OFFBEAT: From farm to media CEO, Mary Junck returns to VU

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

No Florida Gulf Coasts: Top 4 seeds in East Region

WASHINGTON | Yelps of support and echoing applause greeted the voice booming over the loudspeakers Wednesday at the scheduled start of practice for the East Regional's fourth seed: "Coached by Jim Boeheim, please welcome the Syracuse Orange!"

Indiana stays No. 1 in AP Top 25, Gonzaga No. 2

Indiana is No. 1 in The Associated Press' Top 25 for the fourth straight week, while Gonzaga moved to No. 2 for the first time in school history.

Pistorius' brother facing charge in traffic death

JOHANNESBURG | The murder case involving Olympic star Oscar Pistorius took another unexpected turn Sunday with the news that his older brother, Carl, is himself facing charges for the death of a woman in a traffic accident.

Big East non-football schools consider departing

NEW YORK | The seven Big East schools that don't play FBS football are considering making a break from the drastically reshaped conference — and how best to go about doing it.

Coffee from an elephant's gut fills a $50 cup

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Thailand (AP) — In the lush hills of northern Thailand, a herd of 20 elephants is excreting some of the world's most expensive coffee.

Fans are going not-quite bananas for pureed fruit

Pureed frozen fruit probably won't become the next bacon, or even cupcake. It's simply not sexy enough.

Hamilton says Armstrong book provides relief

NEW YORK | At first, Tyler Hamilton was impressed with the power Lance Armstrong wielded in cycling circles, his ability to call the head of the international cycling federation at any time — and call him by his first name.

Paralympics an inspiration to war-wounded athletes

LONDON | The explosion that took away Brad Snyder's sight couldn't touch the Navy lieutenant's fighting spirit.

OFFBEAT: 'Family Circus' creator Bil Keane's life and legacy includes Alzheimers charity

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Clemson, KSU tumble; top 5 stay same in AP ranking

NEW YORK | Clemson and Kansas State tumbled in The Associated Press college football poll after losing for the first time this season, and the top five teams in the rankings held their ground heading into the showdown between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama.

Mountain West considering all options

DENVER | The Mountain West Conference has begun informal conversations with universities that might be left out in the shake-up of the college football landscape.

AP sources: NFL, union to meet HGH test experts

Negotiators for the NFL and the players union will meet with anti-doping experts next week as they try to reach an agreement on HGH testing before the start of the season, people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

GUEST COMMENTARY: 1930s reporting sends wrong racer to victory

One of the great stories of Colorado newspaper lore is the report that Will Overhead "won" the 1933 Indianapolis 500 auto race.

Blagojevich verdict voted top state story of 2010

SPRINGFIELD | The highly anticipated trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich -- with its lone guilty verdict that set up a repeat trial in the coming year -- was 2010's top news story in Illinois, according to members of The Associated Press and the wire service's staff. The ongoing saga over a…