REGION

REGION
Bengals QBhas surgery
CINCINNATI -- Bengals quarterback Akili Smith had surgery to fix a torn left hamstring, and the team expects him to be ready for training camp.
NATION
Gamecocks WRdoubtful for game
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Brian Scott, South Carolina's top receiver, strained his left knee Wednesday and is doubtful for the Outback Bowl against Ohio State on Jan. 1.
Scott has 40 catches for 647 yards and four touchdowns and was selected the team's MVP this season.
"Brian Scott could be out and that would be a big loss," coach Lou Holtz said. "That would mean that not only would we be without our top defensive player (Kalimba Edwards), we could be out with our team's MVP."
Also on Wednesday, South Carolina hired Joker Phillips as an assistant coach. Phillips has 14 years of collegiate coaching experience, including nine seasons in the Southeastern Conference. He was Notre Dame's wide receiver coach this season.
Phillips will fill the opening left by running backs coach Buddy Pough, who was hired as South Carolina State's head coach this month. Phillips will become the wide receivers coach and current receiver coach Todd Fitch will take over the running backs.
New Yorkthinks big
NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees and Mets could make their biggest off-season acquisitions with the help of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani: a pair of new $800 million stadiums.
The cost of the proposed new ballparks, each with a retractable roof, would be divided evenly between the city and the two teams, Giuliani said. But it won't be the baseball-crazy mayor or the two franchises that have final word on the plan; that will belong to incoming mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Sierra signs
SEATTLE -- Free-agent outfielder Ruben Sierra signed a one-year, $1.9 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. The deal has $150,000 in performance bonuses.
Pitcher Selebecomes Angel
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Aaron Sele, one of baseball's winningest pitchers over the last four years and an All-Star with the Seattle Mariners last season, signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Anaheim Angels.
Deadline extended
SALT LAKE CITY -- Federal prosecutors have an extra month to challenge the dismissal of charges against former leaders of Salt Lake City's Olympic bid.
Justice Department attorneys had faced a Wednesday deadline to file an initial brief with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, but that deadline has been extended to Jan. 23.
Texans eyefree agents
HOUSTON -- General manager Charlie Casserly said the Houston Texans were talking to about 20 free agents ahead of Thursday's green light for the NFL expansion team to start signing players.
"We expect to sign some players over the next couple of days," Casserly told Houston TV station KRIV on Wednesday. "Our policy is going to be: Until the contract is signed, we are never going to announce it. We're not even going to say we've agreed to terms because until it's signed it's not signed."
A call to the Texans' offices was not returned immediately.
Former Jets defensive back Kevin Williams' agent, Jerome Stanley, told KRIV he expects a contract to be reached Thursday. Williams started 13 games for the Jets before he was cut in November 2000.
Joe Linta, the agent for former Packers fullback Matt Snider, said the player reached an agreement in principle with the Texans. Sniders played two years with Green Bay.
Gonzalez favorsNFL over NBA
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- All-pro tight end Tony Gonzalez insists he has no desire to give up football for an NBA career.
The Kansas City Chiefs star is, however, increasingly frustrated at an offensive system that has curtailed the production that's sent him to the Pro Bowl the past two seasons. And he does hope to get a 10-day tryout with an NBA team this winter.
"Football is my love. Football is what I'm going to do," Gonzalez, whose off-stated desire to play in the NBA has resurfaced in his contract year, said Wednesday.
The 6-foot-4-inch Gonzalez averaged 6.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in three seasons at the University of California.
"After my second year in the league, I tried out for the Portland Trail Blazers. I didn't make it, obviously," he said.
"It's just something I've tried to do and I'm going to try to do it this year. This is my last year of trying to do it, though. If I can't do it by now, then I'm not going to do it. But we'll see what happens at the end of the year."
WORLD
Oilers finedfor holiday practice
EDMONTON, Alberta -- The NHL fined the Edmonton Oilers an undisclosed amount Wednesday for holding a practice on Christmas.
The Oilers announced the fine during their 3-2 victory over Calgary. Practicing during the Christmas break is not allowed under the league's collective bargaining agreement.
Vindicator staff/wire reports