Sports Shorts

The future of Wayne Rooney is dominating media reports in the United Kingdom as speculation mounted that the Manchester United superstar was set to leave Old Trafford following a rift with Sir Alex Ferguson. Several newspapers reported that Rooney's previously close relationship with Ferguson had deteriorated irrevocably following a bust-up over lurid tabloid revelations about the striker's private life which emerged last month.

Former San Diego Charger Junior Seau is telling investigators that he fell asleep before driving his SUV off a cliff in Carlsbad, just hours after being released from jail in connection with a domestic violence case. Carlsbad police say Seau's Cadillac SUV was found on the beach 30 feet below the roadside just before 9 a.m. Monday. The 12-time Pro Bowler, was pulled from the vehicle by law enforcement officials and was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla.

Casey Stoner has won the Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island for the fourth successive year. Having earned pole position on his 25th birthday on Saturday, the Australian Ducati rider led from start to finish to seal the win in superb fashion. Stoner was the stand-out performer, capping an impressive weekend which saw him claim pole in rainy conditions on Saturday and he is now closing in on Rossi's five straight victories at Phillip Island between 2001 and 2005.

Brett Favre is scheduled to meet behind closed doors today with the NFL over allegations that he sent lewd photos and inviting text messages and voicemails to a female employee of the New York Jets two years ago, back when both were with the franchise. The woman, Jenn Sterger, has not commented about the allegations posted on the Deadspin website.

Cliff Lee, the Ace of October, went through the New York Yankees like a buzzsaw again, striking out 13 and pitching the Texas Rangers to an 8-0 victory Monday for a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven AL Championship Series. Mr. Automatic improved to 7-0 with a 1.26 ERA in eight postseason starts. Three of those wins have come against the power-packed Yankees, including two in last year's World Series for Philadelphia.