Laurinaitis a three-time AP honoree

Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis joined a select group by being chosen for the third time to the Associated Press All-American team yesterday, joining Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford from Oklahoma and Texas Tech star receiver Michael Crabtree on the first team. Among the other players to make the AP first team three times were San Diego State running back Marshall Faulk (1991-93), Pittsburgh offensive lineman Bill Fralic (1982-84), Georgia running back Herschel Walker (1980-82), and Pittsburgh defensive end Hugh Green (1978-80). Bradford beat out Texas's Colt McCoy and Florida's Tim Tebow in All-America voting that broke the same way as the Heisman balloting. McCoy, the Heisman runner-up, was the second-team quarterback. Tebow made the third team, a year after winning the Heisman. Connecticut running back Donald Brown, the nation's leading rushing, was named to the second team . . . Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray, the Sooners' second-leading rusher, will have surgery to repair a hamstring injury and miss the BCS national championship game against Florida Jan. 8.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno has a new three-year contract extension to go along with his new hip. The Hall of Famer and winningest coach in major college football history has agreed to a deal that runs through the 2011 season. JoePa turns 82 Sunday. The agreement ends months of speculation and comes more than three weeks after Paterno had hip replacement surgery . . . Buffalo coach Turner Gill is staying put for at least another season and won't consider interviewing for any more jobs after receiving a one-year contract extension and raise. The new deal, which runs through 2013, is reward for a first-time coach who in three years turned around a program that was one of the worst in major college football. "I'm going to be here at the University at Buffalo," said Gill, who had been a candidate for openings at Auburn and Syracuse. "I've given you my word, I've given my football team our word that I will be the football coach in 2009 at the University at Buffalo." . . . Newly hired Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen has decided to stay with top-ranked Florida through the national championship game.

Bill Bayno has been sidelined as Loyola Marymount's men's coach because of what he says is "a serious medical condition" related to job stress. Bayno, 45, signed a five-year deal to coach the Lions (0-10) in April after an eight-year absence from college basketball. He began a leave of absence Nov. 23. Assistant Max Good, the former head coach at Bryant, has taken over for Bayno.

Buffalo Sabres rookie forward and former Boston College All-American Nathan Gerbe will miss about two weeks because of an upper body injury. Gerbe has one assist in five games since making his NHL debut after being called up from the minors Dec. 6 . . . Minnesota Wild star right wing Marian Gaborik said he's planning to play tonight against the Flames. Gaborik suffered an unspecified injury to his lower body and has missed the last 27 games since appearing Oct. 14.

Detroit Pistons guard Allen Iverson was fined $25,000 by the NBA for making inappropriate comments toward a fan in a win last Saturday at Charlotte . . . Sigi Schmid was named the first coach of the Seattle Sounders FC, three weeks after leading the Columbus Crew to the Major League Soccer championship. Schmid, 55, agreed to a multiyear contract with the expansion Sounders, who open training camp in January and begin MLS play in March. Terms were not disclosed . . . Robby Gordon will switch to Toyota in 2009, his fourth manufacturer change in four years. Gordon was with General Motors in 2006, switched to Ford the next year and Dodge last season in a technical alliance with Gillett Evernham Motorsports. That partnership was dissolved, freeing Gordon to align with Toyota . . . Jeremy Bloom's comeback remained on track when he earned a spot on the 2009 US freestyle skiing team. Bloom, who announced he was returning to freestyle skiing after spending two years trying to catch on as a receiver in the NFL, was one of 39 athletes added to the team. Also named to the team were Dave Babic of Washington, Vt., Emily Cook of Belmont, Hannah Kearney of Norwich, Vt., and Kayla Snyderman of Winchester.