in brief

college football

South Beach party dominates talk during SEC media days

A party on Miami's South Beach and sports agents were again hot topics at the Southeastern Conference media days, with South Carolina and Georgia taking center stage Thursday.

Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier said tight end Weslye Saunders told him he did nothing wrong during his trip to South Beach; Georgia receiver A.J. Green insisted he's never even been to Miami.

The May party has been the subject of probes by the NCAA and several schools, including defending national champion Alabama and North Carolina.

Saunders "went with several players on a trip to Miami," Spurrier said. "I guess the question is, who paid for it? Who paid for what they did while they were there? When the investigation is finished, I guess we'll find out about all the guys. ... We'll let it play out."

Green, Georgia coach Mark Richt and the other players were under NCAA orders not to comment on the investigation, which was disclosed Wednesday evening.

Green, the Bulldogs' star receiver, told reporters at the media gathering that he hadn't been to Miami -- ever.

Also: North Carolina coach Butch Davis says an NCAA probe into potential rule violations in his football program came "out of left field."

Davis said the school is cooperating with the NCAA and that his program follows its rules.

A person familiar with the investigation said the NCAA is looking into whether two seniors received improper benefits from agents. Defensive tackle Marvin Austin and receiver Greg Little are the focus of the probe.

Brigham Young assistant football coach Barry Lamb is retiring after 16 seasons.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall said graduate assistant Nick Howell will replace Lamb.

Lamb coached BYU's outside linebackers and also coached at six other schools in his 33-year career.

Miami and Notre Dame have agreed to renew a football rivalry that helped decide several national championships in the 1980s.

The Hurricanes and Fighting Irish will play Oct. 6, 2012, at Soldier Field in Chicago, then play a home-and-home starting in 2016 at South Bend, Ind. They will play in Miami the next season.

HORSE RACING

Del Mar halts training after synthetic surface separates

Del Mar closed its track during training hours after it was found that materials in the synthetic surface had separated, causing inconsistencies in the surface.

The eight-race card went on as scheduled later Thursday after a rototilling procedure was performed on the Polytrack surface.

Del Mar's 37-day meet in California began Wednesday and ends Sept. 8.

Also: Undefeated Zenyatta ran six
furlongs in 1:12.40 at Hollywood Park in preparation for her next start, set for next month at Del Mar.

Trainer John Shirreffs said he was happy with the workout at her home track.

The mare, 17-0 in her career, is expected to make her next start in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes on Aug. 7.

Miscellaneous

Father of ex-BYU, NBA center
Bradley dies after fall off roof

The father of former Brigham Young and NBA center Shawn Bradley died after falling off his roof in central Utah.

The Emery County sheriff's office said Reiner Bradley, 61, fell about 15 feet while caulking a rain gutter Wednesday at his home north of Castle Dale, Utah.

Shawn Bradley said doctors said his father lost consciousness because of a heart attack, then fell off the roof.

Also: Liberty High School girls basketball player Amanda Delgado gave an oral commitment to Oregon.

Delgado will be a senior guard for the Patriots next season.

She led Liberty to a breakthrough season last year, averaging 17.6 points on her way to second-team all-state honors, as the Patriots went 25-5 and won the first Sunrise Region title in team history.

Delgado joins Centennial guard Courtney Hayes (Louisiana Tech) as local seniors-to-be who have committed to Division I programs.

Thierry Henry got off to a fast start with the New York Red Bulls, scoring midway through the first half during a 2-1 exhibition soccer loss over old rival Tottenham at Harrison, N.J.

Henry, a 32-year-old French forward, is the highest-profile player to join MLS since David Beckham signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy three years ago. A former World Cup and European champion with France, Henry decided to move to New York.

Jennie Finch hit a two-run homer in her first at-bat after announcing she'll retire from softball, leading the United States to a 9-0 win over Canada in the first game of the World Cup of Softball at Oklahoma City.