John Daly put himself within four strokes of joint leaders Liang Wenchong of China and South African Richard Sterne, who both shot a 6-under 64 in the first round of the $2.5 million Hong Kong Open on Thursday. Liang and Sterne were a stroke ahead of Taiwan's Lin Wentang -- who recovered from a double bogey on the opening hole -- and 48-year-old Frankie Minoza of the Philippines.

Twice-suspended cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones will be on his own in his return to the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. This time, there will be no team-employed bodyguards to accompany Jones and try to keep him out of trouble. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Wednesday that the cornerback, who completed the inpatient portion of his NFL-ordered alcohol treatment in the Boston area, was being reinstated...

Benched running back Edgerrin James wants the Arizona Cardinals to release him, his agent said Wednesday night. Cardinals general manager Rod Graves said the team declined to even consider such a move. Agent Drew Rosenhaus said he would continue to talk to the Cardinals to try to persuade them to grant James his release.

Ball State found itself in an unfamiliar situation at halftime, deadlocked for the first time after 30 minutes all season. The No. 14 Cardinals and Central Michigan were still tied midway through the fourth quarter when MiQuale Lewis stepped up, carrying six times for 63 yards and setting up Nate Davis' fourth touchdown pass of the game in Ball State's 31-24 victory on Wednesday night.

Freddy Adu has been hyped and heralded since the day he burst onto the soccer scene. However, extreme talent doesn't impress nearly as much as production. Adu scored his first goal as a member of the U.S. national team and Jozy Altidore assisted on Kenny Cooper's sliding shot, leading the Americans to a 2-0 win over Guatemala in a World Cup qualifier on a cool Wednesday night.

The way Jason Terry was shooting, the Dallas Mavericks hardly needed Josh Howard on Wednesday night. The Houston Rockets, meanwhile, sorely missed Yao Ming. Terry scored 31 points, and Dirk Nowitzki added 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Mavericks' 96-86 victory over the Rockets. Howard, the Mavs' second-leading scorer, was inactive because of a left ankle injury.

The Detroit Pistons are starting to show their potential with Allen Iverson, beating two of the NBA's best teams in less than a week. Iverson scored 23 points, and Rasheed Wallace had 10 of his 21 points during a fourth-quarter surge that gave Detroit a 96-89 victory over Cleveland on Wednesday night that ended the Cavaliers' eight-game winning streak.

Desperate for starting pitchers, the New York Yankees expect to enter next season without 20-game winner Mike Mussina. FoxSports.com reported Wednesday that Mussina intends to retire and will make the move official this week. In the report, the Web site cited unidentified major league sources. Mussina, who turns 40 next month, would become the first pitcher to call it quits following a 20-win season...

Don Wakamatsu is proud to be the first Asian-American manager in major league history. He's also keenly aware of what his grandparents endured, generations before he took over the Seattle Mariners. During World War II, the United States government moved his Japanese ancestors across the country from one internment camp to another.

The Kansas City Royals picked up the leadoff hitter they had been seeking, acquiring center fielder Coco Crisp from the Boston Red Sox for reliever Ramon Ramirez on Wednesday. Kansas City was 12th among 14 AL teams in runs last season and added power last month, obtaining first baseman Mike Jacobs from Florida.