Report: Tapes may confirm Bush gifts

The existence of taped conversations between Reggie Bush or members of his family and an investor in a failed sports marketing agency could confirm the New Orleans Saints running back received cash and gifts while playing for Southern California, Yahoo.com reported yesterday. A federal investigation into extortion claims by Bush and his family revealed the existence of the taped conversations, according to the report. Lloyd Lake, who founded a sports marketing agency in hopes of landing Bush as its first client, is the subject of a grand jury probe into the extortion claims. When asked in the past about the allegations of receiving inappropriate extra benefits, Bush has insisted that he and his family did nothing wrong. Yahoo.com, citing unidentified sources, reported Bush's stepfather, LaMar Griffin, acknowledged the existence of the tapes when he spoke to investigators last spring.

Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis earned an eighth trip to Hawaii, replacing injured linebacker Al Wilson of the Broncos on the AFC Pro Bowl squad. Lewis was named a first alternate last month . . . Lions leading receiver Mike Furrey agreed to terms on a three-year deal, bringing back one of the team's few bright spots from a season in which Detroit won only three games. The 29-year-old from Northern Iowa had 98 receptions, the most by a non-rookie following a season in which he had no catches. Furrey had 1,086 yards and six touchdowns receiving . . . Dolphins quarterbacks coach Jason Garrett, a former quarterback for the Cowboys, interviewed for Dallas's vacant offensive coordinator and head coaching positions. The Cowboys also sought permission to interview San Diego defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said . . . The Dolphins hired Terry Robiskie as their wide receivers coach and Brett Maxie as safeties coach. Keith Armstrong, the Dolphins' special teams coach the past six seasons, signed a contract extension . . . Former Broncos defensive back Tyrone Braxton, 41, pleaded guilty to cocaine and marijuana possession but avoided jail time.

Revolution forward Taylor Twellman will participate today in his first national training camp since last year, as the US prepares in Carson, Calif., to meet Mexico in Phoenix Feb. 7. Twellman, who missed the United States's 3-1 win over Denmark last Saturday while recovering from hernia surgery, scored four goals in six games for the US last year but was excluded from the World Cup roster. The Revolution's Michael Parkhurst and Matt Reis, who went the distance in goal against Denmark, will also be in the camp. Pat Noonan (knee) is out but is expected to report to the Revolution in Foxborough Feb. 2 . . . Former US national captain Claudio Reyna signed a contract with the New York Red Bulls, reuniting the midfielder with Bruce Arena, his former coach at the University of Virginia and the US national team.

The Mets and manager Willie Randolph agreed in principle to a three-year contract that runs through 2009. The deal is scheduled to be announced today, a baseball executive familiar with the negotiations said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team had yet to confirm the deal . . . Free agent outfielder/first baseman Cliff Floyd agreed to a one-year contract with the Cubs after spending four seasons with the Mets . . . Former Nationals manager Frank Robinson will be a special analyst for ESPN as it celebrates the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's breaking of baseball's color barrier . . . Bobby Murcer, recovering from surgery Dec. 28 to remove a malignant brain tumor, hopes to return to the Yankees' YES Network broadcast booth this season.

Northeastern will open the 2007 football season against Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., the first meeting between the Division 1-AA Huskies and the Division 1-A Wildcats. The Huskies' 11-game schedule also features eight Colonial Athletic Association games and nonconference games with UC-Davis and Northwestern State University of Louisiana . . . CSTV and Channel 38 have reached an agreement to air three UMass men's basketball games this season beginning with Sunday's 1 p.m. game at Charlotte. Channel 38 will also air the UMass at Dayton game Feb. 18 at 2 p.m., and UMass at Saint Joseph's March 3 at 4 p.m.

The president of the World Anti-Doping Agency is seeking more flexibility to impose tougher sanctions for serious first-time doping and lighter measures for minor accidental cases, instead of a mandatory two-year ban in all cases. Dick Pound also said WADA wants quicker decisions on drug cases, including immediate sanctions after a positive test and swift, decisive information from police probes . . . Former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch chaired the first meeting of the International Softball Federation's strategic task force, which is trying to return softball to the Olympics for the 2016 Games . . . Former World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko will return to the ring in April, more than two years after injuries forced his retirement. Klitschko will face Oleg Maskaev April 21 in Moscow . . . Ski jumper Jan Mazoch, who crashed last week at a World Cup event in southern Poland, will be gradually brought out of his medically induced coma. Doctors at a Krakow hospital are likely to take more than 10 hours to revive the 21-year-old Czech.