On the Air - September 13, 2007 | The Herald

CHENGDU, China -- Abby Wambach's bloody head has been stitched, and her toe needs to be numbed before games.

Don't worry about her, she insists. What really matters is if she and her American teammates fail against Sweden in the Women's World Cup.

"The toe is not an issue," she said. "Toe, head, whatever. I don't really care. I'll play with a broken bone."

Anything less than a victory Friday could leave the top-ranked United States -- seeking its third World Cup to go with titles in 1991 and '99 -- on the verge of elimination a few days after the start of the three-week tournament.

"The destiny is in the hands of each team," said Wambach, who injured a toe on her right foot three weeks ago and needed stitches to her head when she was hurt during a 2-2 tie against North Korea. "Right now the game against Sweden is going to really tell who goes on to the second round."

• A man who punched Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson in the groin outside a London train station pleaded guilty to assault.

Kevin Reynolds, a 43-year-old from Scotland who was described as a homeless "fighting drunk" in court, also admitted to attacking and racially abusing a police support officer who was called to the scene.

Ferguson was waiting to be picked up outside the Euston train station in central London when the attack occurred Monday afternoon. Ferguson had soreness and tenderness after being punched but was not seriously injured, officials told the City of London Magistrates Court.

• MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL -- Jim Thome hit his 499th home run, connecting against Cleveland's Jake Westbook in the fourth inning.

Thome, who has 27 homers this season, would become the 23rd to reach 500 and the third this season, following Frank Thomas and Alex Rodriguez. Thome added a two-run double in the fifth inning.

• Blue Jays third baseman Troy Glaus will undergo season-ending surgery next week to repair a nerve in his left foot, the latest blow in an injury-filled season that has also included accusations he received performance-enhancing drugs.

It has been a difficult month for Glaus, whose name surfaced in a report last week accusing him of receiving performance-enhancing drugs from a Florida pharmacy under investigation for illegally distributing prescription medications. Glaus has declined to comment on the report.

• A bruised hand forced right-hander Derek Lowe out of a start against San Diego and will keep him on the sidelines until this weekend at the earliest.

• Philadelphia turned its second triple play of the season, doing it on a line drive from Colorado's Matt Holliday.

Greg Dobbs caught a hard shot inches above the ground and he threw to second base. The throw pulled second baseman Chase Utley off the bag, and he tagged the approaching Troy Tulowitzki.

Rather than step on the bag for the third out, Utley threw to Dobbs, who tagged Cory Sullivan.

• COLLEGE FOOTBALL -- Alabama's Nick Saban, college football's highest-paid coach, also has the SEC's best-paid coaching staff.

The assistant coaches will collectively make $2.245 million this year, with defensive coordinator Kevin Steele and offensive line coach Joe Pendry leading the way with base salaries of $350,000, according to university figures released to several newspapers.

The staff is reportedly the only one in the SEC making at least $2 million, while Mike Shula's coaches made a total of $1.64 million last season. The contracts are awaiting approval by the Alabama board of trustees.