Sanchez won't be punished - LA Daily News
USC quarterback Mark Sanchez will not face any punishment from the university's student-affairs office for underage drinking or using a fake identification to enter an off-campus bar.

The district attorney decided not to file charges against Sanchez last week after he was arrested for suspicion of sexual assault, but the possibility of university punishment existed because Sanchez, 19, used a fake ID and was drinking the night of the incident.

But student affairs decided it would not investigate the matter, which officially closes the case from a university standpoint...

Powell hurdles to record - Long Beach Press-Telegram
Virginia Powell is finally out of Gail Devers' shadow in the 100-meter hurdles. The USC senior clocked a collegiate-record 12.55 seconds in the 100-meter hurdle semifinals in the NCAA Track & Field Championships at Sacramento State on Wednesday night to crush the record of 12.61 that she had shared with Devers for the last year.

The 2006 world leading mark finally gave Powell sole ownership of the record first set in 1988 by Devers...

..."They won't even say that I share it with her," Powell said. "They always say Gail Devers' record. I think that I have to break it to have my name on it."...

Also, USC's Powell sets mark in hurdles qualifying - SF Chron
Powell breaks hurdle record - Sac Bee

Mike Williams was disciplined for tardiness - Ann Arbor News
The reason Detroit Lions wide receiver Mike Williams was sent home early from last week's mandatory minicamp was because he missed a treatment for his sore hamstring and then was late to a meeting.

Lions president Matt Millen was responsible for sending Williams home last Thursday morning.

Williams missed the final two days of the three-day minicamp, but was back at the off-season workouts on Monday.

"Yes, he was here practicing (Wednesday). He was here Monday," Lions head coach Rod Marinelli said...

Also, Mike Williams returns to Lions - Detroit News
[Schefter] Lions' Williams, Jags' Jones on opposite routes - NFL News

Lewis confident Palmer will be ready for opener - Dayton Daily News
...Marvin Lewis finally said Wednesday what Bengals fans have longed to hear. Asked if he believes quarterback Carson Palmer will be ready for the Sept. 10 season opener at Kansas City, Lewis said, "I do."...

..."Carson will be able to participate, somewhat limited still, but he continues to be coming along very, very well," Lewis said...

..."He's hungry to let us take the gloves off and go full-bore, but that's not really at that point yet. He's not experiencing the side effects and the things that come from the activity. What I'm saying is he continues to progress very, very well."...

Also, No team drills yet for Palmer - Cincy Post

First-team action - Easton Express-Times
...While tackle Winston Justice, a second-round draft pick in April, still is a long way from a permanent starting assignment, he has been getting work with the first team on the left side in this camp.

At the very least, it means the coaches are hoping he will be able to step in and replace William (formerly Tra) Thomas if the veteran starter succumbs to any of the ailments that have plagued him over the last few years.

If Justice can make the adjustments required for this offense, he could be playing right away, at least as a backup...

Kirtman battles back - Seattle Times
...David Kirtman, the former USC player from Mercer Island, is back in practice after missing almost all of the rookie minicamp last month with a pulled hamstring.

The injury ruined Kirtman's chance to make a good first impression...

...Kirtman, the team's fifth-round pick in April, said he was miserable having to stand on the field and watch practice for the next two days after his injury.

"I missed three practices my whole college career," he said.

Rough at home, but not impossible - Daily Barometer
...After games at Washington and Arizona, the Beavers will face the vaunted USC Trojans on the Corvallis turf.

Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and LenDale White are playing on Sundays, but it’s USC. They don’t rebuild, they reload...

...The running game will not be nearly what it has been the past few years when it boasted ‘Thunder and Lightning,’ but it’s going to be solid simply because of the athletes USC will plug in.

OSU’s best shot is to get on the board early and run the ball. Forcing USC to become one-dimensional and throw the ball in an attempt to come back would give OSU the chance to pull off a big upset...

Pruitt sidelined by academics - LA Daily News
USC junior Gabe Pruitt, expected to be the point guard next season following the death of Ryan Francis, will be academically ineligible for the fall semester and miss at least a third of the Trojans' games.

