Sports Desk
College Football
Rodriguez, Michigan to pay West Virgina $4 million
Former West Virginia University football coach Rich Rodriguez and the University of Michigan have agreed to pay a $4 million buyout and settle a lawsuit that WVU filed after he broke his contract in December.
Rodriguez will pay $1.5 million in three annual payments beginning January 2010. The Wolverines athletic department, his new employer, will pay $2.5 million by the end of July and cover Rodriguez's legal fees, the University of Michigan said in a statement yesterday.
"To help Rich focus on the challenges ahead, we have worked with him to resolve the dispute between him and West Virginia University over the terms of his buyout," Michigan athletic director Bill Martin said. "Although he continues to disagree with the validity of the terms, Rich and the rest of us at Michigan felt that it would be best to get this distracting issue behind us."
Basektball
Brand Lands in Philadelphia
Elton Brand left behind all those power forward battles in the Western Conference for some new tough ones in the Atlantic Division.
Brand signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, the biggest move on the first day NBA deals could be completed. A power forward was the Sixers' biggest need in free agency, and they got perhaps the best one available.
"I'm prepared to do some big things this year," Brand said. "They were one of the best teams in the second half of the season last year. I've been following them for a while and I see myself fitting in on the court."
Teammate Corey Maggette was set to join him in leaving the Los Angeles Clippers for an offer with the Golden State Warriors — who had previously targeted Brand. At least the Clippers had some success in free agency, getting Baron Davis to head home from the Bay Area.
After years of matching up with the likes of Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki out West, Brand landed in an Atlantic Division that now features a Jermaine O'Neal-Chris Bosh tandem in Toronto, with Kevin Garnett already in Boston.
Baseball
Mets Place Armas Jr. on 15-day DL
The Mets placed right-hander Tony Armas Jr. on the 15-day disabled list yesterday with a strained abdominal muscle.
Armas' last game was Monday at Philadelphia, when he allowed three runs and three hits in 1.1 innings of relief. He is 1-0 with a 7.56 ERA in three games, including one start, with the Mets this season.
New York recalled right-hander Carlos Muniz from Triple-A New Orleans to take Armas' roster spot. Muniz is 0-1 with a 6.17 ERA in nine appearances for the Mets this year.
Mattingly to return as Dodgers hitting coach
Don Mattingly will resume his duties as Los Angeles Dodgers hitting coach after the All-Star break. Mattingly, hired as part of new manager Joe Torre's staff during the offseason, asked to be switched from hitting coach to major league special assignment coach, citing family reasons.
Mike Easler, who has filled in as hitting coach on an interim basis, will remain with the Dodgers organization in another capacity.
The 1985 AL MVP during a New York Yankees career that lasted from 1982-95, Mattingly had spent the past four seasons as a coach under Torre with the Yankees. After Torre left New York, Mattingly lost out to Joe Girardi for the club's managerial job and followed Torre to Los Angeles.
HockeyWitt Signs 2-year Extension with Islanders
The Islanders signed alternate captain Brendan Witt to a two-year contract extension worth $6 million through the 2010-11 season. In his two years with the Islanders, the hard-hitting defenseman played in 140 games with three goals and 18 assists. He often has been assigned the role of shutting down the opponent's top lines. Witt, who will earn $3 million next season, will be paid $3.5 million in 2009-10 and $2.5 million in the final year of the deal.
Originally drafted by Washington with the 11th overall pick in the 1993 NHL draft, Witt played 12 seasons in the NHL with Washington, Nashville and the Islanders.
