HOCKEY

DEVILS PLACE MOGILNY ON WAIVERS Alexander Mogilny was placed on waivers by the Devils yesterday, a day after the return of Patrik Elias. Elias was back in the lineup Tuesday night against Florida after missing several months with hepatitis.With Mogilny on the bench, Elias took his place and assisted on one of Brian Gionta’s two goals in the 3-0 victory. After the game, coach Lou Lamoriello would only say that Mogilny was a healthy scratch. Yesterday, he said the move was “strictly a personnel decision.”

Mogilny, who scored 43 goals for the Devils’ Stanley Cup-winning team in 2000, was re-signed for a reported $7 million over two years in August after playing three seasons with Toronto. The forward was third on the Devils in scoring this season with 12 goals and 13 assists in 34 games but had not scored in his last six games.

FOOTBALL

WILLIAMS, MERRIMAN NAMED TOP ROOKIES Carnell Williams, appropriately enough,ran away with the Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The Tampa Bay running back nicknamed “Cadillac” was the sleek, fast, and powerful model the Buccaneers needed to spark their offense. He rushed for 1,178 yards and six touchdowns, and was the catalyst in the Buccaneers’ turnaround from alsoran to NFC South champion.Williams recorded a team-record six 100-yard games.

Williams drew 47 votes yesterday from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. His running mate at Auburn, Ronnie Brown of the Dolphins, received one vote, as did tight end Heath Miller of Pittsburgh and offensive lineman Logan Mankins of New England.

Also yesterday, Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman received 28.5 votes to win the AP’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award, easily beat Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, who got 16.5. All the players receiving votes played linebacker in some form this season. Behind Merriman and Tatupu were Odell Thurman of Cincinnati with four votes and DaMarcus Ware of Dallas with one.

After being picked 12th in the draft out of Maryland, Merriman caused some concern when he hurt his knee in the final exhibition game and missed the season opener. But he came on strong from there, finishing with a team-high 10 sacks among his 54 tackles.

LEVY BROUGHT IN AFTER FRONT OFFICE SHAKE-UP IN BUFFALO Tom Donahoe was fired as Buffalo Bills president and general manager yesterday in a shakeup that could mark Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy’s return to the franchise in a management role. The move was announced by Bills owner Ralph Wilson a few days after he promised changes for an underachieving team that finished 5-11 and missed the playoffs for a sixth straight season.

Donahoe, the only executive to hold the president’s title in the franchise’s 46-year history, was dismissed after five seasons. Despite increasing the team’s ticket base, Donahoe’s ultimate failure was the team’s inability to win.The Bills went 31-49 during his tenure – the 31 wins tied with Cleveland for the third fewest in the NFL during that span. Buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs since 1999.

Levy could play a role in the restructured front office,Wilson said.Levy,who turns 81 this year, is the team’s winningest coach with a 112-70 record and led the Bills to four consecutive AFC titles in the early 1990s before retiring after the 1997 season.

BASEBALL

WHITE SOX SIGN MACKOWIAK The World Series champion Chicago White Sox agreed yesterday with Rob Mackowiak on a $5.3 million, two-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Mackowiak, who was eligible to become a free agent following the 2007 season, hit a career-best .272 with nine homers and 58 RBI in 142 games with the Pirates last year. The left-handed hitter and utility player made 50 starts at third base, 31 in center field, 17 at second base, 13 in right field, and one at first base.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

PITTSBURGH OUTLASTS NOTRE DAME IN DOUBLE OVERTIME Ronald Ramon hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 15 seconds left in the second overtime and no. 22 Pittsburgh withstood Chris Quinn’s 37 points and frantic Notre Dame comebacks at the end of regulation and the first overtime to rally for 100-97 win.

Aaron Gray scored a career-high 25 points,but it was freshman Sam Young who did much of unbeaten Pitt’s important scoring.He had only two points until late in the second half, but finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds as Pitt opened a season 12-0 for only the fifth time in its 100 years of basketball.

– Associated Press