Gilbert Arenas had a third operation on his left knee Wednesday, meaning the Washington Wizards face another season of uncertainty concerning their franchise player.
Arenas, who signed a $111-million contract in July, seems certain to miss part of the season, dousing the team's hopes of having a healthy campaign after the last two were wrecked by injuries to top players.
"It's just an opportunity for other guys to step up and pick up the slack," team President Ernie Grunfeld said.
The team said the arthroscopic procedure removed a "moderate amount of debris" from Arenas' knee. Grunfeld offered no timetable for Arenas' return, but Arenas told the Washington Post that he plans to be back on the court in early December, which would rule him out for the first month of the season.
GOLF
Wie in second place at LPGA qualifier
Michelle Wie shot a seven-under-par 65 in the second round of an LPGA Tour sectional qualifying tournament at Rancho Mirage, putting her in second place in a field of 164.
With 36 holes remaining, Wie seems certain to finish among the top 30 players and ties, which would move her into the final qualifying tournament in December for 2009 LPGA Tour exemptions.
PRO FOOTBALL
Colts' Sanders could be out for six weeks
Indianapolis Colts safety Bob Sanders, the 2007 defensive player of the year, could miss up to six weeks after spraining his right ankle last weekend at Minnesota, and team officials are contemplating whether Sanders needs arthroscopic surgery on his knee too.
Coach Tony Dungy wasn't even sure how Sanders was hurt at Minnesota. Sanders left during the fourth quarter and hasn't been available to reporters since then.
The likely replacement is second-year safety Melvin Bullitt, who made the team last year as an undrafted free agent.
With the passing offense sputtering in two losses to open the season, Minnesota Coach Brad Childress decided the Vikings can no longer afford to let 25-year-old quarterback Tarvaris Jackson learn on the job.
Childress turned to veteran Gus Frerotte to run the offense for the rest of the season.
"I'm just not seeing right now the aggressiveness from Tarvaris that I saw throughout the off-season. . . . " Childress said. "And part of it may be experience. I know Gus will give us that. And I know his approach will also lend itself to that."
