Sports in Brief: Ex-Bird Vincent is hired by NFL

The NFL named former all-pro cornerback Troy Vincent vice president of player development for active players yesterday.

The former Eagle, who will join the league office on Feb. 22, was president of the NFL Players Association for four years until March 2008.

He will oversee support programs for players and their families, and will work on new programs that address the needs of incoming and current NFL players.

Vincent, a graduate of Pennsbury High, won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2002 for his community service.

A Minnesota judge ruled that a lawsuit over the NFL's drug-related suspensions of Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams will go to trial March 8.

The Buffalo Bills' starting right tackle, 26-year-old Brad Butler, announced his retirement after only four NFL seasons. Butler majored in government studies at Virginia.

AUTO RACING: Daytona International Speedway began repairs to the damaged portion of Turn 2 that forced two delays during the Daytona 500. Track president Robin Braig said a strip of pavement would be removed and a reinforced concrete patch about 6-by-18 feet would be poured in the area.

COLLEGES: Kixx midfielder Ptah Myers was named head coach of men's soccer at Philadelphia University. Myers, who spent last season as an assistant at Villanova, will continue to play for the Kixx.

Rutgers will hold its annual Scarlet-White spring football game at Rutgers Stadium on April 24 at 3 p.m.

Rajaan Bennett, 18, a high school football star who had signed to play at Vanderbilt, was shot to death by his mother's ex-boyfriend, who then killed himself, police in Powder Springs, Ga., said. It was not clear what prompted the shooting.

LACROSSE: Fans who bring a broken snow shovel to the Wachovia Center box office tomorrow can buy a half-price ticket for the Wings' game against Rochester.

TENNIS: Shahar Peer of Israel advanced to the semifinals of the Dubai Championships with a 7-5, 3-0 win over Australian Open semifinalist Li Na, who retired because of back spasms. Peer will face defending champion Venus Williams, who defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-3, 6-4.

JURISPRUDENCE: Authorities in Bridgeport, Conn., decided not to prosecute three Sacred Heart University lacrosse players who were accused of conspiring to sexually assault a woman in a dorm room, a lawyer for one of the men said.

Crystal Mangum, the woman who falsely accused three Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006, has been charged with attempted murder, arson and other counts after a fight with her boyfriend, police in Durham, N.C., said.

-Staff and wire reports