Fisher out as Titans coach
NASHVILLE, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- The Tennessee Titans announced Thursday Jeff Fisher would not return as coach of the team for the 2011 season.
Fisher had led the Titans for 17 seasons and had been the longest tenured coach working in the National Football League. The announcement did not indicate whether Fisher had resigned or was fired.
A news conference was expected Friday to provide more details.
The announcement was surprising, since franchise owner Bud Adams had said this month Fisher would be back to coach the team despite a 6-10 record -- Tennessee's first losing mark in six years. The Titans lost eight of their last nine games and quarterback Vince Young was cut after the season.
"The results of his leadership have been some very good football teams and I believe he will get us back to an elite level," Adams said when he announced Fisher was staying.
Fisher, who had one year left on his contract, coached the Titans to a 147-126 record. They won the AFC South title as recently as two years ago and in 1999 reached the Super Bowl before losing to St. Louis.
Fisher's departure leaves Andy Reid of Philadelphia with the longest current tenure with one team. Reid has been with the Eagles for 12 seasons.
Washington's Mike Shanahan has coached for 17 NFL seasons, but with three teams.
Rookie steals spotlight from Tiger Woods
LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Rookie Sunghoon Kang grabbed the spotlight from Tiger Woods Thursday with an 8-under 64 that gave him the lead at the Farmers Insurance Open.
Woods, who suffered through his first winless year on the PGA Tour in 2010, made his initial competitive appearance of the season Thursday and showed a few signs of the form that made him the unquestioned No. 1 golfer in the world.
He shot a bogey-free, 3-under 69, but that was good only for a tie for 22nd place -- five shots behind the unlikely first-round leader.
Kang survived December's six-round qualifying tournament to earn his way onto the PGA Tour and he missed the cut in his first start, that coming at the Sony Open in Honolulu.
His round over the Torrey Pines North Course Thursday included six birdies and an eagle at the par-5 14th. The North Course is traditionally the easier of the two layouts used for this tournament. Woods won the 2008 U.S. Open, which was played on the South Course.
Alex Prugh and Rickie Fowler were a shot out of the lead, both having played the North Course. Chris Kirk, who also competed on the North Course, was alone in fourth at 66.
Those at 5-under 67 included Phil Mickelson and John Daly, who had the two lowest scores on the South Course. Also at 67 was Bill Haas, a two-time winner last year, Fredrik Jacobson and former PGA Championship winner Y.E. Yang.
Mickelson is seeking his first victory since last year's Masters.
Woods said his chief problem Thursday involved his approach shots.
"I kept leaving myself above the hole," he said. "Every putt that I had was breaking two, three, four feet from above the hole. I've got to put myself in better spots."
Blue Devils win fourth straight
DURHAM, N.C., Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Nolan Smith and Seth Curry helped Duke dominate the second half Thursday and led the No. 3 Blue Devils to an 84-68 decision over Boston College.
Duke has won four straight since suffering its lone loss of the season two weeks ago at Florida State. The Blue Devils inched a half game in front of Florida State for the lead in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Duke closed the first half on a 13-5 run to take a 41-32 lead at the break and then pulled away over the final 20 minutes.
Smith had 28 points and handed out eight assists. Curry made 6-of-9 shots from the field while scoring 20 points.
The Blue Devils (19-1, 6-1 ACC) shot 50 percent and made 10-of-22 from 3-point range.
Boston College (14-7, 4-3) was paced by Corey Raji's 18 points. The Eagles have lost three out of four.
NBA suspends O.J. Mayo
NEW YORK, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- The National Basketball Association announced Thursday Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo would be suspended 10 games without play after failing a drug test.
The league said Mayo had tested positive for using dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a steroid hormone that is naturally produced by the body in the adrenal glands.
"I'm extremely disappointed that I'm going to miss the next 10 games, particularly as our club is making a push for the playoffs," Mayo said in a statement. "I had no idea that the over-the-counter supplement that I took was a substance banned by the NBA. It was an honest mistake, but I take full responsibility for my actions.
"I apologize to my fans, teammates and the Grizzlies organization for regrettably not doing the necessary research about what supplements I can put in my body."
Mayo's suspension will begin Friday when Memphis plays in Philadelphia. He will be eligible to return Feb. 15, when the Grizzlies host the 76ers.
"O.J. had a lack of judgment but has shown complete accountability," team owner Michael Heisley said. "We will continue to support O.J. during this time as we have from the moment he joined the team in 2008. He has unselfishly done everything we have asked of him, and we expect him to grow as a player and a person from this experience."
Mayo played in all 82 games during his first and second seasons with Memphis and had averaged 12.2 points a contest during his 45 appearances in the current campaign.
