Off the wire

FOOTBALL Harrison released

The Pittsburgh Steelers released the former Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison on Saturday when the two sides could not agree on a more cap-friendly deal. Harrison was entering the final two years of a $51 million extension he signed in 2009 and was scheduled to make $6.57 million in 2013. Harrison, who turns missed the first three games of the 2012 season with a minor knee injury but was one of Pittsburgh’s steadiest performers over the second half of the year. He finished with six sacks, tied for the team lead, and two forced fumbles as the Steelers finished No. 1 in total defense for the fourth time since Harrison became a starter.

The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to terms with safety William Moore on a five-year contract. Moore was a Pro Bowl alternate with Atlanta last season, when he had four interceptions and 105 tackles. He was one of the top names on the team’s list of unrestricted free agents. Moore, a second-round draft pick from Missouri in 2009, has made 38 starts in four seasons with the Falcons. He was limited by a hamstring injury to 12 games last season. He set a career high with five interceptions in 2010.

Cornerback Leodis McKelvin is staying in Buffalo after the Bills reached an agreement to re-sign their 2008 first-round draft pick Saturday. A person familiar with the negotiations said McKelvin agreed to a four-year contract worth a little over $20 million. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Bills did not reveal the contract terms in announcing the agreement with McKelvin. Used mostly as a third cornerback last year, McKelvin had one interception in 13 games, including four starts. He missed the final three games because of a groin injury. Overall, he has six interceptions in 64 games, with only 33 starts. McKelvin has made a bigger impact on special teams, with four touchdowns returning kickoff and punts. Last year, he led the NFL averaging 18.7 punt return yards, and became the first Bills player to return two punts for touchdowns in one season.

A person with knowledge of the deal says the San Diego Chargers have agreed in principle to a four year contract with kicker Nick Novak. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details are still being finalized. Novak, who had been scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, can’t sign the contract until free agency begins on Tuesday afternoon. Novak made 18 of 20 field goal attempts (90 percent) in 2012, the third-highest conversion rate in team history. He was signed on Sept. 29 after Nate Kaeding hurt his groin in practice two days before a game at Kansas City. Novak also kicked for San Diego in the final 15 games of 2011 after Kaeding was hurt on the season-opening kickoff. Also Saturday, the Chargers signed long snapper Mike Windt to a four-year contract.

George Saimes, a five-time Pro Bowl safety and member of the Buffalo Bills’ Wall of Fame, has died after a lengthy battle with leukemia. He was 71. Saimes’ daughter, Linda Durley, said her father died Friday night at a hospital in Canton, Ohio. He was selected by Buffalo in the sixth round of the 1963 draft. He played seven seasons with the Bills before playing three more years with the Denver Broncos. Saimes stayed in football to work as an NFL scout, including a 15-year stint with the Washington Redskins.

GOLF Woods stretches lead

Tiger Woods hit a tee shot that got stuck in a palm tree. That’s about the only thing that didn’t fall his way Saturday in the Cadillac Championship in Doral, Fla. Woods made seven more birdies on the Blue Monster, the last one from 15 feet on the 18th hole that gave him a 5-under-par 67 and a four-shot lead at 18-under 198 over Graeme McDowell heading into the final round. Woods has made 24 birdies and taken only 74 putts through three rounds, both personal bests in his PGA Tour career. Honda Classic winner Michael Thompson and Sergio Garcia each had a 67 and were at 11-under 205, along with Charl Schwartzel (69) and Keegan Bradley (69).

Fabian Gomez of Argentina opened with six birdies on the front nine for a 7-under-par 65 and a share of the lead with Scott Brown going into the final round of the Puerto Rico Open in Grande. Brown, who tied for fifth in the Puerto Rico a year ago, had a 67. He and Gomez set the tournament record at 18-under 198. They were four shots clear. Bryce Molder (Conway) had an eagle on the second hole, five birdes and four bogeys for a 69 that put him at 208. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 70 with five birdies and three bogeys for a 210.

HORSE RACING Favorite wins

Betting favorite Verrazano cruised to a victory in the Grade II $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby on Saturday in Oldsmar, Fla. The undefeated 3-year-old passed Falling Sky near the half-mile mark and extended the lead to5 lengths and easily coasted to the victory despite a late charge from Java’s War. The favorite paid $2.80 for the victory. Falling Sky held on for third.

Hear the Ghost rallied to run down Flashback and Goldencents in the stretch and win the $300,000 San Felipe Stakes by a half-length at Santa Anita on Saturday in Arcadia, Calif., inserting himself into the Kentucky Derby picture. Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Hear the Ghost covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.34 and paid $13.80, $4.60 and $3.60 at 5-1 odds in the field of eight 3-year-olds. Flashback, the even-money favorite trained by Bob Baffert, returned $2.60 and $2.40. Tiz a Minister was another half-length back in third and paid $4 to show.

BASKETBALL

Stoudemire needs surgery

Amare Stoudemire needs surgery on his right knee and is expected to miss six weeks, a stunning blow to the New York Knicks as they chase the Atlantic Division title. Stoudemire, who had been playing well off the bench, will have the procedure to remove tissue this week, the Knicks said Saturday before their game against the Utah Jazz. Stoudemire missed the first 30 games after having the same surgery, called a debridement, on his left knee during the preseason. He returned on New Year’s Day and has averaged 14.2 points in 29 games off the bench.

MOTOR SPORTS Hornish Jr. holds on for Nationwide victory

LAS VEGAS - Sam Hornish Jr., a former IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 champion, has struggled during a good deal of his NASCAR career but is leading the Nationwide Series after winning Saturday’s Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Hornish led 114 of the 200 laps and held off a late charge from Kyle Busch.

“When you have a car that’s this good, you’re always worried something bad is going to happen or you’re going to get caught up in somebody else’s problem. It was just an awesome day,” Hornish said from Victory Lane.

“It was tough to be patient but at the end of the day we knew that our car was really good and I feel like we could have taken some chances.

“The car could run anywhere on the racetrack.”

The victory is Hornish’s second in the series. His first came Nov. 12, 2011, at Phoenix. He finished a career-best fourth in the Nationwide standings last season but failed to win a race.

“Greg [Ewrin, crew chief] and I are still learning each other and we have a good core of guys that have been on this No. 12 team for a while,” Hornish said.

“I had a really hard time getting to bed last night because I wasn’t sure what we had for a race car. I would have slept like a baby if I knew how good this thing was going to be.”

Brian Vickers finished third, Trevor Bayne was fourth and Elliott Sadler finished fifth. After three races, Hornish holds a 19-point lead over second place, which is a three-way tie between Sadler, Justin Allgaier and Brian Scott.