HOCKEY

PLAYERS’ UNION HEAD GOODENOW STEPS DOWN

Bob Goodenow is stepping down as head of the NHL Players’ Association, less than a week after the union and league approved a new labor deal to end a lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season. Goodenow had three years left on his contract. But many observers thought he was not thrilled by the labor pact, which included a salary cap. Ted Saskin, the union’s senior director of business affairs and licensing, will succeed Goodenow as executive director and general counsel.

SHANAHAN DECIDES TO RETURN TO RED WINGS

Brendan Shanahan decided to stay with the Detroit Red Wings, exercising an option yesterday on the final year of his contract.

Shanahan, 36, will make about $2.3 million – after the 24% cut NHL players agreed to take – during the upcoming season as the league resumes play after a lockout wiped out the previous year.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

ALVAREZ DONE COACHING WISCONSIN AFTER 2005

Barry Alvarez will step down as Wisconsin’s football coach after the 2005 season to become the school’s full-time athletic director. Alvarez assumed both roles in April 2004, but said he some day planned to step away from coaching to lead the athletic department full-time. In 1994, Alvarez led Wisconsin to the Rose Bowl, the team’s first since 1963. In 15 seasons, he has compiled a 108-70-4 record.

PRO FOOTBALL

JOHNSON’S RETIREMENT ANOTHER BLOW TO PATRIOTS

Concerned with a series of concussions during his 10-year career, New England Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson retired yesterday, a surprise move coming one day before the Super Bowl champions hold their first full-squad camp workouts.

SAINTS, MCALLISTER AGREE ON 7-YEAR EXTENSION

Deuce McAllister agreed to a seven-year contract extension with the New Orleans Saints yesterday, avoiding a feared holdout for the centerpiece of the team’s offense. Saints officials did not say how much McAllister would be paid, but McAllister had said earlier that he expected it to be the second-largest contract awarded to an NFL running back, also making him the highest-paid player in franchise history.

GOLF

WATNEY SURPRISE LEADER AT BUICK OPEN

Nick Watney shot an 8-under 64 to take a one-shot lead over Vijay Singh and Jason Bohn after the first round of the Buick Open yesterday, leaving the leader seven strokes ahead of Tiger Woods. Watney, 24, has missed seven straight cuts, only breaking 70 once, after his season-best 11th-place finish at the Wachovia Championship. Jim Furyk (66) and five others will begin Friday’s second round two shots behind the unlikely leader.

BOXING

TARVER, JONES TO FACE OFF IN ‘TRILOGY’ FIGHT

Antonio Tarver and Roy Jones Jr. will have a third fight in their battle for light heavyweight supremacy, with a rubber match scheduled for October 1, boxing officials said. Tarver’s promoter, Joe DeGuardia, said the rubber match between the 36-year-old fighters might be at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino in Las Vegas, where the two fought twice before.

Tarver knocked out Jones in May 2004 to keep the WBC and IBO titles. Jones had defeated Tarver in a close decision in November 2003 to win the championships.

– Associated Press