Sports in 2 Minutes

From The Associated Press

Jags’ Collier shot, has life-threatening injuries

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier was shot and critically wounded outside an apartment building early Tuesday as he and a former Jacksonville teammate waited for two women they had met at a nightclub, police said.

Collier, 26, and former Jaguars defensive end Kenneth Pettway were waiting in a Cadillac Escalade when a gunman fired into the vehicle, said Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ken Jefferson. Collier was shot several times, but it wasn’t clear where he was hit.

Collier was in critical condition at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said early Tuesday. Later, spokesman Chris Turner said the hospital was no longer giving updates on Collier’s condition. There are a variety of reasons that can happen, such as a request by relatives.

Several Jaguars, including running back Maurice Jones-Drew, offensive tackle Khalif Barnes and linebackers Mike Peterson and Clint Ingram gathered at the hospital. Others convened at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, all of them concerned about their teammate and friend.

Saints to open NFL season at home in Superdome

NEW ORLEANS—The New Orleans Saints are returning to the Louisiana Superdome for their NFL season-opener Sunday.

Forced to flee to Indianapolis ahead of Hurricane Gustav, the Saints will be able to open their season as scheduled against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team announced Tuesday.

“We will once again showcase to a national audience that the city of New Orleans is made up of resilient people and that we are ready to stand our city back up as quickly as possible, put this storm behind us and move on with our lives,” Saints owner Tom Benson said.

The Saints had announced Monday night, soon after Gustav had passed over the city, that their hope was to keep their season-opening home date as a means to uplift the spirits of a fan base that had been ridden with anxiety that all the rebuilding done in the three years since Hurricane Katrina could be wiped out.

Gustav, however, weakened and stayed far enough west of New Orleans to spare the fragile community from catastrophic damage. Louisiana and team officials hoped the dome, a poignant symbol of suffering during Katrina, and a symbol of rebirth after being rebuilt in 2006, would now be a symbol of strength in a place where residents care too much about the unique way of life in their historic city to give up on it.

Djokovic outlasts Robredo to make U.S. Open quarters

NEW YORK—Third-seeded Novak Djokovic overcame hip, ankle and stomach ailments to outlast Tommy Robredo 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 Tuesday and reach the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open.

Known for his impeccable impersonations of fellow pros, Djokovic gave a real-life imitation of someone who plays his best when hurt.

“If I start talking about the things that are bothering me now, we can talk till tomorrow,” he said.

Djokovic twice called for a doctor, and looked to be in serious trouble when he went to a fifth set against an extremely fit opponent. But with the score 2-all, the No. 15 Robredo tumbled onto the hard court while chasing a shot, and lost his zip.

Djokovic was runner-up at the last U.S. Open and the Australian Open champion this year.

Phelps using $1M bonus to start swim foundation

NEW YORK—Michael Phelps will put his $1 million bonus to good use, announcing plans to start a foundation promoting water safety and youth swimming.

Joe Gromek, president and CEO of Warnaco, Speedo’s U.S. parent company, presented a check to Phelps on NBC’s “Today” show Tuesday.

The company, which has sponsored Phelps since he was 16, promised him a $1 million bonus if he tied or broke Mark Spitz’s record for most gold medals at a single Olympics. The swimmer eclipsed the mark by winning eight golds at the Beijing Games — seven of them with world-record times.

Company spokeswoman Audra Silverman said Speedo International and the Warnaco Foundation will donate an additional $200,000 to the Michael Phelps Foundation.

Franchitti headed back to IndyCar Series

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Dario Franchitti will leave NASCAR and return to IndyCar in 2009 as the replacement driver for Dan Wheldon at Chip Ganassi Racing.

The move was announced Tuesday by Ganassi, who also signed a multiyear extension with Target for both his open-wheel and NASCAR programs.

Franchitti won the 2007 IndyCar Series championship and the Indianapolis 500, but left open wheel for NASCAR at the end of the season to drive Ganassi’s No. 40 Dodge in the Sprint Cup Series.

Ganassi never secured sponsorship for that team, and was forced to shutter it in July because of the weakening economy. Franchitti has lingered in NASCAR since, running a handful of second-tier Nationwide Series races as he and Ganassi tried to figure out his future.

Franchitti had said at the time his team closed that returning to IndyCar was not an option, but apparently changed his mind when Ganassi and Wheldon decided to part ways.

NFL honors Upshaw at all 32 games

NEW YORK—The NFL will honor the late Gene Upshaw with his initials and his uniform number stenciled on the field for all 16 games this opening weekend.

The league had announced that all NFL players would wear a patch all season with the initials “GU” and the number 63, his former uniform number to honor the Hall of Fame guard and longtime union leader, who died two weeks ago.

It originally announced they also would be stenciled on the field for the season opener at Giants Stadium between the Redskins and Giants and for the Denver-Oakland game at Oakland, where Upshaw played his entire 15 seasons.

It extended that Tuesday to all games. A video tribute to Upshaw will also be shown.

Lorena Ochoa criticizes LPGA English rule

MEXICO CITY—Lorena Ochoa of Mexico says a new LPGA Tour policy requiring players to be effective in English starting in 2009 is a “little drastic.”

Ochoa, the No. 1 player in women’s golf, says golfers are better judged by their performance.

She was asked at a charity event in her hometown of Guadalajara on Tuesday if she thought the new policy discriminated against international players.

“That is a a very strong word. I wouldn’t want to use it,” said Ochoa, who speaks English. “But I do think it is a little drastic.”

There are 121 international players from 26 countries on the LPGA Tour, including 45 players from South Korea.

Woods’ wife expecting another child

ORLANDO, Fla.—Even with his golf done for the year, Tiger Woods found something to celebrate Tuesday: His wife is pregnant with their second child.

Woods said on his Web site that Elin is expecting in late winter without being more specific on a due date.

He has not played since his U.S. Open victory in June, and two weeks later had reconstructive surgery on his left knee that put him out for the year. Woods’ first child, daughter Sam, was born the Monday after the 2007 U.S. Open.