MAC commissioner: Temple talking with Big East

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The commissioner of the Mid-American Conference says Temple and the Big East are talking about the Owls leaving the league to rejoin their old conference.

MAC Commissioner Jon. A Steinbrecher said in a statement Wednesday that his league is “aware that Temple has been in discussions with the Big East regarding membership.”

A person familiar with the talks says the Philadelphia-based school and the Big East are trying to negotiate a deal that could have Temple in the league for all sports by next season.

Temple played in the Big East in football only from 1991-2004, but was forced out of the league. It played as an independent and eventually landed in the Mid-American Conference in 2007. The Owls’ other sports programs, including men’s and women’s basketball, are in the Atlantic 10.

 

Boise State remains in

Mountain West for 2012-13

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Boise State’s highly successful football program won’t be moving to the Big East early.

The school announced on Wednesday that despite repeated conversations with the Big East, the Broncos will remain in the Mountain West for the 2012-13 athletic seasons.

In a statement, the school said there were too many obstacles and financial concerns to make the move a year earlier than expected.

Boise State has had one of the most successful football programs in the country over the last decade, playing mostly in the Western Athletic Conference before joining the MWC this past season. The Broncos are 73-6 over the last five seasons with two BCS victories.

The WAC is expected to be the landing point for the rest of Boise State’s athletic programs — with the exception of wrestling, which competes in the Pac-12 Conference. But there are concerns about the future of the WAC with the merger of the MWC and Conference USA and the potential for some current WAC programs to possibly move to the new megaconference.

 

UConn’s Calhoun will

undergo surgery Monday

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — The University of Connecticut says men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun will undergo surgery on Monday to address a condition affecting his lower back.

UConn says Calhoun will miss the Huskies’ next two games, against Syracuse and Providence, and his coaching status will then be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.

Calhoun began a medical leave of absence on Feb. 3 because of spinal stenosis. The Hall of Fame coach, who turns 70 in May, has been experiencing lower back pain since last summer.

 

Judge tells NFL, ex-players

prepare for Dec. 15 trial

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge has told both sides to be ready for trial by Dec. 15 in a lawsuit filed by former players against NFL Films for using their names and images in films and other promotional materials to market the league’s glory days.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan of Minneapolis set the date Wednesday dependent on whether any remaining pretrial motions still need to be resolved. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson is slated to hear the case. The schedule has been pushed back several times.

The class-action lawsuit was filed in 2009 on behalf of Elvin Bethea, Jim Marshall, Ed White, Joe Senser, Fred Dryer and Dan Pastorini.

NFL Films says any use of their names and likenesses was permitted through their contracts with NFL teams.