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Sports Outlook

In Sports from United Press International

USC, Utah in Las Vegas Bowl

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LAS VEGAS, Nev., Nov. 27 (UPI) -- USC and Utah will be spending Christmas in Las Vegas while Syracuse will enjoy the holidays in Phoenix.

The Trojans and Utes on Tuesday accepted invitations to play in the Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium on December 25.

Syracuse accepted a berth in the Insight.com bowl on December 29 at Bank One Ballpark. Its opponent is expected to be Kansas State, although no formal announcement was made.

Before Christmas, Colorado State will compete in the inaugural New Orleans Bowl against North Texas at the Superdome on December 18.

After beginning the season 1-4, USC won five of its last six games under first-year coach Pete Carroll. The Trojans closed the season with four straight wins over Pac-10 Conference foes, including a 27-0 win over UCLA.

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Utah (7-3), a member of the the Mountain West Conference, finishes its regular season Saturday at Air Force.

The Las Vegas Bowl has hosted a Pac-10 representative on one other occasion. In 1997, Oregon posted a 41-13 win over Air Force, then a member of the Western Athletic Conference. Utah played in the Las Vegas Bowl in 1999, defeating Fresno State, 17-16.

Syracuse (9-3) settled for the Insight.com Bowl after being bypassed for the Gator Bowl in favor of Virginia Tech. The Gator Bowl has the second selection in the Big East and chose the Hokies over Syracuse even though the Orangemen already have clinched second place in the league.

While Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni said Tuesday he expected the opponent to be Kansas State, Insight.com officials said the selection of the Wildcats was not finalized. The official word could come later this week or after the Big 12 championship game.

Colorado State (6-5), a member of the Mountain West Conference, accepted a bid on Tuesday and will play in its third straight bowl game and sixth in the past eight years.

In another move, No. 14 Washington State (9-2) accepted a bid to play in the Sun Bowl on New Year's Eve. The Cougars had accepted a conditional bid last week and made it official when it was released from the BCS. Washington State is headed to just the eighth bowl in school history and first since the 1998 Rose Bowl, which it lost to Michigan State.

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Stanford (8-2) became the Pac-10's fifth bowl team when it accepted an invitation to the inaugural Seattle Bowl January 2 at Safeco Field. The Cardinal, who are seeking just their second nine-win regular season since 1951, will face a team from the Southeastern Conference. Stanford closes its regular season at San Jose State on Saturday.


Seahawks CB suspended four games

NEW YORK, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Seattle Seahawks cornerback Shawn Springs was suspended four games Tuesday for violating the NFL policy on anabolic steroids and related substances.

Springs will miss games against San Diego, Denver, Dallas and the New York Giants during the suspension which begins immediately. He is eligible to return to the club's active roster on December 24.

The loss of Springs--their best cover corner--is big for the Seahawks (5-5), who are in third place in the AFC West, one-half game behind Denver and three games back of division-leading Oakland.

Selected with the third overall pick in the 1997 draft, Springs entered this season with a string of 49 consecutive starts. But he missed the first two games of this campaign with a hamstring injury and has 20 tackles and one interception in eight contests since returning.

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Ike Charlton will likely start in Springs' place at right corner on Sunday against the Chargers.


Owners give Selig 3-year extension

CHICAGO, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Baseball owners approved a three-contract extension Tuesday for baseball commissioner Bud Selig, who was elected to a five-year term in 1998.

The vote makes Selig the first commissioner since Bowie Kuhn (1969-84) to be elected for more than one term. Selig held the interim tag in 1998 after taking over for the ousted Fay Vincent in 1992.

The extension was given as Selig gathered with the owners to discuss the sticky issue of contraction. Owners voted November 6 to eliminate two teams, but did not name them.

The likely candidates are the Montreal Expos and the Minnesota Twins. Carrying out the plan became more difficult after a Minnesota judge issued a temporary injunction that forced the Twins to fulfill their lease next season at the Metrodome.

The owners were not expected to make any final decision on contraction at Tuesday's meeting.

The contraction plan comes as baseball also tries to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the Players' Association. Past negotiations often stalled, and the players staged a strike in 1994 that resulted in the cancelation of the World Series.

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The 67-year-old Selig is credited with bringing baseball back to Milwaukee in 1970 when he purchased the Seattle Pilots and moved them to Wisconsin. He is the first former owner to become commissioner.


Saints tackle out for season

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- New Orleans Saints tackle Willie Roaf, one of the premier left tackles in the NFL, will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee Tuesday.

Roaf also had torn cartilage in the knee repaired by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.

A Pro Bowler in seven of his first eight seasons, Roaf is the anchor of the Saints' offensive line. He sat out three games with the injury this season, including last Sunday's contest at New England.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Tuesday that coach Jim Haslett said Roaf was contemplating retirement, depending on the seriousness of the injury.

Prior to this season, the 6-5, 312-pound Roaf had missed just four of a possible 128 games in his career. He was sidelined for one game during the 1998 campaign after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

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The loss of Roaf is critical since the left tackle spot is where teams with right-handed quarterbacks usually put their best lineman, so the signal callers' blind side can be protected. Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks is a righthander.

Third-year tackle Daryl Terrell will take Roaf's spot in the lineup, starting with Sunday's game against Carolina.


Illinois lineman breaks hand

CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Nov. 27 (UPI) -- - Patrick Babcock, a starting offensive guard for Illinois, broke his left hand following a car accident and will miss an upcoming bowl game.

