COLLEGE FOOTBALL
NOTRE DAME'S TE'O WINS MAXWELL AWARD: LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o has won the Maxwell Award, given to the nation's most outstanding player.
Te'o was presented with the award Thursday at the Home Depot College Football Awards show at Disney World. He beat out finalists and quarterbacks Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M and Collin Klein from Kansas State.
He is the first defensive player to win the award since 1980, ending a string of nine straight quarterbacks.
It's the sixth national award that Te'o has won since the end of the regular season. The Fighting Irish senior has also has won the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award and Walter Camp national player of the year award.
Te'o is also a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, which will be presented on Saturday.
GOLF
CADDIES FIGHT AT AUSTRALIAN OPEN PRACTICE AREA
SYDNEY (AP) — Golf officials are investigating a fight between two caddies near the practice chipping area at The Lakes before the first round of the Australian Open.
PGA Tour of Australasia officials said Friday that Grant Buchanan and Matt Kelly had to be separated after coming to blows as their players prepared for the opening round. Buchanan is James Nitties' caddie, and Kelly works for Marc Leishman.
The caddies were interviewed by tour officials and could face disciplinary action.
Tournament director Andrew Langford-Jones said decision on any disciplinary action would be determined within a week.
"Our members in no way condone this behavior, and we are saddened the incident has drawn attention away from this great tournament," he said.
Leishman had a 2-under 70 on Thursday, leaving him four strokes behind leader John Senden.
Nitties shot 77. He failed to earn a 2013 PGA Tour card Monday in California in the qualifying tournament.
BASKETBALL
DENNIS RODMAN MUST PAY $500K IN CHILD SUPPORT: ORANGE (AP) — Former NBA star Dennis Rodman has been found in contempt of court and ordered to pay $500,000 in back child support to his ex-wife, her attorney said Thursday.
The flamboyant basketball player known for his off-court antics was sentenced to informal probation, his ex-wife's attorney, Mary Ann Noiroux, told City News Service. Orange County Superior Court Commissioner Barry Michaelson warned Rodman could face jail time if he doesn't pay the child support, she said.
Rodman's attorney, Linnea Willis, didn't return an email from The Associated Press and a phone number did not take messages.
Another attorney for Rodman's ex-wife argued in court that Rodman owed his ex-wife, Michelle Rodman, about $850,000, but Linnea Willis, the former NBA standout's attorney, challenged that figure, Noiroux said.
The two sides met outside court and agreed to $500,000, which Michaelson approved, Noiroux said.
AUTO RACING
HUNTER-REAY FINALLY HONORED FOR INDYCAR TITLE : INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ryan Hunter-Reay finally picked up his IndyCar championship and $1 million bonus Thursday night during the season-ending banquet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
He then announced he and wife Beccy are expecting their first child early next year.
Simon Pagenaud was honored as rookie of the year, and Charlie Kimball won the Tony Renna Rising Star Award.
Josh Freund, chief mechanic for Hunter-Reay, accepted the IZOD IndyCar Series Chief Mechanic of the Year Award.
Kyle Moyer of Andretti Autosport accepted the Team Manager of the Year Award.
Jim Campbell accepted the manufacturer's award on behalf of Chevrolet.
Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing won the Indy Family Foundation Giving Back Award Presented by Firestone for supporting the family of Carey Hall, a crew member who passed away from ALS this year.
HOCKEY
NHL REJECTS PLAYERS' OFFER TO BREAK LABOR IMPASSE: NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL and the players' association are further apart than ever before.
Union executive director Donald Fehr began the first of his two news conferences Thursday night by proclaiming he believed the sides had agreements on such issues as actual dollars, and then returned moments later to reveal the NHL rejected everything his side offered.
Hot-button topics such as the "make-whole" provision on existing contracts not only weren't settled, but are no longer being offered by the league. Forget that owners were willing to pay up to $300 million to cover the costs, and Commissioner Gary Bettman countered by saying the entire concept is off the table — along with everything else the league offered during the previous two days of talks.
