Sports in Brief: ESPN's Griese is suspended

ESPN broadcaster

Bob Griese

has been suspended for one week for a remark he made about NASCAR driver

Juan Pablo Montoya

.

Network spokesman Josh Krulewitz said Griese would not be working a college football game this week. Krulewitz said ESPN has spoken to Griese and "he understands the comment was inappropriate."

During ESPN's coverage of the Minnesota-Ohio State game on Saturday, a graphic was shown listing the top five drivers in NASCAR's points race. Fellow analyst Chris Spielman asked: Where was Montoya?

Griese replied, "Out having a taco."

The former Miami Dolphins quarterback has twice apologized on telecasts for the remark.

Montoya, a Colombian, declined to comment on Griese's suspension. He brushed off the remark on Sunday, saying he'd never heard of Griese.

COLLEGES: The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics (which is not affiliated with the NCAA), said a study showed that athletic departments might have to drop sports unless reforms such as controlling the cost of coaching contracts are implemented.

A Division I athletic directors association will recommend a series of cuts to university presidents in the coming weeks.

Elsewhere: Villanova's Mike Seamon was named the Soccer Six player of the week.

SOCCER: Hull of the English Premier League fined U.S. striker Jozy Altidore for tweeting an apology after he was left off the squad against Portsmouth because he arrived late for Saturday's game.

He was replaced by Will Atkinson.

The United States will play an exhibition game against Slovakia on Nov. 14 in Bratislava in a World Cup tune-up for both teams.

AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani said David Beckham's return to the Italian Serie A team on a loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy in January is nearly "100 percent certain."

TENNIS: Caroline Wozniacki denied any wrongdoing last week when she quit a match one game shy of victory.

The WTA Tour is investigating a surge in online bets backing her opponent that occurred after her father, Piotr, was overheard telling Wozniacki to quit during the Luxembourg Open. The 19-year-old from Denmark retired with a hamstring injury while leading Anne Kremer of Luxembourg, 7-5, 5-0.

Serena Williams and Dinara Safina will settle the WTA Tour's No. 1 ranking on the court at the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar, beginning today.

Safina has held the top spot for 26 weeks but has not won a Grand Slam tournament. Williams won her 11th major title at Wimbledon this year, and also won the Australian Open.

OLYMPICS: Vancouver Olympic organizers said that the economic downturn no longer poses a major threat to the 2010 Winter Games.

At the same time, they expect to use all of their contingency revenue, as well as a promised contribution from the International Olympic Committee, to avoid going into deficit after the Games, which begin Feb. 12.

NOTEWORTHY: Kevin Widemon, a 23-year-old American guard, died of a heart attack during a tournament in Portugal.

The Portuguese basketball federation said Widemon collapsed in the locker room Sunday during halftime of a game between his team, Ovarense, and Academica in Leiria, northern Portugal.

Widemon, who played for West Side High in Newark, N.J., and Texas A&M-Commerce, had played 10 minutes in the game.

- Staff and wire reports