The school announced Tuesday that Babcock, a freshman, was injured on Thanksgiving night in his hometown of Stillman Valley, Ill., and underwent surgery to repair a fractured left navicular bone.

The Illini (10-1) clinched the Big Ten Conference on Saturday when Michigan lost to Ohio State and will play in a Bowl Championship Series game.


Brosius announces his retirement

NEW YORK, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Scott Brosius, the 1998 World Series Most Valuable Player who earned three championship rings with the New York Yankees, announced Tuesday he has decided to retire.

The veteran third baseman, whose contract with the Yankees expired at the end of the season, will end his career rather than play with another team.

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Brosius is the third Yankee to announce his retirement this offseason, joining right fielder Paul O'Neill and utilityman Luis Sojo.


Jets name Jumbo coach

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Jumbo Elliott is back with the New York Jets, but as a coach instead of a player.

The Jets on Tuesday named Elliott, who played 13 years in the NFL at offensive tackle for the two New York teams, as an assistant offensive line coach.

Elliott played primarily at left tackle in his NFL career. He spent the first eight seasons with the Giants and the last five with the Jets from 1996-2000. He started 156 of 181 career games, was a member of the Giants' 1990 championship team and a Pro Bowler in 1993.


Hampton has groin surgery

DENVER, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Colorado Rockies ace Mike Hampton underwent surgery Tuesday to release tissue surrounding the adductor muscle in his left groin and is expected to be fully recovered for the start of spring training.

The Rockies signed Hampton to an eight-year contract worth $123 million, the richest ever for a pitcher, last December.

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Hampton went 14-13 with a 5.41 ERA in 32 starts in his first year with the Rockies. He led the teams in wins and innings (203).

The 29-year-old lefthander helped the New York Mets win the pennant in 2000 after being acquired from Houston, earning Most Valuable Player honors in the National League Championship Series.


Three finalists for O'Brien Award

FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Nebraska's Eric Crouch, Florida's Rex Grossman and Oregon's Joey Harrington were named Tuesday as the finalists for the Davey O'Brien Award.

The winner of the award, presented annually to the nation's top quarterback, will be announced Dec. 6.

All three finalists, along with Miami's Ken Dorsey, were believed to be among the contenders for the Heisman Trophy. Dorsey was among the 12 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien Award, but did not made the final cut.


Vol star in line for second Outland

DALLAS, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Tennessee's John Henderson was in position to win another Outland Trophy Tuesday. He was named one of three finalists for the award that honors the nation's best college interior lineman.

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Miami tackle Bryant McKinnie and guard Toniu Fonoti of Nebraska were are the other finalists for the distinction, which will be awarded Dec. 6.

Henderson, a senior defensive tackle, can become only the second repeat winner in the 56-year history of the award. Nebraska center Dave Rimington won in 1981 and 1982.


Rangers add infielder Perry

CHICAGO, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- The Texas Rangers on Tuesday acquired infielder Herbert Perry from the Chicago White Sox for a player to be named later.

Perry, 31, batted .256 with seven homers and 32 RBI in 92 games for Chicago last season. In two years with the White Sox, he hit .286 with 19 homers and 93 RBI.

The White Sox on Tuesday also signed outfielder Julio Ramirez to a one-year contract. After signing the contract, Ramirez, 24, was sent outright to Class AAA Charlotte of the International League.

Ramirez earned a spot on Chicago's 2001 Opening Day roster, but was optioned to Charlotte after batting just .081 (3-for-37) in 13 games. He hit only .216 with eight homers and 25 RBI in 88 contests last season for the Knights.


Bills sign kicker Graham

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y., Nov. 27 (UPI) -- The Buffalo Bills on Tuesday signed placekicker Shayne Graham.

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Graham replaces Jake Arians, who was waived on Monday. Graham spent part of the 2000 offseason with the New Orleans Saints, and was with the Seattle Seahawks during training camp before being waived.

As a collegian, Graham kicked at Virginia Tech and set the Big East Conference record with 371 points.

Arians replaced veteran Steve Christie this season and struggled with his distance, missing 9-of-15 kicks from beyond the 29. Buffalo is 1-9, its worst record since 1984.


Harvick gets NASCAR rookie award

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Kevin Harvick has been named NASCAR Rookie of the Year after a season in which he was not scheduled to compete in the Winston Cup series.

The 25-year-old Harvick replaced the late Dale Earnhardt after the seven-time champion died in the season-opening Daytona 500. He won the Cracker Barrel 500 in Atlanta in just his third Winston Cup start and took another checkered flag in July at Chicagoland Speedway.

Harvick was to compete only in the Busch Grand National series for Richard Childress Racing. He went on to compete full time on that circuit as well and captured the championship by 124 points over last year's champion Jeff Green. Harvick won five Busch series races.

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U.S. top-seeded for 2002 FedCup

LONDON, Nov. 27 (UPI) --The United States was seeded No. 1 for the 2002 Federation Cup, it was announced Tuesday by the International Tennis Federation.

The 2002 Fed Cup opens on the weekend of April 27-28 with the United States hosting Austria. Defending champion Belgium received the second seed and will play Australia at home.

Russia, this year's runner-up will travel to Germany, while Croatia hosts the Czech Republic. Hungary will visit Spain and Argentina will host France. Sweden will journey

The U.S. had won the last two Fed Cups before pulling out of this year's final, citing security worries after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. The Americans have won the event a record 17 times.

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