Briefs | WNBA: Ex-Storm player Lennox is bright spot for Dream

WNBA

Lennox is having a career year for 0-17 team: With Atlanta's loss to Houston on Thursday night, the expansion Dream became the first league team to be winless halfway through its schedule.

Atlanta (0-17) opened the season with a 33-point loss to Connecticut, but eight defeats have been by single digits.

Former Storm guard Betty Lennox has been the Dream's top performer. She is averaging a career-high 19.5 points per game and scored 44 points in a 109-101 overtime loss to league-leading Connecticut last week.

"That was as good of a performance that I have seen by somebody in a game, start to finish," Connecticut coach Mike Thibault said. "We helped her a little bit but she made some great shots herself. ... I guess it kind of became a test of wills versus whatever you want to call what she was tonight. She reminded me tonight of Allen Iverson [of the NBA Denver Nuggets]. That's who I thought she played like."

Thibault, a former Sonics scout, is a 1979 graduate of Saint Martin's University in Lacey.

Arena football league

Bon Jovi is co-owner of 13-3 Soul: Rocker Jon Bon Jovi is co-owner of the Philadelphia Soul (13-3), which had the best regular-season record in the Arena Football League. The Soul hosts the New York Dragons (9-8) in a playoff game tonight.

The Soul's average home crowd is 16,477 and the team has sold out four of eight home games.

Bon Jovi said earlier this season he had consulted with the NFL New England Patriots and New York Giants on the design of their championship rings.

"They will be the best rings you've seen, trust me," Bon Jovi said.

NFL

Ex-Kentucky receiver Burton agrees to contract with Rams: Former Kentucky receiver Keenan Burton said he has reached agreement on a three-year contract with the St. Louis Rams.

Burton said his agent, Todd France, finished the deal Thursday. Burton, who was drafted in the fourth round in April, said he believes the contract to be worth more than $1 million.

College football

Louisville receiver released: Louisville receiver JaJuan Spillman, 21, has been released from jail, a day after his second arrest in about 1-½ years.

Spillman, a junior, was arrested at 12:08 a.m. Thursday and charged with driving under the influence, possession of marijuana, carrying a concealed weapon and having no insurance. He was released from the Louisville jail.

The arrest came a month after Spillman pleaded guilty to a marijuana-possession charge stemming from his arrest Jan. 31, 2007.

Running

Maregu, Berkut triumph: Ethiopia's Terefe Maregu won the Peachtree Road Race, and Ethiopian or Kenyan runners swept the top 10 spots of the 10-kilometer event in Atlanta that attracted a field of 57,000.

Maregu covered 6.2 miles in 28 minutes, 30 seconds. Nataliya Berkut of Ukraine won the women's event in 32:23.

Soccer

Revolution wins: Adam Cristman scored twice to give the visiting New England Revolution a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles in Major League Soccer. David Beckham scored for the Galaxy.

In other MLS matches, host Colorado overwhelmed New York 4-0 and FC Dallas and Kansas City played to a 1-1 draw.

World Series of Poker

Confidence: Professional player Phil Ivey reportedly has wagered millions of dollars in side bets that he will win a bracelet in this year's World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Ivey's best finish so far is ninth in the seven-card-stud world championship.

The WSOP main event, a no-limit Texas Hold'em game with a $10,000 entry fee and about 1,300 players, started Thursday.

Seattle Times news services