Kansas Athletic Director Lew Perkins retires early in wake of ticket scandal

Embattled Kansas Athletic Director Lew Perkins retired 12 months early Tuesday, following a year of controversy and embarrassment for both himself and the school.

Perkins, 65, said in June that he would retire in September 2011. Instead, he and Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little announced he was leaving immediately and didn’t make themselves available to reporters to explain why.

Senior associate athletics director Sean Lester, who came in with Perkins in 2003, was named interim athletic director. A spokesman, Jack Martin, told the Associated Press the chancellor hoped to have a replacement by the middle of the spring semester and would appoint a five- or six-person search committee.

The last year brought scandal and setback, starting when federal authorities began an investigation into a ticket scam allegedly run by members of Perkins’ staff. Five of his full-time employees and one part-time consultant have been implicated.

Perkins, while never accused of having anything to do with the scam, nevertheless admitted he had been guilty of poor oversight and said it was the most embarrassing thing that had happened in his 40-year career.

In the scheme, staff members allegedly sold football and basketball tickets and pocketed the money. According to a private audit, it may have cost the school as much as $3 million. The federal investigation is still ongoing.

NHL: Stan Bowman promoted to by Blackhawks

General Manager Stan Bowman has been promoted to vice president and general manager in a series of moves by the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

The 37-year-old Bowman became the youngest general manager in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup when the Blackhawks defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in June. Chicago’s championship, its first since 1961, came in Bowman’s first year as GM.

Bowman, the son of legendary NHL coach Scotty Bowman, was named the ninth general manager in franchise history on July 14, 2009, when Dale Tallon was demoted. Stan Bowman is now in his 10th season with the Blackhawks after serving in a variety of capacities, including assistant general manager.

The Montreal Canadiens have signed veteran center Jeff Halpern to a one-year contract for $600,000. The 34-year-old Halpern joins his fifth NHL team after splitting last season between Tampa Bay and Los Angeles. He had nine goals and 10 assists.

Minnesota Wild center James Sheppard has a fractured left kneecap and there is no timetable for his return.

The team said Sheppard was hurt in an off-ice accident on Saturday night in Vail, Colo., but did not say what happened.

Kentucky to use random drug tests for race horses

Kentucky horse racing officials have implemented random drug testing for race horses ahead of this fall’s Breeders’ Cup.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, meeting at Churchill Downs, site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup, unanimously approved the measure, hoping it further deters instances of blood doping and use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Kentucky’s law on out of competition testing borrows from plans enacted in New York, Indiana and elsewhere. It would require owners of horses eligible to run in Kentucky to make their animals available for random testing, regardless of where they are stabled.

The worst drug violations could trigger severe penalties, including a 5-10 year suspension and $50,000 fine upon the first violation. Owners or trainers found in violation a second time would receive a lifetime ban.

Atlanta Dream advances to WNBA finals

Angel McCoughtry scored a career-high 42 points to win a high-scoring duel with Cappie Pondexter, and the Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty in Atlanta, 105-93, to complete an unlikely march to the WNBA finals.

Pondexter led New York with 36 points, her postseason high mark, and nine assists.

Atlanta will face the Western Conference champion Seattle Storm in the WNBA finals. The best-of-five series begins Sunday in Seattle.

Lithuania, Argentina win in basketball tourney

Lithuania, led by Linas Kleiza, remained unbeaten and moved into the European-dominated quarterfinals of basketball’s world championship tournament in Istanbul by beating China 78-67. Kleiza, who will play for the Toronto Raptors next season, had 30 points and nine rebounds as Lithuania remained one of three unbeaten teams in Turkey.

Lithuania will face Argentina, which beat South American rival Brazil 93-89 later Tuesday behind 37 points from Luis Scola.

Argentina is without Manu Ginobili and Andres Nocioni, but still has Scola, who scored 10 of its final 12 points.

“I know that my team is going to look for me at the end of the game,” Scola said. “It’s nothing to really think about, you just have to play your game.”

The Lithuanians are one of six teams remaining from Europe, which is guaranteed a spot in the championship game Sunday at the Sinan Erdem Dome.

On Wednesday, Spain plays Serbia in one quarterfinal, and host Turkey meets Slovenia. The other quarterfinals are Thursday, with the United States facing Russia, which is coached by American David Blatt.