| Rockets' Budinger enters beach volleyball event and China league bars NBA players under contract |
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Chase Budinger of the Houston Rockets has entered the men's open division of the Corona Light Wide Open beach volleyball tournament to be played Saturday and Sunday.The former Arizona star, who has played the last two seasons with the Rockets, will partner with former UC Santa Barbara all-star Dane Jensen. Budinger was a two-sport standout at La Costa Canyon High in San Diego County. He won the 2006 Mizuno National Player of the Year Award in volleyball and was named a McDonald's All-American in basketball."Volleyball has always been a passion of mine, and it has been great to get back out on the beach and train," Budinger said in a statement. [Read the full article] The NCAA told Miami administrators that, in light of allegations made by a former Hurricanes booster, it will consider invoking its "willful violators" clause and make an exception to the four-year statute of limitations on violations, Yahoo! Sports reported Thursday night.The NCAA's four-year statute of limitations doesn't apply when there is a pattern of willful violations that continues into the past four years. In the Miami case, the NCAA could investigate back to early 2002, which is when former booster Nevin Shapiro, now serving 20 years in federal prison for his role in a $930 million Ponzi scheme, alleged in a Yahoo! Sports article this week that he began providing Hurricanes players with cash, prostitutes, cars and other gifts. [Read the full article] Former New York Rangers forward Chris Drury announced his retirement from the NHL Friday after 12 seasons.The Rangers bought out the final year of their captain's contract in June after four seasons in New York."Chris is a consummate professional, a tremendous competitor and an even better person," Rangers general manager Glen Sather said in a statement after the team bought out Drury's contract. "He gave his heart and soul to the Rangers organization in his time here and we wish him the best in his future endeavors."Drury, 34, was limited to 24 games last season after breaking his finger twice and undergoing knee surgery. He did not score a goal until the final day of the season.Drury was given $3.333 million for the buyout that closed the five-year, $35.25 million deal he signed with New York after leaving Buffalo as a free agent in 2007.The Rangers then used that cap space to sign prized free-agentcenter Brad Richards to a nine-year, $60 million deal. [Read the full article] 
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