Boise State gains ground in AP Top 25

More AP Top 25 voters are buying into Boise State as the No. 1 team in the country.

Boise State gained seven first-place votes and closed in on No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Ohio State as the top three teams in the first regular season Associated Press football poll held their spots from the preseason.

The Broncos remained third after a thrilling 33-30 victory against Virginia Tech on Monday night, receiving eight first-place votes and 1,399 points from the media panel, 13 points behind the Buckeyes.

Ohio State received four first-place votes and 1,412 points.

Alabama had 47 first-place votes, down seven from the preseason poll, and 1,484 points in the rankings released yesterday.

TCU from the Mountain West Conference moved up two spots to No. 4, marking the first time since the Bowl Championship Series was implemented in 1998 that two teams from conferences without automatic BCS bids have been in the top five. Boise State is the defending Western Athletic Conference champion.

Texas remained No. 5 and received one first-place vote.

No. 8 Florida dropped four spots after a sloppy 34-12 victory against Miami (Ohio) and No. 10 Oklahoma fell three places after beating Utah State 31-24.

The rest of the top 10 is Nebraska at No. 6, followed by Oregon, which moved up four spots after beating New Mexico 72-0. Iowa is No. 9.

Pro football: Parcells hands control of Dolphins to GM Ireland

Bill Parcells is putting his protege in charge.

The Miami Dolphins' football czar has given control of the team to general manager Jeff Ireland but will retain a role as a daily consultant. The Dolphins announced the move in a three-sentence statement, five days before the start of the season.

The change was part of a long-range plan when the Parcells regime took over at the end of the 2007 season, the statement said.

"This was the intent of the structure put in place in the past," the Dolphins said. Ireland will assume full control over all aspects regarding the team and support staff.

The 69-year-old Parcells can leave Miami at any time and collect the balance of the $12 million due him under a four-year contract that expires after the 2011 season.

More pro football: Jets re-sign Richardson, sign three to practice squad

Tony Richardson is back paving the way for the New York Jets' running game.

The veteran fullback was re-signed two days after he was cut. Richardson practiced and will play in the season opener against Baltimore on Monday night at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

The Jets also made several other moves, including releasing wide receiver Patrick Turner, who was claimed off waivers from Miami on Sunday. The move leaves New York with three true wide receivers on the roster in Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith, along with running back Danny Woodhead, who has been used as a slot receiver in the past.

Santonio Holmes is suspended for the first four games of the season after violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Former CFL star Larry Taylor is the only other wide receiver the Jets have, but he's on their practice squad.

More pro football: Houshmandzadeh says move to Ravens 'refreshing'

T.J. Houshmandzadeh is embracing his change of scenery with the Baltimore Ravens after officially signing his one-year, $855,000 contract.

Cut by the Seattle Seahawks' new regime led by Pete Carroll one year after signing a five-year, $40 million contract, Houshmandzadeh has gone from a rebuilding franchise to a Super Bowl contender.

"It's refreshing, man, to go from the situation I was in and come here," Houshmandzadeh said. "It's hard to explain because you always want to be optimistic and I'm an optimistic person at times, but it's hard to be optimistic when you know what you're going against. I'm coming to play with guys that are similar to me emotionally, the way they play the game and how they love the game. That's where I need to be."

The Ravens signed the 2007 Pro Bowl selection after trading wide receiver Mark Clayton to the St. Louis Rams.

Houshmandzadeh, 32, is intent on proving that he has a lot more football left in him after catching 79 passes last season for 911 yards and three touchdowns.

Pro baseball: Rockies purchase contract of Payton

The Colorado Rockies have purchased the contract of Jay Payton from Triple-A Colorado Springs, bringing the veteran outfielder back to the majors for the first time since 2008.

The team also purchased the contract of catcher Paul Phillips and recalled right-hander Edgmer Escalona, along with designating reliever Taylor Buchholz for assignment.

All three players are available for the game last night against Cincinnati.

Pro basketball: Nets waive forward May

The New Jersey Nets have waived forward Sean May.

Nets general manager Billy King said that May suffered a stress fracture to his left foot during a workout last week. King said the team believes the four- to eight-week rehab period would not afford May a legitimate chance to make the roster.

May signed with the Nets on Aug. 9. The 6-foot-9, 266-pound May has averaged 6.9 points and 4.0 rebounds over 119 career games with Charlotte and Sacramento.

Pro hockey: Canadiens sign veteran center Halpern

The Montreal Canadiens have signed veteran center Jeff Halpern to a one-year contract for $600,000.

The 34-year-old Halpern joined his fifth NHL team.

Halpern split last season between Tampa Bay and Los Angeles. He had nine goals and 10 assists.

In 720 career games with Washington, Dallas, Tampa and Los Angeles, he has 131 goals.

College football: LSU, Oregon to play in 2011 Cowboys Classic

Oregon and LSU will play at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington in the opening weekend of the 2011 season.

The Sept. 3 prime-time matchup was announced three days after fourth-ranked TCU beat then-No. 24 Oregon State 30-21 in the 2010 Cowboys Classic at the $1.2 billion home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

Seventh-ranked Oregon and No. 19 LSU haven't played each other since 1977. LSU has won two of the previous three meetings in the series.

LSU defeated North Carolina 30-24 in its season opener last Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Oregon defeated New Mexico 72-0.

College: Embattled Kansas AD Perkins retires

Embattled Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins retired 12 months early yesterday, following a year of controversy and embarrassment for both himself and the school.

Perkins, 65, said in June that he would retire in September 2011. Instead, he and chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little announced he was leaving immediately and didn't make themselves available to reporters to explain why.

"There is no question that Kansas athletics has benefited from Lew Perkins' leadership," said Gray-Little. "One need only look at the academic success of our student-athletes, at KU's trophy cases and at our state-of-the art athletic facilities to see those benefits. I appreciate his service and understand his decision."

Pro soccer: MLS suspends Segares for additional game

Chicago Fire defender Gonzalo Segares' suspension has been doubled to two games by Major League Soccer.

Segares struck Los Angeles defender Leonardo during an off-the-ball incident in Saturday's 1-1 tie.

Segares was ejected, and MLS' disciplinary committee decided to double his penalty from an automatic one-game suspension and $250 fine. In addition to the suspension, he will be fined $500.

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