Predators to remain in Nashville with sale

Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold believes he finally has sold the franchise, this time to a group of local businessmen and one California venture capitalist who want to keep the team in Tennessee.

Leipold announced Wednesday he has signed a letter of intent to sell the team to the local group. The eight partners put down $10 million as a deposit toward the $193 million purchase price.

"I'm thrilled to death the team is staying here," Leipold said.

The only partner from outside the Nashville area is William "Boots" Del Biaggio III, who will have to sell his minority share in the San Jose Sharks.

The bid was less than the $220 million offered by Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie when Leipold announced May 24 he had signed a letter of intent to sell the team. But Leipold said Balsillie ruined that deal by trying to move the team to Canada.

AVERY RE-SIGNS Forward Sean Avery re-signed with the New York Rangers after he was awarded a $1.9 million salary for next season after a lengthy arbitration hearing.

PHELPS WINS Michael Phelps won the 200-meter backstroke at the U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis, finishing more than 2 seconds ahead of a field that included world-record holder Ryan Lochte.

Phelps won the 33rd national title of his career, touching with a time of 1 minute, 54.65 seconds, third-fastest all time.

Lochte's mark of 1:54.32, set in March at the World Championships, barely held up.

MONTOYA TEAM DISSOLVING Juan Pablo Montoya will race in his final Busch Series event next week at Watkins Glen, N.Y., then the team will stop competing.

Chip Ganassi Racing officials said the No. 42 Busch program was formed only to help Montoya adjust to NASCAR after six seasons in Formula One.

BIFFLE FINED NASCAR driver Greg Biffle was fined $5,000 and put on probation until Dec. 31 for skipping a press-box interview after his second-place finish in the Kroger 200 Busch Series race last week.

TEE MISTAKE COSTLY An oversight cost Pat Carter the chance to play in his 13th U.S. Amateur.

Carter and others in his group were assessed a two-shot penalty for playing from the wrong set of tees on one hole in the 36-hole qualifier in Daniels, W.Va.

The penalty gave Carter a 1-under-par 143, one shot behind winner Matt Hicks.

GOLFER SUSPENDED Italian golfer Alessandro Pissilli has been suspended after failing a drug test.

Pissilli tested positive for the diuretic Finasteride at the Omnium National Championship on June 29.

DYNAMO BEATS UNITED Brian Ching scored in the 50th minute and the Houston Dynamo beat D.C. United 1-0 to advance to the SuperLiga semifinals in Houston.

Houston meets Pachuca of Mexico in the semifinals Aug. 14.

Club America beat Morelia 3-2 in the other game.

MEXICO EXHIBITION ON TAP The U.S. soccer team will play Mexico for the third time this year, a Sept. 9 exhibition at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

The U.S. is 0-22-1 all time against Mexico in Mexico.

HAHNEMANN SHOULD BE READY U.S. goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, who has been out since breaking his hand last season, likely will be ready for Reading's Premier League soccer opener.

BRAZILIANS 'LACKED DISCIPLINE' Some Brazilian players returned to the hotel drunk after being given time off between matches during the 2006 World Cup, according to the president of the Brazil's soccer confederation.

One year after Brazil's World Cup quarterfinal elimination in Germany, Ricardo Teixeira said a group of players lacked discipline but did not mention anyone specifically, the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported.

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