Paterno back home after hip surgery
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Penn State football Coach Joe Paterno, 81, returned home Tuesday after undergoing successful hip replacement surgery.
Paterno, who has been coaching from the press box for a majority of the season after injuring his hip attempting an onside kick in practice, has not experienced pain in the hip following the procedure.
Paterno is expected to resume his normal coaching duties Dec. 1, when the team returns from its Thanksgiving break.
The Nittany Lions won their third Big Ten championship Saturday with a victory over Michigan State. Penn State, 11-1, has earned a trip to a BCS Bowl in January. Paterno said he plans on coaching in 2009 despite his health problems.
Carolina linebacker career ended by injury
CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Nov. 25 (UPI) -- North Carolina linebacker Mark Paschal's football career has ended after suffering a cervical spine injury in a game with North Carolina State.
Paschal, a senior and team captain, is expected to make a full recovery from Saturday's injury. But the schools' sports medicine staff recommended he no longer play football because of the risk of further injury.
"Our first concern is the health of Mark Paschal," said Coach Butch Davis. "Our sports medicine staff has assured him and his parents that he will make a complete recovery. Mark has had a terrific senior season, has been a great leader for us, and is on track to graduate in May."
Paschal has not missed a game in his career, playing in 47 straight. He leads the 7-4 Tar Heels with 103 tackles, 6 1/2 tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions this season.
NCAA puts former basketball coach on probation
INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Former Indiana basketball Coach Kelvin Sampson was placed on NCAA probation Tuesday for recruiting violations.
Sampson was given a five-year show-cause order from the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.
Sampson, now an assistant in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks, resigned from Indiana on Feb. 22. Former assistant coach Rob Senderoff, now an assistant at Kent State, was given a three-year show-cause order.
The show-cause penalties mean that Sampson's duties would be limited should he try to attain another NCAA job.
The NCAA also gave Indiana three years' probation, having been found guilty of failing to monitor the program. The school's self-imposed sanctions were accepted by the NCAA and include reduction of basketball scholarships and numerous recruiting restrictions.
Sampson was in his second season at Indiana after spending 12 years at Oklahoma. He has 25 years as a collegiate head coach. He guided Oklahoma to the Final Four in 2002.
Redskins waive former NFL MVP
ASHBURN, Va., Nov. 25 (UPI) -- The Washington Redskins Tuesday waived former NFL MVP running back Shaun Alexander.
Alexander, 31, joined Washington in mid-October, after being waived by Seattle in the offseason, to serve as a backup to Clinton Portis. Alexander played in four games, rushing 11 times for 24 yards and catching one pass.
He did not play Sunday against the Seahawks.
Alexander earned the NFL's MVP award after the 2005 season during which he rushed for 1,880 yards and 27 touchdowns. After leading Seattle to Super Bowl XL, Alexander suffered through two injury-plagued seasons, rushing for 1,612 yards and 11 touchdowns combined in 2006 and 2007.
Alexander, a former University of Alabama star, has been in the NFL for eight seasons. In that time, he has 100 rushing touchdowns, a 4.3 yards-per-carry average and 9,429 total rushing yards. He has 214 receptions for 1,511 yards and 12 TDs.
