Sports Briefs

Georgia RB tries to move on after secret revealed

ATHENS, Ga. -- Musa Smith didn't tell anyone about his father's misdeeds when he got to Georgia.

Not his coaches. Not his teammates.

''It was in the past,'' said Smith, a junior running back. ''I dealt with it in the past.''

Even after the events of Sept. 11, Smith managed to keep anyone in Athens from finding out that his father's Pennsylvania farm was once dubbed ''Camp Terror,'' a place where Islamic radicals were allegedly trained to wreak havoc on America.

''He's so quiet,'' coach Mark Richt said. ''I had no idea.''

Now, it's all out in the open. Kelvin Smith spoke for the first time in a decade about his supposed ties to terrorism, putting an uncomfortable spotlight on his soft-spoken son.

''I'm not really happy about it coming up,'' said Musa Smith, a key player for the nation's No. 9-ranked team.

Webber vows to fight charges

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Chris Webber, still sweating from an offseason workout, was cool and collected Tuesday as he vowed to fight charges that he lied to a federal grand jury.

Ignoring the advice of his lawyers, Webber said he was speaking out because ''I wanted to show my supporters I am not running away from the situation.''

''I will fight this case to the end, and I feel that I will be vindicated,'' the Sacramento Kings All-Star forward said.

Webber was indicted Monday on charges he misrepresented his dealings with Ed Martin, a former University of Michigan booster who claims he loaned the NBA star $280,000 while Webber was an amateur player. Martin also said he loaned money to other Michigan basketball players, including two who admitted taking it.

Perez refuses to enter Monday's game

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City Royals shortstop Neifi Perez refused to enter Monday night's game as a defensive replacement, later saying he was only joking with manager Tony Pena.

''I told him, No, Tony, I'm not going to play shortstop.' But I was just playing,'' Perez said Tuesday. ''When Tony Pena turned around and said, 'OK, you're not going to play? That's fine.'

''When he turned around, I pulled on his shoulder and I told him, 'You know I'm going to play shortstop because I respect this game. You know I'm going to play shortstop.'''

Pena refused to say what happened between Perez and himself during the 10-6 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Sampras, Agassi pass on Davis Cup

NEW YORK -- The all-American U.S. Open final between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi took enough out of both players to keep them off the Davis Cup team.

Sampras beat Agassi to win the U.S. Open on Sunday, and told team captain Patrick McEnroe a day later that he wasn't ready to play in next weekend's Davis Cup semifinal match against France in Paris.

''I think Pete needs time to digest what happened and decide what he wants to do,'' McEnroe said Tuesday. ''I think he's just worn out, and I certainly understand that.''

Once the United States' top two players passed on the chance, McEnroe chose Andy Roddick, James Blake, Todd Martin and Mardy Fish to play France at Roland Garros, home of the French Open.

Baseball schedule unchanged by security alert

NEW YORK -- Major league baseball's schedule was unaffected by Tuesday's decision by the government to raise the United States' security alert warning to ''high risk.''

Sixteen games were scheduled for Wednesday, and baseball spokesman Rich Levin said no changes were planned.

Washburn investigated for alleged sexual assault

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Anaheim Angels ace Jarrod Washburn is under investigation by Anaheim police in an alleged sexual assault, the team said Tuesday.

The 28-year-old Washburn has not been charged and the case has yet to be turned over to the Orange County district attorney's office, said Scott Boras, Washburn's agent.

Ishii improving after nasal passage surgery

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Dodgers rookie pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii, hit in the forehead by a line drive last weekend, was improving Tuesday, a day after surgery to remove bone chips from his nasal passage.

Dodgers trainer Stan Johnston said Ishii took a walk outside Cedars Sinai Hospital, where he is expected to remain for a few days.

The Japanese left-hander, who turned 29 Monday, was struck by a line drive hit by Houston's Brian Hunter in Sunday's 6-2 loss to the Astros.

Dodgers spokesman Luis Garcia said no decision has been made on whether Ishii will pitch again this season. The team has 19 games remaining in the regular season.

''It's too soon,'' Garcia said.

Ishii has a 14-10 record and a 4.27 ERA.

''Obviously from where we were a few days ago this is encouraging,'' manager Jim Tracy said in San Francisco before the Dodgers played the Giants. ''This is about quality of life, which is a hell of a lot more important than throwing pitches.''