CBS to Cut Ties With Online Sportsbook

In response to concerns raised by the NCAA, an Internet company partially owned by CBS will sever ties to an online sportsbook.

“We will continue to support the NCAA’s aggressive anti-gambling efforts,” CBS spokeswoman LeslieAnne Wade said Friday.

A day earlier, NCAA Executive Director Cedric Dempsey had expressed unease over broadcast partner CBS’ ties to Sportsbook.com, a popular Web site that takes offshore bets on the NCAA tournament. With the TV contract running through 2002, Dempsey said the NCAA could do little to force the network’s hand.

“But as we look toward renewing a contract, or negotiating a new one, any relationship to gambling would certainly influence our thinking,” Dempsey said.

Dempsey said even though the connection to CBS was distant, the NCAA was sensitive to the appearance of impropriety. The organization has been rocked by point-shaving and gambling scandals in recent years, including the indictment of Northwestern basketball players on the eve of last year’s Final Four.

Earlier this week, NCAA officials threw their support behind a Senate bill designed to limit gambling on the Web.

The connection between CBS’ Internet operation and Sportsbook.com was first reported Thursday by ESPN. Wade said once the network became aware of it, CBS took immediate action.

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Ten years after becoming the only interim coach to win the national championship, Steve Fisher is back in college basketball, this time at lowly San Diego State.

Fisher, who took Michigan to three national championship games in five years and recruited the “Fab Five” to Ann Arbor, signed a contract at midnight Thursday in a San Diego hotel and was introduced as the Aztecs’ coach during a news conference Friday afternoon at the campus arena.

“I am thrilled to be the new basketball coach, ready to get started, knowing there will be a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done,” Fisher said.

“I’m not naive to the fact that I think I can close my eyes and wave my wand and we’re going to go from 4-22 to 22-4. But nobody thought Ohio State would go from last [[n the Big Ten] to the Final Four, either.”

San Diego State gave Fisher a six-year deal, with a one-year rollover provision after the first season, and pledged as many out-of-state scholarships as he needs. He’ll make just more than $300,000 in base pay, plus whatever he gets from camps and shoe deals.

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Former St. John’s coach Fran Fraschilla is the leading candidate to become New Mexico’s next head coach, a school official involved with the search said . . . Craig Esherick, who took over as coach at Georgetown after the surprising resignation of John Thompson, signed a six-year contract at undisclosed terms. . . . Duke sophomore center Elton Brand was named player of the year by the Associated Press. Auburn’s Cliff Ellis was named coach of the year. . . . Creighton’s Doug Swenson had 23 points and 12 rebounds, leading the West to a 93-86 victory over the East in the 37th National Assn. of Basketball Coaches All-Star Game at Tampa, Fla.