Buccaneers' Carl Nicks, Lawrence Tynes diagnosed with MRSA infections

Tampa Bay guard Carl Nicks and kicker Lawrence Tynes are being treated for MRSA infections.

Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik confirmed yesterday that Nicks has an infected blister on the side of his left foot and Tynes has an infected toe on his right foot.

MRSA is a staph infection that is resistant to some antibiotics. The cases were diagnosed last week while the Bucs were in New England holding joint practices with the Patriots before a preseason game.

The team hired a company to sanitize One Buc Place, the team's training facility, last week. The entire roster was informed of the infections Monday. The Bucs said they don't know where Tynes, who did not travel to New England, and Nicks were exposed to MRSA.

Nicks has been recovering from surgery on his left big toe and has not played this preseason. He made the trip to New England and practiced but did not play in the game.

Tynes, who helped the Giants win a pair of Super Bowls, signed with the Bucs before training camp but has been sidelined the entire preseason by an ingrown toenail on his kicking foot.

Battle over HGH goes on

The man who oversees the NFL's drug program says the players' union has "buyer's remorse" about HGH testing. A union official says "the only thing" the league cares about "is power." Just another day in the squabbling between the NFL and players over how to put in place blood testing for human growth hormone.

The latest public back-and-forth -- featuring NFL senior vice president Adolpho Birch and NFL Players Association assistant executive director of external affairs George Atallah -- comes two weeks before the first game of the 2013 season.

Two full seasons already have come and gone since the collective-bargaining agreement signed in August 2011 paved the way for the league to check players for HGH.

Wallace joins 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers have added another quarterback to the competition to be Colin Kaepernick's backup, signing nine-year veteran Seneca Wallace to a one-year contract.

Many happy returnsTed Ginn Jr. returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown and the Carolina Panthers' defense scored three times in a 34-27 preseason victory over the Ravens last night in Baltimore. Drayton Florence ran back an interception 71 yards, Thomas Davis returned a fumble 2 yards and D.J. Moore returned an interception 33 yards for TDs . . . Reggie Bush had five catches for 103 yards in the Lions' 40-9 victory over the New England Patriots in Detroit. -- AP