Culpepper gives up...No Golf today in St. Louis...Federer getting ready

MIAMI (AP) Unable to return to his past Pro Bowl form after suffering a major knee injury in 2005, veteran quarterback Daunte (DAHN'-tay) Culpepper retired from the NFL today. Culpepper starred with the Minnesota Vikings before his devastating injury and tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate his career with Miami in 2006 and Oakland in 2007. He wasn't in training camp with any teams this year.

ST. LOUIS (AP) The first round of the BMW Championship has been washed out by steady rain in St. Louis. The plan now is to play the opening round tomorrow, with 36 holes scheduled for Saturday to get the FedEx Cup playoff event back on schedule.

NEW YORK (AP) Four-time reigning champion and second seed Roger Federer will be playing for a semifinals berth at the U.S.

Open when he takes the court this afternoon to face Gilles Muller (zheelz MUH'-lur). Third-ranked Novak Djokovic (NOH'-vak JOH'-kuh-vich) plays his quarterfinal tonight against Number-8 seed Andy Roddick.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) South Carolina kicks off this week's top 25 college Football schedule tonight in Nashville. The 24th-ranked Gamecocks will be looking to avenge last season's loss to Vanderbilt when they meet the Commodores in their SEC opener.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Curlin will get his chance to become thoroughbred racing's richest horse later this month in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in New York. The 2007 Horse of the Year won last week's Woodward Stakes at Saratoga in upstate New York, to push his career earnings to 9.797 million dollars. The record held by Cigar is just $200 short of 10 million dollars.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 09-04-08 1252CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list