Sports Briefs: Steelers may be changing ownership

A deal could be reached in days to sell a majority interest in the Pittsburgh Steelers to the chairman of a Pittsburgh-based investment firm, taking control of the NFL franchise away from the Rooney family.

The shares would be sold to Stanley Druckenmiller, chairman of Duquesne Capital management, making him principal owner of the team. Two officials familiar with the talks identified the buyer as Druckenmiller and said Monday that the deal could be completed by the end of the week. They declined to be identified because they weren't directly involved in negotiations.

Druckenmiller's interest was first reported Monday by The Wall Street Journal, which said that a secret study by Goldman Sachs valued the franchise at between $800 million and $1.2 billion. The report came a day after Dan Rooney said he and his son, team president Art Rooney II, were attempting to buy out his four brothers in an effort to retain "substantial ownership of the team."

Each brother owns 16 percent of the team, adding up to 80 percent, with another Pittsburgh family, the McGinleys, owning 20 percent.

Even if the deal with Druckenmiller goes through, it would still need approval by 24 of the league's 32 owners.

Dan Rooney, 75, is the oldest of five brothers. Their father, Art, bought the franchise in 1933 for $2,500.

More football

■ Michael Vick, the suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while serving time for federal dogfighting charges, saying he owes between $10 million and $50 million to creditors. The seven largest creditors listed in the court papers, including Wachovia Bank, are owed a total of about $12.8 million. Wachovia was awarded a default judgment for $1.08 million in January against Vick and a business partner over a loan for an Atlanta-area wine shop and restaurant.

Vick is serving a 23-month prison sentence at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., after pleading guilty last year to bankrolling a dogfighting ring.

■ Las Vegas police say they arrested Deshawn Thomas on Monday in connection with the robbery and beating of NFL player Javon Walker.

Thomas, 40, was charged with kidnapping, robbery and conspiracy and was being held without bail pending an appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court. Police arrested Arfat Fadel, 30, almost two weeks ago on similar charges.

■ Florida State's inexperienced offensive line thinned out even further yesterday when Evan Bellamy , a projected starter at guard, disclosed that he'll miss the 2008 season because of a blood clot.

Bellamy (6-4, 295) was hospitalized Friday for treatment on the clot in his lower left leg. He will remain on medication for several months.

Basketball

■ The traffic case for point guard Ty Lawson of North Carolina has been continued for another month.

Lawson, 20, was scheduled to have his first appearance in court yesterday after his arrest in June for driving after consuming alcohol, violating a noise ordinance and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

The clerk of court office in Chapel Hill said that Lawson's next court date is scheduled Aug. 5.

■ North Carolina recruits David and Travis Wear, Duke recruit Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly of Raleigh Ravenscroft were among 12 players named to USA Basketball's U-18 national team yesterday. Team USA, coached by Davidson's Bob McKillop, will start play July 14 in the FIBA Americas U-18 Championship in Formosa, Argentina.

■ The Winston-Salem Stealers tied for fifth place last week in the 11-under girls Division II AAU national basketball championships in New Haven, Conn. The Stealers won their pool and finished 5-2 overall in the 37-team tournament.

Hockey

■ The Montreal Canadiens re-signed Jaroslav Halak, their backup goaltender, to a two-year $1.55-million contract yesterday that will pay him $750,000 next season and $800,000 in 2009-10.

Halak, 23, played six games with the Canadiens last season, going 2-1-1 with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage.

■ Forward Patrick Thoresen of the Philadelphia Flyers has decided to reject a final contract offer and temporarily return to European hockey.

Thoresen, a 24-year-old Norwegian, said he wanted "a one-way contract, which is to say the same salary regardless of whether I played in the NHL or a farm team," so that things would be more predictable for him and his family.

■ The Ottawa Senators signed defenseman Jason Smith, a 14-year NHL veteran and unrestricted free agent, to a two-year contract yesterday.

Smith, led the Philadelphia Flyers last season with 204 blocked shots and 142 hits in 77 games and also had one goal, nine assists and 86 penalty minutes.

Soccer

■ Members of the U.S. women's soccer team will find out in mid-September which clubs they'll play for in the new Women's Professional Soccer league.

League and team officials will meet the week of Sept. 15 to allocate members of the national-team pool to the inaugural seven teams, the WPS announced yesterday.

A series of drafts and tryouts will fill out the rest of the rosters with U.S. and international players. The league is scheduled to make its debut next spring with clubs in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.

■ The new Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, was dropped yesterday as a site for next year's Confederations Cup soccer tournament because construction has fallen behind schedule.

Jerome Valcke, FIFA's general secretary, cited technical problems with the roof.