HOCKEY

STEVENS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

New Jersey Devils defenseman Scott Stevens announced his retirement after more than two decades in the NHL yesterday, saying a year off showed him that he could live without hockey.

“I think the game is more mental than physical. You have to be in tremendous shape, but you have to want to do it in your head,” the 41-year-old player said. “At this point in my career I didn’t think I could put the mental parts there every day.”

General manager Lou Lamoriello said Stevens, a 13-time All-Star who won three Stanley Cups with the Devils and played more NHL games than any other defenseman during his 22 seasons, has “been an integral part of all the success we’ve had.” He added that Stevens, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner in 2000 as the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup final, will stay with the organization in some capacity.

Stevens had 196 goals, 712 assists, and 2,785 penalty minutes in 1,635 regular season games with Washington, St. Louis, and New Jersey. He had 26 goals and 92 assists in 233 playoff games.

CYCLING

ARMSTRONG MULLS COMEBACK

Retired life is nice, but Lance Armstrong says he is thinking about making a comeback. Recently engaged to rocker girlfriend Sheryl Crow, the seven-time Tour de France champion issued a statement yesterday confirming that he’s contemplating a return to competitive cycling.

“While I’m absolutely enjoying my time as a retired athlete with Sheryl and the kids, the recent smear campaign out of France has awoken my competitive side.”

Armstrong, who will turn 34 this month, retired in July after winning his seventh consecutive Tour and declared “I’m finished.” But he’s spent the last two weeks angrily denying reports by the French newspaper L’Equipe that said tests showed he used a performance-enhancing blood booster in the 1999 tour.

BASEBALL

PIRATES FIRE MCCLENDON

Lloyd McClendon was fired yesterday as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates with the team only one defeat away from a fifth consecutive losing season. Bench coach Pete Mackanin is set to serve as interim manager for the rest of the season.

McClendon, a former Pirates player and coach, was on the verge of becoming the first manager in team history to have five consecutive losing seasons. The Pirates have not had a winning season since winning the NL East in 1992.

– Associated Press