Pruitt failed a class in the spring semester, according to sources, and could not get the grade changed. He is attending summer school but that will not improve his eligibility for the fall.

Perhaps more ominously, it is not the only academic issue facing the basketball team this summer.

Senior guard Lodrick Stewart must pass two summer classes to be eligible and incoming forward Taj Gibson is not registered with the NCAA Clearinghouse...

[Boivin] Cards QBs show they're not content - Arizona Republic
...Navarre hopes to hold off Leinart for the backup job. Leinart wants to prove the future is sooner than anyone thinks. And Warner, burned by other organization's half-truths, wants to believe he is the man this season, as coach Dennis Green often says...

...Leinart, in his short time here, looks sharp. He has more zip to his ball than he is given credit for. He is making smart decisions and reacts like a battle-tested veteran, a credit to the high level of play at Southern California...

USC Golfer Receives Honda Award - CyberGolf
Irene Cho, a University of Southern California senior, has been chosen the nation's top collegiate female golfer for 2006...

...The Honda Award is given annually to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports...Other golf finalists included her USC teammate, Dewi-Claire Schreefel...

...Cho, ranked No. 2 collegiate female golfer by Golfweek, was named the 2006 Pac-10 "Player of the Year."...

...An honors graduate of Sunny Hills High in Fullerton, Calif., Cho holds USC's career record (12) and season record (8) for rounds in the 60s. In 2006, she set school records for lowest stroke average in a season (72.06), lowest round (64) and lowest 54-hole score (203)...

Triumph over tragedy - LA Daily News
...Fourteen months after he was struck by a hammer he threw, shattering multiple bones beneath his right eye, the USC thrower is performing better than ever. He's back at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships beginning today in Sacramento.

"I worked hard before, but I'd say this year is the hardest I've ever worked for anything in my life," Bryant said. "Some of it is that I feel lucky that I didn't die. I'm a little more motivated to do everything right."...

[Klima] Even baseball's 'sure things' are gambles - Daily Breeze
...Prior had everything and the scouts were unanimous. In a dirty business of bluffing and deception that would make Hamlet cry, it was virtually impossible to find someone who had a bad word to say about Prior.

He had the pitcher’s frame, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound build with calves that looked like he had stuffed bricks in his sanitary socks. He had not one power pitch, but two – a fastball he could nail a shot glass with and a curveball that was like hitting a baseball dropped from a blimp. His command was leagues above ordinary college pitchers. His mechanics, work ethic, intellect, competitiveness, and approach all scored so highly that, for the team that drafted Prior, it would be as simple as walking to the grocery store, picking him off the shelf, dropping him in the cart, and pushing him to the big leagues...

...Five years later, Prior's career hasn’t gone as expected...

USC's Kennedy is Yankees' top pick - Official Yankees Website
Randy Johnson came out of the University of Southern California and went on to have a brilliant career in the Majors, capturing seven Cy Young Awards.

Tuesday, the Yankees added another pitcher from USC, selecting right-hander Ian Kennedy with the 21st overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft...

..."We're happy to have him," said Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees' senior vice president & director of scouting. "He's a quality college pitcher, he's had a lot of success in college and for Team USA."...

Also, Big day for Trojans - LA Daily News
Yankees select RHP Kennedy - NY Newsday
First-round picks in capsule form - USA Today

Saints Add Three Veterans Before Minicamp - New Orleans Pro-Football
...TE Billy Miller, 29, 6'3, 254 pounds: Pass receiving product of USC is a former Bronco, Texan and Brown. In his first two seasons with the Texans, Miller flourished as a starter, collecting 91 passes for 968 yards and six touchdowns. But Miller's inconsistency, lack of blocking proficiency and questionable attitude doomed this talented pass-catcher at each of his pro teams. Miller has a shot to compete for serious playing time considering his experience and the Saints' uncertainly at the position...

