From the Guardian:

Dave Duerson had so much going for him. A former professional American football player, he still carried himself with the bearing of a star. In Chicago, he was feted as a member of the legendary 1985 Bears that won the Super Bowl, thrashing the New England Patriots 46-10. In New York, too, he was fondly remembered as a member of the Giants team that took the Super Bowl championship five years later, squeaking to victory over the Buffalo Bills by just one point.

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From the LA Times:

Shaquille O'Neal will join TNT's popular NBA studio show, which is hosted by Ernie Johnson and made fun and interesting by analysts Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith.

Turner Sports made the announcement Thursday morning.

O'Neal, a 15-time NBA All-Star and once a sometimes contentious teammate of Kobe Bryant on the Lakers, said Thursday that he was not put off by the idea that comparisons of his rocky relationship with Bryant might be made with his role with Barkley, who is outspoken and who relishes his role as opinion-maker at TNT.

Read more at LA Times Blogs.

From the Washington Post:

When Tyson Gay pulled out of the 100 and 200 meters at the U.S. track and field championships last week, black clouds all but settled over the American sprint world. Track aficionados lamented the loss of the only serious U.S. challenger to Jamaican Usain Bolt at the world track and field championships in Daegu, South Korea, this summer. Walter Dix considered that thinking utter nonsense. After quietly wrapping up an impressive U.S. title double Sunday with a victory in the men's 200-meter final, he boldly declared that he is the guy who will bring down Bolt.

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From The Washington Post:

Charles Barkley is sick and tired of hearing how the sanctuary of the locker room is not ready for a male athlete in a major team sport to come out to his teammates, how awkward everyone would feel after they heard a teammates say, "I'm gay." After all, Barkley has no doubt he played with several gay teammates.

From the LA Times:

Will Tiger Woods ever be the same?

From Live Tennis Guide:
Venus Williams has wrecked with tradition and entered a warm-up tournament before Wimbledon. The first African American woman has agreed to play at the June 11-18 Eastbourne International for the first era since 1998.

SAN FRANCISCO - A trip to New York in January gave San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey a chance to spend time with Willie Mays, who joined a team delegation in taking the World Series trophy to the club's birthplace.

By Ben Shpigel for The New York Times: DETROIT - Derek Jeter's 100th at-bat of the season came in the eighth inning Monday night against the Tigers, in a situation that over the years had all but defined his career with the Yankees. With two outs, the score tied and the go-ahead run on third base, Jeter strode to the plate, confident as ever.

By Frank Fitzpatrick for the Philadelphia Inquirer: Just a few blocks from the 13-year-old Franklin Field, where the young black man with the long stride had become one of Philadelphia's best-known athletes, a great crowd gathered outside his parents' house at 3323 Woodland Ave.

By Matt Schudel for The Washington Post: Joe Perry, 84, one of the first African American stars of professional football, whose superb running for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s led him to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died April 25 in Tempe, Ariz. He had dementia.