In brief: NCAA slaps Colorado for undercharging
Colorado was placed on two years’ probation and fined $100,000 by the NCAA on Thursday for inadvertently undercharging 133 athletes for meals totaling $61,700 over six academic years. The school also was ordered to cut one football scholarship for the next three seasons.
The violations are considered “major,” the infractions committee said. The fine is to be paid to a hunger- or homeless-relief charity.
The probation will not limit CU’s television exposure or NCAA tournament appearances, however.
Most of the infractions occurred in football (86) and women’s soccer (29), but also in women’s volleyball (six), tennis (two), golf (one) and men’s basketball (nine).
“The NCAA eased its restrictions on blogging and said live updates from its events are permitted as long as they are limited to scores and time remaining.
The issue arose last week after a reporter for The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Ky., was ejected from an NCAA baseball tournament game for submitting live Internet updates during play.
Football
Jones will surrender
Suspended NFL player Adam “Pacman” Jones will surrender to authorities in Nevada and fight felony charges in a Las Vegas strip club melee that preceded a triple shooting.
Lawyers for the Tennessee Titans cornerback disclosed their client’s plans. Attorneys Manny Arora and Robert Langford, however, said they had no information about a deadline of noon today set by police.
“Atlanta Falcons receiver Brian Finneran had his second reconstructive surgery on his left knee in two years and will miss the 2007 season, coach Bobby Petrino said.
“Former NFL punter Rick Tuten (Seattle Seahawks 1991-97) was arrested in Ocala, Fla., for buying stolen goods and reselling the merchandise for a profit. The Marion County sheriff’s office said in a new release that deputies began investigating Tuten when they learned he purchased a $4,000 all-terrain vehicle for $900.
Hockey
Julien gets tough
Claude Julien wants the Boston Bruins to play more aggressively. Maybe that will make his bosses less aggressive in changing coaches.
Sitting in the same room where the since-fired Dave Lewis was introduced as coach less than a year earlier, Julien vowed to turn mild-mannered forwards into hard-hitting forecheckers for a team that hasn’t won a playoff series in eight years.
“Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere has decided to stay with the Anaheim Ducks, perhaps passing up more money on the open market to sign a four-year, $24 million contract with the Stanley Cup champions.
“Florida signed right wing Nathan Horton to a six-year, $24 million deal.
Golf
Mahan takes lead
Hunter Mahan, who finished second last year, shot an 8-under-par 62 to take the first-round lead at the Travelers Championship before play was suspended with 39 golfers still on the TPC at River Highlands course in Cromwell, Conn.
Former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett shot a 70.
“Cristie Kerr opened with a 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead in the storm-delayed Wegmans LPGA at Pittsford, N.Y.
Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., opened with a 74.
Miscellany
Sonics fire two
The SuperSonics cleared the way for Detroit executive Scott Perry to become Seattle’s new assistant general manager, firing director of basketball operations Dave Pendergraft and director of college scouting Steve Rosenberry.
“At Crans Montana, Switzerland, Thomas Dekker made a late breakaway to win the rain-shortened sixth stage of the Tour de Suisse cycling race and Vladimir Efimkin took the overall lead.