Oregon assessed NCAA penalties

The NCAA stripped Oregon of a scholarship in each of the next two seasons and put the program on probation for three years, opting against stiffer penalties such as a bowl ban despite issuing a show-cause order against former coach Chip Kelly, who apologized to the school, its fans and its players.

The NCAA’s Division I Committee on Infractions released a report Wednesday that said Kelly failed to monitor the program for its improper involvement with Willie Lyles and his Houston-based recruiting service.

Kelly was hit with an 18-month show-cause order, a sanction that probably will have little impact now that he’s coaching the Philadelphia Eagles.

The program he left behind faces three years of scholarship reductions, starting last year and extending through 2014-15. It also faces reductions in paid visits and evaluation days but avoided some of the harsher penalties handed down to other programs in recent years.

The NCAA had been looking into Oregon’s program for more than two years after learning Oregon had paid $25,000 to Lyles and his recruiting service, Complete Scouting Services.

The NCAA’s infractions committee found that Lyles provided cash and free lodging to a prospect, and engaged in impermissible calls and off-campus contact with prospects, their families and high school coaches.

PRO BASKETBALL

Bird is returning as Pacers’ president

Larry Bird will be reintroduced to the media Thursday morning as the Indiana Pacers’ president of basketball operations.

The team confirmed the move Wednesday.

It’s hardly a surprise. Bird has been attending draft workouts regularly with the Pacers’ top executives this month and had been said to have shown interest in a front-office job with Sacramento too.

Bird constructed the team that pushed Miami to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals this month but left the franchise last summer. He said he has now had time to reflect, rest and take care of some health issues.

Donnie Walsh, who succeeded Bird in that role, will become a consultant to the team.

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Bryan Colangelo is stepping down as president of the Toronto Raptors, just weeks after taking a reassigned position with the team.

The Raptors announced that Colangelo will remain as a consultant with the team and with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.

The 48-year-old Colangelo lost his job as general manager in May, after the Raptors finished 34-48 and failed to make the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

ETC.

Brazil beats Uruguay, 2-1, to reach final

Paulinho scored on a header from Neymar’s corner kick in the 86th minute, and Brazil beat Uruguay, 2-1, to reach the Confederations Cup final as anti-government protesters clashed with police in Belo Horizonte.

Seeking its third straight title in the World Cup preparation tournament, Brazil will play in Sunday’s championship against the winner of Thursday’s semifinal between Spain and Italy.

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Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin each won two national swimming titles at Indianapolis with times that ranked among the top five in the world this year.

The two stars took a similar tack.

They each won in the 200 freestyle, then returned to the pool less than 90 minutes later and each won in the 200 backstroke.

Lochte took the 200 free in 1 minute 45.97 seconds, fifth-fastest in the world this year, and won the 200 back in 1:55.16, third-fastest in 2013.

Franklin’s time of 1:55.63 in the 200 free was 0.08 of a second off the world’s best this season. The Olympic champion and world-record holder in the 200 back then set a U.S. Open record in that race at 2:05.68, the world’s best time this season.

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Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron has a punctured lung and is at a Boston-area hospital for observation.

Bergeron was admitted Monday night, after Boston lost to Chicago, 3-2, in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden, a defeat that ended the season.

Bergeron was already slowed by injuries heading into Game 6. He was a question mark to even play because of a broken rib and torn cartilage. After not participating in the morning skate Monday, he appeared during warmups and played in the loss. In the first period, though, he suffered a separated shoulder.