SPORTS BRIEFS

FOOTBALL

BENGALS' JOHNSON GIVES ACTING A TRY

Maybe Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson will turn to acting if he makes good on his threat to sit out the football season. The receiver is appearing on a segment of The Rookie, the online offspring of Fox's 24.

Johnson appears in the current Rookie installment, titled "Day 3 -- Extraction," as an FBI surveillance expert. In Rookie, Johnson, a Degree deodorant spokesman, is part of an undercover element found in the Webisodes -- imbedded advertising, which marries content with a sponsor.

NFL Draft: Several players with Kentucky ties were signed to free-agent deals on Monday. The Ravens picked up offensive guard Sean Dumford of Eastern Kentucky as well as Louisville tight end Scott Kuhn. The Packers signed Murray State receiver Rod Harper. Louisville's Lamar Miles went to the Jaguars and fellow linebacker Malik Jackson signed with the Raiders.

Raiders: Oakland released running back Dominic Rhodes on Monday, two days after using their top draft pick to take big-play back Darren McFadden of Arkansas.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

BRUIN BOUND FOR DRAFT

UCLA's Josh Shipp will enter the NBA Draft, but the junior won't hire an agent, leaving him the option of returning to play for the Bruins.

Shipp is the fourth UCLA starter to enter the June draft, along with freshman Kevin Love, sophomore Russell Westbrook and junior Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.

• • Tennessee coach Pat Summitt has finalized her divorce from R.B. Summitt after 27 years of marriage. Summitt's lawyer, Bernie Bernstein, said the biggest issue likely would be division of property, though details of their divorce settlement were unavailable Monday.

HOCKEY

FLYERS TOP CANADIENS

Martin Biron stopped 32 shots and the host Flyers scored three goals in the second period to beat Montreal 3-2 on Monday night, taking a 2-1 lead in their second-round series. Game 4 is Wednesday in Philadelphia. Mike Richards, R.J. Umberger and Scottie Upshall all scored goals on the first six shots of the second against 20-year-old Carey Price.

UK SPORTS

ALBERS EARNS HONOR

After pitching in four of five games during the week, notching two saves and riding a 61/3-inning consecutive scoreless streak, Kentucky senior southpaw Andrew Albers was named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week.

• Junior women's golfer Mallory Blackwelder was selected on Monday to play in the NCAA Championships. Blackwelder will play in the West Region field on May 8-10, at the Lincoln Hills Golf Club in Lincoln, Calif.

GOLF

MASTERS STARTER DIES

Phil Harison, who introduced everyone from Ben Hogan to Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods during his 60 years as the starter on the first tee of the Masters, has died. He was 82. He died Sunday of natural causes, Augusta National Golf Club said. Harison was one of two people to attend every Masters since it began in 1934.

THE LAST WORD

Bob Knight on the NCAA:

"I always thought that if the NCAA had planned the Normandy invasion that they would have landed in Portugal."