NFL

Despite a rookie wage scale, underclassmen undeterred

NEW YORK – Six players from the BCS national title game, including Alabama tailback Trent Richardson and LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, are among college football’s underclassmen declaring for the NFL draft.

They’ve got plenty of company.

The two All-Americans are among a record 65 players who have been declared eligible for the April draft, a field that also includes Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III and runner-up Andrew Luck as the top quarterbacks.

Counting Richardson, the top three Heisman vote-getters all are leaving early to start cashing NFL paychecks. The NFL released its official underclassmen list Thursday.

Despite a rookie wage scale established in the new collective bargaining agreement, the number of players choosing to leave school early tops the previous record of 56 set last year.

MLB

Rockies’ young (Pomeranz) and old (Moyer) make news

DENVER – Jamie Moyer agreed to terms on a minor league contract with an invite to the Colorado Rockies’ spring training, pending a physical.

The 49-year-old lefty didn’t play last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow.

Moyer has played 24 major league seasons, starting with the Chicago Cubs in 1986. He went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA for Philadelphia in 2010.

Moyer is 267-204 with a 4.24 career ERA.

OXFORD, Miss. – Rockies pitcher Drew Pomeranz said he no longer is facing a misdemeanor disturbing the peace charge.

The left-hander was arrested Oct. 14 in downtown Oxford, where he played college baseball for Ole Miss.

Pomeranz said in a text to The Associated Press on Wednesday “all there really is to be said is on my twitter.” Pomeranz tweeted he was “focused on baseball & looking forward to” spring training.

The 23-year-old Pomeranz made his major league debut in September. He was 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in four starts, striking out 13 and walking five in 18 1/3 innings.

NASCAR

Busch brothers make a pair for Nationwide’s No. 54 car

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Kyle Busch hired his older brother Kurt to help him launch his new team in NASCAR.

The two brothers will share the No. 54 Toyota this year in the Nationwide Series. Kyle Busch signed Monster Energy to sponsor the car for the entire 33-race season.

The pairing of the Busch brothers brings together the two most polarizing drivers in NASCAR. It’s the first time they’ll be teamed together since they drove for their father more than a decade ago.

The brothers had a very public falling out when they wrecked each other racing for the $1 million prize in the 2007 All-Star race. They didn’t speak for months, and it took their grandmother brokering a peace agreement that Thanksgiving to mend the relationship.

Cycling

Greipel grips Stage 3 win in a bunch sprint Down Under

ADELAIDE, Australia – Germany’s Andre Greipel won the third stage of cycling’s Tour Down Under in a bunch sprint Thursday to regain the overall lead he lost a day earlier.

Greipel, riding for the Belgium-based Lotto-Belisol team, started the 84-mile stage from Unley in suburban Adelaide to Victor Harbor two seconds behind Switzerland’s Martin Kohler on general classification.

His second stage win of the 2012 tour – he won the first stage Tuesday and has won 10 stages of the Australian event overall – allowed him to reclaim the tour leader’s ocher jersey. Greipel won the Tour Down Under in 2008 and 2010.

Yauheni Hutarovich of Belarus, riding for FDJ-Big MAT, was second in the stage, and Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway and Britain’s Sky Procycling team was third.

Associated Press