Haslett reinstates Bulger on first day as interim coach

St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger ducked the media last week, afraid of what he might say after getting benched by Scott Linehan.

Bulger got his job back Tuesday, the biggest development of new coach Jim Haslett’s first full day in charge of the winless team. The highest-paid player in franchise history, who ran the scout team offense last week, also broke his silence.

But he exercised care, declining several opportunities to torch his former coach. Linehan was fired on Monday after four straight lopsided losses to start the season and was 11-25 overall in two-plus seasons.

Bulger wouldn’t say whether he approved of the change and chuckled before replying, “I’m smarter than that one.”

Backup Trent Green started Sunday’s 31-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Linehan’s final game as coach. Bulger was back with the starters in practice Tuesday, and Haslett said he’ll be the starter the rest of the season.

The Rams have a bye week before playing at Washington on Oct. 12.

•Bengals sign Benson: Running back Cedric Benson signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, who needed another runner and were undeterred by two alcohol-related arrests in Texas that prompted the Chicago Bears to let him go.

Benson will take the spot of running back DeDe Dorsey, who was placed on injured reserve after hurting his hamstring in a 20-12 loss to Cleveland. Chris Perry is Cincinnati’s starting running back.

Basketball

IU braces for penalties

The Indiana University men’s program has already taken some big hits from its NCAA infractions case. More could come within a month.

In the school’s response to the latest NCAA allegation, that it failed to monitor coach Kelvin Sampson, university officials argued the self-imposed penalties have been strong enough – even though they are bracing for additional sanctions from the phone-call scandal that rocked the school’s signature program.

“The university recognizes that a probationary period will likely be imposed and suggests that it begin on the date of the (June) hearing,” the report said.

It’s unclear whether the university anticipates a postseason or television ban.

Auto racing

Allmendinger out

AJ Allmendinger will not finish the season with Red Bull Racing, giving up his seat to Mike Skinner and Scott Speed for the final seven races of the year.

Allmendinger is not returning to the No. 84 Toyota next year, and the team is letting him go early to pursue another job. He finished a career-high ninth in his Red Bull finale Sunday at Kansas Speedway.

Skinner, who drove the car for five races earlier this season, will drive the car the next two weeks at Talladega and Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Speed, who is making the transition from Formula One to NASCAR under Red Bull’s guidance, will make his Sprint Cup Series debut at Lowe’s in a third Red Bull entry.

Miscellany

Germany picks hosts

The women’s World Cup soccer tournament in 2011 in Germany will open in Berlin, with the championship game in Frankfurt.

The German soccer federation announced nine venues for the 32 games.

The 16 teams will play in Augsburg, Berlin, Bochum, Dresden, Frankfurt, Leverkusen, Moenchengladbach, Sinsheim and Wolfsburg.

The tourney will start June 26 in Berlin and end July 17 in Frankfurt.

•Ueberroth’s successor upcoming: The U.S. Olympic Committee board of directors could pick the successor for chairman Peter Ueberroth when it meets Thursday in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Ueberroth’s term on the board ends this year, and though he will stay with the USOC as an honorary president, the federation must select a new leader of the 10-person board.

Among the newest candidates are Ursula Burns and Larry Probst, who were added to the board earlier this month to take the places of Ueberroth and Erroll Davis, whose term is also expiring.

•U.S. loses opener: The United States lost to Paraguay 5-0 in Brasilia, Brazil, on the opening day of the Futsal World Cup, a five-per-team soccer tournament featuring 20 nations.

Spain is looking to win its third straight title and has combined with Brazil to capture all five titles since the event began in 1989.

The competition, with venues in Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia, is played in two 20-minute periods on a surface about the size of a basketball court.