FOOTBALL

GANNON OUT AT LEAST SIX WEEKS

Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon has a broken vertebra in his neck that will sideline him at least six weeks. Gannon had an MRI exam yesterday morning and was taken for further tests. Coach Norv Turner didn’t believe Gannon was at risk for paralysis and said the QB was walking around the team’s training facility before receiving the news about his neck.

Turner said it would be premature to speculate whether Gannon, the 2002 NFL MVP, would end up on injured reserve for the second straight season. The 38-year-old Gannon left in the first quarter of Oakland’s win over the Buccaneers on Sunday night after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from linebacker Derrick Brooks.

CHICAGO’S GROSSMAN OUT FOR SEASON

Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman will miss the rest of the season after rupturing a ligament in his right knee.

“In a split-second, I knew I was out for the year,” Grossman said yesterday.

Backup QB Jonathan Quinn, who signed with the Bears in March, will become the starter. Grossman was injured in Sunday’s loss to Minnesota when he scored on a 6-yard scramble at the two-minute warning. Grossman is expected to undergo surgery in a couple of weeks and will face up to 10 months of rehabilitation.

EAGLES’ RITCHIE TEARS ACL, OUT FOR YEAR

Philadelphia Eagles fullback Jon Ritchie will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Sunday’s victory over Detroit. Ritchie is the fourth significant player the Eagles have lost for the season, joining running back Correll Buckhalter (knee), right guard Shawn Andrews (leg), and defensive end N.D. Kalu (knee).

KNEE INJURY ENDS GARNER’S YEAR

Tampa Bay’s Charlie Garner will miss the remainder of the season after tearing the right patella tendon in his right knee, another blow to an already injury-riddled offense. Garner, who signed with the Bucs after having off-season surgery on his left knee, slipped as he made a cut and appeared to twist his right leg. Michael Pittman will replace Garner.

BASEBALL

UNION FILES GRIEVANCE OVER GUILLEN’S SUSPENSION

The MLB players’ association filed a grievance yesterday seeking to overturn the Angels’ suspension of Jose Guillen.The left fielder was suspended without pay for the rest of the season on Sunday because of his outburst after being lifted for a pinch runner a day earlier.The suspension would continue into the postseason if the Angels advance that far.

Guillen was hit by a pitch during Saturday’s win over Oakland. Manager Mike Scioscia sent Alfredo Amezaga in to pinch run.After he walked off the field,Guillen tossed his helmet toward the side of the dugout in which Scioscia was standing. He then slammed his glove against the wall.

BASKETBALL

MASHBURN TO MISS ENTIRE UPCOMING SEASON

Former All-Star forward Jamal Mashburn will miss the entire 2004-05 NBA season because of a knee injury that could end his career. The injury kept Mashburn, a 10-year veteran, out of all but 19 games last season after he underwent surgery to remove loose particles from his right knee. During a news conference, Mashburn said retirement is a possibility, but he was holding out hope that he might be able to play again.

OLYMPICS

HAMM ARGUES TO KEEP GOLD

Paul Hamm fought to keep his Olympic gymnastics gold medal yesterday in arguments before sports’ highest court, and the panel adjourned without making a decision.

Three arbitrators convened to hear the appeal from a South Korean who lost the gold medal in the all-around competition at last month’s Athens Olympics after a scoring error by the judges.Yang Tae-young wants international gymnastics officials to change the rankings and give him the gold and Hamm the silver. Hamm and the U.S. Olympic Committee promised to vigorously fight Yang’s appeal.

– Associated Press