*NFL: A former Nevada casino worker who accused Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of rape in a civil lawsuit should drop the case because her e-mails and text messages prove she wasn’t assaulted, the attorney for the QB said. The woman, who never went to authorities, e-mailed friends how much she enjoyed her job entertaining celebrities. … A sprained toe will keep Terrell Owens out of the Bills’ game at Green Bay. … The Vikings sold more than 3,000 season tickets in less than 24 hours after signing Brett Favre. … The NFL and NBC extended the “Sunday Night Football” contract by two years. … Nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones of Seahwaks will have his second knee operation in eight months. … The Raiders released fullback Lorenzo Neal. … Chargers LB Larry English (hamstring) will not play at Arizona.
*COLLEGE FOOTBALL: New Mexico coach Mike Locksley filed a defamation lawsuit against an Albuquerque lawyer, who is representing a former administrative assistant that the former Illinois offensive coordinator fired. Sylvia Lopez, 54, accuses Locksley of sexual harassment and age discrimination. … Texas sophomore tight end Ian Harris will miss the season with a neck injury. … Cal tight end Tad Smith has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and is out for the season.
*COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Illinois and Northwestern will open the Big Ten season against each other on Dec. 20 in Assembly Hall. (Schedules appear below). … Illinois-Chicago named Mark Miller, one of the top players to don a Flames uniform, as an assistant coach. … Former Georgetown coach John Thompson, the late Kay Yow and high school coaching legend Jack Curran are this year’s recipients of Lapchick Character Awards. … Paul “Duke” Hogue, a star center on Cincinnati’s 1961 and ’62 national championship teams, died Monday of heart failure. He was 69.
*TENNIS: No. 1-ranked Dinara Safina lost to Aravane Rezai in a second-round Rogers Cup match. …Top-four seeds Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic won second-round matches at the ATP Cincinnati Masters, but Sam Querrey upset 5th-seeded Andy Roddick, 7-6 (11), 7-6 (3).
*NBA: Orlando signed free-agent guard Jason Williams. Terms were not disclosed. … Desmond Mason won’t return to Oklahoma City next season. … An assault charge against former NBA star Jayson Williams stemming from a fight outside a North Carolina nightclub has been dismissed.
*AUTO RACING: Three-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and eight other NASCAR drivers were honored by President Obama at the White House. … Kyle Busch won the O’Reilly 200 truck series race in Bristol, Tenn..
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EDITED BY LEE C. GORDON FROM TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICES
