U.S. Olympic gold medalists Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White and Seth Wescott are the latest athletes to grace the Wheaties box.
Minnesota-based General Mills Inc. says the three Olympians will each get their own orange cereal box. Vonn will be the first female alpine skier to appear, and White and Wescott will be the first snowboard and snowboard cross athletes to earn the coveted spot.
Separately, Vonn's sponsor Red Bull announced that her image would appear on limited-edition six-packs of the energy drink.
Chargers keep Sproles
The San Diego Chargers made two surprise moves before the NFL's midnight deadline for free agency, keeping speedy little running Darren Sproles and releasing defensive tackle Jamal Williams.
The Chargers placed the maximum first- and third-round tender on Sproles on Thursday, offering him a contract for $7,283,000 for next season. If Sproles signs an offer sheet with another team, San Diego would have the right to match the offer or receive first- and third-round draft picks as compensation for losing him.
Agent Gary Wichard said the tender will allow the two sides to keep talking about a long-term deal.
Other notable signings included veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel's extension with the Kansas City Chiefs. No details were released on the deal.
Bengals release Coles: Wide receiver Laveranues Coles is a free agent again after one disappointing season with the Cincinnati Bengals, who released him a year after signing him to a four-year deal to replace T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
Meanwhile, the New York Jets released cornerback Lito Sheppard, who started only nine games in his one season with the team because of injuries and inconsistent play.
The Washington Redskins also released 10 players, including guard Randy Thomas, receiver Antwaan Randle El, kick returner Rock Cartwright, cornerback Fred Smoot, running back Ladell Betts and quarterback Todd Collins.
Left tackle Chris Samuels, 32, announced his expected retirement due to a neck injury. The Redskins also were close to re-signing center Casey Rabach.
Paulus works out: Quarterbacks Greg Paulus and Cam Dantley and tight end Mike Owen worked out Thursday for at least a dozen NFL teams at Syracuse's pro day. Among the teams who made the trip for the closed-door evaluations were the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts.
Paulus, the starter last season and a former Duke point guard, and Dantley, who started most of 2008, said they were evaluated on vertical leap, bench press, foot movement, different patterns, drops, throws on the run, and distance.
Zito throws out first beanball
San Francisco's 5-3 exhibition victory Thursday over the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 featured a first-inning confrontation between Giants left-hander Barry Zito and Milwaukee first baseman Prince Fielder.
With two outs and a runner at first base, Zito's first pitch hit Fielder squarely in the back, an apparent retaliatory gesture for Fielder's antics during a walk-off home run against the Giants on Sept. 6 at Milwaukee's Miller Park.
"My fastball was running in and it just got away from me," Zito said.
Fielder claimed he wasn't expecting to be hit and didn't like it, but apparently was willing to let it slide - this time, at least.
"If that's what they gotta do, let them hit me once, if it makes them feel better," he said.
Green, Connell share lead
Nathan Green and Michael Connell each shot bogey-free rounds of 5-under 65 Thursday to share the lead after one round of the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
They're one shot ahead of Camilo Villegas, Oliver Wilson and Alexandre Rocha, who played his way into a PGA Tour event for the first time since 2003 and is trying to make his first cut.
Malaysian Open: Rhys Davies and Ignacio Garrido shot 7-under 65s to share the lead after the first round at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Thongchai Jaidee and Kim Dae-hyun shot 66s, and seven-time PGA Tour winner K.J. Choi had a 67 to tie for fifth with three others.
U.S. opens Davis Cup play
John Isner of Greensboro will make his Davis Cup debut today against Viktor Troicki in the first round against host Serbia in Belgrade.
The draw pits Sam Querry against second-ranked Novak Djokovic for the second singles. In doubles Saturday, top-ranked Bob and Mike Bryan will face Nenad Zimonjic and Janko Tipsarevic.
This will be the first time since 2000 that neither Andy Roddick nor James Blake will be on the U.S. team. Serbia will be trying to progress beyond the first round in the World Group for the first time.
