In Brief

BASEBALL

Indians right-hander Carmona
arrested in false identity case

Fausto Carmona, the Cleveland Indians' Opening Day starter last season, was arrested Thursday in the Dominican Republic for allegedly using a false identity. Officials in his native country are contesting his real name and birth date.

A police spokesman said Carmona was arrested in Santo Domingo outside the U.S. consulate, where he had gone to renew his visa. Carmona had played winter ball in the Dominican as he prepared to report to the Indians' training camp in Goodyear, Ariz., next month. At this point, the right-hander's future with the club is uncertain.

The spokesman said Carmona's real name is apparently Roberto Hernandez Heredia and he's 31, three years older than he claimed. The Indians list Carmona's birthday as Dec. 7, 1983, in their 2011 media guide.

Carmona's agent said he was caught off-guard by the arrest and that Dominican lawyers are working on the player's behalf.

Carmona's arrest is the second involving a major leaguer in four months in a false identity case. Miami Marlins reliever Leo Nunez was arrested in September.

FOOTBALL

Moral turpitude cost Paterno
job, Penn State trustees say

Penn State trustees say they decided to oust football coach Joe Paterno in part because he didn't meet a moral obligation to do more to alert authorities about a child sex abuse allegation against a retired assistant coach.

Trustees also cited statements from Paterno in the days and hours leading to his dismissal Nov. 9 -- after nearly a half-century of leading the Nittany Lions -- that they felt challenged the Board of Trustees' authority. Board members saw that as inappropriate, particularly at a time of intense scrutiny over the case of former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

Sandusky was charged with dozens of child sex abuse counts four days before Paterno was pushed out. Paterno had testified before a state grand jury about a 2002 allegation against Sandusky that was passed on to him by graduate assistant Mike McQueary.

The trustees today will hold their first board meeting since November and the frantic week after criminal charges were filed against Sandusky.

Also: Former St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo was named defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. He was fired in January by the Rams after going 10-38 in three seasons.

A record 65 players, including Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III and runner-up Andrew Luck, have declared for the NFL Draft. The NFL released its official underclassmen list Thursday. Six players from the BCS national title game -- including Alabama tailback Trent Richardson and Louisiana State cornerback Morris Claiborne -- also are on the list.

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Jerome Simpson was indicted in Covington, Ky., for marijuana trafficking, leaving him subject to a jail sentence and punishment from the NFL. Simpson had been under investigation since September, when agents from California tracked a package shipped to his home in northern Kentucky. They said it contained 2 pounds of marijuana.

Terrell Owens, a six-time Pro Bowl receiver, accepted an offer to be a player and will have an ownership stake in the Allen (Texas) Wranglers of the Indoor Football League. Owens, 38, didn't get any NFL offers to play last season after having surgery on his left knee. The team opens its season Feb. 25.

MISCELLANEOUS

Toms, Villegas take one-shot
lead in Humana Challenge

David Toms and Camilo Villegas each shot 9-under-par 63 to share the first-round lead in the PGA Tour's Humana Challenge at La Quinta, Calif.

Ted Potter Jr., Sang-moon Bae, Brandt Snedeker and Bob Estes were one stroke behind in postcard-perfect weather on the pro-am tournament's three generous Palm Springs-area courses.

Villegas and Toms both played bogey-free at the erstwhile Bob Hope Classic, which has dropped one day of its traditional five-round format this year.

Also: Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium opened with a course-record 9-under 64 to take a four-stroke lead in the Volvo Golf Champions in George, South Africa.

The Oklahoma City Thunder signed All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook to a multiyear contract extension. Terms were not disclosed, but Yahoo! Sports reported the deal was worth $80 million for five years. Westbrook was set to become a restricted free agent after the season.

Johnny Weir said he is returning to competitive figure skating in hopes of competing at the Sochi Olympics in 2014. The three-time U.S. champion hasn't competed since finishing sixth at the Vancouver Olympics, spending the past two years doing ice shows, a reality TV show and making personal appearances.