Chief Illiniwek mascot to be retired

The University of Illinois will retire its 81-year-old American Indian mascot, Chief Illiniwek, following the last men's home basketball game of the season Wednesday.

In 2005, the NCAA deemed the buckskin-clad Illiniwek an offensive use of American Indian imagery and barred the university from hosting postseason events.

American Indian groups and others complained for years that the mascot, used since 1926, is demeaning. Supporters of the mascot say it honors the contributions of American Indians to Illinois.

Illinois still will be able to use the name Illini because it's short for Illinois, and the school can use the term Fighting Illini, because it's considered a reference to the team's competitive spirit, school officials said.

OUT FOR SEASON Illinois basketball player Jamar Smith will miss the rest of the season after being injured in a traffic accident.

Smith, a sophomore guard averaging 8.1 points, was driving a 1996 Lexus on Monday night when it struck a tree in heavy snow.

COACH'S SON ARRESTED The son of Missouri men's basketball coach Mike Anderson has been suspended indefinitely following an early morning DUI arrest Friday in Columbia, Mo.

Michael Anderson Jr., a reserve guard who has played in only 10 games this season, was arrested by campus police as he drove alone near Mizzou Arena.

BROYLES LEAVING? Longtime Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles, 82, is expected to announce his retirement sometime this weekend, the Associated Press said.

SCHIANO EXTENSION Rutgers gave football coach Greg Schiano a four-year extension, the second time in less than two years that the school extended his contract.

Schiano, who received a seven-year extension to 2012 in December 2005, is signed through 2016. His total compensation package will rise from about $1 million to $1.5 million per year.

BOUND FOR STILLWATER Tim Beckman left BCS runner-up Ohio State to become the new defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State.

Beckman spent the past two seasons as cornerbacks coach with the Buckeyes.

THE WAY TO WEST POINT Portland State football coach Tim Walsh announced he has accepted the offensive coordinator's job at Army under new Black Knights coach Stan Brock, a former University of Colorado athlete.

PIPPEN SEEKS COMEBACK Former Chicago Bulls forward Scottie Pippen is tired of retirement. He wants to return to the NBA for a chance to win his seventh championship ring.

The 41-year-old announced he's hoping for a late-season return to a contending team - preferably in a warm-weather city - nearly 2 1/2 years after he left the league.

ALLEGATIONS ESCALATE Jason Kidd's estranged wife has charged that the New Jersey Nets guard physically abused her and cheated on her throughout their 10-year marriage.

In responding to divorce papers Jason Kidd filed last month, Joumana Kidd asserted that her husband's "numerous liaisons and perpetual physical and emotional abuse" led to the breakdown of their marriage. Jason Kidd's lawyer said the "bizarre allegations will be proven false."

ARBITRATION SOUGHT Sprinter Justin Gatlin has asked for an arbitration hearing on doping charges against him, hoping to reduce his potential eight-year ban from track and field.

Gatlin, the 100-meter gold medalist at the Athens Olympics, tested positive for testosterone and other steroids in April at the Kansas Relays. He shares the 100-meter world record of 9.77 seconds, though that mark would be erased if his doping penalty becomes official.

DIAMOND RUN Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo and Kim Clijsters advanced to the semifinals of the Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium.

Mauresmo closed in on the $1.3 million, diamond-studded racket trophy with a 6-1, 6-3 win against Dinara Safina, and Clijsters routed Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-1 in her final home tournament.

"I was hoping it would not be the last time," said Clijsters, who plans to retire at the end of the season. "I'm so happy I can continue."

FISH FAILS Ivo Karlovic used his big serve to knock another seeded American out of the SAP Open in San Jose, Calif., recording 17 aces to beat fifth-seeded Mardy Fish 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

COPA DRAW The United States will play Argentina, Paraguay and Colombia in the first round of this summer's Copa America soccer tournament.

The Americans are in Group C and open June 28 against Argentina in Maracaibo, Venezuela. The United States plays Paraguay on July 2 in Barinas, Venezuela, and Colombia on July 5 in Barquisimeto, Venezuela.

"Quite obviously, we have been put in a very competitive group," U.S. interim coach Bob Bradley said.

JOCKEYS SUSPENDED Four British jockeys were suspended for up to three years after being found guilty of involvement in a betting scam.

Robbie Fitzpatrick and Luke Fletcher received three-year suspensions and Fran Ferris got a two-year suspension from Britain's Horseracing Regulatory Authority.

QUEEN'S ARRIVAL Queen Elizabeth II might attend the Kentucky Derby. The U.S. Secret Service is preparing for a "probable" visit from the queen around the first weekend in May.

"Our expectation is that the queen will be in the commonwealth," Special Agent Paul Johnson said.

LAMPLEY CHARGED Sports announcer Jim Lampley was charged with violating a temporary restraining order filed by Candice Sanders, 28, a former beauty queen.

The 57-year-old Lampley faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted of the misdemeanor charge, the San Diego District Attorney's Office said.

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