Florida Sentinel Bulletin

MIAMI — Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers is expected to miss up to two weeks after spraining his right knee.

Chalmers was injured against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Tests performed on his knee Sunday confirmed the original diagnosis.

It’s a blow for the Heat, with the playoffs opening in less than a month, though not as severe as it could have been. The only other true point guard Miami has on the roster is Mike Bibby, who has been with the Heat for only 10 games.

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. — Venus Williams withdrew from the upcoming Sony Ericsson Open on Thursday, citing an abdominal injury that has sidelined her for nearly two months.

Williams is a three-time champion at the tournament, which begins Tuesday. She hasn’t played since retiring because of the injury in the third round of the Australian Open on Jan. 21.

LOS ANGELES — Serena Williams tells USA Today that she’s “at the end of (her) rope’’ after several physical setbacks that have kept her off the court since July.

In an interview published in Wednesday’s edition, Williams says it has been a “tough year.’’

Shortly after her fourth Wimbledon title, Williams cut her foot on some broken glass at a restaurant – resulting in a pair of surgeries. Then last month, she suffered a pulmonary embolism and was hospitalized to remove a grapefruit-sized hemotoma from her stomach.

The 29-year-old says she was “definitely depressed’’ after the second foot surgery: “I cried all the time. I was miserable to be around.’’

The former No. 1 player in the world insists she’s determined to return to the dominant form that led her to 13 Grand Slam singles titles.

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge on Thursday barred the jury at Barry Bonds’ perjury trial from hearing angry voicemails the home run king left with his mistress during a stormy nine-year relationship.

Prosecutors wanted to introduce the voicemails to show that Bonds was experiencing so-called “roid rage” when he left the messages demanding to know the whereabouts of Kimberly Bell.

But U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston said Thursday that the voicemails had little relevance to proving Bonds lied when he denied knowingly taking steroids. Illston said she believed prosecutors were trying to get the voicemails into the trial for the sole reason of denigrating Bonds in front of the jury.

ATLANTA, Ga. — Former NFL wide receiver Drew Hill, a two-time Pro Bowler who was a key part of the Houston Oilers’ famed “Run and Shoot” offense of the 1980s, died at an Atlanta hospital late Friday after suffering two massive strokes, according to his agent.

Piedmont Hospital spokesman Jim Taylor on Saturday confirmed the 54-year-old Hill’s death.

Hill fell ill on a golf course on Thursday and died late Friday after suffering the strokes, said his agent, Jay Mathis of Next Level Management.

A 12th round pick from Georgia Tech in 1979, Hill played for the Los Angeles Rams from 1979 to 1984, for the Oilers from 1985 to 1991, and for the Atlanta Falcons for the 1992 and 1993 seasons.

“I’m shocked,” former Oilers quarterback Warren Moon told the Houston Chronicle. “I can’t believe it. Drew meant so much to us as a player and as a person. I counted on him so much. He was the consummate professional. It’s just so sad.”

Hill had 634 receptions for 9,831 yards and 60 touchdowns, averaging 15.5 yards per catch.

MOBILE, Ala. — Alabama safety Mark Barron was arrested on charges of hindering prosecution, a misdemeanor charge.

The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday on its website that Barron was booked on the charge. His bond was listed at $500.

No additional details were available, and it could not immediately be determined if Barron had an attorney.

Alabama coach Nick Saban was still gathering information and had no immediate comment, spokesman Jeff Purinton said.

The arrest comes as the football team is set to begin spring practice Monday.

Barron led the team with 75 tackles last season. He has been rehabilitating from a torn pectoral muscle he suffered in November.

As the NFL lockout stretches on, don’t be surprised if you see some big name players with new jobs. The Bengals’ Chad Ochocino says he’ll tryout for Major League Soccer.

Troy Bergeron of the Cowboys is one of two players who signed with Arena League football teams this week.

Six days into the NFL lockout and its evident players are growing concerned.

Ed Butowsky says “more than any other sport, professional football players can not afford a lockout.”

Ed Butowsky knows better than anyone, he’s a wealth manager for a number of professional athletes including NFL players.

It’s why you’re seeing some NFL players like Dallas Cowboys receiver Troy Bergeron flocking to alternative jobs like playing for the Arena Football league.

A polo team from Philadelphia became the first all African-American team to win a national title.

The Cowtown/Work to Ride polo team, which is based in Fairmount Park, won the 42d annual USPA National Interscholastic Championship tournament Sunday in Charlottesville, Va.

The team, which entered the tournament as the second seed, includes brothers Kareem Rosser, 18, and Daymar Rosser, 16, of West Philadelphia, and Brandon Rease, 15, of North Philadelphia.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Boxing champ Muhammad Ali is asking Iran to release two American hikers held since 2009 on spy charges.

Ali, arguably the most prominent U.S. Muslim, on Wednesday released a letter he wrote to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in February.

The letter asks Khameini to release Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer, who were arrested while hiking in northern Iraq near the Iranian border. A third hiker, Sarah Shourd, was released on bail in September, shortly after another letter Ali wrote to Khamenei.

Ali’s latest letter asks Khamenei as a brother in Islam to show the same mercy and compassion for the two men.