Tommy Bowden is out as Clemson's football coach. Bowden and the school split Monday in the middle of his 10th season, which started with the Tigers ranked No. 9 and picked to win the Atlantic Coast Conference. But an opening 34-10 rout by Alabama and recent losses to Maryland and Wake Forest raised calls again for Bowden's ouster despite a recent contract extension.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has a broken finger on his throwing hand and could be out for up to four weeks. Romo broke his right pinkie on the first play of overtime in a 30-24 loss at Arizona on Sunday. "We don't know how long he'll be out ... it depends on how fast that heals," said coach Wade Phillips, who says there won't be any surgery.

Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown's racing career is over after injuring his right front foot during a workout at Aqueduct on Monday. Trainer Rick Dutrow said the 3-year-old colt, who was preparing for the Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 25, appeared to kick himself while working on the turf course at Aqueduct with stablemate Kip Deville.

Jon Lester is pitching like an ace. Just don't call him that. The strapping Red Sox left-hander hasn't allowed an earned run in 14 innings this postseason. That followed 5 2-3 shutout innings in a Game 4 win that completed a sweep of the Colorado Rockies in last year's World Series. Ace? That's not a label he seeks.