West Virginia sues Rodriguez for $4 million

West Virginia University’s Board of Governors sued former football coach Rich Rodriguez on Thursday to collect a $4-million buyout of his contract with the school.

The lawsuit, filed in Monongalia County Circuit Court, says the university believes Rodriguez doesn’t intend to abide by the contract.

The buyout clause requires Rodriguez to pay $4 million to WVU over a two-year period, with one-third of the total due 30 days after his employment’s termination. His resignation was effective Dec. 19. Rodriguez’s agent, Mike Brown, declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Rodriguez went to Michigan after seven seasons in Morgantown, where he led West Virginia to four Big East championships and a 60-26 record.

West Virginia officials decided to ask a court to enforce the contract after Rodriguez supporters questioned its validity and the coach did not disavow those statements, said Alex Macia, vice president of legal affairs and legal counsel for the university.

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UCLA defensive tackle Jess Ward underwent surgery on his left knee to reconstruct the posterior cruciate ligament. He is expected to be out until September.

PRO BASKETBALL

Bulls promote assistant Boylan to interim coach

Jim Boylan was promoted to interim head coach of the Chicago Bulls, who fired Scott Skiles on Monday after the team’s disappointing start.

Boylan was in his fourth season as an assistant under Skiles and has 14 years of experience in the NBA but none as a head coach at the pro level.

The Bulls (9-17) are one of the league’s most disappointing teams. Their struggles come one season after they took the Detroit Pistons to six games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

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Tracy McGrady will sit out Houston’s next two games to rest his ailing left knee.

McGrady sat out the second half of a 97-92 loss to Orlando on Dec. 19 because of soreness in the knee. He sat out the Rockets’ loss to Denver the next night.

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San Antonio guard Brent Barry will sit out up to two weeks after tearing a muscle in his left calf against Chicago. He was hurt in the first quarter of a 94-79 win on Wednesday.

HOCKEY

Canada wins again in under-20 tournament

Kyle Turris scored two power-play goals to give Canada a 2-0 victory over Slovakia, its second victory in as many days at the Under-20 World Ice Hockey Championship.

The win strengthened Canada’s place atop Group A with six points. The host Czech Republic rebounded from Wednesday’s opening-day loss to the Canadians to beat Denmark, 5-2, and pull even with Sweden in second place with three points.

Russia outlasted Kazakhstan, 5-4, to climb into first place in Group B, and Finland beat Switzerland, 4-3, in a shootout.

BASEBALL

Yankees, Hawkins finish $3.75-million deal

The New York Yankees finalized a one-year, $3.75-million contract with LaTroy Hawkins, strengthening their weak middle relief with the veteran right-hander.

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Free-agent outfielder Darin Erstad, a two-time All-Star in 11 seasons with the Angels, signed a one-year contract worth $1 million plus incentives with the Houston Astros.

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Catcher Miguel Olivo signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals.

MISCELLANY

Chelsea’s Lampard is out because of muscle tear

Chelsea will be without midfield star Frank Lampard for a few weeks because of a muscle tear in his right thigh. He limped off the field midway through the first half of Chelsea’s 4-4 draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League on Wednesday.

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The governing body of men’s tennis confirmed that Italians Potito Starace and Daniele Bracciali bet on tennis matches, and the players had no excuse for not knowing this was a rules violation. The ATP said it began investigating in August and found that Starace wagered on matches in 2006 from Feb. 21 to May 23. Bracciali’s bets were from May 17, 2004, through Jan. 24, 2005.

PASSINGS

Longtime Braves coach Beauchamp was 68

Former major league player and longtime Atlanta Braves coach Jim Beauchamp died of leukemia Tuesday in Atlanta. He was 68.