Monday's Sports In Brief

By The Associated Press

Here's a look at Monday's sports in brief around the world.

BASEBALL

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mike Scioscia’s extension with the Los Angeles Angels puts the most successful manager in franchise history under contract through the 2018 season.

Two people with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press the parties agreed to a 10-year deal that allows Scioscia to opt out after the 2015 season. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because contract terms have not been released.

The Angels announced last Monday that the parties agreed in principle on a multiyear extension. Previously, Scioscia was under contract through next season with a club option for 2010 for about $2 million per season.

PRO FOOTBALL

Four members of Congress want the Department of Labor to monitor the NFL Players’ Association’s search for a new executive director, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press.

In a letter dated Jan. 8, Reps. G.K. Butterfield, Gregory Meeks, Edolphus Towns and Bobby Rush also asked that a “detailed disclosure and description report” of the search be provided to the group and the labor department.

Eight candidates remain in the running to succeed Gene Upshaw as executive director, a person familiar with the search told the AP.

The candidates include former union presidents Troy Vincent, Mike Kenn and Trace Armstrong, sports attorney David Cornwell, former union executive vice president John Spagnola and former NFL player Jim Covert. Roderick West, CEO of New Orleans’ gas and electric companies, and Ben Utt, another former NFL player, round out the list.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida quarterback Tim Tebow had surgery on his right shoulder and is expected to be ready for spring practice in April.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner had surgery at Shands Florida Surgical Center to remove a bone spur and hopefully reduce chronic inflammation.

Tebow announced Sunday that he will return for his senior season.

He injured his non-throwing shoulder against Kentucky in October 2007 and re-aggravated it earlier this season. He had painkilling injections before each of the final six games last season. It was unclear whether he received shots this season.

Tebow threw 32 touchdown passes in 2007, ran for 23 more scores and became the first sophomore to win the Heisman. He did less this season, but accomplished more by leading the Gators to their second national title in three years.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Bob Knight, the winningest coach in Division I history, and former CBS sportscaster Billy Packer plan to analyze the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in a series of one-hour television programs taped at a race and sports book on the Las Vegas Strip.

Packer told reporters the show wouldn’t mention gambling even though it is to be filmed at the race and sports book at the Wynn Las Vegas.

Packer, 68, left CBS after last season following 27 years as the network’s lead college basketball analyst. Including previous years with NBC, Packer had worked every Final Four since 1975.

Knight, who won 902 games, resigned from Texas Tech last February. He also coached at Army and Indiana, where he won three national championships in 29 years.

The programs are expected to begin March 15 and air on Fox Sports Net. Packer said they would be taped after the teams are seeded in the tournament, after early round games and to analyze the Final Four before and after the games.

PRO BASKETBALL

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — LeBron James, who takes great pride in his wardrobe and tries to stay ahead of the style curve, will appear on the February cover of GQ Magazine — another first for the NBA superstar whose career has been defined by firsts.

Posing in a slate gray suit, pink shirt and gray tie, James added the GQ cover to his run of magazine fronts from Sports Illustrated to Fortune to Vogue, in which he was the first black male to appear on the cover in the influential fashion magazine’s 116-year history.

Along with appearing on GQ’s cover, James played a pickup game of hoops with a few of the magazines writers and editors, who drove to Cleveland for the chance to get on the court with the 24-year-old superstar. They also sat down for an interview in which James discusses his endorsement deals, his two young sons and Barack Obama’s election as U.S. president.

SOCCER

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo won the FIFA World Player of the Year award to complete a sweep of soccer’s top individual honors for 2008.

The Portugal winger led Manchester United to the Premier League and Champions League titles in May. He scored 42 goals last season and became the first English Premier League player to win the honor in the award’s 18-year history.

Ronaldo received 136 first-place votes and 935 points in a worldwide poll of national team captains and coaches, with the results announced by Brazilian great Pele.

Ronaldo was widely expected to win after capturing the Ballon D’Or as European player of the year and World Soccer magazine’s player of the year.

He is the second Portuguese to receive the award. Luis Figo won in 2001 when David Beckham, who also wore No. 7 for Manchester United, was runner-up.