Rockets’ Alston charged with slashing a man

Houston Rockets guard Rafer Alston was charged Tuesday with slashing a man’s neck during a ruckus at a Manhattan nightspot -- his second brush with the law this month.

Alston was arraigned on felony assault charges before being released without bail. A judge ordered him to return to court Jan. 3.

His lawyer said Alston was “absolutely innocent.”

The man who said he was injured told police the incident occurred about 3 a.m. Monday after he and Alston accidentally bumped each other inside Club Stereo. During an ensuing argument, the man said, Alston slashed his neck.

Defense attorney Alberto Ebanks said bouncers and other witnesses told him the man didn’t appear to be injured when he left the club and never bothered alerting police officers who were in the area.

The arrest came three weeks after Alston, 31, was charged with misdemeanor assault and public intoxication in Houston.

A judge upheld New York’s ban on metal bats in high school baseball games, saying it was not his place to overturn a law that was approved by a local government with the public’s safety in mind.

U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl said there is no clear evidence that metal bats cause more serious injuries than wooden bats, but added the City Council is entitled to make the judgment that the risk is too great.

“The protection of the health and safety of high school-age students is entitled to great weight,” the judge said.

“While the record does not include clear empirical evidence showing that more serious injuries would occur without the ordinance, it is the city’s legislative assessment that the risk is too great.”

The law is set to take effect Saturday.

A NASCAR team owner pleaded guilty to defrauding the government of more than $34 million in taxes.

Gene Haas, the 54-year-old owner of Oxnard-based Haas Automation and NASCAR’s Haas CNC Racing, agreed to pay a fine, back taxes and interests totaling more than $70 million, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.

Haas was scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 5. Prosecutors recommended he serve two years in federal prison and six months probation, according to his plea agreement.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Texas agrees to extend Brown’s contract

University of Texas Regents unanimously agreed to extend Coach Mack Brown’s contract by two years through the 2016 season, boosting his salary from $2.66 million to $2.91 million, including a special payment of $100,000 to be paid Saturday, the day that No. 4 Texas opens the season at home against Arkansas State.

Like his original contract, he gets $100,000 annual raises that will push him past $3 million next year.

Brown, who turned 56 on Monday, also gets a $1 million bonus if he stays through next season and cashes in again with a $2 million bonus if he’s still there Jan. 1, 2010.

Another major change in Brown’s contract calls for him to be reassigned to another “significant position” at Texas if he steps down from coaching. Brown was Tulane’s athletic director in two of his three seasons coaching the Green Wave from 1985 to ’87.

Todd Boeckman will start at quarterback when No. 11 Ohio State plays host to Youngstown State on Saturday in its 118th season opener.

Defensive tackle Jerrell Powe will be ineligible to practice and compete for Mississippi this season barring a successful appeal.

The NCAA said in a statement that the highly sought-after recruit can attend classes at Ole Miss and receive financial aid, but he can’t play football until at least the fall of 2008 -- and only then if he’s met academic eligibility requirements.

Powe, who has learning disabilities, has been working toward eligibility for two years.

Kirby Freeman was named the Miami Hurricanes’ starting quarterback, beating Kyle Wright. . . . East Carolina suspended quarterback Rob Kass for the season-opener at No. 9 Virginia Tech, three days after he was charged with driving while impaired.

MISCELLANY

Suns and Strawberry agree to two-year deal

The Phoenix Suns and guard D.J. Strawberry, their second-round draft pick, agreed to a two-year contract that guarantees him a roster spot this season.

Strawberry, the 59th overall selection in the June draft, will receive the rookie minimum salary of $427,163 this season. The second year of the contract is a team option.

Strawberry went to Maryland and is the son of former baseball star Darryl Strawberry.

Ernie Els withdrew from the Deutsche Bank Championship for family reasons.

Els plans to return next week for the third event of the FedEx Cup in Illinois and will play in the PGA Tour Championship in Atlanta the following week.

Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta died in Seville, Spain, three days after collapsing on the field during his team’s Spanish league soccer game against Getafe. “Multiple organ failure stemming from prolonged cardiac arrest” was given as the cause by a hospital spokesman.

The promoters of the season-ending Champ Car World Series event in Phoenix on Dec. 2 have canceled the inaugural event because of a lack of sponsor support. The cancellation means the Champ Car series will have no more races in the U.S. this season.