ABC, Pac-10 reach contract extension
NEW YORK, June 8 (UPI) -- ABC Sports reached an agreement with the Pac-10 Conference to continue televising the league's football games for the next five seasons.
The contract extension, which runs through 2011, was announced Tuesday and will include televising games on ABC's sister network, ESPN, for the first time since 1994.
"This new agreement will be mutually beneficial for the Pac-10, ABC Sports and ESPN," said George Bodenheimer, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks and President, ESPN, Inc. and ABC Sports.
Pac-10 games have been televised by ABC for 18 season, including coverage of the Rose Bowl, which the network has broadcast since 1989. Last year, Pac-10 games were two of the top five highest-rated football contests on ABC Sports' football schedule. The Notre Dame-Southern California game, broadcast by ABC, was the top-rated telecast.
The first telecast for the 2005 season will be Sept, 3 when Southern California plays at Hawaii.
Afleet Alex favored for Belmont Stakes
ELMONT, N.Y., June 8 (UPI) -- Afleet Alex, which won the Preakness, was installed as a 6-5 favorite Wednesday for Saturday's $1 million Belmont Stakes.
An 11-horse field will compete in the last leg of horse racing's Triple Crown. Afleet Alex, with jockey Jeremy Rose aboard, will run from the No. 9 post.
Giacomo, the 50-1 winner of the Kentucky Derby will start from the No. 5 slot as a 4-1 second choice and will be ridden by Mike Smith.
Among the rest of the field are Southern Africa, A.P. Arrow, Nolan's Cat, and Pinpoint. None of the last four ran in either the Derby or Preakness, the first two Triple Crown races.
Former Steelers star Terry Long dies
PITTSBURGH, June 8 (UPI) -- Terry Long, who played on the offensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers for eight seasons but had recently faced legal problems, has died. He was 45.
Long died Tuesday at a Pittsburgh hospital, the Steelers said in a release. No cause of death had been determined and an autopsy was ordered.
"Terry was a very good player and extremely hard worker throughout his playing career. He will be missed by his former teammates and co-workers who enjoyed his camaraderie as part of the Steelers family. Our prayers and deepest sympathies go out to Terry's family at this difficult time," said Pittsburgh President Art Rooney II.
The former East Carolina University star played right guard for the Steelers from 1984-91 but then tested positive for steroids in July 1991. He tried to kill himself with rat poison the day after he was told of the test result, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. He rejoined the team for one season after completing a league-mandated suspension.
Long was involved with a controversial business in Pittsburgh that, after failing a Department of Agriculture inspection, was burned, the newspaper said. Long in March was charged with arson and defrauding the state of more than $1 million through business loan schemes, the Post-Gazette said.
Colorado football scandal disputed
BOULDER, Colo., June 8 (UPI) -- An alleged University of Colorado rape victim challenges the factual basis of a not-yet released book that says there was no football recruiting scandal.
Lisa Simpson and another woman claim the university fostered a hostile environment toward women that led to their alleged rapes by football players and football team recruits.
However, the book, "Buffaloed: Racism, Sexism, Injustice, and the Media Frenzy That Created a Scandal That Wasn't" written by former newspaper reporter Bruce Plasket, claims the football recruiting scandal was groundless, reported the Boulder Daily Camera Wednesday.
Plasket spent the 2004 season attending the football team's practices, meetings and meals in researching his book.
Baine Kerr, attorney for Simpson, sent a letter to the book's publisher disputing the claim that football players' and coaches' reputations were tarnished and the scandal did not occur.
The judge in women's Title IX lawsuit said the women failed to prove two key points of Title IX, federal legislation that was adopted in 1972 prohibiting gender discrimination in schools.
Chipper Jones may need foot surgery
ATLANTA, June 8 (UPI) -- Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a torn ligament in his left foot.
The extent of the injury was discovered during an MRI performed Tuesday and he has decided to see a foot specialist in Charlotte, N.C. by week's end.
"I have a hard time sitting on the sideline for a bruise. That led me to believe that it was a little more pain than just your average bruise," Jones said on the Braves' Web site.
"They (doctors) assured me there is quite a bit of trauma to the bone. I was worried about whether or not it was a tendon or a ligament. I wanted to make sure it was messed up."
The former first-round draft pick by the Braves in 1990 could miss the rest of the season if surgery is necessary.
Currently, he is on the disabled list and will wear a special boot to immobilize his foot for three or four weeks. Jones initially was injured on April 24 and re-injured his foot Sunday during an at-bat against Pittsburgh.
Jones was batting .282 with seven home runs and 26 RBI.
