Sports Desk
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

FOOTBALL
RAVENS WAIT ON SANDERS, SIGN MCALISTER
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 yesterday centered around Sanders, who has been working out at his Dallas home this month in anticipation of joining the Ravens as a nickel back.
Head coach Brian 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 September 12.
McAlister, one of the game’s finest cornerbacks, staged his holdout as a protest over being designated the Ravens’ franchise player for a second straight year. He had the right to remain absent until September 12 but showed up yesterday in excellent spirits.
JAGUARS RELEASE DOUGLAS
Three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Hugh Douglas was among four players released yesterday by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Douglas, who signed a five-year $27 million deal last season to provide a pass rushing presence, started all 16 games last season but finished with only 31 tackles and 3.5 sacks, his second-worst season in nine years. He started all three of the Jaguars’ preseason games this year, registering four tackles and four quarterback pressures but no sacks.
The other three players released were quarterback Doug Johnson, wide receiver Jimmy Redmond, and running back Frank Moreau.
BILLS LOSE ANOTHER BACKUP QUARTERBACK
Travis Brown, Buffalo’s backup quarterback, sprained a ligament in his left knee and will miss between four and six weeks.
Rookie quarterback J.P. Losman broke his left leg during practice last week. Losman had surgery Thursday and is projected to miss at least half of the season.
The injuries leave the Bills with just Drew Bledsoe and Greg Zolman heading into their preseason finale at Detroit on Thursday.
DENVER’S ANDERSON OUT FOR SEASON
Broncos running back Mike Anderson will miss the entire season because of a groin injury sustained last weekend in an exhibition game against Houston. Denver coach Mike Shanahan said Anderson tore both muscles in the left groin area off the bone. At this point, a specialist has recommended that Anderson let the injury heal instead of undergoing surgery.
Anderson was second on the team in the preseason behind Quentin Griffin with 163 yards. The fifth year running back has rushed for 2,808 yards with the Broncos.
HOCKEY
FINLAND SHUTS OUTS CZECH REPUBLIC IN WORLD CUP OPENER
Miikka Kiprusoff needed to stop just 12 shots for an easy shutout, and four different Finland players scored in a 4-0 win over the Czech Republic in the World Cup of Hockey opener yesterday.
Saku Koivu of the Montreal Canadiens and Niko Kapanen of the Dallas Stars both scored for Finland. Jukka Hentunen, who plays in Switzerland, and Mikko Eloranta, one of only two players on the team who plays in the Finnish League, also added a goal each. Finland outshot the Czech Republic 34-12.
The United States, which beat Canada in the inaugural World Cup in 1996, opens play today in Montreal against Canada. The other teams in the North American pool are Russia and Slovakia.
OLYMPICS
BRAZILIANS PLAN APPEAL FOR MARATHONER
Brazilian sports officials blamed inadequate course security for a defrocked priest’s bizarre attack on the Olympic marathon leader, and said yesterday 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. 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.