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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Kiko Alonsos season is over before it even began after the Buffalo Bills starting linebacker was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his left knee. General manager Doug Whaley provided the update in a statement released by the team on Wednesday, a day after Alonso was hurt while working out in Oregon. Whaley said Alonso will require surgery to repair a torn ACL, and "will likely miss the 2014 season." The Bills did not provide any details as to how Alonso was hurt. The injury is a significant blow to the Bills before they even open training camp in suburban Rochester on July 20. Alonso was an NFL defensive rookie of the year contender last season after being drafted in the second round out of Oregon. He led Buffalo with 159 tackles, two fumble recoveries and tied for the team lead with four interceptions while barely missing a snap in playing all 16 games. After playing in the middle last season, Alonso was moving to the outside linebacker spot as part of the Bills shift to a 4-3 defensive scheme under new co-ordinator Jim Schwartz. The position switch was also sparked in part by the Bills signing of run-stopping specialist Brandon Spikes, who is better suited to play in the middle. Alonso had hip surgery this off-season, which limited him in participating in spring practices. But he was expected to be ready for the start of camp. "We feel badly for Kiko, because he has worked very hard this off-season in preparation for the upcoming season," Whaley said. "But we look forward to his return with his style of play that made him one of the leagues outstanding rookies in 2013." The Bills do have some depth behind Alonso. Manny Lawson, an eight-year NFL veteran, has experience playing the position. The Bills also selected linebacker Preston Brown in the third round of the draft in April. . -- D.A. Points was disqualified Friday from the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for using a training device while waiting to play the 18th hole at Pebble Beach. . The whole deflation of New England Patriots footballs is like a murder mystery without the violence or significance. On one side, this is a ridiculous issue. . Pierre last November, only to watch St. Pierre leave the UFC octagon with his welterweight title belt and a split-decision victory. . - All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers looked spry enough in pregame warmups Sunday for Green Bays divisional playoff game against Dallas. . His big 2-minute outburst in the fourth quarter Tuesday night is all that really mattered for the Dallas Mavericks.Wayne Gretzky became the NHLs all-time goal scoring leader on March 23, 1994 when he scored his 802nd career goal for the Los Angeles Kings against the Vancouver Canucks. With the 20th anniversary of that record-breaking night coming up, Gretzky sat down with Ray Ferraro on the NHL on TSN to discuss his memories of the event and talk about how he is enjoying his life nowadays at the age of 53. Ferraro asked Gretzky how he remembered the goal that broke Gordie Howes record, and the former King gave credit to long-time teammate Marty McSorley. "Marty was a little bit better of a player then people really give him credit for - he had pretty good vision," explained Gretzky. "Marty was a pretty good playmaker and I was probably in more shock than anybody that that puck ended up on my stick. He made such a good play that he basically took a defenceman and the goaltender out of the play to ultimately leave me the empty net. "So he made the whole goal happen and I just happened to be in the right spot." The fanfare that followed goal number 802 was a special moment, even among the many NHL records that Gretzky broke during his stellar career. "I really savoured the moment, I really took it all in - as far as my family being there and my friends being there," said Gretzky. "It was an historic day for me, it was a nice event. "As a child everybody knows Gordie was my idol and I was fortunate enough to be friends with Gordie and to have that opportunity to break his record.dddddddddddd..obviously I played with a lot of great players." Switching from the past to the present, Ferraro asked Gretzky if the competitive fire that drove him through his hockey life still burns the same way today. "Im really not competitive now," answered Gretzky. "When I play golf with friends or family I just enjoy playing. I always felt like my whole life and everything I have in my life is because of hockey and I gave every ounce and all my energy to being the best I could be. I was very competitive when I played, and for that matter very competitive when I ran Team Canada and then the involvement with the Coyotes. "But to me now, that winning is sort of behind me now. My life is more of...okay, Im going to enjoy my life, enjoy my friends, enjoy my family, and if I have a good round of golf Im happy and if I have a bad round of golf Im thrilled." Ferraro took the opportunity to ask Gretzky if he would one day entertain a return to a job in the National Hockey League. "Listen, never is a long time but right now Im really enjoying my life what Im doing," explained Gretzky. "The stress and pressure of having to win and compete every night, its sort of, Im enjoying being a fan. I love the game, I love the players that are in the game today, I enjoy it, I sit back, I enjoy going to games here and there. "Right now I dont know. If something wonderful came along obviously Id be all ears, but at this point in time Im just a fan." ' ' '
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