Friday, April 1, 2005 | 9:40 a.m.
Congress goes after NFL on steroids
The same congressional committee that conducted hearings into steroids in baseball has asked NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue for information about how football regulates the performance-enhancing substances.
The Government Reform Committee also said it will ask for similar data from the NBA, NHL, NCAA, U.S. Track and Field and Major League Soccer.
Tagliabue responded in a letter that he has directed his staff to be fully responsive to the committee's request.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board unanimously accepted a $720 million offer from the New York Jets to develop the site over a remote railyard on Manhattan's West Side, turning down two competing proposals worth more money.
Sabres propose bigger nets
After experimenting two weeks ago with new ice-surface colors, including orange blue lines, the Buffalo Sabres have designed a new goal cage that features outwardly curving posts and an upwardly curving crossbar. The new design expands the opening of the standard 6-by-4-foot net by about 13 percent in an effort to increase scoring.
The Sabres' design will be one of three up for consideration when NHL general managers meet next week in Detroit. The other designs are proposed by the league -- one that is similar to the Sabres' model and another that simply increases the size of the current rectangular nets.
Before the lockout that canceled this season, scoring had fallen well off the pace of the NHL's heyday, when the Wayne Gretzky-led Edmonton Oilers compiled 400 or more goals a season five times in the 1980s.
Plans change due to bacterial infections
With the Derby five weeks away, an outbreak of a highly contagious bacterial infection -- which within the last month has been diagnosed in horses at training facilities in Florida and Kentucky -- has caused some horsemen to change their plans.
Known as strangles, the infection is most commonly found on farms and only rarely at race tracks or training facilities. Infected horses usually have a rapid onset of fever, followed by swelling and abscess formation in their lymph nodes, which narrows the horse's airway passages. It is seldom fatal but can sideline a horse for several weeks.
After the outbreak in Florida, several high-profile trainers, including Bobby Frankel, Nick Zito, Todd Pletcher and Kiaran McLaughlin, shipped some of their horses to either Keeneland or Churchill Downs, where the Derby is run.
Donovan traded
What was rumored for close to two weeks became official on Thursday when Landon Donovan joined the Galaxy.
Donovan was acquired by the Major League Soccer club after the league purchased his contract from German powerhouse Bayer Leverkusen. The Galaxy signed Donovan to a long-term deal, terms of which were not disclosed.
Hawaii hires Glanville
Former NFL coach Jerry Glanville was hired as associate coach and defensive coordinator for Hawaii.
The 63-year-old Glanville, who hasn't coached since the Atlanta Falcons fired him following the 1993 season, said his visit with U.S. troops in Iraq last year renewed his interest in returning to the field. The hiring was made official late Wednesday night.
The Hawaii defense ranked 117 out of 118 Division I schools last season, and was last in the nation against the run.
-- Sun wire services
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