The Buffalo Bills yesterday released tight end Kevin Everett, who suffered a career-ending spinal injury last season. The move allows Everett to seek long-term disability benefits from the NFL.

By being placed on the team's waived/failed physical list, Everett can apply for an annual $224,000 disability payment and a one-time payment of $75,000 as part of the NFL's player-health reimbursement plan.

An injured player is not eligible for medical benefits while on an active roster.

Everett, 26, suffered a dislocated spine and compression of his spinal cord while making a tackle during Buffalo's Sept. 9 home opener against the Denver Broncos.

Colleges

Saying the NCAA has "new information," president Myles Brand promised to investigate former Southern California basketball star O.J. Mayo, who allegedly received thousands of dollars in gifts from money given to an event promoter by a sports agency.

Louis Johnson, a former associate of Mayo's, told ESPN that Mayo received about $30,000 and other benefits from the promoter while in high school and during his one season at USC.

Elsewhere: Kojo Mensah, a junior guard who was one of five Duquesne basketball players shot on campus in September 2006, is passing up his final season of eligibility to enter the NBA draft. . . . Penn State defensive end Maurice Evans has been named to the watch list for the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Trophy for the nation's top defensive player.

Jurisprudence

The Pennsylvania Superior Court has rejected the appeal of a former youth baseball coach convicted of offering a player $25 to bean a 9-year-old autistic teammate.

The court did not consider arguments on behalf of 31-year-old Mark Downs Jr. of Dunbar, saying his attorney missed a filing deadline by two weeks.

Downs has been sentenced to one to six years in prison, but has remained free on bond pending appeal.

He was convicted of corruption of minors and simple assault for offering an 8-year-old player money to hit a mildly autistic teammate with a ball during warm-ups before a June 2005 playoff game. Prosecutors say Downs wanted the autistic boy to be hurt and unable to play in the game.

Two part-owners of last year's Preakness winner are on trial in Covington, Ky., accused of defrauding clients out of millions from a diet-drug settlement.

Shirley Cunningham Jr. and William Gallion own 20 percent of Curlin, the 2007 horse of year.

Their share has been frozen pending a decision.

Noteworthy

David Beckham put on a show, but the Vancouver Whitecaps defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy, 2-1, in an exhibition in Edmonton, Alberta.

In the 43d minute, Beckham sent a cross-field pass that Alan Gordon headed past goalie Srdjan Djekanovic to tie the game at 1. The former England captain also took a 30-yard free kick that just missed the near post as flashes flickered among the crowd of 37,104 at Commonwealth Stadium.

Miguel Cotto's welterweight unification title fight with Antonio Margarito will be held in Las Vegas on July 26. Cotto, the undefeated (32-0, 26 KOs) WBA champion from Puerto Rico, will fight IBF champion Margarito (36-5, 26 KOs) at the MGM Grand Garden.

Elsewhere: Storm Cat, one of the top stallions in thoroughbred racing history, has been retired at the age of 25. . . . Merrick Thomson and Jamie Rooney of the Wings were named to the NLL all-rookie team.