Big East considers adding Boise State

The Big East is considering adding Boise State football to help bolster the conference’s chances of retaining its BCS automatic bid, though both sides still need to be convinced that it’s the right move.

A college football official, who spoke Thursday to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the Big East’s plans, says some Big East presidents are resisting adding Boise State and the school itself has reservations about joining a conference in flux.

The Big East said this week it would like to expand to 12 football schools and split into two divisions, which would allow the league to play a championship.

The official said that some Big East leaders believe the priority in expansion should be bringing in programs that will ensure the Big East remains an automatic qualifying conference when the current Bowl Championship Series television and bowl contracts run out after the 2013 season.

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North Carolina’s trustees will meet Friday to approve the hiring of Tulsa Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham as the school’s next athletic director, a person familiar with the situation said.

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President Obama will attend the Veterans Day matchup between the Michigan State and North Carolina men’s basketball teams in San Diego on the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, the White House announced.

ETC.

Christmas games in doubt, Stern says

Commissioner David Stern said his “gut” tells him there will be no NBA basketball on Christmas without a labor agreement by Tuesday.

That day, when owners and players are scheduled to meet with a federal mediator, is a “really big deal,” he added.

Owners will then open two days of board meetings Wednesday, and without an agreement to bring them, Stern believes further cancellations are coming.

Stern canceled the first two weeks of the regular season on Monday when the sides couldn’t reach a deal before a deadline he had set.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lance Berkman bounced back from an injury-riddled 2010 season to win the National League comeback player-of-the-year award. Berkman hit .301 with 31 home runs and 94 runs batted in this year, helping the Cardinals reach the postseason.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury won the American League award. The winners were picked by the 30 team beat reporters from MLB.com.

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Webb Simpson matched his best score of the year in the opening round of the McGladrey Classic at Sea Island, Ga., making eight birdies for a seven-under-par 63 that gave him a share of the lead with tour rookie Zack Miller.

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American Brittany Lang and South Korean star Na Yeon Choi shot five-under 66s for shares of the first-round lead in the LPGA Malaysia at Kuala Lumpur.

Sweden’s Maria Hjorth and the Netherlands’ Dewi Claire Schreefel also opened with 66s.

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Acclamation won’t run in the Breeders’ Cup next month after heat was detected in his right front leg some time after he won his fifth consecutive race nearly two weeks ago at Santa Anita.

Trainer Don Warren said that the 5-year-old horse was resting comfortably in his stall at Santa Anita. He says Acclamation could probably get over the issue soon and run again, but it’s time for a rest so the horse can run next year.

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Tony Stewart took the pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., outracing Matt Kenseth and points leader Carl Edwards.

Stewart covered the 1.5 -mile layout with a speed of 191.959 to start up front for the Bank of America 500 on Saturday night.

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Novak Djokovic will finish the year as the top-ranked men’s tennis player in the world.

The ATP says the Serb clinched the year-end top spot after No. 2 Rafael Nadal lost in the third round at the Shanghai Masters.

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The brother of former NHL strongman Derek Boogaard pleaded guilty to a gross misdemeanor in his brother’s overdose death, admitting he destroyed evidence in the case.

Aaron Boogaard reached a plea deal in Hennepin County, Minn., that lets him walk free with a stayed six-month sentence, plus probation and community service.