Sports briefs for November 23, 2004

Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2004 | 10:48 a.m.

Navy accepts bid to Emerald Bowl

Navy accepted an invitation to the Emerald Bowl at SBC Park in San Francisco, putting the Midshipmen in the postseason in consecutive years for the second time in school history.

Navy (8-2), which had been reported as a potential entrant in the Las Vegas Bowl, will play either New Mexico (7-4) or Wyoming (6-5) of the Mountain West Conference on Dec. 30.

The Emerald Bowl, which pays $750,000 per team, will mark Navy's 11th bowl appearance. The Middies lost to Texas Tech in last season's Houston Bowl.

"These young men have earned this through their dedication in the weight room and on the practice field," third-year coach Paul Johnson said in a statement.

A victory against Army (2-8) on Dec. 4 would give Navy nine regular-season wins for the first time since the Roger Staubach-led 1963 team.

Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk met with representatives from the Motor City, Houston, Champs Sports, Liberty and Emerald bowls after they attended Navy's 54-21 victory Saturday against Rutgers.

Colorado AD quits

University of Colorado athletic director Dick Tharp resigned under pressure from school administrators after almost 10 months of scrutiny and reforms that followed repeated scandals in his athletic administraton. The latest episode involved secret payments by Colorado boosters to a football camp run by coach Gary Barnett with the money intended to help the athletic department.

Pierce pulls out

Already without its No. 1 player, Amalie Mauresmo, France learned today that Mary Pierce will not play in the Fed cup semifinal against Spain this week in Moscow because Pierce has a shoulder injury. Mauresmo pulled out because she said she wanted to concentrate on winning a Grand Slam title in 2005. Russia meets Austria in the other semifinal.

Florida signs Easley

Backup infielder Damion Easley re-signed with the Florida Marlins, agreeing to a one-year contract.

Columnist dead at 49

Gary Lundy, an award-winning columnist and sports writer for the Knoxville News Sentinel, died of a massive heart attack. He was 49.