THE DAY IN SPORTS : Titans’ Adams fined $250,000 for gesture

The NFL has fined Titans owner Bud Adams $250,000 for making an obscene gesture at Buffalo fans while celebrating Tennessee’s home victory over the Bills.

Commissioner Roger Goodell notified Adams of the fine Monday, and league spokesman Greg Aiello said it is for conduct detrimental to the NFL. Adams was seen making the gesture while in his luxury suite and again on the field after Sunday’s 41-17 victory.

The 86-year-old Adams issued an apology a couple of hours later, saying he got caught up in the excitement of the moment.

Goodell was at the game, after having breakfast with Adams. The league said that Goodell left Adams’ suite at the end of the third quarter and spent the fourth quarter sitting with fans in the end zone before leaving the stadium.

New York Jets safety Jim Leonhard was scheduled to have surgery on his broken right thumb. Coach Rex Ryan was uncertain of the nature of the procedure, or whether Leonhard might be sidelined this weekend or longer.

Buffalo Bills left tackle Demetrius Bell’s right knee injury could be season-ending, leaving the team’s young and banged-up line down another starter. Coach Dick Jauron said further tests are required, but he’s “not optimistic.”

The status of Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook is uncertain after the former All-Pro sustained his second concussion in three weeks in Philadelphia’s 31-23 loss at San Diego on Sunday.

Seattle Seahawks running back Julius Jones is likely to miss at least Sunday’s game at Minnesota because of a bruised lung.

New Orleans Saints starting cornerback Tracy Porter has a sprained left knee, but will not require surgery and is expected to return to the field this season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have not updated the condition of star safety Troy Polamalu, who injured his left knee for the second time this season during their 18-12 loss to Cincinnati.

The St. Louis Rams have lost leading wide receiver Keenan Burton for the rest of the season, the result of a right knee injury.

Denver Broncos Coach Josh McDaniels says he won’t know until later in the week if quarterback Kyle Orton’s sprained left ankle will prevent him from playing against San Diego.

Former NFL coach Jon Gruden has agreed to a multiyear contract to stay at ESPN.

BASEBALL

Coghlan, Bailey are top rookies

Florida Marlins left fielder Chris Coghlan won the National League rookie-of-the-year award in a close vote, and Oakland Athletics closer Andrew Bailey took the AL honor.

Coghlan edged Philadelphia Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ, receiving 17 first-place votes and 105 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America. Happ, the only player picked on all 32 ballots, had 10 first-place votes and 94 points.

Coghlan batted .321 with nine home runs and 31 doubles in 128 games. He scored 84 runs and drove in 47.

Bailey, a surprise All-Star this season, was selected first on 13 of 28 ballots and finished with 88 points. Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus was the runner-up with 65 points, one more than Detroit pitcher Rick Porcello.

Bailey had 26 saves and a 1.84 earned-run average.

Wally Backman has been hired as manager of the New York Mets’ Brooklyn Cyclones farm team in the New York-Penn League. A member of the Mets’ 1986 World Series championship team, Backman was hired to manage the Arizona Diamondbacks in November 2004. He was fired four days later after the New York Times reported he had been arrested twice and had financial problems.

ETC.

UFC’s Lesnar has bacterial infection

UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar is suffering from a bacterial infection in his intestinal tract.

UFC President Dana White spoke with Lesnar on Monday and said he could be released from the hospital soon. Asked if he was in a Bismarck, N.D., hospital, White said, “I think he is,” but did not want to say which hospital because he wanted to protect Lesnar’s privacy.

Reed Diehl, formerly a star offensive lineman at Santa Ana Mater Dei High and the University of California, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud charges in connection with a $5-million Ponzi scheme.

Diehl, 31, of Coto de Caza, played briefly with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans and came back to become an assistant coach at Mater Dei.

One of the victims he defrauded met Diehl when he was playing at Mater Dei and Diehl was a coach.