*COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis needs to have surgery on his right knee before doctors can operate on his more seriously injured left knee. Weis found out this week that he has a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee as well as damage to a bone that will require doctors to shave the bone. Weis could undergo surgery as early as next week before the Irish (6-6) leave Friday to play in the Hawaii Bowl, or could wait until the first or second week of January. … New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Marrone has been hired as coach at Syracuse, returning to the school where he played to try to rebuild a program that hasn’t had a winning season since 2001. Marrone was a captain and three-year letterman at Syracuse in the mid-1980s, and the school said Friday he will succeed Greg Robinson. … Bowling Green has hired former Tennessee offensive coordinator Dave Clawson to become its new head coach. … Army football coach Stan Brock was fired after a 6-18 record over two seasons. … Michigan freshman tailback Sam McGuffie plans to transfer to a school closer to his Texas home.
*NFL: Bills backup quarterback J.P. Losman will likely make his second straight start for injured starter Trent Edwards (groin) Sunday at the Jets. … Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel practiced for a second straight day following the death of his father earlier this week, but the team declined to say whether he will play against the Raiders on Sunday. … Running back Brandon Jacobs will miss the Giants’ game with the Cowboys on Sunday because of a knee injury. … Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren says tackle Walter Jones had knee surgery Thursday and will miss the three remaining games. … Titans starting defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch won’t play at Houston because of a groin injury. … Titans center Kevin Mawae was fined $5,000 by the league for his hit on Cleveland’s Kamerion Wimbley.
*NBA: The Bobcats have signed Juwan Howard three days after reaching an agreement with the veteran forward. The move comes as new Bobcats Boris Diaw, Raja Bell and Sean Singletary reported to the team for physicals. Charlotte waived little-used forward Dwayne Jones to make room on the roster for the four new players. … Rookie Michael Beasley missed the Heat’s game against the Hawks with flulike symptoms. … Center Tyson Chandler missed the Hornets’ game against the Celtics because of a stiff neck.
*HOCKEY: Blues goaltender Manny Legace was placed on injured reserve with what the team describes as a mild concussion. Legace took a knee to the head in the first period of Wednesday’s 4-2 loss at Anaheim. … Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo has experienced soreness in his injured groin and did not join his teammates on a trip to Edmonton for Saturday night’s game against the Oilers. … Jeff Hamilton and Junior Lessard scored in the shootout as the Wolves captured a 3-2 win at Iowa. … The Dallas Stars assigned goaltender Brent Krahn to the Wolves.
*COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Jeff Peterson scored 17 points Jermain Davis added 16 as Iowa (9-2) defeated Iowa State 73-57. … Ben Woodside scored 60 points for North Dakota State in a 112-111 triple-overtime loss to Stephen F. Austin. Woodside was 14-for-32 from the field and 30-for-35 from the free-throw line. The 30 free throws tied an NCAA record. … Notre Dame women’s guard Brittany Mallory is out for the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee. The sophomore was averaging 8.1 points.
*SOCCER: UIC junior goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja and junior midfielder Baggio Husidic earned All-America honors from both the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and College Soccer News. … Brian Shriver scored less than four minutes in and North Carolina advanced to the NCAA College Cup men’s soccer final by beating top-seeded and defending national champion Wake Forest 1-0 in Frisco, Texas. The 13th-seeded Tar Heels (15-7-1) advanced to Sunday’s title game against Maryland (22-3-0), which defeated St. John’s 1-0 on Graham Zusi’s goal in the second overtime.
*ALSO: Formula One’s governing body has announced a series of new cost-cutting measures for the sport, including longer-lasting engines and limits on testing. … The Shamrox, who played in the National Lacrosse League, suspended operations for the 2009 season due to the economic downturn.
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EDITED BY MIKE PANKOW FROM TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICES
