Headlines from Around the World in Sports

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NFL

Redskins’ Garcon has torn ligament on right foot

ASHBURN, Va. – Washington Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon said he has a torn ligament on the bottom of his right foot and that he’s hoping to avoid surgery.

Garcon described the injury that’s sidelined him for four of Washington’s past six games as a “plantar plate tear” near his second toe. The plantar plate is a ligament that holds a toe in its joint.

Garcon said yesterday that “surgery is an option” that probably would end his season, adding: “But we don’t really want to think about that at all.”

He visited a foot specialist Wednesday.

Garcon only has eight catches for 153 yards this season, his first with the Redskins after signing a $42.5 million, five-year contract as a free agent.

NFL

Jennings to have surgery to repair groin injury

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings will have surgery next Tuesday to repair the groin injury that has limited him to three games this season.

Jennings didn’t give a timetable for his return yesterday, but said the recovery won’t end his season.

Green Bay’s No. 1 receiver was hurt in the season opener. He sat out the second game, returned against Seattle but aggravated the injury early in the fourth game. Jennings hoped the injury would heal with rest and rehab, but knew more aggressive treatment was needed after he felt it tighten up again as he tried to run off the field Sunday in St. Louis. He saw a specialist in Philadelphia on Wednesday, and Jennings said he opted for surgery over an injection because it is a sure fix of the injury.

NFL

Amendola doesn’t rule out playing against Patriots

LONDON – St. Louis Rams wide receiver Danny Amendola said there’s an “outside chance” he can play against the Patriots on Sunday, having returned to practice this week earlier than expected after a right shoulder injury.

Amendola took part in practice both Wednesday and yesterday in London, but was limited. The Rams’ most prolific receiver this season hurt his shoulder against Arizona on Oct. 4 and was originally expected to miss at least two more games. However, Amendola said he hasn’t ruled out playing against New England at Wembley.

He said “it kind of depends on how I feel tomorrow. There’s an outside chance I could play.”

Coach Jeff Fisher also didn’t rule out using Amendola, saying, “We’ll have to wait and see how the week goes on.”

NFL

Broncos’ Porter seeking clearance after seizure

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Denver Broncos cornerback Tracy Porter missed practice yesterday to see a doctor about symptoms he continues to experience following a seizure he suffered in August.

Team spokesman Patrick Smyth said Porter is hoping to get medical clearance to play Sunday night against the New Orleans Saints, his former team.

Porter, who had no history of seizures, missed the Broncos’ last game, at San Diego on Oct. 15, after he began experiencing light-headedness and a racing heart – similar to the symptoms he felt before his seizure.

Smyth emphasized Porter didn’t suffer a second seizure but was left back in Denver as a precaution. Porter returned to practice on a limited basis this week.

Porter’s seizure was first reported by the Denver Post.

NFL

Jaguars place LB Daryl Smith on injured reserve

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars placed linebacker Daryl Smith on injured reserve with a designation to return later this season.

Smith has not played because of a groin injury sustained early in training camp.

Smith is eligible to return to practice after six weeks and can be activated after eight weeks.

Smith has made 122 starts for the Jaguars since being selected in the second round of the 2004 draft. He owns the franchise record with 1,084 tackles, including 100-plus tackles in a team-record seven consecutive years. Smith also has 21½ sacks, 59 tackles for loss, nine forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and six interceptions.

Prior to this season, Smith had missed only three games due to injuries.

BASEBALL

Rating for World Series opener drops to record low

SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants’ 8-3 win over the Detroit Tigers set a record low television rating for a World Series opener.

Fox said Wednesday night’s game received a 7.6 rating and 12 share, and that it was seen by 12.2 million viewers, according to fast national ratings by Nielsen Media Research.

The rating dropped 13 percent from the 8.7/14 for St. Louis’ 3-2 victory over Texas in Game 1 last year, which averaged 14.2 million viewers. That broke the low set the previous year when the Giants’ 11-7 win over the Rangers received an 8.9.

