Former UK player guilty on sex charge

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Former University of Kentucky basketball player Michael Porter has been sentenced to two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sex crimes involving an underage girl.

Lexington media report Judge Ernesto Scorsone handed down the sentence Thursday despite a request from Porter’s attorney for probation.

Porter apologized for his actions and his attorney, Jim Lowry, called him a “quality individual” who wasn’t likely to reoffend.

Scorsone said he didn’t doubt that Porter was remorseful, but noted that he was facilitating a church youth group when he met the girl, who was 14 at the time, and had a lengthy relationship with her.

 

Legislation addreses scholarship reform

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers from Pennsylvania and Ohio introduced legislation in the House of Representatives that would require NCAA schools to guarantee four-year scholarships to athletes who play collision sports and due process for schools accused of breaking rules.

Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.-R) and Rep. Joyce Beatty (Ohio-D) say the National Collegiate Athletics Accountability Act will help improve health and education of student-athletes and require more transparency from the NCAA.

The legislation would require athletes to have annual baseline concussion testing and ensure that an athlete in good academic standing would not be in danger of losing an athletic scholarship because of injury or performance.

 

Ex-NBA player Ehlo arrested, jailed

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Authorities say former NBA player and Eastern Washington University coach Craig Ehlo has been arrested in Spokane, Wash., in a domestic violence case.

The Spokesman-Review reports (http://bit.ly/11xuUS0 ) Ehlo was booked into jail Thursday morning on suspicion of first-degree reckless burning, domestic violence. The charge is a felony.

No additional details on the case were released.

The 51-year-old recently coached at Eastern Washington University and resigned July 11.

 

Coaches’ poll picks ’Bama one, OSU two

NEW YORK (AP) — Alabama is No. 1 in the USA Today preseason coaches’ poll.

The Crimson Tide was an overwhelming choice, receiving 58 of 62 first-place votes. Ohio State was second and received three first-place votes. Oregon is No. 3, Stanford is 4, Georgia is five and No. 6 Texas A&M received the other first-place vote.

Half the top 10 is from the Southeastern Conference, which has won the last seven national championships, including three in the last four years by Alabama.

South Carolina is No. 7 and Florida is No. 10. No. 8 Clemson and No. 9 Louisville round out the top 10. No. 12 LSU gives the SEC six teams in the top 25.

Notre Dame, which lost the BCS title game 42-14 to Alabama last season, is No. 11.