In Brief

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Former Texas Tech coach Leach
discusses firing in new book

Former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach on Tuesday offered up fresh details on what he says was happening behind the scenes around the time he was fired.

In excerpts from his book, "Swing Your Sword," Leach said emails "suggest" there was never a university investigation into allegations he mistreated a player, Adam James, with a concussion but rather "an effort to sell me down the river." He also claims a public relations firm, Spaeth Communications, was used by the university to "smear" Leach's name.

"They knew the facts weren't on their side so they used Spaeth to spread misinformation and try to turn public opinion," an excerpt reads.

The university fired Leach in December 2009 amid claims that he mistreated receiver Adam James, son of Craig James, an ESPN analyst. Leach has long denied that, and said he believes an $800,000 bonus he was due was the reason he was fired.

Leach sued the school for wrongful termination but a Texas appeals court allowed his trial to go forward for only nonmonetary damages.

Also: West Virginia dismissed linebacker Branko Busick from the team, less than 24 hours after he was charged with an armed robbery at a Morgantown apartment building.

Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen issued a statement saying Busick had been cut from the team for an undisclosed violation of team rules. He refused further comment.

A court official said Busick's father posted the amount with a property bond. Nick Busick is the former WWF wrestler Big Bully Busick.

Oklahoma linebacker Austin Box had five prescription painkillers and an anti-anxiety drug in his system when he died, the state Medical Examiner's office said.

The death of the 22-year-old Box on May 19 was ruled accidental.

Former Georgia tailback Caleb King said he's entering the NFL's supplemental draft.

King, who would have been a senior, was declared academically ineligible for the 2011 season on Friday.

King rushed for 430 yards with two touchdowns on 80 carries in 2010. He started in 10 of his 29 games at Georgia and rushed for 1,271 yards.

MISCELLANEOUS

Woods' 'celebrity' lifestyle
to be featured in comic book

Golfer Tiger Woods is the latest celebrity and athlete to get his own unauthorized biography in a comic book.

Publisher Bluewater Productions Inc. said it will release its one-shot issue "Fame: Tiger Woods" today in book stores, comic book shops and online, as it expands its already burgeoning line of biography comics that have profiled people from politics to music to film.

Those profiled so far include first lady Michelle Obama, singer Lady Gaga, Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Written by C.W. Cooke and illustrated by Marcelo Salaza, the 32-page issue is part of the Vancouver, Wash.-based company's look at how celebrities rise from obscurity to notoriety and deal with life in the public eye.

Also: Unbeaten Ultimate Fighting Championship prospect Phil Davis suffered a knee injury during training and will be unable to fight former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans.

The bout was supposed to headline UFC 133 in Philadelphia on Aug. 6.

Late Tuesday, the organization had yet to confirm a new opponent, if any, for Evans, though the leading candidate appears to be Lyoto Machida, a former champion who is the only fighter to defeat Evans.

The Evian Masters in France will be the fifth major on the LPGA Tour, Golfweek magazine reported.

The Evian Masters, held in the south of France in July, offers prize money of $3.5 million. That's equal to the U.S. Women's Open as the top purse on the LPGA Tour.

Four UNLV women's golfers were named 2010-11 All-American Scholar recipients by the National Golf Coaches Association.

Seniors Alejandra Guacaneme (journalism) and Therese Koelbaek (management), junior Bethany Glassford (photography) and freshman Katerina Prorokova (undeclared) were honored for GPAs of 3.5 or above.

Britain is planning for the terror threat to be "severe" during the 2012 London Olympics despite the level being downgraded by the government.

The new alert level means that the risk of an attack is considered a "strong possibility" and could occur "without further warning."

Rookie goalkeeper David Bingham scored from more than 90 yards out in his professional debut as the San Jose Earthquakes beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 in an exhibition match at Santa Clara, Calif.

North Korea wants to co-host the 2018 Winter Olympics with South Korea.

Yonhap news agency reported today that North Korean International Olympic Committee expressed hope for the divided Koreas to hold the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics together.