IN BRIEF

FOOTBALL

Steelers sign Tomlin through
2012 season, add option year

The Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday signed coach Mike Tomlin to a two-year contract extension through the 2012 season, with an option year in 2013.

The extension was expected because the Steelers' policy has been to sign a coach before he begins the final season of a contract. Tomlin is only the Steelers' third coach since 1969, following Chuck Noll (1969 to 1991) and Bill Cowher (1992 to 2006).

Tomlin is 31-17 in three seasons, with two division titles, an AFC championship and a Super Bowl victory. During the 2008 season, he became the youngest coach -- he was 36 -- to win the Super Bowl when the Steelers beat Arizona, 27-23.

The Steelers were 9-7 and missed the playoffs last season.

Also: Defensive end Marques Douglas agreed to terms on a $2.5 million, two-year contract with the Miami Dolphins, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Dolphins had not announced the agreement.

Douglas shores up a position depleted when Phillip Merling recently sustained an Achilles' tendon injury that will force him to miss the entire season.

The results of an independent study commissioned by the NFL and the players' union show modern helmets perform better than those from a decade ago, though it stressed that no helmet can prevent concussions.

The results were forwarded to teams along with a memo from commissioner Roger Goodell. The NFL wants teams to provide the information to players at the start of training camp.

Engineers at two independent labs tested each of 16 commercially available helmets for impacts similar to the open-field hits felt by NFL players. Each of the helmets met or surpassed national standards for protection against traumatic head injuries.

The mother of former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, Linda, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal via e-mail she had no "comment at the time about Jeremiah's next step," regarding speculation he could transfer to UNLV.

Jeremiah Masoli, already under Oregon team suspension, was dismissed by the Ducks in June following a legal run-in. He pled guilty Wednesday to possessing less than an ounce of marijuana and a traffic violation.

Masoli led the Ducks to the Pac-10 title and a Rose Bowl berth last season with an offense that averaged 37 points and 424 yards per game.

CYCLING

Spain's Contador closes in
on third Tour de France crown

Alberto Contador of Spain kept the yellow jersey and closed in on his third Tour de France title, and Britain's Mark Cavendish again showed he's one of cycling's best sprinters.

Cavendish captured the 18th stage in a final dash, his fourth stage victory in this race and the 14th of his career. The 123-mile ride from Salies-de-Bearn to Bordeaux favored sprinters, and Cavendish made it look easy.

American Lance Armstrong finished 104th and is 23rd overall.

Contador, the defending champion, held his eight-second lead over Andy Schleck of Luxembourg. That gap is expected to widen in today's crucial 32-mile time trial from Bordeaux to Pauillac.

Today is the last stage in which the positions at the top can change. Sunday's final stage into Paris is traditionally a sprinters' stage and a daylong victory procession for the overall winner.

Also: Former professional cyclist Tyler Hamilton has been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury, though his attorney refused to say whether it has anything to do with a federal investigation involving Lance Armstrong.

Chris Manderson said Hamilton, a former teammate of Armstrong on the U.S. Postal Service team, "understands his legal obligations" and will cooperate with the grand jury.

MISCELLANEOUS

Dominating Rachel Alexandra
back on track for Lady's Secret

It sure looks and sounds as if Rachel Alexandra is back in top form.

All the reigning Horse of the Year has to do now is prove it today with a victory against six seemingly overmatched rivals in the $400,000 Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

Assistant trainer Scott Blasi said the 4-year-old filly is doing well, is full of energy and ready for the 1 1/8-mile race against fillies and mares.

Rachel Alexandra has been training at Saratoga Race Course in New York, but arrived at the Jersey Shore track Tuesday nearly a year after her win against males in the Haskell Invitational en route to an 8-0 record in 2009.

While the Lady's Secret is far from a glamour race, it nonetheless is a huge test for Rachel Alexandra and will dictate the filly's future schedule.

An impressive win in the ungraded Lady's Secret could set her up for either the 1¼-mile Personal Ensign against fillies and mares Aug. 29 or the Woodward Stakes against leading older male Quality Road on Sept. 4, both at Saratoga.

Rachel should be the overwhelming favorite today, perhaps 1-10.

Also: Jockey Patrick Valenzuela could return to riding in California as soon as Wednesday.

The 47-year-old jockey with a lengthy history of alcohol and substance abuse was granted a probationary license by the California Horse Racing Board. The same group revoked his license in 2008 after Valenzuela was arrested for drunken driving.

Agent Tom Knust said Valenzuela could be named to ride on Wednesday's card at Del Mar.

No. 1 seed Andy Roddick and No. 2 seed John Isner advanced to the semifinals of the Atlanta Tennis Championships in Johns Creek, Ga.

Roddick beat Belgium's Xavier Malisse 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, and Isner took less than an hour to beat fellow American Michael Russell, 6-1, 6-2.

Roddick will face American Mardy Fish in one of today's semifinals, and Isner will play Kevin Anderson of South Africa in the other.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Sami Salo tore his Achilles' tendon and is out indefinitely.

The team said Salo was hurt "while training." But a report in his native Finland said the 35-year-old was hurt while playing floor hockey and will be out at least three months.

Salo had nine goals and 28 points in 68 games last season.

The Dallas Stars agreed to terms with forward Fabian Brunnstrom on a one-year contract worth $675,000.

The 25-year-old Swede was one of the top free agents when he signed with the Stars two years ago. He had 17 goals in 55 games as a rookie but struggled with a shoulder injury last season. He had two goals in 44 games.

The Wranglers agreed to terms with defenseman John Schwarz.

Schwarz, 26, returns to Las Vegas for his second season with the Wranglers. Last season, he had three goals and nine assists while piling up 122 penalty minutes in 66 regular-season games.

Former UNLV baseball coach Buddy Gouldsmith was hired as an assistant at UNR.

Gouldsmith replaces Stan Stolte, who was hired as UNLV's pitching coach. Gouldsmith, fired by UNLV in May, will oversee outfielders and hitting as well as coach third base.

Jennie Finch took a no-hit bid into the fifth inning in one of her final starts for the U.S. national team, Kaitlin Cochran homered in her second straight game and the Americans beat top rival Japan 5-0 at the World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City.