Briefs | Boxing: Oscar Diaz comes out of coma after two months

Boxing

Diaz comes out of coma: Welterweight boxer Oscar Diaz has awakened from a coma, two months after he was seriously injured during a bout in his native San Antonio.

The 25-year-old Diaz was awake and breathing on his own. He has been upgraded from critical to stable condition, and doctors at University Hospital are cautiously optimistic about his recovery.

"It's very exciting to see Oscar open his eyes," said Diaz's mother, Theresa. "He's a fighter, and I believe he will get better."

Diaz was unable to leave his corner for the 11th round of his July 16 fight with Delvin Rodriguez, eventually collapsing in the ring. The severe brain injuries put him in a coma after emergency surgery to relieve swelling in his brain, but doctors have expected him to survive the injuries since shortly after they occurred.

NBA

Beasley involved in rookie transition incident: Miami Heat rookie Michael Beasley was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Thursday after acknowledging that he was involved in an incident involving teammate Mario Chalmers and Memphis' Darrell Arthur at the Rookie Transition Program this month.

The league's investigation had ended, but then Beasley opened up about having been, for at least some period, with Chalmers and Arthur in their room, where resort security found two women and detected the smell of marijuana.

Jefferson injured in pickup game: Minnesota's Al Jefferson injured his right knee during a pickup game with teammates. An MRI revealed a mildly sprained medial collateral ligament, and Jefferson is expected to miss only two to three weeks. Team doctors have told him he will be back well ahead of the Oct. 29 opener against Sacramento.

Rockets help Hurricane Ike victims: The Houston Rockets purchased four tractor-trailers full of food, water and toiletries for victims of Hurricane Ike and players unloaded them at a distribution center.

The four trucks carried 80,000 pounds of supplies, said team spokeswoman Tracey Hughes.

Auto racing

NASCAR drivers visit Walter Reed Medical Center: Kyle Busch, Greg Biffle and other NASCAR drivers and team owners visited soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

They walked through the hospital wards and talked with the wounded, signed autographs, posed for pictures, and for Biffle, gained perspective.

"Every time I come here, it's a pretty overwhelming experience," said Biffle, the winner last week at New Hampshire, and a resident of Vancouver, Wash. "This is my fifth year in a row coming. To see the dedication that these men and women have that have served our country and continue to serve our country, it makes you feel pretty small.

"Compared to what they have done and what they do for us ... it's a pretty grounding experience I think for all of us."

NASCAR makes verbal agreement in plane crash settlement: NASCAR has verbally agreed to a settlement in the death of a pilot killed when a company plane crashed in central Florida last year, a newspaper reported Thursday.

A handwritten document in the court file of NASCAR pilot Michael Klemm noted a $2.4 million "wrongful death claim approved," according to records viewed by The Daytona Beach News-Journal this week before they were sealed.

Soccer

Columbus beats New York: Robbie Rogers scored 19 seconds into the second half to help the Columbus Crew beat the New York Red Bulls 3-1.

Frankie Hejduk and Eddie Gaven also scored for Columbus, an MLS-best 14-6-5 after winning five of its last six games. Juan Pablo Angel scored for New York (9-8-8).

AC Milan, Tottenham earn wins in UEFA Cup: Seven-time European champion AC Milan began a rare foray into the UEFA Cup confidently, and Tottenham secured its first win of the season in the first leg of the opening round.

Both teams have endured torrid starts to their league campaigns, but Milan beat FC Zurich 3-1 and Spurs secured a slender 2-1 advantage over Wisla Krakow.

Seattle Times news services