Sports DIgest
YSU
Football
YOUNGSTOWN -- Senior center Ryan Jewell has been nominated for the Draddy Trophy, a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award. Nearly 150 candidates from all NCAA divisions and NAIA were nominated.
Jewell has a 3.36 grade-point average as a Mechanical Engineering major.
The Draddy Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership.
Tennis
YOUNGSTOWN -- Senior Gina Peretti will compete in the ITA Midwest Regional Tournament in East Lansing, Mich., beginning today.
She was selected to compete in both singles and doubles. Peretti will play with Nicole Haralambopoulos in doubles.
Champions will earn a spot in the ITA National Indoor Tournament in Columbus.
STEELHOUNDS
Games on web
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown SteelHounds and All In Broadcasting have teamed up to provide all 64 games via the Internet.
This agreement is in addition to the team's radio broadcast agreement with WBBW-AM (1240).
To order to access the 'Hounds on-line, log onto steelhounds.com and click the "Listen Live" link.
The season begins Friday at Memphis with an 8:05 p.m. faceoff.
LOCAL
Buckeyes on TV
COLUMBUS -- Saturday's Indiana-Ohio State football game will be televised live on ESPNU and on tape-delay on cable channel ONN.
ONN telecasts are set for Saturday at 11 p.m. and Sunday at 8 p.m.
REGION
Browns stadiumthreatened
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Web site is claiming that Cleveland Browns Stadium and NFL stadiums in six other cities will be hit with radiological dirty bombs this weekend, but the government on Wednesday expressed doubts about the threat.
The warning, posted Oct. 12, was part of an ongoing Internet conversation titled "New Attack on America Be Afraid." It mentioned NFL stadiums in New York, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Oakland and Cleveland, where games are scheduled for this weekend.
The Homeland Security Department alerted authorities and stadium owners in those cities, as well as the NFL, of the Web message but said the threat was being viewed "with strong skepticism." Officials at the NCAA, which oversees college athletics, said they too had been notified.
Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said there was no intelligence that indicated such an attack was imminent.
NATION
Kurt Busch's crew chief suspended
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kurt Busch's crew chief was suspended for two races by NASCAR Wednesday for a violation following qualifying at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Roy McCauley also was fined 25,000, Busch was docked 50 driver points and car owner Roger Penske was docked 50 points for the infraction that occurred last week at the suburban Charlotte race track.
The right rear shock absorber on the No. 2 Dodge failed inspection after Busch qualified third. His time was thrown out and Busch started Saturday night's race at the back of the field.
In punishing the team, NASCAR said McCauley cannot participate in any events through Nov. 1, and will be on probation for the rest of the year. The points deduction drops Busch, the 2004 Nextel Cup champion, from 14th to 16th in the standings. He was not eligible to race for the title this season, his first driving for Penske.
Matt Gimbel will replace McCauley as interim crew chief this weekend at Martinsville Speedway, the Penske team said.
Penske officials said they will not appeal the penalty.
WORLD
WTA, ATP planning four joint events
ZURICH, Switzerland -- The WTA and ATP tours want to have four major joint tournaments beside the Grand Slams starting in 2009, the head of the women's tour said Wednesday.
For now, both tours come together at six stops outside the Grand Slams -- Sydney, Memphis, Indian Wells, Key Biscayne, New Haven, Tokyo -- but the tours want to showcase their talent better.
The purpose of showcasing four non-Slams is to create more big stages with the best of men's and women's tennis.
Key Biscayne in Florida, long considered the "fifth Grand Slam," was one certainty for 2009, as it offered equal prize money which will characterize all four events.
Vindicator staff/wire reports