In Brief

FOOTBALL

Broncos opt to part ways with embattled cornerback Cox

The Denver Broncos waived Perrish Cox on Saturday, cutting ties with the cornerback who is facing a sexual assault trial later this year.

His agent, Jordan Woy, tweeted that "any teams looking for a good, young CB should jump. Good starts under his belt."

Cox started nine times as a rookie last year and was the backup to right cornerback Andre Goodman this summer, but he played poorly in the final preseason game Thursday at Arizona.

Despite struggling early in camp covering the slot receiver, Cox came on strong over the last couple of weeks, and his roster spot seemed secure after second-year cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon on Thursday night.

Cox faces one count of sexual assault against a victim who was physically helpless and one count of sexual assault against a victim who was incapable of determining the nature of the conduct. He has pleaded not guilty and is free on $50,000 bail.

Also: Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson was released from an Austin, Texas, jail after serving five days of a 20-day sentence for misdemeanor assault.

Benson's attorney Sam Bassett said the 28-year-old player earned time off his sentence by doing work mopping floors and helping paint crews. State law also allows inmates to begin earning time off as soon as they enter jail.

Benson pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor assault charges on Monday. He was arrested in 2010 for punching a bar employee. He was arrested again in July for punching a former roommate.

The NFL suspended Tennessee Titans fullback Ahmard Hall and Cincinnati Bengals right guard Bobbie Williams for the first four games without pay for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Hall signed a one-year contract to return to the Titans for his sixth season. He is a key blocker for three-time Pro Bowl running back Chris Johnson.

Williams is a 12-year veteran who has started all 16 games each of the last four seasons for Cincinnati.

The brother of former NFL defensive end Lee Roy Selmon said the Pro Football Hall of Famer is showing signs of improvement after being hospitalized in Tampa, Fla., following a stroke.

Dewey Selmon confirmed to the Tampa Tribune the reason for the hospitalization of the 57-year-old former player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said he is willing to listen if Oklahoma or anyone else wants to join his conference.

Speaking before No. 3 Oregon played No. 4 Louisiana State at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Scott acknowledged that "schools have reached out to us."

He said the courtship is different from last year, when the league was looking for expansion candidates. He repeated that the conference was not doing anything to seek new members.

He added he had to listen to pitches from interested schools "to evaluate what might be in the best interest of our members."

Former Kansas coach Don Fambrough died of injuries sustained in a fall at his home in Lawrence, Kan. He was 88.

Fambrough was coach from 1971-74 and again from 1979-82. His overall record was 37-48-6.

MISCELLANEOUS

Federer says it's 'hard to watch' his struggling friend Woods

Roger Federer said "it's been hard to watch" his pal Tiger Woods struggle lately.

"It's hard to follow, because you know what an athlete wants to do. He wants to be out there and compete, and that's what he's not able to do with his injuries right now," Federer said after a third-round win at the U.S. Open.

Federer said he and Woods chatted briefly on the phone earlier this week.

The two used to take part in a friendly competition over who would reach the Grand Slam record in their sport first. Federer tied Pete Sampras' mark of 14 at the French Open in 2009 and broke it two months later at Wimbledon. He's now at 16.

Woods, meanwhile, remains stuck on 14 -- four short of Jack Nicklaus -- without a major victory since the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

"He's done so much in such a short period of time, and for such a long time, actually, which is where I also draw the inspiration from," Federer said. "To see those great athletes do it for a very long time, I've been able to do something similar in that regard."

Also: Havre de Grace held off a late bid by Flat Out and defeated males in her first attempt in the $750,000 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Ramon Dominguez was aboard the 4-year-old filly, the second female to win the Woodward in three years. Rachel Alexandra, a 3-year-old, defeated older males in the race two years ago en route to being voted Horse of the Year. The Larry Jones-trained Havre de Grace ran 1 1/8 miles in 1 minute, 49.18 seconds, taking the lead with three-sixteenths of a mile left and finishing 1¼ lengths clear.

Havre de Grace, now winner of four races in five starts this season and the nation's second-ranked older female behind her rival, Blind Luck, earned $450,000 for Fox Hill Farm. She paid $6.50, $3.50 and $2.10.

Weemissfrankie rallied to claim the $250,000 Del Mar Debutante by 1¼ lengths at Del Mar, Calif.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Weemissfrankie ran seven furlongs on the synthetic Polytrack surface in 1:23.20 and paid $6.80, $4.40 and $3 as the 2-1 favorite.

Sprinter Usain Bolt finally won gold at the world track and field championships in Daegu, South Korea, running the fourth-fastest 200 meters in history to back up his showmanship with a stunning performance.

Bolt was slowest out of the blocks coming off his disqualification for a false start in the 100-meter final a week ago that he blamed on "anxiety," but he drove through the bend and powered to the line in 19.40 seconds, just 0.21 seconds off the world record he set to win his first world title two years ago.