Sports News Headlines

(Reuters) - The Vancouver Canucks fired head coach Alain Vigneault on Wednesday, along with assistants Rick Bowness and Newell Brown, following the National Hockey League team's first-round exit from the playoffs. The Canucks ended the regular season by winning the Northwest Division championship with a 26-15-7 record but …

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers suddenly have a huge void in their receiving corps as they chase another Super Bowl berth: Michael Crabtree is sidelined after surgery on his right Achilles tendon.

CHICAGO (AP) — Brian Urlacher wasn't sure how dominant he could be any longer, so he's calling it a career after 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears.

(Reuters) - USA Basketball is set to name its men's coach for the next Olympic cycle and all signs point to Mike Krzyzewski, who has already led Team USA to a pair of Summer Games golds, retaining the job. A news conference hosted by USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo to announce the selection has been called for Thursday …

Sergio Garcia apologized to Tiger Woods for saying he would serve fried chicken if they were to have dinner at the U.S. Open, an ugly addition to nearly two weeks of verbal sparring.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are on top of the NBA draft yet again, only this time there is no LeBron James waiting to save them. There may not even be a Kyrie Irving.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Tim Clark considers his future in golf uncertain now that the game's two governing bodies have outlawed the anchored putting stroke.

(Reuters) - Zach Johnson has finished no better than joint 18th on the 2013 PGA Tour but hopes he can regain top form on his title defense at this week's Crowne Plaza Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas where he is a twice former champion. A medium-length hitter who is renowned for his accuracy, tenacity and a superb short …

NEW YORK (AP) — A day after New York City FC was born, Claudio Reyna became the team's first employee.

By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Sergio Garcia said "sorry" 11 times and used the word "apology" on five occasions as he spoke of his regret at causing a furor by making a "fried chicken" jibe at world number one Tiger Woods. Spaniard Garcia told reporters on Wednesday that his comment, made at the European …

By Alan Baldwin MONACO (Reuters) - As a race, Mark Webber loves Monaco. As a place, he would much rather be somewhere else. Red Bull's gritty Australian racer has won the most glamorous event on the Formula One calendar twice in the last three years and counts doing so as one of the greatest thrills of his career. The great …

By Alan Baldwin MONACO (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton made his point and Roscoe, his pampered pet bulldog, promptly proved him right at the Monaco Grand Prix on Wednesday. Positioning, the 2008 Formula One world champion told British reporters gathered round him in the Mercedes harbourside motorhome, is everything in Monaco. …

(Reuters) - Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher announced his retirement on Wednesday, ending a brilliant 13-year career with the National Football League team with a statement on Twitter. "After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire," wrote the eight-times …

By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - World number two Rory McIlroy refused on Wednesday to confirm reports he had parted company with his management group, Horizon Sports. Close friend and fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell suggested at last week's World Match Play Championship in Bulgaria that McIlroy …

ATLANTA (AP) — The Minnesota Twins placed third baseman Trevor Plouffe on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion Wednesday after he was struck in the head by Dan Uggla's shin while breaking up an attempted double play.

NEW YORK (AP) — In Beijing and London, U.S. Olympian Cullen Jones was fierce in the water, bringing home gold and silver and setting a world record along the way.

By Alan Baldwin MONACO (Reuters) - Red Bull sound like sore losers for complaining about the Formula One tires, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso suggested on Wednesday. The Spaniard, winner in China in April and Barcelona this month, told reporters at the Monaco Grand Prix that it was up to the champions to explain their comments …

CHICAGO (AP) — Star linebacker Brian Urlacher says he's retiring after spending 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears.

By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Ernie Els would not have won last year's British Open without the aid of a belly putter, the South African four-times major champions said on Wednesday. Golf's governing bodies announced on Tuesday a ban on the anchoring of putters from 2016 and Els believes he would have …

LONDON (AP) — Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico entered the IOC presidential race Wednesday, promising to use his business experience to guide the Olympics through the world's troubled financial times and proposing to deploy IOC staff permanently in host cities to help organize the games.

PARIS (Reuters) - World number seven Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina has pulled out of next week's French Open tennis after failing to recover from a virus, organizers said on Wednesday. Del Potro, who reached the quarter-finals at the claycourt grand-slam event last year, flew home after losing to Frenchman Benoit Paire …

PARIS (Reuters) - World number seven Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina has pulled out of next week's French Open tennis after failing to recover from a virus, Argentine media reported on Wednesday. Del Potro, who reached the quarter-finals at the claycourt grand-slam event last year, flew home after losing to Frenchman …

MADRID (Reuters) - Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini has announced that he will leave the La Liga side at the end of the season, a club spokesman said on Wednesday. The Chilean has been linked with a move to Premier League Manchester City who are looking for a manager after sacking Roberto Mancini. "Professionally, these are …