Fast Break

College football

Willingham fires two assistants

Washington coach Tyrone Willingham let two members of his staff go Monday, including defensive coordinator Kent Baer.

Baer (pictured above on the right) had been an assistant with Willingham for 13 years, dating to their days at Stanford and Notre Dame. Special teams and tight ends coach Bob Simmons will also not be back.

Washington’s defense was the worst in school history, allowing 446.4 yards per game, and responsible for many of the team’s second- half collapses in a 4-9 season.

Willingham, the first Washington coach with three consecutive losing seasons, lost his most ardent supporter last week when athletic director Todd Turner was forced to resign.

When school president Dr. Mark Emmert decided after days of delay earlier this month to bring Willingham back for 2008, he committed to just the fourth year of the coach’s five-year contract.

NHL

Simon on leave for anger issues

Chris Simon took a leave from the New York Islanders on Monday, agreeing with the team that he needed time away from hockey following his latest penalty for attempting to hurt a player.

Simon missed the first five games of this season while completing a 25-game ban – his sixth NHL suspension – meted out in March. He could be in line for another long penalty after he took down and stepped on Pittsburgh’s Jarkko Ruutu last weekend.

Simon met with team officials Monday and they agreed the 35-year-old left winger should seek help. The NHL hasn’t held a disciplinary hearing yet.

Late in New York’s loss to the Penguins, Simon drew a match penalty when he pulled out Ruutu’s leg with his, sending the forward to his knees between the team benches. Simon then stepped on the back of Ruutu’s leg with his skate.

NHL

Ex-Chiefs player injures hand

Maple Leafs defenseman Bryan McCabe had hand surgery Monday and will be out six to eight weeks.

The former Spokane Chiefs (1992-95) player broke three bones in his left hand during Saturday’s loss at Montreal.

College football

Whits’ Tully an All-American

Jay Tully, the 2007 Northwest Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year from Whitworth University, has been named a second-team All-American by D3football.com.

Tully, a Mead graduate, led the Pirates in tackles this season with 71 and had four interceptions, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.