PITTSBURGH — Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward underwent minor shoulder surgery this week but apparently will not need an operation to repair the right knee he injured during the AFC championship game.

Ward sprained his knee against Baltimore on Jan. 18, but recovered to make two catches for 43 yards as the Steelers beat Arizona 27-23 in the Super Bowl Feb. 1.

After the Steelers won their second NFL title in four seasons, Ward said he might need knee surgery.

The shoulder operation was a routine procedure that should not disrupt Ward's preparation for next season. He made 81 catches for 1,043 yards, his best season statistically in five years.

WASHINGTON — The Houston Astros' Miguel Tejada is headed to court to answer charges of lying to Congress, the latest athlete to face criminal prosecutors over the scourge of performance-enhancing drugs in pro sports.Tejada, 34, is expected to plead guilty when he appears in court today. The charges against the All-Star shortstop were outlined in documents filed Tuesday in Washington federal court.The documents indicate that a plea agreement has been reached with Tejada, who won the 2002 American League Most Valuable Player award while playing for the Oakland Athletics.

NEW YORK — Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams was chosen by NBA commissioner David Stern Tuesday to replace Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh in the NBA All-Star game.Bosh will miss the game because of a sprained right knee.Williams wasn't chosen by Eastern Conference head coaches as a reserve, then was bypassed by Stern in favor of Boston's Ray Allen when Orlando's Jameer Nelson had to be replaced because of injury.The Cavaliers were upset that they were the only top-five team that didn't get multiple All-Stars. LeBron James called Williams' omission a "total smack in the face."Williams is averaging 17.1 points and will make his first All-Star game appearance.

HARTFORD, Conn. — Controversial left wing Sean Avery is resuming his hockey career with the New York Rangers' affiliate in Hartford, hoping to return to the NHL.The Dallas Stars assigned Avery to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League Tuesday.Avery hasn't played since his NHL suspension in December for making a crude remark about other hockey players dating his former girlfriends. He completed treatment in a league counseling program last weekend and cleared waivers Monday.The 28-year-old player spent parts of two seasons in New York before signing a $15.5 million, four-year deal with Dallas.

PARIS — Maria Sharapova's return to the WTA tour is still on hold. Even she is not sure when her injured right shoulder will be ready.After missing the past two Grand Slam tournaments — last year's U.S. Open and this year's Australian Open — Sharapova pulled out of this week's indoor event in Paris, and next week's hard-court event in Dubai.The earliest she expects to be back is a month from now: Her next scheduled event, according to the Tour's Web site, is the March 11-22 tournament at Indian Wells, Calif.