West Virginia University's Board of Governors is suing former football coach Rich Rodriguez to collect a $4 million buyout of his contract with the school. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Monongalia County Circuit Court, states the university believes Rodriguez doesn't intend to abide by the contract. The buyout clause requires Rodriguez to pay $4 million to West Virginia over a two-year period with one-third of the total due 30 days after his employment's termination. His resignation was effective Dec. 19. Rodriguez's agent Mike Brown declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The hits keep coming for Tennessee's football team, as coach Phillip Fulmer announced Friday that six scholarship players would be academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl. The Vols' leading receiver, Lucas Taylor, is ineligible to play against Wisconsin on Jan. 1 as well as reserve receiver Kenny O'Neal, reserve defensive back Ricardo Kemp and freshman linebacker Chris Donald. ESPN.com reported on Thursday that defensive starters Demonte Bolden and Rico McCoy failed to meet the necessary academic requirements to play in the Outback Bowl, too. "We have every resource available through our academic center for academic success by our athletes in all of our sports," Fulmer said in a statement. "In most of these cases, it was simply the student-athlete not being accountable and doing their work. In Lucas' case, however, he passed enough hours, but a new NCAA policy that went into effect this fall made him ineligible. One bright spot is the fact that all of these athletes will be in school spring semester."

Authorities have charged two women and a man with a weekend attack on three North Carolina football players, which police said was motivated by robbery and included the sexual assault of at least two players. Police said the players were attacked early Sunday at their off-campus apartment. All three were bound with tape, and one of those charged threatened the players with a knife. None of the players required medical attention, police said. Authorities charged Monique Jenice Taylor, 28, Tnika Monta Washington, 29, and Michael Troy Lewis, 32, with three counts of kidnapping, three counts of conspiracy to commit a felony and one count of resisting arrest. Taylor and Washington also are charged with one count of first-degree sexual offense. Lewis is also charged with robbery, possession of stolen goods and assault on government officials. Glenn Gerding, an attorney for Taylor, said he didn't want to discuss details of the case outside of court.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has created a holiday e-card featuring former Atlanta Falcons' quarterback Michael Vick, who is serving a 23-month federal sentence for a dogfighting conspiracy. Vick and three co-defendants raised pit bulls and trained them for fighting at a house Vick owned in rural Surry County. Several dogs that didn't perform well in test fights were executed. In the card, a cartoon version of Vick paces across a prison yard inside a snow globe as gun-toting guards and their barking dogs keep watch. He's wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and football helmet and dragging a ball and chain. When a visitor to PETA's Web site shakes the snow globe by dragging a mouse, Vick bounces around and crashes against the globe's dome as a commentator announces, "They got to the quarterback's blind side there. He never had a chance."

Denver Broncos' wide receiver Brandon Marshall pleaded not guilty Tuesday to driving under the influence. Marshall was arrested in downtown Denver early on the morning of Oct. 22, hours after the Broncos beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-28 in Denver. Marshall also faces charges of driving the wrong way on a one-way street and failing to drive in a single lane. Neither Marshall nor his attorney Harvey Steinberg would comment after Tuesday's brief court hearing. A jury trial has been scheduled for March 24. Marshall is at least the third Broncos' player to face criminal charges this year.

The Broncos released beleaguered punter Todd Sauerbrun on Tuesday, The Associated Press has learned. The move was confirmed by a person familiar with the decision who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement hadn't been made. The Broncos declined comment but were expected to announce a transaction later in the afternoon. Sauerbrun is the only punter on the Broncos' roster.

Attorneys for former West Virginia Coach Rich Rodriguez are planning to argue against Rodriguez having to pay the university a $4 million buyout, claiming he was "fraudulently induced to sign a contract with false promises." Ken Kendrick, a primary West Virginia athletics donor and close friend of Rodriguez, said Tuesday he had knowledge of lawyers' intentions to contest the buyout.

Miami Dolphins' owner Wayne Huizenga said he's, "not actively looking to sell" the team despite frustration over a winless season, but he confirms he has talked with potential buyers since April. Huizenga issued a statement Saturday in response to reports he is discussing the sale of his franchise and Dolphin Stadium to two real estate developers. "Over the years I have fielded a number of inquiries from individuals interested in investing in the team," said Huizenga, who become sole owner of the Dolphins in 1994. "Most recently, we have had conversations dating back to April, with several similarly interested parties." "My viewpoint, however, has always been the same. I am not actively looking to sell the Miami Dolphins, but I know there will always be individuals who are interested in becoming involved in some capacity in the team's ownership." Huizenga recently discussed a potential deal with Miami developer Jorge Perez and business partner Stephen Ross, a New York builder.

Michael Vick declared, "I am not the bad person or beast I've been made out to be" and asked for leniency in a letter to the federal judge who sentenced him to 23 months in prison for a dogfighting conspiracy. Vick made his handwritten plea from jail as he awaited Monday's sentencing by Judge Henry E. Hudson. His five-page letter and several others from Vick supporters, including baseball great Hank Aaron and former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, were released by the U.S. District Court in Richmond on Thursday. "I take full responsibility for my actions and am ashamed that my actions hurt animals and allowed animals to be hurt and killed," Vick wrote. "... Your Honor, I just ask for a second chance."

Tampa Bay reserve tight end Jerramy Stevens was suspended without pay for one game Tuesday for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He will miss Sunday's game against Atlanta and was also fined an additional game check. Stevens, who signed with the Buccaneers in April after being released by Seattle, was convicted in September of driving under the influence of alcohol in Scottsdale, Ariz. The charge stemmed from an arrest while the sixth-year pro was a member of the Seahawks. "When we signed Jerramy this spring, we knew there was a possibility that he could face some type of disciplinary action from the NFL for his prior actions," Bucs' General Manager Bruce Allen said in a statement released by the team. "Since he has been with the Buccaneers, Jerramy has been a great teammate and productive player for our team."