UMaine accepting Hall of Fame nominations

ORONO — The University of Maine is once again accepting nominations for its Sports Hall of Fame and forms are available on its website, goblackbears.com

The Hall of Fame was established in the mid-1980s in order to recognize former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and supporters for their high achievements and contributions to the success of Maine athletics. Since 1986, 170 individuals have been inducted.

The criteria for selection into the Hall of Fame is achievement in the athletic program, but other factors are also considered. They include character, leadership and integrity, as well as nonathletic service to the university community and achievement later in life. Nominees must be unaffiliated from the University of Maine for five years.

Nomination forms can be sent to: Mike Hodgson, Assistant Athletic Director for Development, 5747 Memorial Gym, Orono, ME 04469. Nominations can also be emailed to him at mike.hodgson@umit.maine.edu

Goodell wants Saints appeals heard this week

NEW YORK — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says Saints coach Sean Payton and other New Orleans officials suspended for being involved in the team’s bounty system could have their appeals heard in the next few days.

“I expect we’ll do it before the end of the week,” Goodell said Tuesday at the unveiling of the league’s new Nike-designed uniforms at a film studio in Brooklyn.

Payton, New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis and assistant coach Joe Vitt were suspended for their roles in the team’s bounty program, which offered improper cash bonuses for big hits that either knocked opponents out of games or left them needing help off of the field.

Payton was suspended for the upcoming season. Loomis received an eight-game suspension, and Vitt was suspended for six games. The Saints organization was fined $500,000 and had second-round draft picks this year and next taken away by the league as part of the punishment.

Donald Yee, Payton’s agent, released a statement later Tuesday that did not rule out a meeting with the commissioner later in the week but said, “We’ve just heard from the league office today for the first time, and at the moment, we are trying to schedule a mutually convenient time for the proceedings to occur, particularly given the upcoming Good Friday, Passover and Easter holidays.”

Payton’s suspension originally was to have started on Sunday, but it’s been on hold pending his appeal.

Indians’ Jimenez is appealing suspension

ZEBULON, N.C. — Cleveland Indians pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez is appealing his five-game suspension.

The players’ union said in a statement Tuesday that Jimenez has requested an appeal of his ban for intentionally throwing at Colorado’s Troy Tulowitzki during a spring training game Sunday. Major League Baseball suspended and fined Jimenez on Monday.

Jimenez is scheduled to start Cleveland’s second game of the season Saturday against Toronto.

Manager Manny Acta said before the Indians played their Class-A affiliate, the Carolina Mudcats, that Jimenez “is going to be able to pitch, and then we’ll go from there.”

Jimenez did not speak with reporters before the exhibition game.

Boxer Hector Camacho charged with child-abuse

ORLANDO, Fla. — Former champion boxer Hector “Macho” Camacho is facing a felony count of child abuse and turned himself in to Florida authorities this week on a warrant filed late last year.

The 49-year-old Camacho posted a $5,000 bond at the Orange County Jail in Orlando on Monday and was released.

According to the arrest affidavit, Camacho surrendered on a warrant that records show was filed by the state attorney’s office in November.

State attorney’s spokeswoman Danielle Tavernier said the office first received the case in May. She said a report that includes a narrative of what Camacho allegedly did was not immediately available.

It was unclear whether he’s hired an attorney.

The former champion fell into drugs and other problems and recently was sentenced for burglary in Mississippi.

Arkansas’ Petrino returns to practice

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino returned to practice Tuesday, hours after being released from the hospital following a weekend motorcycle crash.

Petrino, speaking for the first time since his Sunday night accident, arrived at Razorback Stadium wearing a neck brace and with multiple abrasions and red spots showing on his nose and face.

The 51-year-old says he was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, which occurred on Arkansas Highway 16 in Madison County — about 20 miles southeast of Fayetteville. State law does not require an adult rider wear a helmet.

Petrino says he noticed the sun in his eyes moments before the accident. He also says he broke four ribs in his upper chest and cracked the outside of the C-2 vertebra in his back.

Greek track federation mulls stoppage

ATHENS, Greece — Greece is considering a suspension of its track and field federation because of cuts in state funding the past two years.

Federation head Vassilis Sevastis told The Associated Press his group would hold an emergency board meeting Wednesday to decide on a work stoppage. The move is aimed at pressuring the government into reversing the cuts.

Sevastis said Tuesday that coaching staff and suppliers have not been for months, with the country in an economic crisis.

The Hellenic Olympic Committee declined to comment on what impact a suspension would have on Greek athletes heading to this summer’s London Olympics.

Stern still hopes for change to draft age rule

NEW YORK — David Stern would love a system in which Anthony Davis and the rest of Kentucky’s freshmen stars were required to try to repeat.

Instead, the NBA commissioner could end up calling Davis’ name in June as the first pick in the draft.

The league wasn’t able to change its draft eligibility rules during collective bargaining last year. The rules require an American player to be 19 years old and a year out of high school. The players’ association would only agree to form a committee to discuss changes, and is unlikely to consent to an increase without some concession from owners.

While Stern says the NBA “would love to add a year,” he’s pleased that the age limit, instituted in 2005, has kept NBA scouts out of high school gyms.

— From Staff and Wire Reports