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From The Associated Press

NFL suspends six players for doping violations

NEW YORK—Six players, including the heart of the Minnesota Vikings’ stout defensive line, were suspended for four games without pay by the NFL on Tuesday for violating the league’s anti-doping policy.

All six were punished for using a diuretic, which can serve as a masking agent for steroids.

The suspended players were running back Deuce McAllister and defensive linemen Charles Grant and Will Smith of New Orleans; defensive linemen Kevin and Pat Williams of Minnesota; and long snapper Bryan Pittman of Houston.

The punishment means all six will miss the end of the regular season, an especially harsh blow to Minnesota, which relies heavily on the Williamses in its run defense, which ranks second in the league.

Angelo Wright, the Williamses’ agent, said he would file a motion in federal court Wednesday morning, presumably to put off the suspensions.

A seventh player, Atlanta’s Grady Jackson, was not suspended. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Jeff Pash, the league’s chief counsel, had asked for additional information from Jackson.

If a player’s team makes the playoffs, the player will be eligible to return to the active roster on Dec. 29.

Kelly says he’s staying at Cincinnati

CINCINNATI—Coach Brian Kelly tried to end speculation Tuesday that he’s leaving No. 13 Cincinnati, saying that he’s happy with the football program’s development and he plans to stay.

He was upbeat Tuesday following a meeting with the school’s president, AD and the head of its board of trustees to get an update on plans to expand the Bearcats’ small football stadium and to improve their practice fields.

Kelly acknowledged that other schools had expressed an interest in him, but said he’s not interested in leaving.

“All I can say is that with all the speculation and all the jobs that have been out there, sooner or later ‘no’ means ‘no,’” Kelly said. “Again, no one can ever speak in terms of forever and ever, but what I can tell you is there’s been a lot of interest in my services, and I want to be here at the University of Cincinnati because of the right reasons.”

The Bearcats (10-2) won the Big East title this season, sending them to the first BCS bowl in school history. A win Saturday at Hawaii would set a school record for victories in a season.



HOUSTON—Houston guard Tracy McGrady will miss three weeks to rehabilitate his sore left knee, another blow to an injury-plagued season for the Rockets.

McGrady sat out Houston’s last three games after starting the first 15. He had arthroscopic surgery on May 6, but said Tuesday that doctors have told him that the knee is not healed.

“Obviously, I came back a little bit too early,” said McGrady, who was averaging 15.6 points. “I’m just not ready.”

McGrady visited renowned orthopedist James Andrews on Monday. The team said Andrews confirmed the initial medical assessment by team doctor Tom Clanton that McGrady is suffering from general soreness in the knee.

Saturday will mark seven months since the surgery, and McGrady said doctors told him that his knee would require 6 to 8 months to heal. He said Andrews reassured him that he won’t need more surgery.

Mumme out as New Mexico State coach

LAS CRUCES, N.M.—New Mexico State fired football coach Hal Mumme on Tuesday, ending a four-year run during which the program often ended up in the news for the wrong reasons.

Athletic director McKinley Boston said he has begun a national search for a successor. Head coaching experience won’t be required, just an eagerness to work with a program that for decades has been one of the worst in major college football.

“I am looking for energy, a fire in the belly, someone with at least experience as a coordinator,” Boston said. “It would help to have familiarity with this part of the country. We need an exceptional recruiter and someone who enjoys the external part of job.”

The Aggies lost seven straight games to end the season 3-9 and 1-7 in the Western Athletic Conference. They lost 49-0 at home to Boise State and ended the year last weekend with a 47-2 defeat at Utah State.

During Mumme’s tenure, the university also paid $165,000 to settle a 2006 lawsuit brought by three former Muslim players who claimed they were dismissed from the team because of their religious beliefs.

Avery suspended indefinitely by NHL

DALLAS—Sean Avery is in trouble with the NHL again, this time for thinly veiled comments about a foe dating his former girlfriend.

Commissioner Gary Bettman suspended Avery indefinitely Tuesday hours after the Dallas Stars pest made “inappropriate public comments, not pertaining to the game.” Avery will meet with Bettman before his punishment is settled. That get-together is likely to happen soon.

Avery’s inflammatory comments came following a morning skate in Calgary, where the Stars were playing the Flames on Tuesday night.

Avery approached a group of reporters, asked if a camera was present, then said he wanted to say one thing: “I’m really happy to be back in Calgary; I love Canada,” he said. “I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my (former girlfriends).”

He used a crude term to refer to ex-girlfriends now dating other people.

Avery’s ex-girlfriend, actress Elisha Cuthbert, is dating Calgary defensman Dion Phaneuf and had been romantically linked to Mike Komisarek of the Canadiens. Avery also dated model and actress Rachel Hunter, the girlfriend of Kings center Jarrett Stoll.