Huggins Accepts Decision on Contract by Cincinnati

Cincinnati men’s basketball Coach Bob Huggins has accepted the university’s decision not to extend his contract beyond the two years left, the school said Monday.

The university stripped a rollover provision from Huggins’ contract after his arrest and conviction for drunken driving last year. The provision would have automatically added another year to his deal.

“I love the players. I think I have an obligation to them, certainly to their families and the fans in the city of Cincinnati,” Huggins said.

Huggins, 399-127 in 16 seasons at Cincinnati, will coach the Bearcats for the next two seasons. He had to decide whether to accept the decision or consider a buyout provision in the contract.

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The NCAA notified Ohio State of nine alleged rules violations, including cash gifts, improper academic assistance and failure of the school and coaches to monitor the men’s basketball program under former coach Jim O’Brien.

One of the allegations involved the football program and one the women’s basketball program.

The school must respond to the allegations by July 26.

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Temple is expected to announce today that it has joined the Mid-American Conference as a football member starting in 2007, a school athletic department source told Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The Owls were kicked out of the Big East Conference after 13 years for failing to meet minimum requirements for membership, most notably in attendance, facilities and fielding a competitive team.

The football team will play the next two seasons as an independent. The rest of Temple’s teams will remain in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

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Soccer

John O’Brien of Playa del Rey, sidelined much of the last three years because of injuries, was selected to the U.S. team that will play England in an exhibition game May 28 at Chicago.

U.S. captain Claudio Reyna, out for much of the English season because of a leg injury, asked to sit out the game, plus World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica on June 4 and Panama on June 8.

The U.S. figures to be led by Landon Donovan, Brian McBride and Eddie Johnson.

American goalkeeper Tim Howard agreed to a two-year contract extension with Manchester United, keeping him with the English Premier League team through 2009.

The World Anti-Doping Agency said it would give FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, until September to comply with global rules that call for two-year bans for serious drug offenses. Failure to do so, WADA said, would jeopardize soccer’s place in the Olympics and possibly affect the World Cup.

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Tennis

This year’s U.S. Open, Aug. 29-Sept. 11, will use blue courts -- with the area outside the lines staying green -- in an effort to make balls easier to see for players, spectators and TV viewers, the U.S. Tennis Assn. said.

Blue courts also will be used for the 10 tournaments in the U.S. Open Series, the summer hard-court circuit leading to the year’s final Grand Slam event.

Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia defeated Michal Mertinak of Slovakia, 6-3, 6-2, and David Sanchez of Spain defeated Robby Ginepri, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, in the first round of the BTM Power Grand Prix at St. Poelten, Austria.

Marta Marrero of Spain defeated Shiho Hisamatsu of Japan, 6-0, 6-2, at the Istanbul Cup in Turkey and today will face top-seeded Venus Williams, who had a first-round bye.

Gaston Gaudio defeated Arnaud Clement, 6-4, 6-4, and Guillermo Coria defeated Michael Llodra, 6-1, 6-4, to lead Argentina over France, 2-1, in a World Team Cup match at Duesseldorf, Germany.

Clement and Llodra won the doubles match, beating Guillermo Canas and Juan Ignacio Chela, 6-1, 6-4.

Spain rallied to beat Sweden, 2-1. Thomas Johansson of Sweden beat Tommy Robredo, 7-6 (4), 6-1, but David Ferrer beat Jonas Bjorkman, 6-4, 6-0, to tie the match. Robredo and Santiago Ventura beat Bjorkman and Johansson, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-3, in doubles.

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Miscellany

Running back Onterrio Smith returned to the Minnesota Vikings’ practice field at Eden Prairie, Minn., and declined to speak publicly about last week’s reports of his April 21 run-in with Twin Cities airport officials who caught him with a contraption designed to beat drug tests.... Miami Dolphin cornerback Will Poole had reconstructive knee surgery and is expected to sit out in 2005.

Jim Thorpe made a 4 1/2 -foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to beat Morris Hatalsky in the Champions Tour’s Blue Angels Classic at Milton, Fla.

Mike Ford resigned as crew chief for NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Dale Jarrett, Robert Yates Racing said. Ford could not be reached for comment.

The Boston Red Sox received the Spirit of Sport Award from the Laureus World Sports Awards in a ceremony at Estoril, Portugal.

Boston last season beat St. Louis to win its first World Series title since 1918.

Roger Federer was honored as sportsman of the year after dominating men’s tennis in 2004, and Britain’s Kelly Holmes was selected sportswoman of the year for winning gold medals in the 800 and 1,500 meters at the Athens Olympics.

The Mighty Ducks have ended their affiliation with the American Hockey League team in Cincinnati and will seek a new AHL affiliate for their prospects. The Cincinnati team reportedly will relocate to Portland, Maine.

Bill Dwyre, sports editor of The Times, received the Ambassador Award of Excellence from the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission. The award was presented in conjunction with the commission’s golf and tennis classic at Riviera Country Club.

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T.J. Simers is on assignment.