Pro football
BEARS' HARRIS DOUBTFUL FOR BENGALS: Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris was listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals because of a nagging left knee injury.
Although he has started all five games this season, the three-time Pro Bowler has been hampered by knee and hamstring problems the past three years. The Bears have limited his participation in practice during that time, and he did not participate this week.
Backup running back Adrian Peterson (knee) was also doubtful. Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer (rib), defensive tackle Israel Idonije (knee) and defensive backs Corey Graham (ankle), Kevin Payne (toe) and Josh Bullocks (ankle) were all probable.
Major League Baseball
ANGELS FLY TO THE BRONX FOR GAME 6: Chone Figgins and the Los Angeles Angels know they're heading straight into more than one kind of storm, and they can't wait to get wet.
Heavy showers in today's New York forecast are threatening to wash out Game 6 of the AL championship series, yet that's a minor drizzle compared to the high-pressure system the Angels created for both themselves and the Yankees by extending the ALCS to the weekend.
Rejuvenated by a ramshackle win in Game 5 that cut the Yankees' series lead to 3-2, the Angels still face long odds to make the seldom-seen comeback from a 3-1 series deficit against their star-studded opponents. Yet Figgins still senses a team-wide confidence that the Angels can rain on the Yankees' 27th championship parade.
"It doesn't get any better than this, especially going into that ballpark," said Figgins, the Angels' leadoff hitter. "It's going to be another crazy game, I can tell you that. You go back and just enjoy it. The pressure is on both teams."
The Yankees arrived back in New York early Friday morning and held an "optional" workout -- "In the playoffs, it's not optional," catcher Jorge Posada said with a grin -- under an overcast sky in the Bronx that afternoon. A chilly wind rippled the flags that line the top of the stadium and jostled the ceremonial red-white-and-blue bunting along each deck.
It was a much different scene than the picturesque weather they had in Southern California, and they still were thrilled to be back.
"Our guys feel very good when we walk in this ballpark," manager Joe Girardi said.
Auto racing
NEWMAN WINS MARTINSVILLE POLE: Jimmie Johnson finally wasn't flawless at Martinsville.
The points leader and winner in five of the past six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races on the smallest, tightest oval in the series qualified 15th Friday.
Ryan Newman won the pole for Sunday's race with a lap at 96.795 mph, followed by Jeff Gordon at 96.519. Mark Martin, who trails Johnson and Gordon at the midpoint of the 10-race playoff, will start fourth, giving Hendrick Motorsports two cars in the front two rows.
The pole is Newman's second of the season and 45th of his career.
"It's the place to be, no doubt, and it's the place to finish," Newman said.
Newman downplayed Johnson's poor showing, saying he noticed the three-time defending series champion spent very little time in practice working on his setup for the two-lap run.
College basketball
VU TO APPEAR ON LAKESHORE: Six Valparaiso University men's basketball games and one Crusaders women's game will be broadcast live on Lakeshore Public Television this season.
The broadcast schedule begins when the VU men host Toledo on Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. The next broadcast will be Jan. 2, when Valpo takes on Green Bay at the Athletics-Recreation Center at 7:05. Two days later, the Crusader women take the stage for a 7:05 contest against Loyola.
Fans will also be able to catch a pair of road matchups on Lakeshore, with Valpo's game versus Loyola at 3 on Jan. 23, and the Jan. 31 game at Green Bay at 1. Valpo's games against the fellow Chicagoland schools will close out the TV schedule, as Lakeshore will show the Feb. 8 game with UIC and the Feb. 17 game with Loyola. Both tip times are 7:05.
Women's soccer
VU BEATS BUTLER FOR FIRST TIME: Jackie Kondratko and Rachel Hoaglin each scored as Valparaiso defeated visiting Butler 2-0, the first win against the Bulldogs in seven tries. Mele Cabral preserved the save for VU (8-8-1, 5-3) with four saves.
With the victory, the Crusaders secured a home match in the upcoming Horizon League Tournament. VU closes out its regular season with a home game Sunday against IPFW.
Women's volleyball
VU FALLS AT CLEVELAND STATE: Angie Porche (T.F. South) had 16 kills and 10 digs, but Cleveland State defeated Valparaiso University 25-16, 22-25, 25-20, 25-19 in Horizon League play.
Kim Bukowski added 39 assists for the Crusaders (16-9, 8-2).
