Sports briefs for July 28, 2004

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 | 10:37 a.m.

UNLV's Brimmer on Jim Thorpe list

UNLV senior strong safety Jamaal Brimmer was one of 29 players put on the official Jim Thorpe Award watch list released on Tuesday.

A 6-foot-1, 215-pound Durango High School graduate, Brimmer was one of 13 semifinalists for the award a year ago. He was one of only two players from the Mountain West Conference to be nominated. The other was BYU senior safety Aaron Francisco.

The Thorpe Award is awarded annually to the nation's top college defensive back. A screening committee will cut the list down to 10 semifinalists in early November and three finalists a few weeks later. The winner will be announced on Dec. 9 during ESPN's College Football Awards Show at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

Brimmer, Nebraska junior safety Josh Bullocks, Georgia Tech senior safety James Butler, TCU senior corner Mark Walker and Oklahoma State senior corner Darrent Williams are all returning Thorpe semifinalists who also made this year's watch list.

Moves in Kobe case

The judge in Kobe Bryant's sexual assault case in Denver might release at least some details from a closed-door hearing on the accuser's sex life in an effort to settle a First Amendment fight with the media. Prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court, District Judge Terry Ruckriegle ordered prosecutors and defense attorneys to work together on proposed deletions in transcripts from the June 21-22 hearing.

Serena survives

Top-seeded Serena Williams overcame a blister on her left foot and an unexpected challenge from Jelena Jankovic, beating Gisela Dulko 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-2 in their second-round match at the Acura Classic in Carlsbad, Calif. In her first match since beating Williams in the Wimbledon final, Maria Sharapova used a solid service game to overpower qualifier Lilia Osterloh 6-3, 6-3.

Jones skips London

Marion Jones has withdrawn from a pre-Olympic meet this week in London, where she had been scheduled to compete in the 100 meters and the long jump.

Randa reigns

Poland's Pawel Randa won the lightweight single sculls at the World Rowing Championships today in Banyoles, Spain.