Names in the game for September 21, 2005

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005 | 9:27 a.m.

Lance Armstrong

Rex, the Labrador puppy owned by Lance Armstrong, is recovering from successful open-heart surgery at Colorado State University's veterinary hospital.

The seven-time Tour de France winner's dog was born with a defective heart valve that put him at risk of heart failure.

Armstrong took the 9-month-old puppy to CSU for surgery in late August, the same week he proposed to singer Sheryl Crow, the university said Tuesday.

Chad Pennington

New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington and the Jets Women's Organization are teaming up with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for the Light The Night Walk on Thursday at Hofstra Arena in Hempstead, N.Y.

The walk, an annual event, is to raise awareness and funds for blood cancer research.

Pennington and the Jets Women's Organization will join more than 2,000 patients and supporters as they walk throughout Hofstra University's campus. Pennington's father-in-law died in 2003 after a 10-month battle with leukemia.

Joe Paterno

Penn State coach Joe Paterno struck a conciliatory tone with reporters regarding remarks he made two weeks ago that he didn't like the media anymore.

During his news conference on Sept. 6, Paterno said he missed the off-the-record chats he had with reporters on Friday nights before football games, a practice that ended last year.

"I can't trust you guys anymore," he said at the time. "I am just being honest with you. It is no fun." He said he loved coaching and working with players, though "I don't like you guys anymore."

After joking with reporters near the end of his news conference Tuesday, Paterno brought the subject up again. "Hey, we've got to have a little fun," he said. "A lot of you guys I think took my remarks about not being around you ... I feel bad about that."

-- Sun wire services