University Of Miami

Chances are excellent you've heard of the University of Miami's football Hurricanes, 37-0 and vying for their second national championship in a row. But what of senior Devi Sridhar, who won't be suiting up to play in today's Fiesta Bowl? The UM biology major, who is also a violinist, tennis player, author of a children's book on Indian myths and speaker of five languages, is one of the latest crop of Rhodes scholars. At just 18, the senior is the youngest Rhodes laureate in American history.

An independent counsel has completed his review of the NCAA enforcement program and is expected to submit a report late next week. The college governing body called upon Kenneth L. Wainstein, former homeland security advisor to President George W. Bush, after the recent announcement of potentially severe misconduct by investigators in the long-standing University of Miami case. NCAA staff members allegedly paid the criminal defense attorney for Nevin Shapiro - a former booster at the center of the Miami scandal - to improperly obtain information for an investigation.

University of Miami defensive line coach Ed Orgeron has rejoined the Hurricanes after a three-month absence because of personal problems.

The chairman of the NCAA committee on infractions said last year the case against USC was, literally, a "three-feet. " That's how high the paperwork would stack, he said, if you started a pile on the floor. The chairman said the NCAA was going to make an example out of USC in the hope it would serve as a warning to other schools. USC football was slammed with a two-year bowl ban and the loss of 30 scholarships as the result of violations involving star running back Reggie Bush.

Former University of Miami player Solomon Moore pleaded guilty to a single count of credit-card conspiracy in an agreement that calls for other charges to be dropped at the time of sentencing.

Of all the disturbing images from the sideline-clearing brawl between Miami and Florida International, swift and stern punishment was handed out Monday for the three that stood out the most: * Miami's Anthony Reddick wielding his helmet as a weapon and smashing it into an FIU player. His one-game suspension was increased to an indefinite one. * FIU's Chris Smith wrestling Miami holder Matt Perrelli down and appearing to punch him in the chin. Smith was dismissed. * Marshall McDuffie Jr.

Former Miami player Lamar Thomas lost his TV analyst job Monday over comments he made during a sideline-clearing brawl involving the Hurricanes and Florida International. Comcast Sports SouthEast, a regional cable network that hired Thomas before the season, also decided to edit out his comments before the game is replayed later this week. Thomas made his comments as dozens of Miami and Florida International players stormed the Orange Bowl field and fought during the third quarter on Saturday.

After reviewing a sideline-clearing brawl between players from Miami and Florida International, officials from both schools and their conferences on Sunday announced the suspension of 31 players -- 13 from the Hurricanes, and 18 from FIU. Each suspended player must sit out his team's next game for taking part in the ugly melee that marred the teams' Saturday matchup. Miami plays at Duke on Saturday; FIU plays at Alabama on Oct. 28.

Dick Hickox, 68, an All-American basketball player at the University of Miami who with Coach Bill Bertka led Hancock College to California's junior college championship in 1957, died of cancer Friday in Miami. Hickox, a native of Fort Wayne, Ind., was playing basketball at Hancock College in Santa Maria when Miami Coach Bruce Hale asked him to come to Coral Gables, Fla., where one of Hickox's friends was on the team.

There was talk that Virginia Tech, in terms of emerging dynasties east of Los Angeles, might be the new Miami and would start proving it Saturday night with a dazzling display of Blue Ridge brawn. It was all gobbler-gook. Miami knocked the Hokie out of Virginia Tech, 27-7, at Lane Stadium, re-established its status among the nation's elite franchises and even rearranged a few deck chairs on the BCS Titanic. "It's a statement to all of college football," Miami tackle Eric Winston proclaimed.

Green Bay Packers tight end Bubba Franks arrived in a cherry red Hummer. Teammate Javon Walker pulled up in a snow white Escalade. Buffalo Bills running back Willis McGahee drove up in a black BMW with wide silver rims. Washington Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss parked a dark silver Mercedes-Benz with the Florida tag 8-TREY.

Chris Rix and Brock Berlin are so intent on making the most of their senior seasons as high-profile quarterbacks for major programs it might take a hurricane to knock them off course. Unfortunately, Hurricane Frances is barreling toward Florida with an eye toward postponing Monday night's epic Florida State-Miami game in the Orange Bowl. Officials may decide today whether to reschedule the game to Sept. 11.

Xavier Beitia now knows torture beyond what any Florida State kicker has experienced, as unbelievable as that may seem. There is a long list of Seminole kickers who have nightmares about footballs going wide left or wide right and Miami players dancing victoriously off the field. Matt Munyon, Dan Mowrey and Gerry Thomas all missed field goals that would have either won or tied games against Miami in the final seconds. Yet Beitia is the only one who will get that as a double feature.