Good weather after 2012 heat at Boston Marathon

BOSTON | The heat was unprecedented and so was the offer: Any of the 27,000 runners in last year's Boston Marathon could skip the race and automatically qualify for the 2013 edition instead.

Notre Dame coach Kelly begins BCS campaign

Brian Kelly waited until the end of the presidential election to start campaigning for a spot in the BCS title game.

May-Treanor, Walsh win Olympic beach volleyball gold

LONDON | Misty May-Treanor danced on the sand and then off it, taking a victory lap around the court before leaving Horse Guards Parade with Kerri Walsh Jennings as three-time Olympic beach volleyball gold medalists.

Red Sox acquire CF Marlon Byrd from Cubs

BOSTON | The Boston Red Sox acquired center fielder Marlon Byrd from the Cubs on Saturday in an attempt to shore up their injury-plagued outfield and reverse an early season slide.

White Sox continue winning ways at Fenway Park

BOSTON | The way he's been pitching, a reporter told Phil Humber, people are starting to talk about him making the All-Star game.

Wakefield sends Cubs home with another series loss

BOSTON | It wasn't the Green Monster looming over left field or the Pesky Pole in right that turned out to be the toughest adjustment for the Cubs in their first visit to Fenway Park since the 1918 World Series.

Youkilis powers Red Sox past Cubs

BOSTON | The Cubs stumbled their way around Fenway Park's unfamiliar surroundings on Friday night as one would expect of a team that hadn't been in the ballpark in 93 years.

Bobby Jenks heads to Boston, baseball official says

BOSTON | The Boston Red Sox have signed right-handed reliever Matt Albers to a one-year contract while also working out a deal with former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks.

Garnett has 20 points, 17 boards as Celts beat Bulls

BOSTON | Mean. Ugly. Not a lot of love. Yep, that pretty much describes how Kevin Garnett treated Joakim Noah and the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.

Celtics and Bulls back to OT, Boston wins 110-105

BOSTON | Kevin Garnett chased down Joakim Noah and tipped the ball away from behind with 14 seconds left on Friday night and the Boston Celtics held on to beat the Bulls 110-105.

Crist leads Irish to 31-13 win over Boston College

BOSTON | Brian Kelly came back home to earn his first road victory as coach at Notre Dame.

Blackhawks rally from 2-goal deficit, beat Boston

BOSTON | The Blackhawks are scoring goals in bunches -- and picking up their wins in bulk, too.

White Sox lose on Ortiz's walk-off home run

BOSTON | Victor Martinez had never been around for one of David Ortiz's trademark game-ending homers, and he thought it would be a good time to see his first.

Bay homers, Ellsbury runs Red Sox to victory over White Sox

BOSTON | Red Sox manager Terry Francona got a text message from Victor Martinez well after midnight on Tuesday morning saying, "Let me play."

Patriots safety, Marian Catholic grad Harrison announces retirement

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. | Two-time Pro Bowl safety and Marian Catholic grad Rodney Harrison announced his retirement on Wednesday, saying he is through hitting quarterbacks after a 15-year career for the New England Patriots and San Diego Chargers.

Marian Catholic grad Rodney Harrison mulls NFL future

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. | Here's a sample, compliments of Patriots linebacker Pierre Woods, of what television viewers can expect when Marian Catholic grad Rodney Harrison goes on the air:

Celtics eliminate Bulls

BOSTON | After a record-setting seven overtimes in the first six games, the Celtics made an early night of it with a dominating stretch in the second.

Pierce leads Celtics over Bulls in Game 5

BOSTON | Kevin Garnett was in street clothes. Ray Allen fouled out. The Boston Celtics' Big Three was down to one, and Paul Pierce was ready.

Bulls fall in overtime in Game 5 at Boston

BOSTON | Paul Pierce made three straight jumpers in the final 77 seconds of overtime and the Boston Celtics held on to beat the Bulls 106-104 on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series.

Ethiopia's Merga, Kenya's Kosgei win Boston Marathon

BOSTON | Ethiopia's Deriba Merga overcame the disappointment of his Olympic fade to win the Boston Marathon on Monday, and Kenya's Salina Kosgei won the closest women's race in the 113-year history of the event while Americans took third in both races for the best U.S. finish since 1985.

Rose, Bulls take 1-0 lead against defending world champs

BOSTON | Derrick Rose had a playoff debut like few others and led the Bulls to a victory over the Boston Celtics in the playoffs.

