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Sports Briefs August 10, 2010

| August 10, 2010 9:00 PM

Football

Mike Singletary made it official Monday morning: He already has seen enough of first-round draft picks Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati.

The San Francisco 49ers coach said the two rookies have won starting jobs along the team's offensive line just nine days into training camp.

Iupati, the former Idaho standout, has been running primarily with the first team since the first day of padded practices.

The 49ers also will have a new starter at center after Eric Heitmann broke his left leg during practice Monday morning. Heitmann is expected to miss up to two months.

Davis, the No. 11 overall pick in the draft, will now work exclusively with the first-team offense at right tackle. Iupati, drafted six picks after Davis, has moved to first on the depth chart at left guard.

• The NFL is modifying how it handles fines for on-field infractions to speed up the appeals process.

The league and NFL Players Association announced that they had agreed on the changes, which stemmed from a conversation between commissioner Roger Goodell and union executive director DeMaurice Smith at the scouting combine in Indianapolis in February.

They've added a second appeals officer, with longtime defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell joining Art Shell. And now in certain situations players won't have to pay fines until the appeals process plays out.

Any fines for on-field violations through the 13th week of the season will not be collected in advance if the player appeals within 20 days and makes himself available for a hearing within 10 days of filing the appeal.

• The New Orleans Saints marched in to the White House and got a salute from President Barack Obama for lifting up "the hopes and the dreams of a shattered city" with their Super Bowl win.

Obama welcomed the Saints in an East Room ceremony where he congratulated the players, owner and coaches several months after they beat the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17, for their first ever football championship.

• Carroll College is ranked third in the preseason NAIA football coaches poll.

Two-time defending national champion Sioux Falls is ranked first and received 11 first-place votes. Last year's national runner-up Lindenwood is ranked second and received three first-place votes. St. Xavier of Illinois is ranked fourth.

Another Frontier Conference team, Eastern Oregon, is ranked 21st.

Baseball

The NL Central-leading Cincinnati Reds got Jim Edmonds from the Milwaukee Brewers in a trade for Chris Dickerson, strengthening their outfield for a playoff run.

The deal gives the Reds a proven outfielder as they try to fend off St. Louis and reach the playoffs for the first time since 1995.

Basketball

NBA commissioner David Stern says the league will play two regular-season games in London next season.

The Toronto Raptors will face the New Jersey Nets on March 4 and 5 at the O2 Arena.

The NBA has been looking to expand overseas for years, and Stern has said in the past he would like to play a meaningful game in London before the British capital hosts the Olympics in 2012.

Before this season opens, the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves will each play two games in the fifth installment of the NBA's preseason Europe Live Tour. The 2009 champion Lakers will face the Timberwolves at the O2 Arena in London on Oct. 4 and then play Barcelona in Spain three days later.

- The Associated Press