LSU star out for Sugar Bowl
BATON ROUGE, La., Dec. 10 (UPI) -- LaBrandon Toefield, Louisiana State's leading rusher, will miss the Sugar Bowl due to a torn left anterior cruciate ligament, the school announced on Monday.
Toefield suffered the injury late in the second quarter of LSU's 31-20 upset of Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday night in Atlanta.
The 12th-ranked Tigers (9-3) will play Big Ten Conference champion Illinois in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.
Toefield, a sophomore, will undergo reconstructive surgery sometime in the next few weeks when the swelling in the knee subsides.
In 12 games this year, Toefield rushed for 992 yards and tied an SEC single-season record with 19 rushing touchdowns.
Dolphins take on skidding Colts
MIAMI, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- The Miami Dolphins hoped to open up some breathing room atop the AFC East standings in their Monday night battle with the Indianapolis Colts.
The Dolphins (8-3) have a one-game lead over the New England Patriots (8-5) and a 1 1/2 game advantage over the New York Jets (7-5) in the division.
The Colts (4-7) were contending for the AFC East title before a 27-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Nov.11 started them on a four-game skid that all but knocked them out of the postseason race.
The last time these two teams met in Miami came during the wild card playoffs lastDecember, a game the Dolphins won 23-17.
Cards signing closer
ST. LOUIS, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- The St. Louis Cardinals were expected to officially announce Monday the signing of right handed closer Jason Isringhausen, who had 67 saves over the last two seasons with the Oakland Athletics.
ESPN reported that Isringhausen has agreed to a four-year, $27 million contract with the Cards.
A resident of Godfrey, Ill., Isringhausen apparently chose playing closer to home for less money than he could have received from the Texas Rangers. Texas owner Tom Hicks told the Dallas Morning News that Isringhausen turned down a four-year,$30 million offer.
After being plagued by injuries as a starter with the New York Mets, Isringhausen developed into one of the game's premier closers with Oakland.
16 to enter Football hall of fame
NEW YORK, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Barry Switzer, who coached Oklahoma to national prominence during a 16-year period from 1973-88, will be among 16 inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday night.
The 16 were selected in April. Induction ceremonies will take place at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel with enshrinement to follow next year in South Bend, Ind.
Switzer will join Grant Teaff and Bill Yeoman as coaching electees. Teaff coached at McMurry and Angelo State but achieved his greatest fame at Baylor from 1972-92. Yeoman coached at Houston for 25 years (1962-86).
Quarterback Steve Young of Brigham Young (1981-83), wide receiver Anthony Carter of Michigan (1979-82), tackle John Hicks of Ohio State (1970, 1972-73) and Oklahoma tight end Keith Jackson (1984-87) are among the players chosen.
Knicks go with Chaney
NEW YORK, Dec,. 10 (UPI) -- The New York Knicks were expected to name Don Chaney Monday interim coach for the rest of the season, two days after Jeff Van Gundy's unexpected resignation.
Chaney, who would become the club's 19th coach, coach in club history. owns an unimpressive 266-382 NBA coaching record. .He guided the Knicks to a 101-99 victory over the Indiana Pacers Saturday after Van Gundy resigned earlier in the day.
Chaney, 55, is in his seventh season on the Knicks' coaching staff. He was passed over for the Knicks' interim job in favor of Van Gundy after Don Nelson was fired during the 1995-96 season.
The NBA Coach of the Year with the Houston Rockets in 1990-91, Chaney has not had a head coaching job since getting fired by the Detroit Pistons following the 1994-95 season.
VMI joins Big South Conference
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 10 (UPI) -- The Big South Conference announced Monday it has accepted Virginia Military's application for membership.
Currently the oldest member of the Southern Conference, VMI will become the 10th member of the Big South.
The move by VMI, located in Lexington, Va., comes following a unanimous vote by the Big South's Council of CEOs to extend a membership offer to the institution.
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