NCAA penalizes Portland
PORTLAND, Ore., June 9 (UPI) -- The Portland State men's basketball team won't be allowed to compete in next season's NCAA Tournament because of poor player academic progress.
The NCAA released its Academic Progress Rate scoring list Wednesday that showed the Oregon school's team had fallen too low, despite recent progress.
The NCAA said athletic teams at nine other schools also were on the cusp of being banned from post-season play but were given waivers.
University of Alabama at Birmingham football, Colorado State men's basketball and Jacksonville State men's basketball received full conditional waivers. Florida International baseball, Weber State football, Texas Southern men's basketball, Chattanooga football, Southeastern Louisiana men's basketball and UAB men's basketball received conditional waivers but received scholarship and/or practice time penalties.
Portland State said it had sought to avoid penalties, citing improvement in the past year. In the three completed academic terms since Tyler Geving took over as men's basketball head coach, the program has earned its two highest overall grade-point averages as a team in the past five years. During the two years inclusive of 2007-09, Portland State has graduated seven of its eight seniors, and this year's three seniors are scheduled to graduate on time. The school also said the team's APR scores were perfect the past two terms.
"This is a very disappointing circumstance," said school Athletic Director Torre Chisholm. "The athletic program and university have been working very aggressively to improve the academic performance of student-athletes. This penalty is the result of past academic deficiencies. Unfortunately, men's basketball had fallen into a very deep APR hole. We just couldn't climb out of it fast enough."
Oregon cuts loose QB Masoli
EUGENE, Ore., June 9 (UPI) -- Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who pleaded guilty to burglary in March, was dismissed from the Oregon Ducks Wednesday after new legal problems surfaced.
The (Portland) Oregonian reported Masoli was stopped by Springfield police at 9:17 p.m. local time Monday after exiting a driveway without stopping. Masoli also was cited for driving with a suspended license and possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana.
Coach Chip Kelly dismissed Masoli for failing to meet his obligations to the program. The two-year starter previously was suspended for the 2010 season after he and teammate Garrett Embry were accused of stealing two laptop computers and a guitar from a campus fraternity house in late January.
Masoli helped the Ducks to the Rose Bowl last season, throwing for 2,147 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 668 yards and 13 scores.
Old-timers added to racing Hall of Fame
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y., June 9 (UPI) -- Nineteenth-century horse Harry Bassett, trainer Michael "Buster" Millerick and jockey Don Pierce have been elected to horse racing's Hall of Fame.
The Historic Review Committee of the National Museum of Racing said Wednesday the trio will join horses Given, Azeri and Best Pal, along with jockey Randy Romero in the 2010 Hall of Fame class.
They will be inducted Aug. 13.
Harry Bassett, raised at Woodburn Farm in Kentucky, became a champion at age 2 in 1870, was unbeaten as a 3-year-old, including a victory in the Belmont Stakes, and was a top handicapper at age 4. He finished with 23 wins in 36 starts.
Millerick retired in 1984 after 1,886 wins in a nearly 50-year career. His horses won 54 stakes races. Among them was Native Diver, who entered the Hall of Fame in 1978.
Pierce amassed 3,546 wins, including 351 stakes victories, in 28,740 races over 30 years. He earned purses totaling $39,018,422.
Cubs go after 'rooftop' seating clubs
CHICAGO, June 9 (UPI) -- The Chicago Cubs say rooftop clubs across the street from Wrigley Field are selling tickets in violation of city ordinances and the team has demanded they stop.
Club President Crane Kenney sent a letter to the rooftop operators saying same-day ticket sales are in violation of city codes, and tickets are being sold by ticket brokers and other third parties in a further violation of code, the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.
Businesses with special club licenses granted by the city are the only ones allowed to sell admissions to their rooftops, the Tribune reported.
"We intend to pursue this matter to the fullest extent permitted by law," Kenney warned in the letter.
The letter surprised some rooftop operators, because they say the Cubs benefit when the rooftops sell more tickets. The team is paid royalties by the 16 rooftop clubs, usually 17 percent of ticket revenues.
"I don't know why this would bother them," said Mark Schlenker, who owns a rooftop club at 1044 W. Waveland Avenue. "We are not hurting their business."
