Brian Cushing allegedly tested positive for fertility drug

Houston Texans and former USC linebacker Brian Cushing tested positive for HCG, a fertility drug that is on the NFL’s banned substance list.

A person familiar with Cushing’s case told the Associated Press on Tuesday that Cushing had one positive test last September, then subsequently tested negative several times. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the test results were supposed to remain confidential.

“He had one low-level positive test for HCG in September, and then every test after that was negative,” the person said. “He has said he has no idea where the positive test came from.”

The Dodgers’ Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games last season after testing positive for HCG.

ESPN first reported the banned substance was human chorionic gonadotropin, widely taken by steroid users to help restart natural testosterone production.

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Former California Lutheran linebacker Brian Kelley has been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Kelley, who graduated from Fullerton Sunny Hills High, is among four players and two coaches in this year’s divisional class, which includes players and coaches from the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA), Divisions II, III and the NAIA.

Kelley helped the Kingsmen win the 1971 NAIA Division II title and was a first-team NAIA All-American in 1972. He went on to play 10 years in the NFL, all with the New York Giants.

Other new Hall of Famers are Marshall wide receiver and return specialist Troy Brown, Maryland Eastern Shore halfback Emerson Boozer, Massachusetts tight end Milt Morin and coaches Willie Jeffries (Howard, Wichita State and South Carolina State) and Ted Kessinger (Bethany, Kan.).

— Chuck Schilken

BASKETBALL

Russian billionaire OK’d to buy Nets

he NBA’s board of governors approved the sale of the New Jersey Nets to Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.

Prokhorov becomes the league’s first owner from outside North America.

Russia’s richest man agreed to buy 80% of the Nets and 45% of an arena project in Brooklyn late last year. Final approval of the sale was delayed until the state of New York had taken over all the land seized under eminent domain at the site of the team’s Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where the long-delayed 18,000-seat arena is to open in 2012.

BASEBALL

Long Beach State’s Weathers retiring

Mike Weathers, a baseball coach at Long Beach State the last 18 years, announced he will retire at the end of this season.

Weathers, 60, has been head coach at Long Beach for nine seasons, compiling a record of 309-198 and qualifying for the playoffs six times. His team is 21-23 overall this season, and 7-8 and tied for fourth place in the Big West Conference.

He will be replaced by Troy Buckley, who returned to Long Beach this season as associate coach after two years with in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He was Long Beach’s pitching coach from 2002 to 2007.

ETC.

Federer advances in Madrid Masters

Defending champion Roger Federer shrugged off his recent dip in form to cruise into the third round of the Madrid Masters, beating Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-2, 7-6 (4).

Fernando Verdasco beat Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 7-6 (5), 6-3.

On the women’s side, 2009 finalist Caroline Wozniacki was upset by 26th-ranked Alona Bondarenko and Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania beat Elena Dementieva of Russia.

Ronaldinho was left out of Brazil’s initial World Cup squad, Francesco Totti and Luca Toni were missing from Italy’s squad, and Jamie Carragher came out of retirement for England as coaches announced their provisional rosters.

Ronaldinho, Adriano and Neymar were omitted from Brazil coach Dunga’s initial 23-man list. Karim Benzema was a surprise omission from France’s provisional squad. Ruud van Nistelrooy, 34, was not on the Netherlands squad despite having recovered from a knee injury.