Romo out 6-8 weeks; Kitna says he's ready
DALLAS, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Veteran Jon Kitna says he's ready to step up from backup to starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys with Tony Romo out 6 to 8 weeks.
Romo suffered a broken collarbone in the second quarter of a 41-35 loss to the New York Giants Monday night. Kitna came in and completed 16-of-33 passes for 187 yards and two scores in his first regular-season action in more than two years.
"This isn't my first rodeo and we're going to be just fine," the 38-year-old signal-caller, now in his 14th NFL season, was quoted as saying on the team's Web site.
The Cowboys said Romo underwent a CT scan Tuesday that confirmed a fractured left clavicle. Team officials said the injury will not require surgery.
Kitna said he's ready to lead the 1-5 Cowboys for as long as necessary.
"It is not something that I am scared of or anything like that. I wish that this opportunity didn't come because I think it's bad for Tony, it's bad for this football team for that to happen," he said. "But it's here and I have confidence in myself and confidence in my teammates that we'll get some things ironed out. We'll start seeing things on the same wavelength and we will be fine moving forward."
Romo said he has confidence in Kitna.
"He's had some really, really great seasons," Romo said. "He's going to step in and he's going to do a great job for this football team. We're going to rally around Jon. He's going to put together some really great games. Jon is a good player and he'll show that."
Breeders' Cup attracts record entrants
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 26 (UPI) -- A record 184 thoroughbreds, led by undefeated mare Zenyatta, have been signed up for next week's 27th annual Breeders' Cup World Championships.
The two-day event will be Nov. 5-6 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
"Based on the commitments received by our racing department, if the fields hold together as projected, we're looking at perhaps the deepest, most talented group of horses in the history of the event," Greg Avioli, Breeders' Cup president and chief executive officer said Tuesday. "With Arc de Triomphe and English Derby champion Workforce, French champion Goldikova and Japanese champion Espoir City joining our reigning U.S. champion Zenyatta, we have an unprecedented number of the greatest horses in the world competing in this year's championships."
Zenyatta, owned by Jerry and Ann Moss and trained by John Shirreffs, will run in the $5 million 1 1/4-mile Breeders' Cup Classic. She is the only female to ever have won the race, and with $6.4 million in winnings the 6-year-old is the richest North American female racehorse in history. Mike Smith will be aboard her in the Classic.
Julie Roe Lach named NCAA rules enforcer
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- The NCAA announced Tuesday Julie Roe Lach will be the college sports organization's next top rules enforcer.
Lach, the first woman named to the post, will take over for David Price, who retires in December.
"Julie's solid experience, incredible energy and innovative ideas make her the perfect choice for our next vice president of enforcement," NCAA President Mark Emmert said. "I have complete confidence in Julie's ability to evaluate the enforcement process and programs from top to bottom."
Lach has been with the NCAA in various capacities since 1998.
Vanderbilt's Roy Skinner dies
NASHVILLE, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Roy Skinner, the most successful basketball coach in Vanderbilt University history, has died, officials said.
Skinner, 80, died Monday of respiratory failure at Southern Hills Medical Center, The (Nashville) Tennessean reported.
The four-time SEC Coach of the Year did more than just rack up wins at Vanderbilt in the 1960s and 1970s, the newspaper said. He broke ground by recruiting Perry Wallace, integrating the SEC with its first African-American player.
Skinner was just 28 years old when he first coached the Vanderbilt Commodores in 1958, becoming the permanent coach from 1961 to 1976 with a 278-135 record while leading Vanderbilt to a top-10 ranking eight times.
"He really set a standard of excellence and created a tradition of winning at Vanderbilt," Commodores Coach Kevin Stallings said.
"It's a sad day for everybody associated with Vanderbilt athletics," he said. "It's a really sad day."
Skinner, who was inducted into the Vanderbilt Sports Hall of Fame in 2009, is survived by his wife Nathleene as well as by children from a previous marriage.
