Sports in Brief: Leaf facing tumor battle

Former NFL quarterback

Ryan Leaf

said Thursday he could face radiation treatments if the part of a brain tumor that couldn't be removed by doctors winds up getting bigger.

Leaf told the Associated Press that the California doctor who performed the surgery couldn't get all of the tumor because parts were wrapped around brain stem nerves that affect swallowing and shoulder movement.

Before the tumor was discovered, Leaf said he was upset because he was "dead sober" but still felt like he was "hung over all the time." The 35-year-old Leaf was addicted to painkillers a few years ago.

Leaf, a Great Falls, Mont., native, starred at Washington State, and the San Diego Chargers made him the second pick of the 1998 NFL draft. He played for the Chargers from 1998 to 2000 and for the Cowboys in 2001. He threw for 3,666 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career, but is considered one of the league's biggest busts before struggling with drugs.

SOCCER: Lionel Messi was not hurt after a youngster threw a punch at the Barcelona soccer star as he was leaving a restaurant in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The youngster was part of a throng wanting Messi's autograph, a witness told Argentine television. It was not clear if the punch landed or what the intent had been. Messi went on signing autographs.

"There was a crush of people waiting outside," said Pablo Moyano, who was working in the restaurant. "There were kids, reporters, photographers waiting . . . and one of the kids tried to punch him. I don't know if he pulled it off. He went running afterward."

COLLEGES: The Temple football team, which did not have a punter on the roster, has signed 6-foot-2, 185-pound Nick Holland of Wisconsin for the 2011 season. The Owls were expecting 6-5, 230-pound sophomore Andrew Cerett to handle the chores, but he is no longer a student at Temple due to an off-the-field transgression that violated university rules.

First-year coach Steve Addazio received an oral commitment for 2012 from running back Brandon Peoples of Archbishop Wood. He rushed for 1,166 yards as a junior.

Duquesne coach Ron Everhart withdrew his name from consideration for the head basketball coaching job at Penn State.

Everhart, 49, who has led the Dukes to four consecutive winning regular seasons and three straight postseason appearances, interviewed with Penn State athletic director Tim Curley on Tuesday at an undisclosed location. He was in the mix along with Milwaukee's Rob Jeter and Boston University's Pat Chambers for the position left vacated by Ed DeChellis, who took the same job at Navy last week.

TENNIS: Chris Evert will serve as a television analyst for ESPN at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion previously worked for CBS and NBC but had been away from TV for a decade while raising three sons.

Evert says "now that they are older it is the right time to join the exceptional tennis team at ESPN."

She will make her debut when ESPN begins its coverage from London, working both in the studio and calling matches.

- Staff and wire reports