2. HEIGHTS' NINCEHELSER SIGNS WITH OBU: Shawnee Heights' Shelby Nincehelser, a 2008 all-state and all-city player, signed a soccer letter of intent with Oklahoma Baptist University on Wednesday.

3. Royals GM'S MOTHER DIES: Mrs. Penne Moore, mother of Royals general manager Dayton Moore, passed away on Tuesday in Houston after a long illness. Royals manager Trey Hillman will leave camp after today's game for the funeral on Friday.

Hillman is expected to return on Saturday. On Friday, George Brett will manage the Royals in a split-squad game against the Rangers in Surprise, while bench coach John Gibbons will handle the other game against the Brewers.

In exhibition play, Billy Butler hit a three-run home run and Mitch Maier belted a two-run inside-the-park homer in the Royals six-run fourth inning, leading Kansas City to a 9-2 win against Seattle.

4. JAYHAWKS BLANK SHOCKERS: Robby Price went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs, while Lee Ridenhour pitched eight scoreless innings in Kansas' 8-0 shutout of Wichita State on Wednesday at Hoglund Ballpark. The win also marked just the third time in the series that KU (9-3) has blanked the Shockers, and first since 1956.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

1. CHIEFS CUT QB GRAY: The Kansas City Chiefs have cut quarterback Quinn Gray, who played in one game for the team last season.

The Chiefs announced in a brief news release Wednesday that they had terminated his contract. Gray was among four backup quarterbacks for the Chiefs after they traded for Matt Cassel from New England.

Gray was also a reserve for the Jacksonville Jaguars before signing with Kansas City.

2. L.T. HAPPY TO BE A BOLT: Chargers president Dean Spanos seemed to have the best perspective on the LaDainian Tomlinson saga. "The alternative was just unthinkable. He belongs in San Diego," Spanos said after the Chargers and Tomlinson agreed to a reworked three-year deal late Tuesday.

L.T. feels the same way. That's because the alternative, of course, would have been for the star running back to be released had the sides not reached a deal.

Former Kansas State standout Darren Sproles could have the team's lead running back job now. He led the Chargers into the second round of the 2008 playoffs, scoring a game-winning TD in San Diego's 23-17 overtime win against the Indianapolis Colts.

3. SPRINGS FOLLOWS OWENS TO EAST: Shawn Springs follows Terrell Owens whenever the star wide receiver changes teams. The New England Patriots hope their new cornerback does that next season on the field. The Patriots announced the signing of Springs, a 12-year veteran who always has played in the same division as Owens.

4. BROWNS RELEASE JUREVICIUS: The Cleveland Browns released wide receiver Joe Jurevicius.

COLLEGE SPORTS

1. LEACH HIRES SPECIAL TEAMS COACH: Mike Leach has hired a coach from neighboring Louisiana to lead Texas Tech's special teams squad.

Eric Russell, who coached the past two years at Louisiana Tech and 13 seasons at North Texas before that, was hired by Leach on Tuesday.

Russell, 41, will replace Clay McGuire, who will serve as running backs coach.

2. NEW DEALS KEEP BCS BOWLS INTACT: The Fiesta, Orange, Rose and Sugar bowls extended their agreements with the Bowl Championship Series, deals that will keep the national championship game at the sites of those games through the 2013 college football season.

The BCS was not expected to change its bowl partners.

3. FSU PLANS RESPONSE NEXT WEEK: Florida State plans to formally respond next week to sanctions from the NCAA resulting from an academic cheating scandal, school officials said Wednesday.

The university will make its response on Tuesday, according to athletic director Randy Spetman, who would not otherwise comment.

4. ?ONE SHINING MOMENT' EXEC DIES: Doug Towey, the CBS Sports executive responsible for the playing of "One Shining Moment" after NCAA basketball championship game, died Wednesday. He was 61.

5. AMATEUR COACH DIES: Rod Smith, who founded a summer amateur basketball league that attracted such future NBA stars as Baron Davis and Paul Pierce, has died. He was 59.

Staff and wire reports