BRIEFS

MLB finally able to

examine Mitchell

Major League Baseball has gotten its advance look at a draft of George Mitchell's report on drug use in the sport.

Baseball reviewed a draft Tuesday at the Manhattan office of DLA Piper, the law firm that Mitchell chairs, a baseball official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because Mitchell hasn't authorized any statements.

The report likely will be released Thursday, and commissioner Bud Selig does not plan to attend Mitchell's news conference, the official said. Selig could have his own news conference or hold a conference call, he added.

Baseball officials have said for several weeks that management would be able to examine the report on performance-enhancing drugs a few days before it is made public to make sure it does not contain any confidential information that if released would violate the collective

bargaining agreement between players

and owners.

Falcons coach Petrino resigns, expected to be

hired by Arkansas

Barely 24 hours after another blowout loss with the Atlanta Falcons, Bobby Petrino was back in college football.

Petrino was hired Tuesday by Arkansas, capping a whirlwind day in which he stunningly resigned from the Falcons after just 13 games. Petrino succeeds Houston Nutt, who stepped down at Arkansas two weeks ago and became the head coach at Mississippi.

''Today was a day of decision,'' Petrino said at a late-night news conference in Fayetteville. ''It was difficult on one side, very easy on the other. It was difficult to leave Atlanta, the staff, players, fans. The timing of it probably is the thing that made it most difficult. Coming to Arkansas was the easy part.''

Petrino got a five-year deal worth $2.85 million per year to take over the Razorbacks, according an athletic department spokesman.

In January, Petrino left as head coach at Louisville to take over in Atlanta, agreeing to a five-year, $24 million contract handed out by a team that felt he could help Michael Vick reach his full potential.

However, the star quarterback came under investigation for a grisly dogfighting operation that led him to plead guilty to federal charges.

On Monday, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison without ever taking a snap for Petrino.

Lady Wildcats lose to

Christ Church

Christ Church beat Blacksburg 40- 12 Tuesday to keep the Lady Wildcats winless on the season.

Catherine Tate, one of the Lady Wildcats' key players, was held out for most of the game due to an injury.

"Christ Church is real good," Blacksburg girls basketball coach Donnell White said. "We are having a tough time right now getting our players believing and executing what we want them to do."

Blacksburg will start region play Friday against Chapman. The Lady Wildcats will play in the Landrum Christmas holiday tournament on Dec. 27-29.

Miles again says

"NO" to Michigan

LSU coach Les Miles denied once again Tuesday he is interested in filling Michigan's head coaching vacancy.

Miles, who is spending this week recruiting for LSU, released a statement Tuesday in response to a report in the Detroit Free Press that the Tigers' coach had spoken with Michigan athletic director Bill Martin and school president Mary Sue Coleman late last week.

''I had a conversation with Michigan last week that covered a wide range of topics. I was doing nothing more than helping them with their search for a football coach, just as any loyal alumnus might do. It was nothing more than that,'' Miles said.