Fast Break

NFL

Quinn squirms in USC jersey

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Brady Quinn reached into the back of his locker, pulled out the cardinal-and-gold No. 10 jersey and gritted his teeth.

“This,” he said, “is going to hurt.”

Quinn, the former Notre Dame star, then slipped the Southern California jersey over his head and felt his skin crawl.

“That’s why I’ve got extra layers on,” he said. “So it doesn’t actually touch any part of my body.”

Quinn had to wear USC’s colors on Wednesday after losing a bet with former Trojans quarterback Rodney Peete over last week’s game between Notre Dame and Southern Cal.

USC trounced Notre Dame 38-0, the Trojans’ largest margin of victory in the 79-game history between the bitter rivals.

Quinn and Peete met last year at an awards banquet and have kept in touch since.

College basketball

Whits picked third in NWC

Lewis & Clark College, a co-champion of the Northwest Conference last season, is a unanimous pick to win the title in 2007-08, according to the preseason poll of NWC coaches.

The University of Puget Sound is second in the poll followed by Whitworth, last season’s other co-champion.

The Pirates must replace four starters from last year’s 24-4 team. Pacific University is fourth followed by Pacific Lutheran, Willamette, George Fox, Linfield and Whitman.

Eastern Washington was picked seventh in both the Big Sky Conference media and coaches polls. Montana was picked to finish first.

NFL

League adds money for retirees

The NFL added $10 million to its medical fund for retired players, designating the money for joint replacement surgery, cardiovascular screening and assisted living.

The sum will be added to a $7 million fund agreed upon in July by the league and its players’ union. It will be supplemented by money from player fines, plus contributions from the NFL Players Association and other retired players groups.