Sports in brief

PENN STATEPSU faced 4-year death penalty

A spokesman for Penn State president Rodney Erickson says the university faced a potential four-year ban on playing football before the NCAA issued its punishment for how the school handled the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal. Spokesman David La Torre disclosed the possibility of a four-year ban Wednesday, after Erickson met behind closed doors with the trustees to discuss the sanctions the NCAA imposed earlier in the week. The NCAA on Monday handed down a $60-million fine, imposed a four-year bowl game ban, reduced football scholarships and negated 111 wins under former coach Joe Paterno.

NHL

League makes a CBA proposal

The NHL gave the players association a more complete proposal for a new collective bargaining agreement at a meeting in Toronto Wednesday and the union requested more information. "We did put a comprehensive set of proposals on the other issues, beyond our initial proposal -- what I'll call the nuts and bolts," commissioner Gary Bettman said.

NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr said that his committee is still working "on the economics of what the commissioner had called their initial proposal," which seeks a reduction in the players' share of hockey-related revenues from 57 percent to 46, raises the years required for free agency and eliminates salary arbitration, among other elements. "We requested a fair amount of background information. They've indicated that they're compiling that." The discussions continue Thursday and then next week in New York.

NBAHornets, Suns, Wolves swap

The Hornets, Suns and Timberwolves agreed to a multi-player trade sending 7-foot center Robin Lopez and forward Hakim Warrick from Phoenix to New Orleans, moving forward Wesley Johnson and a first-round draft pick from Minnesota to Phoenix and sending guard Jerome Dyson and retiring center Brad Miller's $5.1 million contract from New Orleans to Minnesota, a person familiar with the deal said.

NFL

Stabler joins concussion suit

Former Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler is the latest big name from the NFL's past to sue the league over head injuries. Stabler is the first plaintiff among 73 listed on a federal lawsuit filed Monday in Philadelphia . . . The Detroit Lions signed cornerbacks Drew Coleman, a former Jet, and Justin Miller as they try to fill a position weakened by their dismissal of the legally challenged Aaron Berry and the loss to injury of Chris Greenwood.

AUTO RACING

Allmendinger enters abuse program

Suspended driver A.J. Allmendinger said that he will participate in NASCAR's substance-abuse recovery program. NASCAR suspended Allmendinger indefinitely after a test of his backup urine sample conducted Tuesday confirmed an initial positive test in late June. -- AP