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WVU suspends two football players
MORGANTOWN, W.Va., Aug. 21 (UPI) -- West Virginia University suspended defensive back Ellis Lankster and linebacker J.T. Thomas indefinitely Tuesday after their arrest on stolen property charges.
The two football players were taken into custody last weekend for allegedly transferring and receiving stolen property.
"I am aware that Ellis and J.T. have been involved in an off-campus situation," said Mountaineers Coach Rich Rodriguez. "I am investigating at this time and will make the determination about their status within the football program after all the facts are in."
Lankster is a junior who transferred to West Virginia in January from Jones Junior College.
Thomas is a red-shirt freshman who missed last season with a lingering ankle sprain. He was expected to serve as a back-up outside linebacker this season.
Rain wipes out Day 1 at Forest Hills
FOREST HILLS, N.Y., Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Four opening-round matches were postponed Tuesday because of rain at the Forest Hills Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Classic.
Second-seeded American Meilen Tu was scheduled to meet Italian Roberta Vinci and fourth-seeded Japanese Aiko Nakamura was supposed to face Russian Alla Kudryavtseva on Day 1.
Matches involving Australian Alicia Molik and Russian Elena Vesnina also were pushed back to Wednesday.
This week's top seed is France's Virginie Razzano. American Meghann Shaughnessy won this event last year by beating Israeli Anna Smashnova in the final.
Miami Hurricanes to leave Orange Bowl
CORAL GABLES, Fla., Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The University of Miami said it would play its home football games at Dolphin Stadium beginning in 2008, ending a 70-year association with the Orange Bowl.
"We are committed to providing the best facilities for our student-athletes and fans," Miami Athletic Director Paul Dee said. "The decision to move to Dolphin Stadium was made for that reason. Our student-athletes will be playing in one of the best facilities in the country and the 'fan experience' will be first-class."
The Miami Hurricanes have played their home games in the Orange Bowl since 1937 and built an NCAA-record 50-game home field winning streak at the field from 1985-94. More than 17 million people have seen Hurricane football games at the Orange Bowl.
School officials promised that traditions such as the Miami Ring of Honor and the "Touchdown Tommy" cannon, which is fired after each Hurricanes touchdown, would continue in Dolphins Stadium.
The last scheduled game for the Hurricanes at the Orange Bowl is Nov. 10 against Virginia.
Dolphins Stadium, which is expected to be renamed for a "neutral" corporate sponsor, is home to its namesake NFL team and the FedEx Orange Bowl.
Eagles release LB Jeremiah Trotter
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Four-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was released by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Trotter, 30, was told of the roster move Monday, Eagles Coach Andy Reid said.
"Jeremiah is one of my favorite guys," Reid said Tuesday. "… He and I met about this last night and it was very emotional for both of us. Jeremiah and I have been together for many years and he's played a vital role in helping this team win a lot of football games."
Trotter was third-round choice of Philadelphia in 1998 and led the team in tackles in 2001 and 2002, winning Pro Bowl selections each season. He played two seasons in Washington but returned to Philadelphia and again made the Pro Bowl in 2004 and 2005.
His middle linebacker slot is expected to be filled by Takeo Spikes, a two-time Pro Bowler who was acquired from Buffalo in a trade in March.
