Wisconsin QB Budmayr out indefinitely (AP)
MADISON, Wis. (AP)—Backup quarterback Jon Budmayr will be out indefinitely with an elbow problem, putting Joe Brennan behind transfer Russell Wilson on the depth chart. The Badgers’ season opener is Sept. 1 against Nevada-Las Vegas at Camp Randall Stadium. Budmayr saw two specialists last week. The sophomore entered preseason camp as the No. 1 quarterback ahead of Wilson, but was sidelined after experiencing swelling in his right elbow after practice on Aug. 9. Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema says Budmayr irritated a nerve that caused numbness in his throwing hand.
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Renault’s Robert Kubica has successful operation (PA SportsTicker)
SPA, BELGIUM (AP) —Robert Kubica’s hopes of returning to Formula One racing received a boost as surgeons in Italy successfully completed the last scheduled operation on the Renault driver. Kubica sustained a career-threatening injury in a rally car accident in February, needing seven hours of surgery to save his right hand before operations on his shoulder, leg and elbow. There were fears that the 26-year-old Pole may never race again, nearly losing his right hand. His Renault team said that Sunday’s operation, designed to restore full mobility in his right elbow, was a “total success.” Nick Heidfeld was originally contracted to replace Kubica for the whole F1 season, but the German has been replaced by Brazilian Bruno Senna.
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Sabres rename arena First Niagara Center (AP)
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)—The Buffalo Sabres are changing the name of their home hockey arena. After First Niagara Bank bought HSBC Bank branches in New York and Connecticut, the arena will be called First Niagara Center. It had been HSBC Arena since 1999. The 18,690-seat home of the National Hockey League club is expected to bear the new name for 15 years. Northrop Knox, chairman of HSBC’s upstate New York predecessor, Marine Midland Bank, and his brother Seymour brought NHL hockey to Buffalo in 1970.
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Senna to race for Renault at Belgian GP (PA SportsTicker)
PARIS (AP) —Brazilian driver Bruno Senna will race for Renault in the Belgian Grand Prix. Senna, replacing German driver Nick Heidfeld, will compete alongside Vitaly Petrov, the Formula One team said Wednesday, without indicating whether Senna will keep his spot until the end of the season. Heidfeld took over after Robert Kubica sustained a career-threatening injury in a rally car accident in February. Senna made his F1 debut with Hispania Racing last season, and started the season as a reserve driver for Renault. His late uncle was F1 great Ayrton Senna.
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Carlisle finally watches Mavs’ clincher (AP)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—Rick Carlisle threw a strike after finally getting a chance to watch in detail the Dallas Mavericks’ NBA championship-clinching victory over the Miami Heat. The Mavericks coach threw the ceremonial first pitch before the Texas Rangers game on Tuesday night. Earlier in the day, he finished watching Game 6 of the NBA Finals—more than 10 weeks after Dallas won its first NBA championship. “Being back in the office now, starting to watch film and so forth, it becomes more clear what a special experience that was, what a special group of guys that we had,” Carlisle said. “It’s the first time I’ve sat down and watched it in detail. It was such a great series, such an intriguing series and the level of basketball was so high and so pure. It was an unforgettable 14 days.” Carlisle said there were a lot of things that he hadn’t remembered from that June 12 clinching game, some of the special plays made by both teams. Because of the NBA lockout, which makes the timing of the 2011-12 season uncertain, Carlisle was unable to talk about how the Mavericks plan to try to defend their title. The coach several times said he was unable to answer questions specifically about the team. “I can talk about my staunch support for the Rangers, my appreciation for being here,” he said. “I got Nolan Ryan’s autograph on a ball, so I’m pretty stoked about that.” Wearing a No. 34 Rangers jersey, Carlisle threw a strike with a slight break that was caught by Texas manager Ron Washington before the game against the Boston Red Sox. “It was a bit of a hybrid, I don’t exactly have a name for it but it’s the only pitch I throw,” said Carlisle, who prepped for the moment by throwing tennis balls against the wall in the Mavericks’ locker room earlier Tuesday. Since he lives in the Dallas area, Carlisle said he follows the Rangers, Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Stars. He has a much longer connection to the Red Sox, since he was an NBA player in three seasons in Boston and was part of the Celtics’ 1986 NBA championship. “There’s a long history. … I have been a Red Sox fan over the years because of that association,” Carlisle said. “When you live in Dallas, you’re a Dallas sports fan.” Earlier this summer, Mavericks players Dirk Nowitzki(notes) and Jason Terry(notes) threw first pitches at separate Rangers games. Both threw high pitches.
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