49ers hire Martz (PFT.com)

Michael David Smith, via The NFL Network’s Adam Schefter, writes that the San Francisco 49ers have hired former St. Louis Rams head coach Mike Martz to be their offensive coordinator.

Martz replaced Jim Hostler after Hostler had a year that saw the 49ers rank near the bottom in most offensive categories.

Head coach Mike Nolan and Martz share the same agent in Bob LaMonte, which might have instigated talks between the two parties.

After just one season, Bates out in Denver (ESPN.com)

ESPN.com’s John Clayton is reporting that defensive coordinator Jim Bates and the Denver Broncos have mutually parted ways.

Bates lasted less than a year on his three-year, $3.9 million contract that he signed last year.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity and very saddened that things did not work out,” Bates said in statement. “I had the opportunity to stay, Mike has been very fair with me, and the final decision, for the Broncos and for me, was to step aside.”

We’re guessing he got a nice payoff to “mutually agree” to leave the Mile High City.

Group of Seattle women buy WNBA’s Force (AP/ESPN)

A local group in the Seattle-area has ponied up the cash to purchase the WNBA’s Seattle Storm for $10 million.

The local group includes ex-deputy mayor, two Microsoft execs, and an 1984 silver medalist.

The purchase of the Force from Seattle Sonics’ owner Clay Bennett assures that that club will stay in Washington state.

Bennett has made noise late last year that the Sonics would move to Oklahoma City after attempts to land a new arena to replace KeyArena have repeatedly failed.

During a press conference conducted by Dale Petroskey of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, reliever Goose Gossage will be inducted in the hallowed halls come this July.

Gossage received 86 percent of the vote.

More later…

***UPDATED at 2:05 PM ET***
MLB.com has posted the story on Rich “Goose” Gossage’s induction announcement.

News and notes while Roger Clemens takes a big swig of water…

Pettitte ‘not sure’ if he’ll testify at congressional hearing (ESPN.com News Services) The former All-Star told 1050 ESPN New York’s Andrew Marchand it is “premature” to say if Pettitte will attend next Wednesday’s hearings on Capitol Hill.

ESPN.com’s Hall of Fame ballot (ESPN.com) ESPN’s “experts” list who they voted for in this year’s Hall of Fame ballot.

Big changes coming in Tampa? (ProFootballTalk) PFT.com’s Michael David Smith speculates that some big changes may be afoot in Tampa after a recent St. Petersburg Times report.

Washington State guard in hospital after collapsing (AP/SI.com) Stephen Sauls, a reserve for No. 4 Washington State, is in the hospital after he collapsed and stopped breathing during a Monday practice.

NHL rumor round-up: UFAs who could move (THN) The Hockey News’ Lyle Richardson lists unrestricted free agents in the NHL that might be on the move come the Feb. 26 trade deadline.

…and finally…

Kornheiser to return to MNF (Newsday) Buried in his media column, Newsday’s Neil Best reports that Tony Kornheiser will return to his duties as an “analyst” on Monday Night Football (i-Five to Awful Announcing).

Crosby top vote getter, three Wings make starting line-up (CP/TSN.ca)

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby topped All-Star voting for the second straight year and will start again for the Eastern Conference. The Detroit Red Wings have three in the starting lineup — Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk.

For the starting line-ups for the Campbell Western Conference, click here.

For the complete line-ups for the Wales Western Conference, click here.

League issues warning after Downie punches Leafs’ Blake (ESPN News Services)

The National Hockey League’s executive vice president and league disciplinarian, Colin Campbell, issued a warning to Flyers’ forward Steve Downie: don’t do it again.

Downie took a swing at Toronto’s Jason Blake, who was being held back by an official at the time of the incident, was caught unaware when the punch landed on the left side of his head.

“We had a conversation with Mr. Campbell, and that’s it,” Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren told the Philadelphia-area media. “The rest will be between the league, the Flyers and Steve. It was a good talk.

“It’s Steve’s [fourth] NHL game. He’s walking a fine line there, which is basically what he was told. My conversation with Steve was a little harsher than Colin Campbell’s.”

You may recall that Downie was suspended back in September after he nailed Ottawa’s Dean McAmmond with a hard hit that resulted in the Senators forward suffering a concussion.  Downie’s punishment was a 20-game suspension for the incident.

BCS officials to consider plus-one (AP/SI.com)

In a move that’s expected to please quite a few college football fans, BCS officials are going to have discussions and further investigate the possibility of going to a plus-one format, which could create a four-team major college football playoff.

Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford, the new coordinator of the Bowl Championship Series, said Monday he intends to lead a “thorough” evaluation of the plus-one format. The BCS must determine in the next nine to 12 months what format it will use for the 2010 season (2011 bowls) so it can negotiate a new television deal.

After this year’s “unique” season of ups and downs in polling, this comes as welcome news.  However, with several hurdles that include cooperation from two major conferences — Big 10(11) and the Pac-10 — execution of such a plan may prove difficult.

***UPDATED at 9:53 AM ET***
After some poking around on the Internets, it appears that Georgia president Michael Adams told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that he’ll push for an eight-team college playoff and thinks he can make it happen.

Report: Gibbs to resign as coach of the Redskins (AP/ESPN.com)

Joe Gibbs, the three-time Super Bowl champion coach for the Washington Redskins, resigned as coach and team president of the organization Tuesday, sources have told the Associated Press.

A person familiar with Gibbs’ decision, speaking on condition of anonymity because the news had not been officially announced, said Gibbs would make his resignation known later Tuesday morning and would discuss it at 3 p.m. news conference.

A search for a new head coach will begin immediately, with the club’s Al Saunders and Gregg Williams being contenders.

News and notes while trying to figure out what we can do for you, Brian McNamee…

LSU 38, Ohio St. 24 (AP/Y! Sports) For the second successive season, Ohio State loses in a national championship tilt, losing this time to LSU in N’Awlins.  LSU signal caller Matt Flynn threw for four touchdown passes in the national title-clinching win.

Telephone tap dance is unpersuasive (Y! Sports) National baseball writer Tim Brown remains unconvinced of alleged PEDs user Roger Clemens’ “defense” after his press conference. In fact, we don’t know any more than before, he writes.

Mariners, Reds still vying for O’s Bedard (FOX Sports) FOX Sports baseball insider Ken Rosenthal writes that the Cincinnati Redlegs and the Seattle Mariners are still very much interested in the services of Baltimore’s Erik Bedard.

Stars sign forward Mike Ribeiro to hefty pact (CP/The Hockey News) Dallas Stars extend the contract of upcoming free agent Mike Ribeiro to five years, $25 million.

Selanne hasn’t told Ducks if he will return (USA Today) Kevin Allen of USA Today writes that the Anaheim forward still hasn’t informed the Ducks of his intentions on coming back to the NFL.

…and finally…

Vick heads to Kansas — as expected (AP/SI.com) As reported last week, the incarcerated quarterback was transferred to a facility in Leavenworth, Kansas to enroll in a drug treatment program.  It’s anticipated that his enrollment might cut his sentence in half.