SEATTLE - Rick Neuheisel still is Washington's football coach - at least until Monday.
University officials met all day Friday, but no decision was announced on whether to discipline or fire Neuheisel for taking part in college basketball betting pools.
"There will be no formal statement or press conference today or over the weekend regarding the university's examination of potential NCAA rules violations with head football coach Rick Neuheisel," the university said in a statement.
Neuheisel, in his fourth year at Washington, could lose his job as early as Monday. Any form of gambling by a college coach on college sports is prohibited by the NCAA and can be considered a major violation. Neuheisel, 42, admitted he participated in basketball pools the past two years.
NCAA president Myles Brand told the Associated Press he could not comment specifically on the Neuheisel case because Neuheisel was under investigation by the NCAA and the Pac-10.
"But I can comment on issues of gambling by a coach that involve young people," Brand said. "I feel that it's totally unacceptable behavior. It's wrong and should be dealt with severely."
NIX TRANSPLANT: Former Southern Mississippi tailback Derrick Nix had successful kidney transplant surgery in Birmingham, Ala. Nix received a kidney from his oldest brother, Marcus. The former NFL prospect will not play football again. Nix, who had been on dialysis since December, had focal segmental sclerosis, which prevents the kidneys from properly filtering waste from the blood.
NORTHWESTERN: The university wants the family of Rashidi Wheeler, who died during a 2001 football workout, to hand over items taken from his locker after his death. The school filed a motion in Cook County (Ill.) Circuit Court. Wheeler collapsed and died Aug.3, 2001, after a conditioning drill. His parents sued, claiming school officials did not give their son proper medical treatment. Northwestern said supplements containing ephedra caused his death. The school cites affidavits from two of Wheeler's teammates that they saw a can of either Ultimate Orange or Ultimate Punch supplements in his locker the day of the drill.
SOUTH FLORIDA: The Bulls were picked to finish third in Conference USA by the league's sports information directors. USF, entering its first football season in C-USA, was 9-2 as an independent in 2002, 4-0 against C-USA teams. USF is entering its seventh season of football, third in Division I-A. TCU, the 2002 league champion, was picked first with seven of 11 first-place votes and Southern Miss was second (two first-place votes). USF received one first-place vote. Cincinnati was fourth and Louisville fifth (one first-place vote), followed by Tulane, East Carolina, UAB, Memphis, Houston and Army.
BASKETBALL: Bob Burton, an assistant coach at Fresno State last season, was hired as men's coach at Cal State-Fullerton. ... Cincinnati center Rod Flowers will transfer to Tennessee State after he completes his undergraduate degree this summer. He will be eligible for the 2004-05 season.
BOXING: Johnson-Lewis bout called off
Kirk Johnson partially tore a chest muscle while training and will not fight heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis June21 at Staples Center. A possible replacement for Johnson is Vitali Klitschko, Lewis' mandatory WBC challenger, who was scheduled to fight unbeaten Cedric Boswell on the undercard. The bout may be rescheduled in August or September.
WBA BOUT: Former WBO bantamweight champ Mauricio Martinez stopped Francisco Tejedor in the third round to win the vacant Central Federation super-bantamweight title at Miccosukee Indian Gaming.
OLYMPICS: Havana bids for 2012 Games
Havana formally entered its bid to host the 2012 Games. Mayor Juan Continou said Cuba's strong international sports program makes it worthy of hosting the showcase event. The last major sports event staged by Cuba was the 1991 Pan American Games. Cash-strapped communist Cuba traditionally has opposed the commercialization of sports. Cuba would be a long shot in a strong field of bidders, including New York, Moscow, London and Paris.
TV RIGHTS: NBC, which broadcast all except three Olympics since the Seoul Games in 1988, won the rights to the 2010 and 2012 Games for a record $2.2-billion.
ET CETERA
CYCLING: France's Fabrice Salanson, 23, found dead in his Dresden, Germany, hotel room Tuesday by a teammate, died of heart failure, doctors said. No drugs or banned substances were found in the body.
SOCCER: WUSA fined Atlanta forward Charmaine Hooper $200 and coach Tom Stone $250 for negative comments about officiating in a May 31 tie with San Diego.
