Barkley says he’ll pay huge gambling debt

Charles Barkley acknowledged he owes a $400,000 gambling debt to a Las Vegas Strip casino and promised Thursday to repay it after a prosecutor said the retired NBA star faced criminal charges.

“My mistake,” Barkley said in an interview at a pro-am golf tournament in Hoover, Ala. “I’m not broke, and I’m going to take care of it.”

The casino alleged in a civil complaint filed Wednesday in a Nevada state court and first reported by the Las Vegas Sun that Barkley failed to repay four $100,000 casino markers, or loans, received last Oct. 18 and 19.

In a radio interview with sports station WJOX in Birmingham, Ala., Barkley repeatedly blamed himself for letting the debt lapse.

•Former USC star O.J. Mayo denied allegations that he received cash and gifts from events promoter Rodney Guillory and said he was confident an investigation will show he did not violate NCAA rules.

Mayo, who made this past season his first and last for the Trojans, declared for the NBA draft last month and signed BDA vice president Calvin Andrews as his agent.

Mayo said he will cooperate with the investigation by the NCAA, the Pacific-10 Conference and the university.

•The Seattle Storm have released former University of Washington star Kristen O’Neill, as the team moves closer to having its roster set for opening night Saturday against Chicago.

golf

Sorenstam shares lead

Two days after announcing this would be her final season on the LPGA Tour, Sorenstam shot a 5-under 67 for a share of the first-round lead in the Sybase Classic at Clifton, N.J. Two-time defending champion Lorena Ochoa was a stroke back.

Sorenstam had five birdies in a bogey-free round.

Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum was at 70. Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., was at 71.

•Kenny Perry claimed a share of the first-round lead with a 6-under 66 at the AT&T Classic in Duluth, Ga.

The other leaders – Jonathan Kaye, Ryan Palmer, Jonathan Byrd and Parker McLachlin – all teed off in the morning, before a huge weather system engulfed the suburban Atlanta course.

Football

Specter not satisfied

Sen. Arlen Specter on Wednesday called for an independent investigation of the New England Patriots’ taping of opposing coaches’ signals, possibly similar to the high-profile Mitchell Report on performance enhancing drugs in baseball.

The Pennsylvania Republican was unforgiving of his criticism of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, saying that Goodell has made “ridiculous” assertions that wouldn’t fly “in kindergarten.” The senator said Goodell was caught in an “apparent conflict of interest” because the NFL doesn’t want the public to lose confidence in the league’s integrity.

Goodell essentially declared an end to Spygate after a 3 1/2 -hour meeting in New York on Tuesday morning with former New England video assistant Matt Walsh.

•The man who drove a band of young men from Fort Myers, Fla., to Miami for an ill-fated burglary that ended in the murder of NFL star Sean Taylor on Nov. 26 has pleaded guilty.

Venjah Hunte will serve 29 years in prison.

•Penn State coach Joe Paterno spent several hours at a hospital being treated for dehydration before returning home.

•Montana State University unveiled a long-term plan to expand Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, increasing seating capacity to about 22,000, up from the current 12,700.

Miscellany

Eight Belles autopsied

Autopsy results confirm Eight Belles had no diseases or pre-existing bone abnormalities that caused the filly to break down after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby. The horse suffered compound fracture of both front legs at the fetlock joints.

•Brian Vickers’ team kicked off NASCAR’s All-Star week activities in Charlotte, N.C., by winning the Sprint Pit Crew Challenge, beating Denny Hamlin’s team in a battle of Toyotas in the final round.

•Cammie Granato, Geraldine Heaney and Angela James became the first female players inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in Quebec City.