Briefs | South Alabama hires Joey Jones

College football

Jaguars to have first team in 2009: Former Alabama receiver Joey Jones was introduced Friday as the coach of South Alabama's first football team.

Jones, 45, a Mobile native who spent the past two seasons at Birmingham-Southern College, where he restarted a program dormant since 1939, was given a five-year contract at South Alabama. His salary will be $275,000.

South Alabama will field its first team in 2009.

Taylor jailed: Ex-Texas running back Ramonce Taylor, who scored 15 touchdowns in the Longhorns' 2005 national-championship season, is serving five months in jail for violating probation. The sentence District Judge Martha Trudo handed down also includes five years of probation after his release.

Taylor's college career ended after he was arrested in 2006 and pleaded guilty to having 4 ounces to 5 pounds of marijuana in his vehicle. He is 22.

UCLA's Cowan has surgery: UCLA quarterback Patrick Cowan had a piece of torn cartilage removed from his left knee and will begin rehab next week. Spring practice starts April 3 and Cowan's status will be evaluated during his rehab, school officials said.

"I'll be all right," said Cowan, son of ex-Washington Huskies quarterback Tim Cowan.

NHL

Brind'Amour might be out for season: Carolina Hurricanes captain Rod Brind'Amour, 37, most likely will miss the rest of the season because of an injured left knee.

Tennis

Henin advances: Top-ranked Justine Henin of Belgium beat Alisa Kleybanova of Russia 6-4, 6-3 to reach the Diamond Games semifinals in Antwerp, Belgium.

Henin will face Swiss qualifier Timea Bacsinszky. In the other semifinal match, Karen Knapp of Italy plays Li Na of China.

Blake wins: American James Blake, seeded No. 1, beat Russia's Igor Kunitsyn 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the International Tennis Championships in Delray Beach, Fla.

Boxing

Pavlik-Taylor bout is tonight: Kelly Pavlik (32-0) meets Jermain Taylor (27-1-1) tonight in a nontitle bout at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.

Pavlik stopped Taylor in the seventh round Sept. 29 in Atlantic City, N.J.

Soccer

MLS trade: The Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer acquired defender Greg Vanney from D.C. United in exchange for midfielder Quavas Kirk.

Track and field

Ex-Texas official resigns: University police and Travis County prosecutors are investigating Douglas George Wilson, a former Texas associate athletic director, in connection with up to $60,000 missing from accounts he oversaw.

According to a search warrant, money was missing from accounts related to fees for the annual Texas Relays meet.

Johnson prevails: Allen Johnson, 36, won the 60-meter hurdles in 7.60 seconds at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.

Doping

Judge rejects government demands: Greg Anderson, jailed for more than a year for refusing to testify against slugger Barry Bonds, declined to comment after U.S. District Judge Susan Illston rejected government demands he and three others convicted of distributing steroids return evidence related to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative drug ring.

At issue was the government's attempt to retrieve legal documents prosecutors turned over to Anderson, BALCO founder Victor Conte, former BALCO executive James Valente and former track coach Remi Korchemny so they could defend themselves. All four pleaded guilty to drug charges.

Skiing

Poutiainen wins World Cup slalom: Tanja Poutiainen of Finland won a World Cup slalom in Zagreb, Croatia, with a sizzling second run.

Poutiainen's combined time was 1 minute, 52.83 seconds. Marlies Schild of Austria was second in 1:53.35 and Slovakia's Veronika Zuzulova was third in 1:53.51.

Nicole Hosp of Austria failed to finish the second run but kept a share of the lead in the overall standings with Lindsey Vonn of Vail, Colo.

Vonn skipped the race and returned to North America early, as did several other U.S. skiers, to prepare for upcoming events in British Columbia.

Seattle Times news services