Hockey
• NHL still waiting for new union proposal: The rhetoric is rising, while the time before the planned start of the NHL regular season is running out. And now it seems more likely than not that regular-season games will be canceled before the league and the players’ association even get back to the negotiating table. The sides broke off talks Tuesday after just two hours, and it was hard to find optimism anywhere that the season would avoid a major disruption — just seven years after a full season was lost to a lockout. “Not prepared to speculate on next steps at this point," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press in an email on Wednesday. “Obviously, we’ve been saying for over a month now that we would welcome a new proposal from the Players’ Association. That continues to be our position. (It’s) not a constructive position to say, ‘Here’s our first offer. We think it’s really good. Call us back when you are ready to accept it.’ That’s what the union has effectively done here." Daly also said on Wednesday that the NHL has no timetable when it will start calling off regular-season games. The season is slated to open on Oct. 11.
Football
• Jets WR Holmes out for season: Santonio Holmes will miss the rest of this season with an injured left foot, leaving the struggling New York Jets without their top offensive playmaker. The Jets announced Wednesday that Holmes, who will require surgery, was placed on season-ending injured reserve. The team signed free agent wide receiver Jason Hill to help replace him. Jets coach Red Ryan confirmed that it is a Lisfranc injury, which usually involves the tearing of the ligament that holds the first two toes in the foot together.
• Titans QB Hasselbeck to start vs Vikings: Jake Locker’s left shoulder is sore enough that the Tennessee Titans don’t even want him dressing Sunday when they visit Minnesota, so veteran Matt Hasselbeck will start at quarterback. Whether Locker misses more than one game depends on how quickly his non-throwing shoulder heals. Locker dislocated his non-throwing shoulder for the second time in four games when sacked in last week’s 38-14 loss at Houston.
Basketball
• Rasheed Wallace ends retirement: The New York Knicks have signed forward Rasheed Wallace, a four-time All-Star who is ending a two-year retirement. The 38-year-old Wallace last played for the Boston Celtics in the 2009-10 season. Terms of his contract signed Wednesday were not announced. Wallace averaged 14.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in 15 seasons. Wallace joins an aging bench that includes Kurt Thomas, who turns 40 today; 39-year-old Jason Kidd and 38-year-old Marcus Camby.
Baseball
• Francona to interview with Indians: Former Boston manager Terry Francona will interview with the Cleveland Indians on Friday. Francona’s meeting will come one day after interim manager Sandy Alomar Jr. has his formal interview with general manager Chris Antonetti about becoming the replacement for Manny Acta, who was dismissed last week with six games left in the season. Alomar and Francona are the only confirmed candidates for the Indians’ managerial opening. Francona has been working as an analyst for ESPN. He led the Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007.
• Sox manager undermined?: Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine says he was undermined by some of his coaches this season. Valentine also told Boston radio station WEEI that his coaches were not loyal to him. Before the Red Sox played the New York Yankees in the final game of the regular season Wednesday night, he said it was just a feeling and could not provide specifics. He did say he thought the friction with the coaches had little to do with the team’s first last-place finish in the AL East since 1992. Also, general manager Ben Cherington says he will not discuss Valentine’s status until after the season is over.
— From wire reports
