Tuesday's sports briefs

Barry Bonds' former personal trainer is facing prison and a judge admitted a trove of evidence while the admissibility of still more hangs in the balance after a pivotal hearing in federal court Tuesday in San Francisco, three weeks before the slugger's trial is scheduled to start.

Bonds also renewed his not guilty plea, which was made necessary when prosecutors revised the charges for the third time since the initial indictment was unsealed in November 2007. Bonds is charged with four counts of making false statements to a grand jury and one count of obstruction of justice. There was little doubt what Bonds' plea was going to be Tuesday and that the case was going to trial March 21 after Bonds' legal team and prosecutors last month told U.S. District Judge Susan Illston that there was little chance of a plea agreement.

Likewise, there was no doubt that Bonds' former personal trainer, Greg Anderson, would tell the judge Tuesday that he has no intention of taking the stand as a government witness during the trial. Anderson made a similar pledge in 2009 before Bonds' trial was put on hold until a government appeal was resolved in Bonds' favor.

Anderson has previously spent more than a year in prison on contempt charges after refusing to testify before the grand jury investigating Bonds.

The judge said that prosecutors and Bonds' legal team both want Anderson to testify. She said his testimony would spare his former clients, including several retired major league players, from being called to the witness stand to discuss how he supplied them with steroids.

Illston told Anderson that she planned to find him in contempt of court and will order him jailed during the duration of the trial. Anderson simply nodded his head when the judge asked if he intended to follow through on his vow of silence.

The judge ruled that the jury might hear, among other pieces of evidence:

• That prosecutors granted Bonds immunity from prosecution as long he testified truthfully about his drug use before the grand jury.

• Bonds' former personal shopper, Cathy Hoskins, testifying about Bonds' relationship with a Playboy model.

• Bonds' personal surgeon, Dr. Arthur Ting, and former girlfriend Kim Bell testifying that Bonds mistreated them.

But the admissibility of other evidence must still be determined.

NFL

Vick to sign tender with Eagles Michael Vick will sign his franchise tender from the Eagles on Wednesday, two weeks after the team placed the tag on the quarterback, a league source told the Philadelphia Inquirer. If the one-year tender were to remain in a new collective bargaining agreement, Vick would stand to earn slightly more than $16 million next season.

In other NFL news, the Jets placed a first- and third-round tender on cornerback Antonio Cromartie and receiver Santonio Holmes; running back Leon Washington and the Seahawks agreed to a four-year contract; defensive lineman Marcus Stroud signed a two-year deal with the Patriots; and Bills safety George Wilson signed a three-year extension.

SOCCER

Colombian mascot owl dies The mascot owl that was kicked by a soccer player is dead, with the apologetic perpetrator ordered to pay the bird's medical bills and do volunteer work at a zoo. The owl, a good-luck charm for the Colombian team Atletico Junior, was kicked by Luis Moreno, a defender for Deportivo Pereira, during a game Sunday. The bird had been expected to recover from what were thought minor injuries, including a small fracture of its right leg. But Veterinarian Camilo Tapia said the owl went into shock after it was brought in for treatment.

• Javier Morales scored two goals to help Real Salt Lake into the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals with a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Crew.

AROUND THE HORN

College football: Charlotte hired Wake Forest defensive coordinator Brad Lambert as its first head coach.

WNBA: The Seattle Storm re-signed All-Star forward Swin Cash to a multiyear contract.

NEWS SERVICES