to build a four-shot lead going into the final round of the Northern Trust Open.
Five players had at least a share of the lead at one point in the third round, but what had been shaping up as a shootout at Riviera soon turned into a showcase for Mickelson.
It began with a tee shot into 4 feet on the par-3 14th for the outright lead. Defending champ Mickelson followed that with an 8-foot birdie on the 15th, a 35-foot birdie on the 16th, and an up-and-down from the bunker on the par-5 17th for his fourth straight birdie. He had a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th to tie the course record, but hit the putt too hard.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
SOUTH BEND, Ind. ó Randy Hart, the defensive line coach at Washington for the past 21 years, was hired as defensive line coach at Notre Dame on Saturday.
TENNIS
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates ó Venus Williams won her 40th singles title Saturday, defeating Virginie Razzano of France 6-4, 6-2 in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championship.
During the trophy presentation, Williams spoke about Shahar Peer, the Israeli player who was denied entry into the United Arab Emirates for the tournament because of what organizers called security concerns.
Peer was denied entry into the country a week ago. The WTA fined organizers of the tournament a record $300,000 Friday, saying it will compensate Peer and ensure other Israeli players aren’t shut out of future events.
– DUBAI, United Arab Emirates ó The Dubai Tennis Championships will start next week without five of the top seven men’s players scheduled to compete at the ATP Tour event, mostly because of injuries.
Top-ranked Rafael Nadal (knee) and second-ranked Roger Federer (back) withdrew earlier this week. The tournament has since lost defending champion Andy Roddick of the United States, No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko (undisclosed injury) and No. 9 Fernando Verdasco (ankle).
NBAMIAMI ó Dwyane Wade had 25 points and nine assists, including a big layup with 1 minute left, and the Miami Heat moved a step away from their closest pursuers in the Eastern Conference playoff race by beating the Philadelphia 76ers 97-91 on Saturday.
Spurs 98. Wizards 67
WASHINGTON ó Roger Mason had 25 points and five assists against his old team as the San Antonio Spurs wrapped up their 19-day road trip with a 98-67 win over the Washington Wizards.
Mason returned to his hometown and went 9-for-15 from the field.