Neuheisel Says He Had OK to Bet

Rick Neuheisel, Washington’s football coach, contends that a school e-mail gave him permission to participate in an NCAA tournament betting pool.

Neuheisel, trying to keep his job after being questioned by the NCAA and Pacific 10 Conference, says he took part in pools the last two years.

Investigators spoke with him after receiving a tip he had put up $5,000 and won about $20,000 by picking Maryland to win the 2002 men’s basketball championship.

“I have followed the University of Washington’s rules, and I believed, and still believe, that the University of Washington’s rules are in compliance with the NCAA’s rules,” Neuheisel said Sunday during a high school football jamboree at Husky Stadium.

The four-paragraph e-mail dated March 13 was released by Washington officials on Monday.

“With ‘March Madness’ upon us, it is important that you keep in mind that NCAA regulations and UW policy limit the extent to which ICA [intercollegiate athletics] staff can bet on college athletics,” the memo said.

The last paragraph reads: “The bottom line of these rules is that if you have friends outside of ICA that have pools on any of the basketball tournaments, you can participate. You cannot place bets with a bookie or organize your own pool inside or outside of ICA.”

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Utah running back Marty Johnson will be suspended for at least one game this fall after pleading guilty to drunk driving and leaving the scene of an accident in Salt Lake City.

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One of the most recognized black colleges in the country wants to move its football program to Division I-A.

Florida A&M;, which has an enrollment of 12,463, submitted its application to the NCAA to move its football program from Division I-AA. No other historically black college is in Division I-A. The school said the application would be considered when the NCAA Classification Committee meets in July.

Pro Football

Brian Griese followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Miami Dolphins, signing a two-year contract with the team after passing a physical.

The former Denver Bronco starter will earn $530,000 in base salary this season and will get a $1-million signing bonus. The second year of the deal will cost Miami more than $6 million in salary cap space, meaning the team will either have to release Griese, restructure his deal or make him the starter.

Tennessee Titan free safety Lance Schulters was robbed of his luxury car at gunpoint in Nashville. Schulters was not hurt.

Tennis

Former Wimbledon champions Goran Ivanisevic and Richard Krajicek had mixed fortunes in the first round of the Queen’s Club grass-court tournament at London. Krajicek, the 1996 winner, beat Mark Philippoussis, 7-6 (4), 6-3, but 2001 champion Ivanisevic lost to Jan Vacek, 6-2, 6-2, in 48 minutes.

Australian Open finalist Rainer Schuettler defeated Denmark’s Kenneth Carlsen, 6-3, 6-4, at the Gerry Weber Open, a grass-court tuneup event for Wimbledon at Halle, Germany.

Venus Williams will play for the United States in the Fed Cup quarterfinals against Italy. The competition is scheduled July 19-20 in Washington.

Anna Kournikova withdrew from a Wimbledon warmup tournament at Birmingham, England, after aggravating a back injury. Kournikova, who hasn’t played a WTA Tour event in two months, has a chronic back injury and also will not play in next week’s tournament at Eastbourne, said Chris Shaw, a spokesman for Britain’s Lawn Tennis Assn. Her status was uncertain for Wimbledon, which begins June 23.

Jurisprudence

Former Minnesota Viking receiver Anthony Carter was arrested on charges that he beat his wife and pointed a handgun at her head at West Palm Beach, Fla. The 11-year NFL veteran, who also played for the Detroit Lions, was released Sunday on $5,000 bond.