Miscellany

A jury cleared three of the four defendants in England’s long-running soccer match-fixing case - players John Fashanu and Hans Segers and a Malaysian businessman.

Goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar was cleared on one charge of fixing games. He must await the jury’s decision on a final, similar count.

The Busch Clash, a high stakes, non-points race for the previous year’s Winston Cup pole winners, will have a new look in 1998 and will be called the Bud Shootout. The race will be a 25-lap sprint on Daytona International Speedway’s 2-mile, high-banked oval.

Joe Sakic, MVP of the playoffs a year ago during the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup championship season, signed a three-year, $21 million offer sheet with the New York Rangers. Colorado still has a chance to match the offer. Also, the Vancouver Canucks have confirmed they are matching Toronto’s contract offer to defenseman Mattias Ohlund, and center Martin Straka agreed to terms with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Police have completed a preliminary investigation into accusations that Portland Trail Blazers forward Gary Trent beat an acquaintance, while an unrelated criminal case involving guard Isaiah Rider has been delayed.

Trent allegedly punched and choked Theron L. Hall, 31, on July 24 after Hall accidentally set off the burglar alarm at Trent’s house a week earlier.

A charging decision is expected within two weeks.

Rider, meanwhile, was scheduled to go on trial in Alameda County, Calif., District Court on Wednesday for possessing illegal cellular phones, but the matter has been postponed for a couple of weeks.

The Vancouver Grizzlies acquired veteran power forward Otis Thorpe from the Detroit Pistons for a future No. 1 draft choice. The Grizzlies also renounced their rights to point guard Greg Anthony.

Eddie Johnson signed a one-year deal with the Houston Rockets. It will be his 16th NBA season.