Jason Elam figured he was down to his last miss.

He was right.

The Atlanta Falcons released the 17-year veteran yesterday, having finally run out of patience with a kicker who had been one of the NFL's most accurate but struggled through a mystifying slump this season.

Elam was just 8 of 15 on field-goal attempts from at least 30 yards, a success rate that was simply unacceptable — especially for a team contending in the NFC playoff race.

"To be honest with you, when I walked off the field after the last three games, I thought that was it," Elam told The Associated Press when reached on his cell phone. "I've always been able to kick myself out of these things, but it just wasn't happening for me. It was a bad November."

It also was an unceremonious ending for the 39-year-old University of Hawai'i alum, who is tied for the longest field goal in NFL history (63 yards), made more than 81 percent of his career attempts, and earned three Pro Bowl appearances during a 15-season tenure with the Denver Broncos, helping them win back-to-back Super Bowls in the 1990s.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

TAR HEELS HOLD OFF SPARTANS IN REMATCH

Ed Davis scored a career-high 22 points last night to help No. 10 North Carolina beat No. 9 Michigan State, 89-82, at Chapel Hill, N.C., in a rematch of last season's national championship game won by the Tar Heels.

Larry Drew II scored a career-best 18 points for the Tar Heels (7-1), who led most of the game before having to hold off a rally in the final minutes. North Carolina led by as many as 19 points early in the second half, beating Michigan State (5-2) for the second straight year in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

The teams met twice last season at Detroit's Ford Field, with North Carolina beating Michigan State by 35 points in the first meeting followed by an 89-72 win in April for the program's fifth NCAA championship.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THREE MICHIGAN ST. STARTERS SUSPENDED

Eight Michigan State football players, including three starters, have been suspended from all team-related activities after being identified as being present at a fight at a campus dorm, the university announced yesterday.

Prominent receivers Mark Dell and B.J. Cunningham and defensive back Chris L. Rucker are among those suspended by coach Mark Dantonio for violating team rules. The others are running back Ashton Leggett, receiver Fred Smith, defensive back Brynden Trawick, defensive lineman Ishmyl Johnson and linebacker Jamiihr Williams.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Alex Ovechkin, the league's reigning two-time MVP, was suspended for two games without pay ($98,844.16) by the NHL yesterday for a knee-to-knee hit on defenseman Tim Gleason in Monday night's 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. ... The Los Angeles Dodgers have confirmed broadcaster Vin Scully will return to the booth for his 61st season in 2010.