Sports briefs 12/7/04

Baseball

• Denny Neagle's second run-in with the law in a little more than a year cost him his job with the Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies terminated the oft-injured pitcher's contract Monday, three days after he was cited for solicitation.

The 36-year-old left-hander, who agreed to a $51 million, five-year contract in December 2000, is owed $19 million by the Rockies: $10 million in 2005 and a $9 million buyout of a $12.5 million team option for 2006.

He last pitched on July 20, 2003, and in the past 14 months has had elbow ligament and shoulder surgery. Neagle has a 124-92 career record with a 4.24 ERA over 11 seasons. As many pitchers do, Neagle struggled with the Rockies, going 19-23 with a 5.57 over the two-plus seasons he was healthy.

Basketball

• NBA Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy was acquitted Monday of charges he sexually abused five of his 10 daughters more than a decade ago.

Murphy shook hands with his attorney and wiped away tears after the verdict was read.

Murphy, 56, had long denied the allegations, saying they were based on resentment and a dispute over money.

Murphy was a Houston Rockets guard from 1970-83 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. His daughters said the abuse occurred between 1988 and 1991.

Colleges

• Henry Bibby was fired as Southern California's basketball coach Monday, just four games into his ninth season.

The Trojans, beset by some player dissension, are 2-2. Assistant Jim Saia was appointed interim coach for the rest of the season.

Bibby had an overall record of 131-111. His 1997, 2001 and 2002 teams made it to the NCAA tournament, including a final eight appearance in 2001. Bibby is a former NBA player and the father of Sacramento Kings guard Mike Bibby.

Calling UNLV "a gold mine," Mike Sanford took over as coach of the Rebels on Monday after two years as offensive coordinator at high-scoring Utah.

In becoming a head coach for the first time, Sanford replaces retiring coach John Robinson.

In his two seasons at Utah, the Utes went 21-2, including 11-0 this year and a No. 5 ranking in the AP poll. Utah also became the first non-BCS team to earn a berth in a BCS game, against Big East representative Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl.

Utah's offense ranks third nationally in scoring at 46.3 points per game and total offense at 502.7 yards per game.

Football

• Oakland Raiders wide receiver Ronald Curry tore his left Achilles' tendon and is done for the season.

The receiver was hurt during Sunday's 34-27 loss to Kansas City and will have surgery soon, Raiders coach Norv Turner said Monday. The team hopes to have Curry back at full strength by training camp after what's expected to be six months of rehabilitation.

The 25-year-old Curry has a team-high 50 catches and six touchdowns receiving. Curry was having a career game when he took a hard hit from Chiefs safety Willie Pile on a 22-yard catch with 5:46 left in the fourth quarter. Curry had nine catches for a career-high 141 yards, a Raiders season high, and two touchdowns.

• Tennessee Titans cornerback Samari Rolle had surgery on his left knee Monday and will be out two to four weeks.

The Titans also lost linebacker Rocky Calmus for the season with a strained left hamstring.

Rolle tried to play through pain in his knee, which forced him out of an 18-15 victory at Jacksonville on Nov. 21. He also played in the loss at Houston on Nov. 28, but was sidelined for Sunday's loss to Indianapolis.

Coach Jeff Fisher said there was a chance Rolle could return before the season ends Jan. 2 against Detroit.