Sports briefs 10/19/04

Colleges

• Reggie McNeal of Texas A&M, Derrick Johnson of Texas and Colorado's Mason Crosby were named Big 12 players of the week on Monday.

McNeal threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns and ran 98 yards for two more scores in Texas A&M's 36-20 win against then-No. 16 Oklahoma State. He now has 176 pass attempts without an interception. The Lufkin native's efforts also earned him the Walter Camp national offensive player of the week honors.

Johnson had 12 tackles, including nine unassisted and three for losses in the Longhorns 28-20 win over Missouri. He also had four quarterback pressures and moved into second place on Texas' career tackles for a loss chart with 56 and fourth place on the school's career tackles list with 404.

Crosby had four field goals, including one for 60 yards in Colorado's 19-14 win over Iowa State. His field goal was the longest in NCAA Division I-A this season and the third longest in Big 12 history. His other field goals were from 28, 54 and 33 yards. The performance made him the first Colorado player to hit two field goals from 50 or more yards in a game.

Football

• Rich Gannon will not return to the field for the Oakland Raiders this season because of a broken vertebra in his neck.

The quarterback, who turns 39 in December, saw four of the country's top neck and spine specialists over the past couple of weeks and was told he shouldn't try to play again this year. Gannon, the 2002 NFL MVP, didn't rule out a return next season.

• Retired running back Ricky Williams is scheduled to meet Thursday with the NFL to seek permission to immediately rejoin the Miami Dolphins, despite his multiple violations of the league's substance abuse program.

William David Cornwell, an attorney representing Williams, and the NFL Players Association will also attend the meeting in California.

Miscellaneous

• Annika Sorenstam, a six-time winner on the LPGA Tour this season, was named Sportswoman of the Year by the Women's Sports Foundation Monday at the Waldorf Astoria.

She joined Olympic beach volleyball gold medalists Misty May and Kerri Walsh, who were honored in the team category.

Motorsports

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. lost his appeal of a 25-point penalty and $10,000 fine for using a vulgarity during a postrace TV interview.

Instead of leading the Nextel Cup standings Monday by a point with five races to go, Earnhardt trails Kurt Busch by 24 points.

Tennis

• Fashion models replaced traditional ball boys in the biggest surprise Monday at the Madrid Masters, where expected winners included Albert Costa, Alex Corretja and Luis Horna.

Women in black tank tops and white, knee-length skirts chased errant shots during Costa's 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 victory over Irakli Labadze. Reportedly paid $1,100 for the week, the women were greeted by cheers and whistles at the Madrid Rockodrome indoor court.

The women are appearing in one televised match each day during the tournament.

"They did it very well. I didn't notice any difference," Costa said. "It's entertaining, and I like the idea that the tournament should do this."

-- From wire reports