Sanchez Says He's Been Reinstated by University - LA Times
USC quarterback Mark Sanchez said Monday that he had been reinstated by the university and was pleased and relieved to rejoin teammates for workouts as they prepared for the upcoming season...

..."I just wanted to get him back into the fold and try to get things back to normal," Carroll said.

Carroll has said Sanchez, 19, could face team-related discipline for underage drinking and using a fake ID on the night he was arrested.

"All of our issues we handle internally," Carroll said Monday. "We've already addressed it and he has some stuff he has to do."...

Dr. Helen Martin, 100; USC Medical Professor, Pioneer in Diabetes Care - LA Times
Dr. Helen Martin, a pioneer in diabetes care and a longtime USC professor of medicine who was a role model for generations of medical students, has died. She was 100...

...Martin graduated from the USC School of Medicine in 1934 and became one of the nation's most respected women in medicine — as a physician, researcher and teacher.

During World War II, Martin became the dominant force of the USC clinical teaching program: After virtually the entire faculty — members of the Army Reserve's 73rd Evacuation Hospital unit — were shipped to the India-Burma theater, she was the only remaining full-time faculty member.

"For about 3 1/2 years, she held that whole department together. How she did it I don't know, but she did," said Dr. Robert Tranquada...

Johnson battles back from surgery, but his legacy's set - Buffalo News
...In going to New York, Johnson is reuniting with Giants coach Tom Coughlin, who drafted him in Jacksonville in 1995. The two always had a good relationship. Johnson's competition behind Manning is not daunting...

..."We needed to add veteran depth at quarterback," Giants General Manager Ernie Accorsi said. "Rob hasn't played in a while because he was recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he has won in this league, is in great shape and threw the ball well in his workout. He should be ready to go and fully recovered by training camp."

Johnson always has been a team player and would be a helpful sideline aide to Manning...

Colbert trying to regain footing - Charlotte Observer
...Though the Panthers signed free agent Keyshawn Johnson to pair with All-Pro Steve Smith, replacing Colbert in the starting lineup, Williamson said he still has confidence in him.

"He's a good player because he played good the year before," said Williamson. "He's got talents, he's got skills and he's smart. I don't see any reason he can't pick it right back up."

Delhomme said Colbert is "ready to break out again."

Colbert said his ankle feels much better since the surgery, but he has to get used to cutting again and putting pressure on the ankle...

Also, Colbert trying to find footing in Keyshawn's shadow - Associated Press

Valley excites Cards' Lutui - Arizona Republic
There's no doubt Matt Leinart is the best-known Cardinals rookie, but Deuce Lutui wants fans to know that he, and not Leinart, is the comedian from Southern California.

"It's the same old thing seeing him around," said Lutui, an offensive lineman and second-round draft choice.

"It's quite amusing to have him here. People don't know this, but Matt's really a funny guy, and he gets that energy flowing."

Let's get back to that "funny guy" part . . .

"Yeah, but he's not as funny as me."...

For fans at camp, it's all about Reggie - Biloxi Sun-Herald
Ever since April 29, Reggie Bush fanatics have been clamoring for a glimpse of their New Orleans Saints savior. They came in flocks for their chance to take a peek at the Saints' first-round draft pick during mini-camp practices.

The 2005 Heisman Trophy running back could do no wrong at the Saints practice facility on Saturday.

Quarterback Drew Brees would run through a simple handoff to Bush and the crowd erupted. Bush broke through the line with a burst of speed and darted near the end zone.

"Six," shouted one fan...

Also, Even at full speed, Bush can't elude Reggie-mania - New Orleans Times-Picayune
Bush back in stride at Saints minicamp - Baton Rouge Advocate

Diagramming a play for Cards' sexy QB - Arizona Republic
...Ladies, he's the Valley's most eligible bachelor.

And though we're not saying you're gold diggers, you know a good thing when he walks past you.

So how can you get him to buy you a drink? Or, say, an engagement ring?

We cornered Leinart recently after a summer practice session, asking him what kind of lady he's looking for.

Right now, he's learning the Cardinals' playbook at summer camp, but here's a look at your playbook, should you run into the guy:...

