Sports in Brief: World Cup star shot in Mexico

Salvador Cabanas, the top player on Paraguay's World Cup team, was shot in the head before dawn yesterday in the bathroom of a bar in an affluent neighborhood in Mexico City, authorities said.

The 29-year-old striker underwent surgery in which doctors failed to remove a bullet lodged in his skull. Dr. Ernesto Martinez, who was part of the surgical team, said, "We cannot guarantee that his life is out of danger." He called the player's condition stable.

Cabanas plays for the Mexico City-based Club America. Team president Michel Bauer said Cabanas was conscious when he arrived at the hospital and was speaking as he awaited surgery.

Bauer said Cabanas' wife told him the two were preparing to leave the popular nightspot Bar Bar when the shooting took place in a bathroom. His wife said she found him on the floor.

COLLEGES: The five college football conferences that do not get automatic bids to the Bowl Championship Series will receive a record $24 million from this year's bowl games, according to BCS figures obtained by the Associated Press.

The distribution of money has been a main point of contention for congressional critics of the Bowl Championship Series system.

The six conferences that automatically qualify for the BCS - the Pac-10, Big Ten, Big East, Big Twelve, Southeastern and Atlantic Coast - will get more than $100 million.

Temple has received oral commitments from wide receivers Darryl Shine of Fullerton (Calif.) Junior College and Josh Ford of Coolidge High in Washington, D.C.

Elsewhere: Florida receiver Riley Cooper said he will pursue pro football, even though he was a 25th-round pick by the Texas Rangers in June's baseball draft. . . . Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops agreed to a three-year deal that guarantees him $400,000 a year. . . . Kutztown guard Stephen Dennis, a graduate of West Chester Henderson, was named PSAC player of the week for the fourth time this season.

NOTEWORTHY: Cyclist Stefan Schumacher lost his appeal of a two-year global ban for doping at the Tour de France. The 28-year-old German can race again after Aug. 27, 2010.

San Antonio Silver Stars center Ruth Riley will play for Athinaikos for the remainder of the Greek league season.

The Wings of the MISL acquired Boston's Max Seibald, the 2009 NCAA player of the year at Cornell, in exchange for their 2010 first-round pick and future considerations.

Halfpipe stars Greg Bretz and Elena Hight were added to the U.S. Olympic Snowboarding team.

The U.S. Ski Team pushed back the announcement of its Vancouver Olympics roster to see if other nations fail to use their full allotments, making extra spots available.

-Staff and wire reports