The US Report: Tasers, steroids and Tiger's divorce

This week's sporting news from the USA, to keep you in the loop when the conversation turns red, white and blue.

Look who's single

It's over at last. Not Tiger Woods's losing streak, but his marriage. Sure, divorce isn't really a sports story, but in this case the split between Woods and Elin Nordegren should (hopefully) put an end to this year's biggest off-field sports saga.

Woods, sport's first billion-dollar man, and Nordegren agreed on a divorce this week following revelations of a string of sex scandals involving the golfer earlier in the year.

The pair will have shared custody of their two children, while no details have been made public about the extent of any financial settlement.

"We are sad that our marriage is over and we wish each other the very best for the future," the pair said in a joint statement published on Woods's website.

"While we are no longer married, we are the parents of two wonderful children and their happiness has been, and will always be, of paramount importance to both of us.

"The weeks and months ahead will not be easy for them as we adjust to a new family situation, which is why our privacy must be a principal concern."

Woods, who took a lengthy break from the game at the start of 2010, is on track for his first winless year in professional golf since his career began in 1996.

Steroids land Clemens in hot water

In more off-field news, baseball great Roger Clemens has been indicted by a federal grand jury for lying under oath to Congress.

Clemens had denied taking performance-enhancing drugs in a 2008 hearing before a Congressional committee, and now faces three counts of making false statements and one count of obstruction of Congress.

A letter from Congress to the US Attorney General said that "significant questions have been raised about Mr. Clemens's truthfulness".

During the hearing, Clemens had claimed he had taken pain-killing injections and vitamin B-12 injections, but had never taken performance-enhancing drugs.

Clemens, who played for five Major League teams in a 24-year career, is a two-time World Series champion and an 11-time All-Star.

Naked and Tasered

The sports-stars-behaving-badly theme continues in college football, with Oregon State Beavers freshman Tyler Thomas finding himself under arrest in colourful circumstances this week.

A woman called police to her home, where Thomas – presumably under the influence of alcohol – had snuck into the house and stripped naked.

When police ordered the footballer to get on the ground, he refused and instead tried to tackle the officers. They responded by shocking him with a Taser, before arresting him on charges of criminal trespass, criminal mischief and resisting arrest.

He has since been kicked off the Oregon State team.

California salvation for Will Power

Australia's somewhat incredibly named IndyCar star Will Power remains on track for this year's title after winning the Sonoma grand prix at California's Infineon Raceway this week.

Power, who leads the IndyCar championship with four of 17 races remaining, had suffered a horrific crash during a practice session at the same track during last year's event, which saw him airlifted to hospital with several broken vertebrae.

At the time he had feared the crash end his career, but he's bounced back in style in 2010.

"This track owes me," the 29-year-old said after the win.

"A year ago I was lying in the hospital after taking a ride in a helicopter and watching the race in there, so to come back and win it from the pole is just fantastic.

"I've said it all season, I wanted to come back here and win this race."

The win also meant Power picked up a $US50,000 ($A56,395) cheque for winning the inaugural IndyCar road course championship, based solely on the road races during the series.

All Power's victories have come on road tracks, but the final four remaining races are all on typical American oval tracks – meaning the Aussie is no sure thing to finish as overall champion this year.

How not to dry your car

Former Canadian Olympic figure skater Kurt Browning learned the hard way this week that you shouldn't use a leaf blower to dry the back seats of your Porsche.

Browning, a four-time world champion, decided to use the device in his garage after his convertible had been left out in the rain.

It did the job but also sparked a fire, which, neighbours said, quickly spread to the attic of his home.

Within half an hour 80 firefighters had been dispatched to the scene, where an estimated $US1 million worth of damage was done to the property. Nobody was hurt in the blaze.

Toronto Fire Services Division Commander Bob O'Hallarn suggested residents not use leaf blowers to dry their cars in the future.

Browning is currently working a co-host on a figure skating reality TV show called Battle of the Blades, which pairs retired professional hockey players with female figure skaters.

Team USA vs the world

Team USA is the raging favourite to take out the 2010 basketball world championships, starting this weekend in Turkey. Kevin Durant leads an all-NBA squad, which is going into the tournament as the world's No.2 ranked team (Argentina is ranked No.1).

Check out our full preview of the event here.