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SPORTS BRIEFS

Thursday, Jul 03, 2008 - 12:07 AM

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NFL

Favre's itch to play reported

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Brett Favre is considering coming out of retirement, according to an ESPN report.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen said yesterday a Green Bay Packers source told him Favre, 38, told coach Mike McCarthy in the past two weeks that he has the itch to play.

The Packers' former quarterback retired March 6 after a 17-year career.

Cornerback Al Harris said on ESPN's NFL Live that Favre also made similar comments to him.

"I know he has the itch to come back and play," Harris said. "If he will or not, I don't know."

The Packers had planned to use Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback for the upcoming season.

Favre responded to the ESPN report by telling his hometown newspaper Web site, SunHerald.com in Gulfport, Miss., that "it's all rumor." The paper reported that Favre sent a text message saying there's "no reason" for a media frenzy.

"The Packers have no reaction," team spokesman Jeff Blumb said.

Foley settles suit with police officer

SAN DIEGO -- Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Steve Foley has agreed to settle his lawsuit against a police officer who shot him off-duty two years ago and ended his pro football career.

Foley attorney Harvey Levine says the settlement was reached with Officer Aaron Mansker and his employer, the city of Coronado, before testimony resumed in the week-old civil trial.

Levine says financial terms are confidential. In other NFL news:

The Chicago Bears agreed to a four-year deal with second-round draft pick Matt Forte, the former Tulane running back expected to replace Cedric Benson in the lineup. The Bears waived Benson in June after three ineffective, injury-plagued years following his second alcohol-related rest in a month.

TRACK AND FIELD

Montgomery to enter plea

Former Norfolk State track star Tim Montgomery, who had been scheduled for trial next week on heroin distribution charges, instead opted for a plea hearing today in U.S. District Court in Norfolk.

Montgomery's plea agreement hearing is set for 2 p.m. The Olympic gold medalist reviously had pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial.

Details of the plea deal were not available.

Montgomery, the former 100-meter world-record holder, was indicted for allegedly dealing more than 100 grams of heroin in Virginia. In May, a judge in New York sentenced Montgomery to 46 months in prison for his part in a multimillion-dollar fake-check scheme.

COLLEGES

Fulmer, Pearl get new deals

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee signed football coach Phillip Fulmer and basketball coach Bruce Pearl to new deals that will keep them with the Volunteers through 2014.

Fulmer's deal is worth an average of nearly $3 million over the next seven seasons, and the nearly $1 million raise makes him the fourth-highest paid coach in the Southeastern Conference.

Pearl was previously signed through 2013 and made $1.3 million last season. His new deal increases his salary to an average $2.3 million a year.

Under Pearl, Tennessee experienced its best season with a 31-5 record, the first outright regular season Southeastern Conference championship since 1967 and a second-consecutive NCAA tournament regional semifinal appearance. In other college news:

Nevada will host North Carolina in a nationally televised basketball game on New Year's Eve. Nevada coach Mark Fox announced that North Carolina is one of seven opponents on the 2008-09 schedule that earned postseason invitations last season.

Indiana University will give up two basketball scholarships for the upcoming season in anticipation of penalties related to the NCAA's academic progress rate, assistant athletic director Frank Cuervo said. The APR is a percentage score over a rolling four-year period that measures retention and eligibility of players.

Michigan running back Kevin Grady was arrested in Wyoming, Mich., and will be arraigned next week on a misdemeanor drunken driving charge. Kent County Jail records show that the 22-year-old was released on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond. Grady is to be arraigned July 9 in the Grand Rapids suburb of Wyoming.

The University of Kentucky Basketball Museum has shut its doors because of falling attendance and financial problems. The museum, located in the Lexington Center near the entrance to Rupp Arena, has struggled to find an audience since opening in 1999.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks has canceled its BP Top of the World basketball tournament. University officials said they weren't able to attract teams in the competitive landscape that followed an NCAA rule change that allowed more schools to host preseason tournaments.

SOCCER

U.S. women beat Norway

FREDRIKSTAD, Norway -- Midfielder Lindsay Tarpley scored an early goal and the United States' national women's soccer team beat Norway 4-0 in a pre-Olympic tuneup for both teams.

Carli Lloyd, Angela Hucles and Abby Wambach added foals for the Americans, who are one of the Olympic favorites along with Norway, Brazil and Germany in next month's Olympic tournament in China. AROUND THE STATE

Charlotte assistant women's soccer coach Jessica Celi has been named head coach at Liberty University. -- From Staff and Wire Reports