Bucs fire Jon Gruden, GM Bruce Allen
TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Jon Gruden, who coached Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl victory six years ago, was fired Friday by the Buccaneers, along with General Manager Bruce Allen.
Gruden became the Bucs' coach in 2002, when he was 39. His first team in Tampa won the Super Bowl, making him the youngest coach to do so.
The Buccaneers ended this season with four straight losses, missing the playoffs.
Allen became GM in 2004.
"We will be forever grateful to Jon for bringing us the Super Bowl title, and we thank Bruce for his contributions to our franchise," Joel Glazer, Bucs' co-chairman said. "However, after careful consideration, we feel that this decision is in the best interest of our organization moving forward."
Gruden's overall record with Tampa Bay was 57-55. He previously coached the Oakland Raiders for four seasons.
Allen also came to the Bucs from Oakland, where he was general manager for nine years.
Mavericks again trade DeSagana Diop
DALLAS, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- The Dallas Mavericks traded center DeSagana Diop to the Charlotte Bobcats Friday for center Ryan Hollins and guard Matt Carroll.
Diop was traded by Dallas for the second time in less than a year. He had gone to the New Jersey Nets but the Mavs got him back again during the off-season.
"We want to thank DeSagana," Dallas General Manager Donnie Nelson said. "He is hands-down one of the classiest people I have ever known. His contributions both on and off the court will certainly be missed. The Mavericks' family wishes him nothing but the very best."
Diop has averaged 1.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 34 games this season.
Carroll, a 40.3 percent 3-point shooter in his NBA career, has had an average of just 4.1 points a game for the Bobcats this season. Hollins has averaged 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds for Charlotte.
"We are excited to add two young talents in Matt and Ryan to our roster," Nelson said.
Charlotte GM Rod Higgins said Diop "is a nice complement to our roster and someone we feel will add size, dept and experience to our power positions."
Phillies sign Dobbs for two more years
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Philadelphia's Greg Dobbs, who led the major leagues with 22 pinch-hits in 2008, has signed a two-year contract with the Phillies, the team announced Friday.
The Word Series champions avoided salary arbitration with Dobbs, a 30-year-old utility player. The contract will pay him $2.5 million.
"Over the past two seasons, Greg has been one of the best pinch-hitters in the game and has also contributed significantly as a third baseman," said Scott Proefrock, Phillies assistant general manager.
Dobbs batted .301 with nine home runs and 40 RBI last season.
The five-year major league veteran played third base, first base and outfield for the Phillies. He previously played for the Seattle Mariners.
Pro-playoff 'fan alliance' formed
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Former USC star Anthony Davis announced the creation Friday of a "grassroots fan alliance" to push Congress to help create a college football playoff system.
Davis, an all-America player for USC in the 1970s and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, said a Web site, www.bcsreform.org, was set up "because it will take an act of Congress before fans see college football playoffs."
The site establishes "a grassroots fan alliance to give college football fans and former players a unified voice to help pass pro-playoff laws in Congress," Davis said.
The national champion is now decided in the controversial Bowl Championship Series. There have been increasing calls to set up a playoff system instead.
"Fan outrage over the recurring controversies of who has played in the BCS National Championship Game has become an annual ritual," a bcsreform news release said. "It's time for fans to come together and harness this energy to finally bring about college football playoffs."
A resolution was introduced in the House Friday by Rep. Gary Miller, R-Calif., that promotes a playoff system.
