Sports briefs 8/31/04

Football

The Baltimore Ravens are awaiting the arrival of Deion Sanders, who appears poised to end his three-year retirement at age 37 and could join the team this week.

On a day in which cornerback Chris McAlister ended his one-month holdout, talk at the team training facility Monday centered around Sanders, who has been working out at his Dallas home this month in anticipation of joining the Ravens as a nickel back.

"We're very optimistic that Deion will be here," coach Brian Billick said. "Until Deion shows up in body and signs a contract, I've got to qualify it. We're ready for either way, but the signs are awfully optimistic right now. Awfully optimistic."

Billick is certain that if Sanders does show up, he will be ready to go in time for the Ravens' season opener in Cleveland on Sept. 12.

Travis Brown, Buffalo's backup quarterback, sprained a ligament in his left knee and will miss between four and six weeks. Shane Matthews, who remains unsigned after being released by Cincinnati last winter, interviewed with the Bills on Monday.

Brown was hurt in the third quarter of Buffalo's 30-17 loss at Indianapolis when defensive tackle Durrand Roundtree rushed in and hit him around the knee. Brown underwent tests on Sunday.

Hockey

Motorsports

NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace will retire at the end of the 2005 season, citing concerns about getting hurt and saying Monday he wanted to leave at the top of his game.

Wallace's decision was influenced by the death of his competitor, Dale Earnhardt, who was killed in a crash at the Daytona 500 in 2001.

The 48-year-old St. Louis native won 55 races after making his NASCAR debut in 1980. He has won almost every major race except the Daytona 500, which Wallace said he is focused on winning before he retires.

Olympicsn Brazilian sports officials blamed inadequate course security for a defrocked priest's bizarre attack on the Olympic marathon leader, and said Monday they will appeal to world track authorities for a duplicate gold medal.

The criticism of Athens Olympic organizers, who have been praised for their overall security, came as former priest Cornelius Horan was given a one-year suspended sentence. Horan also was fined $3,600 and warned to stay out of trouble in Greece for the next three years.

Carlos Arthur Nuzman, president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee, said marathoner Vanderlei de Lima should have been better guarded as he ran ahead of the field with about three miles to go Sunday night on the closing day of the Olympics. Horan jumped from the crowd and grabbed de Lima, knocking him into roadside spectators. De Lima continued running, but soon lost his lead and finished third.