IN BRIEF

BASKETBALL

Hornets fire Scott as coach, turn team over to GM Bower

The New Orleans Hornets have fired coach Byron Scott and named general manager Jeff Bower as his replacement.

In a statement released Thursday owner George Shinn said the move gives the Hornets the best opportunity "to reach our goals this season."

The Hornets also announced that former New Orleans head coach Tim Floyd, who Scott replaced, will be one of Bower's top assistants.

New Orleans lost 124-104 at Phoenix on Wednesday, falling to 3-6.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Three Vols freshmen charged with attempted armed robbery

Three freshmen Tennessee football players, including highly touted wide receiver recruit Nu'Keese Richardson and starting safety Janzen Jackson, were charged with attempted armed robbery.

Three victims told police they were sitting in their car early Thursday at a gas station near Tennessee's campus in Knoxville when two males dressed in hooded jackets, one brandishing a handgun, approached and said, "Give us everything you've got."

The three suspects were seen leaving in a Toyota Prius, and police pulled over a vehicle matching the description nearby. Police spotted a pellet gun and hooded jackets and later found drug paraphernalia and a bag of what appeared to be marijuana.

The victims identified Richardson and Volunteers defensive back Mike Edwards as the men who approached their vehicle.

Also: UNR will host California for the first time next season as the schools have reached agreement in principle on a three-game football series.

BASEBALL

Nationals appoint Riggleman full-fledged manager for 2010

Jim Riggleman waited a decade for another chance to be a full-fledged manager in the major leagues -- no interim tag attached. He finally earned that job with the Washington Nationals.

Riggleman replaced fired skipper Manny Acta in July on an interim basis. The Nationals were 26-61 (a .299 winning percentage) at the time and went 33-42 (.440) under Riggleman, finishing with a 59-103 record.

Also: George Steinbrenner returned to his office at the Yankees' spring training complex in Tampa, Fla., for the first time since New York won the World Series last week.

The 79-year-old owner met with family members and team officials looking back at the franchise's 27th title and discussing plans for the upcoming season.

Former Yankees closer John Wetteland checked into a Texas hospital after police departments from two towns came to his house in Denton amid alleged concerns that Wetteland might commit suicide.

But Wetteland, who served as the Seattle Mariners' bullpen coach in 2009, said he was back home later Thursday and had suffered only from an increased heart rate.

MISCELLANEOUS

Zenyatta relaxing at barn, awaiting date with stallion

Undefeated Zenyatta, who beat the boys in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic, is preparing for retirement and her future date with a stallion.

The 5-year-old mare is relaxing at the Hollywood Park barn of trainer John Shirreffs before owners Jerry and Ann Moss select a stallion to be bred to Zenyatta next year.

Shirreffs said Zenyatta's popularity has soared since capping her career with a 14th consecutive victory in the Breeders' Cup last weekend at Santa Anita.

Zenyatta will retire with career earnings of more than $5.4 million.

Also: Las Vegas 51s first baseman Randy Ruiz was selected to the Topps Triple-A All-Star Team.

Ruiz hit .320 with 25 home runs and led all of Triple A with 106 RBIs and 70 extra-base hits.

Sixth-seeded UNLV scored three goals in the first 30 minutes on its way to a 4-2 victory over No. 3 seed San Jose State in the first round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men's soccer tournament in Denver.

The Rebels improved to 8-6-4 and clinched their first winning season since 2002.

The U.S. Olympic Committee has turned to former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue to study how its oft-criticized board does business.

Tagliabue was chosen chairman of an independent committee that will look at the board to assess its size, structure and operating practices. Other committee members will be named later.

A young Cincinnati Bengals fan has been penalized for clipping.

Dustin Reader got the NFL team's stripes and "B" insignia cut into his hair as a tribute to the team's good season.

When he showed up to school in the southwest Ohio city of Hamilton on Monday, officials put the eighth-grader into in-school suspension.