Air McNair found dead in Nashville

Former NFL QB Steve McNair shot and killed at age 36

Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair, whose most noted drive was the final one of the 2000 Super Bowl, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head Saturday afternoon in a downtown condominium. Police said a pistol was discovered near the body of a woman also shot dead.

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron identified the woman as 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi, whom he called a “friend” of McNair’s. She had a single gunshot wound to the head.

Police said the 36-year-old McNair was found on the sofa in the living room, and Kazemi was very close to him on the floor. Aaron said the gun was not “readily apparent” when police first arrived.

Autopsies were planned for today.

Aaron said McNair’s wife, Mechelle, is “very distraught.”

“At this juncture, we do not believe she is involved,” he said. “Nothing has been ruled out, but as far as actively looking for a suspect tonight, the answer would be no.”

Fred McNair, Steve McNair’s oldest brother, said some family members likely will travel to Nashville on Monday to consult with Steve McNair’s wife.

“It’s still kind of hard to believe,” Fred McNair said. “He was the greatest person in the world. He gave back to the community. He loved kids and he wanted to be a role model to kids.”

He said he did not know who Kazemi was.

The bodies were discovered Saturday afternoon by McNair’s longtime friend Wayne Neeley, who said he rents the condo with McNair.

Aaron said Neeley told authorities he went into the condo, saw McNair on the sofa and Kazemi on the floor but walked first into the kitchen before going back into the living room, where he saw the blood.

Neeley then called a friend, who alerted authorities.

In June, McNair opened a restaurant near the Tennessee State University campus. It was closed Saturday evening, but had become a small memorial, where flowers, candles and notes had been placed outside the door.

On the restaurant’s windows were messages: “We will miss you Steve” and “We love you Steve.”

A note attached to a small blue teddy bear read, “We will never forget you, Steve. Once a Titan, always a Titan.”

McNair, a four-time Pro Bowler, led the Titans within a yard of forcing overtime in the 2000 Super Bowl, which they lost, 23-16, to the St. Louis Rams. He also played for the Baltimore Ravens before retiring in April 2008.

His most noted drive, the last one in that Super Bowl, came when he led the Titans 87 yards in the final minute and 48 seconds, only to come up a yard short of the tying touchdown. Kevin Dyson caught his 9-yard pass, but was tackled at the 1-yard line by the Rams’ Mike Jones.

McNair accounted for all of Tennessee’s yards in that drive, throwing for 48 yards and rushing for 14.

“If you were going to draw a football player, the physical part, the mental part, everything about being a professional, he is your guy,” former Ravens and Titans teammate Samari Rolle said. “I can’t even wrap my arms around it. It is a sad, sad day. The world lost a great man today.”

Auto Racing

Stewart wins at Daytona

Daytona Beach, Fla. — Tony Stewart led lap after lap around Daytona International Speedway, using a flawless pit-road performance to inch closer to his second win as owner of his race team.

Then Kyle Busch slid outside in a last-lap bid to snatch the victory away from his former teammate.

The frantic 2.5-mile chase Saturday night led to a violent wreck that sent Busch sailing into the wall while Stewart skirted by for a somber victory.

Briscoe wins pole

Watkins Glen, N.Y. — Ryan Briscoe has won the pole for the Camping World Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International.

Briscoe won his second straight pole Saturday on the 11-curve, 3.4-mile road course with a fast time of 1 minute, 28.5970 seconds in the Firestone Fast Six Shootout, breaking the track record held by Helio Castroneves by more than a second.

Justin Wilson finished second for the second straight time, in 1:29.3106, ahead of Scott Dixon, Mario Moraes and Graham Rahal.

Tennis

Bryan twins tumble

Wimbledon, England — Daniel Nestor of Canada and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia won their second straight Wimbledon men’s doubles title Saturday, beating top-seeded American twins Bob and Mike Bryan 7-6 (7), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Nestor and Zimonjic were playing in their third Grand Slam final together. Besides winning the Wimbledon title last year, they lost in the 2008 French Open final.

Golf

Woods, Kim tied at top

Bethesda, Md. — Tournament host Tiger Woods and defending champion Anthony Kim set the stage Saturday for a showdown everyone wanted at the AT&T National, with some expected company on a suddenly crowded leaderboard at Congressional.

Woods salvaged an even-par 70 from a roller-coaster round, losing a three-shot lead in two holes and scrambling down the stretch to regain a share of the lead.

Kim turned birdie into bogey with an ugly three-putt on No. 9, but kept his cool in warm, blustery conditions for a 2-under 68.

The 24-year-old has never finished higher than Woods in a PGA Tour event, and this will be the first time they have been paired together in any round of any tournament.

Woods has a 45-3 record on the PGA Tour when he has at least a share of the 54-hole lead, although it took work to get there.

Woods and Kim enter today’s final round at 10-under.

Yi takes 4-stroke lead

Sylvania, Ohio — Eunjung Yi shot a 10-under 61 to take a four-stroke lead after the third round of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.

Morgan Pressel (67) and Song-Hee Kim (64) were tied for second.