FOOTBALL

WILLIAMS’S CAREER LIKELY OVER

Former Dolphins running back Ricky rejected a serve a four-game drug suspension this season and return to the field next year. The 2002 NFL rushing champion will stay retired instead, and his lawyer, David Cornwell, doesn’t believe Williams will play again.

“Ricky indicated to me that he is no longer interested in resuming his career at this time,” Cornwell said in a statement emailed to the Associated Press yesterday.

The 1998 Heisman Trophy winner needed to let the league know his decision today so he could be moved from the retired list to the suspended list by the deadline. He would have served the suspension for the Dolphins’ final four games, starting December 12 at Denver. The NFL’s proposed terms of reinstatement included a promise Williams would play next season and re-enter the NFL drug program immediately. He would have been tested on a regular basis.

Williams, 27, stunned his team by retiring shortly before Miami opened training camp in July. The Dolphins filed a lawsuit in federal court against the running back, seeking the $8.6 million an arbitrator ruled he owes the team for breaching his contract. Williams is fighting the decision.

BROWNS’ DAVIS DONE FOR SEASON

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Andre Davis will miss the rest of the season with turf toe and will likely need surgery. He was placed on injured reserve yesterday, the 14th player and seventh starter the Browns have lost for the season.

HOCKEY

NHL, PLAYERS UNION SET TO RESUME TALKS

NHL and the players’ association will resume talks next week in an effort to end the 78-day lockout and save the season. After nearly three months of silence on and off the ice, the sides agreed yesterday to meet in Toronto on December 9. Talks might continue into a second day, NHL spokesman Frank Brown said. Those plans were made after players’ association executive director Bob Goodenow sent a letter to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman yesterday, inviting the league back to the negotiating table. The letter also said the union was working on a new proposal.

No official talks have occurred since September 9, when the union made its last offer. The most recent offer by the NHLPA was a luxury tax-based deal that was rejected by the league, and the lockout began one week later. As of Thursday, 334 regular-season games, plus the 2005 All-Star game, have been wiped out. Bettman has said that a luxury tax won’t work for the 30 NHL teams, which he claims are losing money at a pace that makes it impossible for the league to survive under the current system. He is seeking “cost certainty” for the clubs, which the union says is tantamount to a salary cap – a solution it refuses to accept.

BASEBALL

LEITER CLOSE TO DEAL WITH MARLINS

ESPN.com reported last night that the Florida Marlins are closing in on a contract with Mets’ pitcher Al Leiter. Leiter, 39, became a free agent when the Mets declined his $10 million option for 2005. He went 10-8 with a 3.21 ERA this season. The Marlins reportedly offered $5 million to $6 million for one year. Leiter pitched for the Marlins in 1996 and 1997.

OAKLAND’S HUDSON SETS DEADLINE FOR EXTENSION

Pitcher Tim Hudson set a March 1 deadline for the Oakland Athletics to offer him a contract extension, or he plans to leave as a free agent following the 2005 season. The A’s ace doesn’t want the distraction of contract talk during spring training, his agent said yesterday. The 29-year-old right-hander went 12-6 with a 3.53 ERA last season for the A’s, who missed the playoffs for the first time in five years.

BASKETBALL

FRATELLO HIRED TO COACH GRIZZLIES

Mike Fratello was hired as coach of the Memphis Grizzlies yesterday, leaving the TV booth and replacing friend and mentor Hubie Brown, who retired last week for health reasons. Fratello, sometimes known as “Little Hubie” when he worked as an assistant for Brown, coached the Atlanta Hawks for eight seasons and the Cleveland Cavaliers for six before going into broadcasting. Fratello will bring former Golden State Warriors coach Eric Musselman with him as an assistant.

NOWITZKI SCORES 53 POINTS IN MAVERICKS’ WIN

Dirk Nowitzki scored 53 points – the most ever by a Dallas player and tops in the NBA this season – as the Mavericks rallied past the Rockets 113-106 in overtime last night. Nowitzki scored 43 in regulation, then opened overtime with a 10-0 run. He was equally impressive on defense, and set season highs for rebounds (16) and blocks (four).

– Associated Press