University of Connecticut men's basketball head coach Jim Calhoun is taking an indefinite medical leave of absence, starting with Saturday's game against Seton Hall. Calhoun is suffering from spinal stenosis, a lower back condition that causes severe pain and hampers mobility. Calhoun, 69, has battled medical issues in the past. He missed seven games during the 2009-10 season for an unspecified problem and is a three-time cancer survivor. He recovered from prostate cancer in 2003 and skin cancer in 2008.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton confirmed reports Friday that he had a relapse with his alcohol abuse earlier this week. The incident, which was first reported by a Dallas newspaper, took place at Sherlock's -- a Dallas- area bar -- on Monday. Hamilton's teammate, second baseman Ian Kinsler, was present as well. Hamilton said he had three or four drinks, was taken home by Kinsler, then went out and continued to drink. He said Kinsler was unaware that he had been imbibing. The 2010 American League MVP, who has suffered from alcoholism and drug abuse in the past, added that he did not use drugs and has been drug tested twice since the incident.

The Chicago Cubs avoided arbitration with Matt Garza on Friday, signing the starter to a one-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed, but a Chicago newspaper reported the settlement to be for $9.5 million. Garza had requested $12.5 million, while the Cubs had offered $7.95 million. The 28- year-old righty posted a 10-10 record with a career-best 3.32 earned run average in 31 starts for the Cubs in 2011. He has compiled a 52-54 record with a 3.83 ERA in 152 games, including 149 starts, during his six-year major league career with Minnesota, Tampa Bay and Chicago.

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Matt Belisle agreed to a contract extension on Friday. The deal keeps Belisle in Denver through at least the 2013 season, with a mutual option for 2014. Belisle notched a career-best 10 wins in 2011, leading all MLB relievers, compared with only four loses and posted a 3.25 earned run average in 74 appearances. The 31-year-old righty has a career mark of 36-32 with a 4.48 ERA in 306 games, 43 as a starter, over eight major league seasons with the Reds and Rockies.

The Milwaukee Brewers avoided arbitration with Shaun Marcum, signing the right-hander to a one-year contract on Friday. Marcum made a career-high 33 starts last season, his first with the Brewers following a trade from the Toronto Blue Jays. He eclipsed 200 innings for the first time in 2011 while posting a 13-7 record and a 3.54 earned run average.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell gave his annual state of the league address on Friday in Indianapolis and commented on a number of topics, including safety issues and rumors of expansion. The prevention and treatment of concussions, as well as other ways to make the game less dangerous is paramount for Goodell, who said player safety would always be a "main focus" and that "medical decisions will override competitive decisions." He said the league hasn't addressed expansion "at all" and that the issue is "not on our agenda." There will be an expansion of the NFL Network games next season, as the schedule will feature 13 games and will include more Thursday night games earlier in the season.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is listed as questionable on the team's injury report for Sunday's matchup against the New York Giants. Gronkowski's left ankle has been the main injury focus heading into Super Bowl XLVI, and he took the field for the second straight day after practicing on a limited bases Thursday for the first time since suffering his injury in the AFC Championship Game against Baltimore. New England head coach Bill Belichick told the media on Friday that Gronkowski had no setbacks after Thursday's session.

It will be a busy Super Bowl eve Saturday in Indianapolis, with the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2012 being elected and the NFL handing out the major awards for this season, including most valuable player and coach of the year.

Two-time Super Bowl winning head coach Bill Parcells is among 17 finalists for the 2012 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The other finalists include first-year eligible candidate Will Shields, as well as Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, Cris Carter, Dermontti Dawson, Edward DeBartolo Jr., Chris Doleman, Kevin Greene, Charles Haley, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin, Andre Reed, Willie Roaf and Aeneas Williams. Joining the 15 modern-era finalists on the ballot for election will be senior nominees Jack Butler and Dick Stanfel. The Class of 2012, which will consist of between four to seven new members, will be determined at the Selection Committee's annual meeting Saturday.

The NFL's first true "awards show" will be aired on NBC on Saturday night. Along with the most valuable player and coach of the year, comeback player of the year, offensive and defensive player of the year, offensive and defensive rookie of the year and the Walter Payton NFL man of the year will be handed out. Last year, the awards were presented on the NFL Network throughout the week leading up to the Super Bowl.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is considered the odds-on favorite to win MVP. In 2011, Rodgers set the NFL single-season record for passer rating (122.5) and set team marks for touchdown passes (45), passing yards (4,643), completion percentage (68.3), yards per attempt (9.25), touchdown/interception ratio (7.5) and 300-yard games (eight). Fellow quarterbacks Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots are also MVP contenders.

Jim Harbaugh brought a new culture to San Francisco this year and should be rewarded as the coach of the year. The 49ers went from 6-10 in 2010 to a 13-3 mark in 2011 to win the NFC West. San Francisco's great season came to an end in the NFC Championship contest against the New York Giants.

The Los Angeles Clippers made it official with free-agent forward Kenyon Martin on Friday, signing him to an undisclosed contract. Martin played for the Xinjiang Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association during the NBA lockout, and was contractually obligated to wait until the end of the Tigers' season before returning to the NBA. He was cleared to play by FIBA, basketball's international governing body, on Thursday.

The Detroit Red Wings announced Friday that All-Star goaltender Jimmy Howard will miss at least the next two games because of a broken finger. Howard, who leads the NHL with 32 wins, broke the index finger on his right hand during Thursday's 4-3 shootout victory at Vancouver. The Red Wings said he will be re-evaluated when the team returns to Detroit next week following their four- game road trip.

The federal doping investigation against seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong was closed Friday, United States Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. announced. Birotte released a statement saying that his "office is closing an investigation into allegations of federal criminal conduct by members and associates of a professional bicycle racing team owned in part by Lance Armstrong." He also stated that he "commended the joint investigative efforts of his prosecutors and special agents with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General." This ends an investigation stemming from several of Armstrong's former teammates who said they saw him using performance-enhancing drugs. However, Armstrong has vehemently denied these allegations and no further proof has ever been found that he has used such drugs.