Bulls beat Celtics for first time in playoffs

BOSTON | Derrick Rose scored 36 points in his first career playoff game and helped the Bulls do something not even Michael Jordan could: beat the Boston Celtics in the postseason.

Garnett out, could miss entire postseason

WALTHAM, Mass. | The Big Three is down to Two.

Notre Dame 3s it up to beat Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. | Ryan Ayers scored 28, making seven of Notre Dame's 13 3-pointers, and the Irish overcame Luke Harangody's foul trouble to beat Providence 103-84 on Saturday.

Notre Dame uses 3-pointers to pound Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. | Ryan Ayers scored 28, making seven of Notre Dame's 13 3-pointers, as the Fighting Irish beat Providence 103-84 on Saturday.

Boston INT party

BOSTON | Paul Anderson intercepted Jimmy Clausen twice, running one back 76 yards for a touchdown on Saturday night, as Boston College beat Notre Dame 17-0 and extended its winning streak against the Fighting Irish to six in a row.

Notre Dame's Weis returns to Boston

BOSTON | No one needs to tell Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis how people around here feel about his school: He saw the rivalry between Boston College and the Fighting Irish up-close as an NFL assistant with the Patriots.

Rodney Harrison making an impact again in playoffs

PRO FOOTBALL

Blowouts in the past, Patriots getting ready for playoffs

PRO FOOTBALL

With McNabb injured, Eagles will throw Feeley against unbeaten Patriots

PRO FOOTBALL

Boston advances to World Series

BOSTON | Daisuke Matsuzaka, Dustin Pedroia and these Boston Red Sox are taking a sweet streak into the World Series, too.

Boston continues hot streak

MLB | ALCS

Schilling to pitch Game 2

ALCS PREVIEW

Celtics trying to lure Reggie Miller out of retirement

BOSTON | The Boston Celtics have spoken with future Hall of Famer Reggie Miller about coming out of retirement to help the once-proud franchise in its push for an unprecedented 17th NBA title.

Celtics trying to lure Reggie Miller out of retirement

BOSTON | The Boston Celtics have spoken with future Hall of Famer Reggie Miller about coming out of retirement to help the once-proud franchise in its push for an unprecedented 17th NBA title.

White Sox win worth the wait

BOSTON | A.J. Pierzynski went 3-for-4 with three RBIs on Thursday night, making Daisuke Matsuzaka pay for a career-high six walks and leading the Chicago White Sox to a 4-2 victory over the plummeting Boston Red Sox.

Roush Fenway unveils baseball-themed car

AUTO RACING | NEXTEL CUP

Welcome to the Hub, bub: Dice-K gets ready for Yankees

BOSTON | He dazzled in his debut, shut down Ichiro Suzuki and lunched with the group Ted Williams derisively called "the Knights of the Keyboard."

Boston Marathon went on after sleepless night

BOSTON | As he lay in bed in the middle of the night, less than six hours before the first wave was due to start the Boston Marathon, race director Dave McGillivray made a series of anxious phone calls to find out if the weather would match the dire forecasts.

North Carolina outlasts Boston College

BOSTON | Tyler Hansbrough scored 17 and Ty Lawson had 13 points with seven assists and six rebounds to lead fourth-ranked North Carolina to a 77-72 victory over No. 21 Boston College on Saturday night.

Ripken dodges McGwire steroid talk

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. | Cal Ripken Jr. doesn't want the steroid scandal that has tarnished Mark McGwire's Hall of Fame chances to do the same to his own inevitable induction.

White Sox silenced in Boston

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Aiken takes IBF featherweight title from Pereira

BOSTON | Late substitute Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken won the IBF featherweight title on Saturday night when previously unbeaten champion Valdemir Pereira was disqualified at 1:37 of the eighth round for a series of shots below the belt.

Kenyans cruise, but U.S. is back

RUNNING | BOSTON MARATHON

Overtime is Terps time

BOSTON | Overtime belongs to Maryland. So does the NCAA championship.

Maryland, Duke battle for the big prize

BOSTON | During Maryland's last visit to this city, for a regular-season game against Boston College, coach Brenda Frese took her team on a surprise bus trip.

U.S. wins first-ever curling medal

MEN'S CURLING

Red Sox look at life after Johnny

BOSTON | Even before Johnny Damon spurned the Red Sox for the New York Yankees, Boston began looking for his potential replacement.

Colts have toughest test yet in Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. | The Indianapolis Colts are still trying to prove they can beat a good team this season. The New England Patriots are still trying to prove that they are one.