OSU booster admits guilt for violations

COLUMBUS (AP) — A booster says he’s responsible for envelopes containing $200 in cash given to three Ohio State football players that led the NCAA to suspend them for two games apiece, a newspaper is reporting.

Robert “Bobby” DiGeronimo told The Columbus Dispatch that he was behind former Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor giving the three players the envelopes.

Says DiGeronimo: “I handled it wrong.”

The NCAA suspended the players — tailback Jordan Hall and cornerback Travis Howard, both set to start Ohio State’s opening game, and backup safety Corey Brown — for accepting improper benefits. They were reinstated on Tuesday and could play in the 17th-ranked Buckeyes’ game on Saturday at Miami.

Texas fires Bryant on harassment charge

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Cleve Bryant, Texas’ associate athletics director for football operations and a former assistant under Longhorns football coach Mack Brown, was fired earlier this year after an internal investigation determined he sexually harassed a female administrative assistant over a two-year period, according to documents obtained by ESPN.

A University of Texas investigator determined that Bryant made repeated unwanted sexual advances toward the woman and “the harassment was likely both verbal and physical.”

Strained muscle forces Cueto to miss start

CINCINNATI (AP) — Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto will miss his next start because of a strained muscle in his back, but has not been shut down for the season.

Cueto is a close second in the NL ERA race. He would need to pitch again to have enough innings to qualify for the title.

Cueto left Wednesday night’s game against the Cubs in the fourth inning because of the problem on the upper right side of his back. He was scheduled to start Monday against Houston.

Cueto has a 2.31 ERA. Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers leads at 2.30.

Pitchers much have at least one inning for each game their team plays to qualify for the title. Cueto missed nearly six weeks to start the season with irritation in his right upper arm and has 156 innings.

Pryor attempting to overturn suspension

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — Suspended Oakland Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor had a hearing Thursday on his bid to overturn his five-game ban.

Pryor’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said it was a productive meeting and that he appreciated Commissioner Roger Goodell and the union taking time to hear from Pryor. Rosenhaus said he expected to get a ruling shortly.

Pryor did not attend the meeting in New York. He practiced on his own at the Raiders facility Thursday and was not available for comment.

Pryor was selected by the Raiders in the third round of the supplemental draft on Aug. 22. Goodell suspended him, however, for the season’s first five games for manipulating his eligibility for that draft.

Pryor originally said he would not contest the ban but changed his mind and filed the appeal.