AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - Auburn quarterback Cam Newton has been
cleared by the NCAA to play in Saturday's SEC title game against
South Carolina. The NCAA ruled today that Newton won't be punished
for the pay-for-play scheme concocted by his father, Cecil. Two
Mississippi State boosters accused Cecil Newton of trying to get up
to $180,000 for his son to play for the Bulldogs while the
quarterback was being recruited out of junior college last year.
MIAMI (AP) - LeBron James prepared for his return to Cleveland
by scoring a team-high 18 points in the Miami Heat's 97-72 pounding
of Detroit. James will face the Cavaliers tonight for the first
time since leaving the team for a free-agent contract with the
Heat. Yahoo! Sports says Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is investigating
the possibility that the Heat tampered with James before the
free-agent negotiating period began last summer.
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward
has lashed out at the NFL for what he calls its hypocritical stance
on player safety, arguing the league recently toughened its stance
only because it wants to expand to an 18-game season. Ward said
players are confused about which hits are legal and which aren't
since the league stepped up its policing of dangerous hits.
Steelers linebacker James Harrison has been fined $125,000 for four
separate hits since mid-October, two of which weren't penalized.
UNDATED (AP) - Bowl invitations continue to be handed out as
schools learn where they will be playing during the holidays. No.
21 Utah is set to play in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22, and San
Diego State will stay in the city while taking on Navy in the Dec.
23 Poinsettia Bowl. Air Force has accepted an invitation to take on
an ACC team in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 27, and BYU will head
to the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 18 in Albuquerque.
UNDATED (AP) - Baseball players want owners to hold off on
approving a detailed plan for how to expand the playoffs until
after the sides can negotiate over the addition of two more
wild-card teams. Union head Michael Weiner consulted with his
members this week during his executive board's annual meeting in
Orlando, Fla. Players have said they are open to the extra round,
more likely to be added for 2012 than next year.
