In Brief

Former Dallas Cowboys star Deion Sanders has been charged in Prosper, Texas, with misdemeanor simple assault in the wake of an altercation with his estranged wife that got her arrested at their mansion in suburban Dallas, police said late Tuesday.

Police said further investigation led to citations against Deion and Pilar Sanders, who still live together but on different sides of their palatial home in Prosper, a city about 30 miles north of Dallas. The charge doesn't warrant arrest.

The Hall of Famer tweeted Monday that Pilar had attacked him, and he posted a photo of his children filling out police reports. He removed the photo Tuesday.

Pilar Sanders was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge Monday and held overnight in the county jail. She was released Tuesday and, standing outside Collin County Jail, she said she was being treated unfairly.

Deion Sanders filed for divorce in December.

Also: While state police and the FBI started a wiretapping probe into the New Orleans Saints and general manager Mickey Loomis, assistant head coach Joe Vitt called allegations that Loomis had his Superdome booth wired so he could listen to opposing coaches "ludicrous."

"It's absolutely ludicrous. It's impossible," Vitt said.

The bounty probe is unrelated to the investigation a joint Louisiana state police and FBI task force opened after being made aware of anonymous allegations from an ESPN report that Loomis was able to eavesdrop on opposing coaches' radio communications from 2002 to 2004.

State police Col. Mike Edmonson confirmed the joint effort after discussing the matter with Dave Welker, special agent in charge at the FBI's New Orleans field office.

The Atlanta Falcons are in negotiations to acquire four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel from the Philadelphia Eagles.

A trade for Samuel would provide a highlight to what has been a relatively quiet offseason for the Falcons, who have worked to retain their free agents, instead of making a splash through trades or free agency.

The $1 billion Minnesota Vikings stadium bill sped toward floor votes in the state House and Senate, with a burst of momentum that has opponents of public financing wondering how to stop it.

"I would say it's imminent," said Democratic Sen. John Marty, a longtime critic of stadium subsidies.

The Senate Jobs and Economic Development Committee approved the stadium proposal on a voice vote, the latest in a series of unrecorded votes that kept House and Senate versions of the plan on course for floor votes. And it didn't seem to matter that many lawmakers expressed major qualms about the financing.

The Minnesota Vikings have taken steps toward adding free agent Jerome Simpson, the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver with a felony drug conviction and what general manager Rick Spielman called "freak-type" athleticism.

Simpson was sentenced April 5 to 15 days in jail, three years of probation and 200 hours of community service, plus a $7,500 fine and court costs.

A man who pleaded guilty to stabbing Washington Redskins kick returner Brandon Banks and a friend during a fight outside a D.C. nightclub in February 2011 was sentenced to three months in jail.

The NFL was sued by 28 former players in federal court in Houston, accused of covering a known link between concussions and permanent brain injuries. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of NFL Hall of Famers Randy White, Bob Lilly and Rayfield Wright, and other former Cowboys and NFL stars are among the plaintiffs. Similar lawsuits have been filed across the country.

BASEBALL

Brewers starter Narveson will have surgery, miss rest of year

Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Chris Narveson will have surgery on the torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder and miss the rest of the season, he said.

"I'll be ready for next year," Narveson said.

Narveson's last start was April 15 at Atlanta, and he was placed on the 15-day disabled list five days later, retroactive to April 16.

Also: The New York Mets put starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey and left fielder Jason Bay on the 15-day disabled list.

Pelfrey is sidelined with swelling in his right elbow. General manager Sandy Alderson said a torn ligament has not been ruled out, and the pitcher will get a second opinion.

Bay broke a rib on his left side trying for a diving catch during Monday's doubleheader sweep by San Francisco. The Mets said an MRI exam showed a nondisplaced fracture.

COLLEGES

New Arkansas football coach
says team won't miss beat

John L. Smith knows Arkansas and knows the expectations for a powerful football program rocked by a scandal that cost Bobby Petrino his job.

Smith pulled no punches in declaring his intent to keep the Razorbacks in the thick of the Southeastern Conference and national championship races.

"Our expectations here are the same," Smith, 63, said at his introductory news conference. "Nothing is going to slow down. In fact, we're going to speed up. We're going to fight, and we're going to battle. We're going to fight for a national title."

Smith, an assistant at Arkansas the past three seasons under Petrino, is back after leaving the school in December to become the coach at Weber State. He returns to a program that finished No. 5 last season and has even higher goals in the fall.

Also: Baylor freshman standout Quincy Miller changed his mind and is declaring for early entry into the NBA Draft. Bears coach Scott Drew said Miller has decided to skip his final three seasons of eligibility.

Miller, a forward, averaged 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds while starting 35 of 37 games for Baylor, which reached the NCAA Tournament's round of 16.

MISCELLANEOUS

Site of Chavez Jr.'s next bout
gets KO'd by Texas chancellor

A June 16 fight between WBC world middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Andy Lee will not happen in El Paso, Texas, as scheduled, after the University of Texas System chancellor blocked the use of the Sun Bowl, promoters said.

Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa contacted Texas-El Paso officials one hour before Top Rank was to hold a news conference to announce the fight, Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti said.

Citing security concerns over border violence, Cigarroa told UTEP officials the bout could not take place at the school's facilities, Moretti said.

Also: Despite going a man and two goals down in the first half, Chelsea pulled off one of the unlikeliest comebacks in Champions League soccer history, earning a 2-2 draw at Barcelona. That sent the London club into the championship match on a 3-2 aggregate in the home-and-home series and eliminated the defending champion.

In the May 19 final, Chelsea will face either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, who play the second leg of their series today.