Pro football
BEARS SIGN RB KEVIN JONES: The Bears on Tuesday signed running back Kevin Jones to a one-year deal. During four years with Detroit, Jones rushed for 3,067 yards and 24 touchdowns on 761 carries.
Terms of Jones' deal were not disclosed.
Jones, who played for Virginia Tech, was first drafted by Detroit in 2004. Last season, Jones rushed for 581 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns on 153 carries. He also had 32 receptions for 197 yards for Detroit.
FAVRE TEMPTED TO ATTEND PACKERS CAMP: Brett Favre says he's tempted to show up at the Green Bay Packers' training camp just to call the team's "bluff."
In the second part of an interview with Fox News, the 38-year-old quarterback said he knows his arrival in camp would cause a media circus, but that might not stop him. Packers players are scheduled to report July 27.
"It's tempting just to, as everyone said, you know, call their bluff or whatever," Favre said, according to an excerpt provided to The Associated Press.
MANNING JOINS AILING COLTS: Peyton Manning's streak of 160 straight starts doesn't appear in serious danger after minor knee surgery.
But the superstar quarterback's medical problems -- an infected bursa sac in his left knee -- only adds to the long injury list the Colts will face when they open training camp July 25.
Not only will Manning be unavailable, but so will defensive end Dwight Freeney, wide receiver Marvin Harrison and safety Bob Sanders, the NFL's defensive player of the year last season.
The Colts say Manning can make a "full and complete return" in four to six weeks. That means, at worst, he can open the season against the Bears the night of Sept. 7, when the Colts unveil their new stadium in a replay of the 2007 Super Bowl. Given Manning's durability, there's a chance he could play the last exhibition game or two.
Pro basketball
PACERS SIGN ROOKIES: The Pacers announced that rookies Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert signed Tuesday. Based on the league's rookie scale, Rush will make about $1.5 million his first year as the No. 13 pick, and Hibbert will make about $1.2 million as the 17th selection.
Pro golf
OGILVY TO WIN ANOTHER MAJOR?: Don't forget Geoff Ogilvy.
The Aussie is one of the most overlooked major champions -- the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot is best remembered for Phil Mickelson's double-bogey meltdown on the final hole -- but he's got the look of a top contender in this week's British Open.
Ogilvy's steady if unspectacular play could be suited to Royal Birkdale, which has been soaked by rain and punishes those who find its pot bunkers and tangly rough.
"I've just gradually gotten better," Ogilvy said, describing a career in which all six of his victories have come since 2005 and have taken him to No. 3 in the world rankings.
Rated a 25-1 shot by the British bookmakers, Ogilvy hopes tough conditions will weed out many of his potential rivals.
"The golf course is fantastic -- it's really difficult," he said. "It's playing really long, quite narrow. The rough is pretty healthy. It's just a very green Birkdale."
College sports
IRISH READY TO ANNOUNCE NEW AD: Notre Dame will announce its new athletic director on Wednesday.
The school declined to disclose who the new athletic director will be, although media reports indicated the likely choice would be Indianapolis lawyer Jack Swarbrick. He was a leader of the city's successful bid this spring to host the 2012 Super Bowl and is a Notre Dame graduate.
The Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday that the school had targeted Swarbrick as its choice.
Swarbrick did not respond to telephone messages or e-mails sent to him Tuesday from The Associated Press. Notre Dame spokesman Dennis Brown said the school could not comment on the media reports.
Former Notre Dame athletic director Kevin White announced May 31 he was leaving the position after eight years to take the job as Duke's new AD.
VALPO'S HUFFMAN BECOMES ASSISTANT AT BUTLER: Collette Huffman, formerly Liss, was recently named as an assistant track and cross country coach at Butler University. Huffman was a member of six IAAF World Championship teams for the United States. She ran the 1,500 at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2000 and 2004. Huffman won IHSAA state titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters in 1991. She also was inducted into the IATCC Indiana State High School Hall of Fame last spring.
VU WOMEN'S HOOPS AGAIN RANKS IN ACADEMIC TOP 25: Valparaiso University's women's basketball program finished the 2007-08 school year ranked 24th in NCAA Division I for team grade-point average. Keith Freeman's squad tallied a 3.286 GPA. This is the 10th straight season the Crusaders have been ranked in the top 25 on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Honor Roll.
Around the horn
The Region Buzz radio show airs from 6-7 p.m. every Thursday night on WJOB-AM (1230). For more information, visit www.regionbuzz.com. This week's guest is One in a Million Boxing CEO Octavius James. ... The Blackhawks on Tuesday signed free agent defensemen Aaron Johnson and Doug Janik, and center Colin Fraser to one-year contracts. ... Bloom's Justin Jurgerson has signed a letter of intent to run men's cross country at Prairie State College. Prairie State also signed Bloom's Bianca Martinez and Lincoln-Way East's Brianne Robson to letters of intent for women's cross country. ... Former mixed martial arts light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was arrested Tuesday after a series of collisions allegedly involving the pickup truck he was driving. Jackson was booked into Orange County Jail for investigation of felony evading, hit and run and reckless driving, according to Lt. Paul Dondero of the Costa Mesa
Police Department. ... The Los Angeles Clippers have acquired center Marcus Camby from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a future second-round draft pick.