Fox said this year’s opener had a higher rating at 9 p.m. EDT (8.8 to 8.7). But viewership fell after San Francisco took a 6-0 lead behind Pablo Sandoval, who wound up tying the Series record with three home runs.

BASEBALL

Ex-Diamondbacks announcer is indicted in DUI case

PHOENIX – Former Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman and television analyst Mark Grace was indicted in a DUI case and could face nearly four years in prison if he’s convicted, authorities said yesterday.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said a grand jury indicted Grace on Oct. 3 on four felony counts of aggravated driving or actual physical control while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs.

Grace, 48, could face less time if he pleads guilty to reduced charges, according to authorities who said he’s not probation eligible because it was his second DUI charge in a 15-month span.

Grace was arrested Aug. 23 by Scottsdale police who said his blood-alcohol level was .095 percent, above the state’s legal limit of .08.

Police said Grace also was allegedly driving on a suspended license and didn’t have the required interlock device installed in his vehicle stemming from a May 2011 DUI charge.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Terps lose QB Burns for season with foot injury

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Maryland quarterback Devin Burns is out for the season with a foot injury.

Burns became the third Terrapins quarterback to experience a season-ending injury. C.J. Brown tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in August and was replaced by Perry Hills, who tore the ACL in his left knee last Saturday in a loss to North Carolina State.

Burns took over for Hills and ran for a touchdown. Now, however, the sophomore is out for the year with an injury to the middle of his foot.

That leaves true freshman Caleb Rowe to start tomorrow against Boston College. Rowe played one series last week.

The Terrapins also announced yesterday that wide receiver Marcus Leak is out for the year with a fractured toe. He had 23 catches.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Mathieu among 4 ex-LSU football players arrested

BATON ROUGE, La. – Police sid they arrested four former LSU football players, including one-time Heisman Trophy finalist Tyrann Mathieu, after finding them with marijuana at Mathieu’s apartment.

Baton Rouge police yesterday said they also arrested ex-LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson and former defensive backs Derrick Bryant and Karnell Hatcher.

Police said Mathieu, Jefferson and Hatcher were booked on charges of marijuana possession while Bryant faces a charge of possession with intent to distribute.

Police say they were called to the apartment complex after receiving a complaint about a man forcing his way through the security gate before going to Mathieu’s apartment.

Mathieu is a cornerback known as the “Honey Badger.” He was dismissed from the Tigers in August for failing a drug test.

GOLF

Six tied for lead in Web.com Tour Championship

McKINNEY, Texas – Tag Ridings, Justin Bolli, Cliff Kresge, Michael Putnam, Brad Fritsch and Justin Hicks shared the first-round lead in the Web.com Tour Championship, shooting 6-under 65 in windy conditions yesterday.

The top 60 on the money list qualified for the season-ending event at TPC Craig Ranch, and the final top 25 will earn 2013 PGA Tour cards. At 11th on the money list, Hicks is the only one of the six leaders to have wrapped up a tour card. Fritch, from Canada, is 21st, Putnam 30th, Kresge 38th, Bolli 44th and Ridings 51st.

Luke Guthrie and Philip Pettitt Jr. were a stroke back. Guthrie, the former Illinois player who has two victories since turning pro after the NCAA tournament, is second on the money list, and Pettitt is 36th.

The winner will receive $180,000 from the $1 million purse.

TENNIS

Ferrer into Valencia quarters with easy win

VALENCIA, Spain – David Ferrer cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 victory over fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos yesterday to reach the quarterfinals of the Valencia Open.

Ferrer, seeded No. 1 at the indoor tournament, served well and broke his 47th-ranked opponent four times in a much easier match after a labored first-round victory. The fifth-ranked Spaniard next faces Nicolas Almagro, who defeated American Sam Querrey, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-0.

Marcel Granollers extended his dominance of Gilles Simon with a 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 victory that was the reigning champion’s fourth victory in five career meetings.

Granollers plays Alexandr Dolgopolov in the quarters after the Ukrainian beat Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-4, 6-4. Jurgen beat Xavier Malisse, 7-5, 6-2.