Rob Taft on his way to USC for football, medicine - North County Times
Sitting across from Rob Taft and listening to him lay out his plans, it's easy to see how a history of success under pressure would cultivate the calm, self-assured demeanor that surrounds him...

...Now, after years of athletics and stellar academic work that earned him an amazing 4.77 grade point average and a turn as valedictorian of the 2006 graduating class, Taft plans to walk on to the University of Southern California football team as a kicker...

...Taft will also pursue a degree in biomedical engineering, with an eye toward a career in medicine...

[Katz] Francis' death is overshadowing USC's progress - ESPN
...This all sounds so trivial to discuss, but as Floyd said, this is the on-court reality the program needs to face. Francis was the only true point guard in the program, the steal of Floyd's first recruiting class after deciding against Louisiana-Lafayette and signing with the Trojans. Last season, he averaged a team-high 3.7 assists and was fourth on the team in scoring at 7.1 points a game.

"There are certain guys that impact a coach and certain guys impact a team," Floyd said. "There are guys who are rocks and become your favorites. He was that guy. He was the guy our staff loved so much that they never wanted to tell me if he needed to be corrected, because the guy could do no wrong with me."

Floyd always has been an even-keeled person, but you can tell -- and his assistants attested to this -- that he is deeply troubled by Francis' death. Recounting the week of his death, and the funeral, were almost too hard for Floyd...

JOHNNY TAKES - NY Post
THE most famous actor-director combo in Hollywood history is celebrated in the splendid box set "The John Wayne-John Ford Film Collection" (Warner, $80), due out Tuesday on DVD.

The two met in 1926, when Wayne was a USC student working as a prop boy on the Fox lot. Ford gave the young man - then known as Marion Morrison - bit parts in several films and recommended the Duke for his first major role in the Western epic "The Big Trail" (1930), directed by Raoul Walsh, who changed the actor's name to John Wayne...

Kreuter moves on; Hill moves up - Modesto Bee
When Chad Kreuter took over as manager of the Modesto Nuts in December, he spoke of having two career goals. He said he either wanted to manage in the big leagues or be the head coach of a top-notch college program...

...On Friday, USC named Kreuter as the fourth head coach in the storied history of Trojans baseball...

..."This just fell in my lap," Kreuter said. "Here I am managing the Nuts and trying to figure out how we're going to jump over San Jose before the all-star break. We're winning and this drops in my lap, so what am I to do?...

..."USC called me during the day and asked me if I was interested in taking over the program," Kreuter said. "I told them I was interested in being a candidate, and they told me I was their only candidate."...

Also, Kreuter gets job at USC - LA Daily News
Kreuter leaves Nuts to Hill - San Bernardino Sun

USC baseball coach Gillespie retires - OC Register
USC baseball coach Mike Gillespie, who won one national championship and reached the College World Series four times in 20 seasons, retired today...

...Gillespie retires with a 763-471-2 (.618) record, and his teams reached an NCAA regional 15 times. The Trojans won the College World Series championship in 1998, and he was selected as the national coach of the year that season...

Also, Gillespie retires, Kreuter hired - OC Register
Gillespie Retires - LA Times
USC's Gillespie Hands Reins To Kreuter - Baseball America

Sanchez won't face sexual assault charges - Inland Empire Press-Enterprise
...Prosecutors said in a charge evaluation worksheet that the issue of force could not be determined from medical exams on Sanchez and the alleged victim, making the case "essentially a one-on-one allegation."

"I am grateful to the Los Angeles District Attorney's office and the LAPD detectives for their diligence in pursuing the truth and taking the time necessary to make the right decision," Sanchez said.

USC coach Pete Carroll has contended since the arrest that Sanchez would be found guiltless of the alleged crime.

"I'm glad to hear that this is behind Mark and that he has been exonerated," Carroll said...

Also, USC football: Sanchez will not face charges - LA Daily News
Sanchez Won't Face Charge - LA Times
USC players just keep beating the legal system - Lindy's