Condition unknown: Former LSU receiver Demetrius Byrd is in the intensive care unit of a Miami hospital following a serious automobile accident Sunday, according to an LSU spokesperson. Michael Bonnette, LSU’s associate athletic director for sports information, told ESPN.com that he spoke with Byrd’s representatives this morning. There was no other information available about his condition from LSU, though his junior college coach, Tim Hatten of Pearl River Communicty College in Mississippi, told ESPN’s Joe Schad: “I just spoke with Demetrius’ mother and she said that he has mostly bumps and bruises. She said his injuries are not life threatening and should not be football threatening.” Byrd, who attended Miami Central High School, was getting ready for this weekend’s NFL Draft. He’s rated by Scouts Inc. as the No. 13 wide receiver in the draft. He caught 37 passes for 513 yards and four touchdowns last season for the Tigers. Byrd transferred to LSU from junior college and caught seven touchdown passes as a junior.
Kennedy avoids jail time: Ole Miss basketball coach Andy Kennedy avoided jail time today by pleading guilty to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct for his altercation with a cab driver. Kennedy was sentenced to 40 hours of community service and six months probation by Hamilton County (Ohio) Municipal Court Judge Dwane Mallory. The coach faced up to six months in jail on his original assault charge. Kennedy, 41, was arrested in December when Ole Miss was in Cincinnati for a game against Louisville as part of the SEC/Big East Invitational. Cab driver Mohamed Moctar Ould Jiddou said Kennedy punched him in the face and called him a terrorist after he told the coach he couldn’t fit him and four others into his cab. Kennedy is still embroiled in civil lawsuits with the driver and a valet who says he saw the confrontation and supported the cab driver.
Fast feet: Ethiopia’s Deriba Merga overcame the disappointment of his Olympic fade to win the Boston Marathon today, and Kenya’s Salina Kosgei won the closest women’s race in the history of the event. Americans took third in both races for the best U.S. finish since 1985. Merga, who was passed in the last quarter-mile and finished fourth in Beijing, pulled away before Heartbreak Hill and won in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 42 seconds — almost a full minute ahead of Kenya’s Daniel Rono and American Ryan Hall. Kosgei won a sprint with defending champion Dire Tune, trading the lead several times in the final blocks of Boylston Street before hitting the tape less than a stride ahead of the Ethiopian in 2:32:16. American Kara Goucher led the three as they crossed the MassPike into Kenmore Square with one mile to go, but she was outkicked down the stretch and finished 9 seconds back.
