Injuries End the Careers of Two UCLA Linemen

Two offensive linemen who figured strongly in UCLA’s plans have been forced to retire because of injuries.

John Ream, a third-year sophomore center from Las Vegas, and Collin Barker, a redshirt freshman guard from Wortham, Texas, will remain on scholarship but will not count against the limit of 85 scholarships for active players.

Ream started against Washington State and played six games last season. He was considered the top candidate to replace graduated three-year starter Troy Danoff at center. Ream had problems with both knees and his right foot and sat out spring practice because of injuries.

Barker has had ongoing problems with his left ankle and had surgery during the off-season.

The loss of the two players impacts depth on the line, which is considered the Bruins’ strength on offense.

Paul Mociler, a reserve at guard and tackle last season, is expected to move to center and compete against redshirt freshman Mike McCloskey.

Steve Henson

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LeRoy Butler, a 12-year veteran with the Green Bay Packers, will announce his retirement today, team spokesman Lee Remmel confirmed.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported the news on its Web site, saying Butler was retiring because his injured left shoulder has failed to heal and he wouldn’t be ready for the start of training camp next week.

Butler fell 15 games shy of tying Bart Starr’s record of 196 games played with the Packers. His 38 interceptions rank fourth in team history.

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Defensive tackle Josh Evans, who last week won an appeal to have his third substance-abuse suspension overturned, signed with the New York Jets.

Evans, a seven-year veteran, had 77 tackles and a career-high five sacks for Tennessee last season after returning from a one-year suspension.

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Linebacker Levon Kirkland, a two-time Pro Bowl selection who helped Pittsburgh to the 1995 Super Bowl, has signed a one-year contract with Philadelphia. Kirkland was released last week by Seattle. Terms were not disclosed.

Basketball

The Detroit Pistons signed guard Chauncey Billups, a five-year veteran, to a multiseason contract. Terms were not disclosed.

Billups flourished last season as a starter with Minnesota. He averaged 12.5 points and 5.5 assists.

Dallas has agreed with restricted free-agent center Raef LaFrentz on a seven-year contract worth about $60 million, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on its Web site.

Former Utah Jazz center Olden Polynice, 37, was added by the Toronto Raptors to their roster for the NBA summer league that begins this week at Salt Lake City.

Free-agent point guard Jacque Vaughn signed with Orlando. He averaged 6.6 points and 4.3 assists with Atlanta last season.

New Jersey increased ticket prices as much as 62.5% for some seats. The old ticket prices ranged from $25 to $80. A ticket costing $80 last season will cost $125 next season.

Hockey

As expected, Dave Lewis signed a two-year contract to replace Scotty Bowman as coach of the Detroit Red Wings.

Lewis, 49, was a Red Wing assistant for 14 seasons and an NHL player for 15.

Bowman, the winningest coach in league history, retired June 13, the night he won a record ninth Stanley Cup.

Tennis

Third-seeded Marcelo Rios, back after a three-month layoff because of a knee injury, lost to Victor Hanescu, 6-0, 6-4, in the first round of the Croatia Open at Umag.... Top-seeded Albert Costa defeated qualifier Martin Verkerk, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, in the second round of the Energis Open at Amersfoort, Netherlands.... Top-seeded Jiri Novak defeated Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, in the first round of the Mercedes Cup at Stuttgart, Germany.

Miscellany

Henry Liaw of Rowland Heights and Jay Choi of Cerritos advanced to the second round of match play in the U.S. Amateur Public Links Golf Championships with first-round victories at the Orchards Golf Club in Washington, Mich.

Liaw, a senior at Los Altos High, defeated Russ Cunningham of DeWitt, Mich., 4 and 2. Choi, a senior at Gahr High, beat John Schones II of Tucson, 3 and 2.

Charlie Smith of Valencia, a senior at San Diego State, lost, 4 and 3, in his first-round match against Lee Williamson of Crawfordsville, Ind. Stroke-play medalist and top-seeded Isaac Jimison of Orangevale lost to Tele Wightman of Chicopee, Mass.

Sarava, the longshot winner of the Belmont Stakes, fractured a foreleg in a workout at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and will be sidelined for the rest of the year.