BALTIMORE – Michael Phelps says it’s fair for USA Swimming to suspend him for three months, the latest fallout from a photo showing the Olympic great inhaling from a marijuana pipe.

Phelps was back at his regular pool in Baltimore on Friday, a day after his suspension.

“It’s not my decision. It’s theirs,” Phelps said of USA Swimming’s decision. “I have nothing to say, but if that’s they want to do, that’s their choice. It’s something that USA Swimming came up with. It’s fair. Obviously, for a mistake you should get punished.”

The latest fallout has been much greater than in 2004, when an underage Phelps was arrested for drunken driving three months after the Athens Olympics. He pleaded guilty and apologized to his fans, saying he wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

Phelps won a record eight gold medals in Beijing and returned to America as one of the world’s most acclaimed athletes. He made headlines of a different kind, however, in the wake of the photo, published Sunday by News of the World, a British tabloid.

Phelps wasn’t sure how the negative publicity might influence his decision to compete in the 2012 London Olympics.

“I’m taking it step by step, day by day. There’s still a long way between now and then,” he said. “But I’m back here, I’m training for who knows what yet. But I’m back in the water, doing the thing I love.”

That’s a welcome diversion from the attention he’s getting outside the pool.

“From waking up to megaphones outside your house at 7:30 in the morning to still photographers out there every day for the last four days from 7:30 to when I left for a workout, I can just do what’s normal for me,” he said. “And right now that’s me coming to the pool every day.”

His coach, Bob Bowman, said the suspension will alter his plans for Phelps, who recently resumed serious training with the goal of qualifying for this summer’s world championships in Rome.

“It takes away some options from our planning. You know, we had a plan of meets to kind of get us ready for the end of the summer and now we’ll have to adjust that,” Bowman said. “That kind of comes with this territory.”

With the three-month suspension he won’t be able to take on any rivals until early May, which would give him a little more than two months of competition before July’s world championships in Rome.

The U.S. team for Rome will be chosen at the national championships July 7-11 in Indianapolis.

Michael Phelps embarrassed himself again after a triumphant Olympics, this time getting his picture snapped as he inhaled from a marijuana pipe. The photo wound up in a British tabloid Sunday, forcing Phelps to publicly apologize and his handlers to deal with sponsors who are surely none too pleased about the swimmer’s choices away from the pool.

“I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” Phelps said in the statement released by one of his agents. “I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”

It all sounded so familiar, with good reason. After the 2004 Athens Games, an underage Phelps was arrested for drunken driving, pleaded guilty and apologized to his fans, saying he wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

This was different, to be sure, but it could have the same damaging impact on Phelps’ image and reputation, which were riding high after he won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games.

“Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people,” the U.S. Olympic Committee said in a statement. “In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities.”

News of the World said the picture was taken during a November house party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina. During that trip, he attended one of the school’s football games and received a big ovation when introduced to the crowd.

Phelps and his advisers did not dispute the authenticity of the photo.

The party occurred nearly three months after the Olympics while Phelps was taking a long break from training, and his actions should have no impact on the eight golds he won at Beijing. He has never tested positive for banned substances, and this case doesn’t fall under any doping rules.

Phelps’ main sanctions most likely will be financial — perhaps doled out by embarrassed sponsors who could reconsider their dealings with a swimmer who hopes to earn $100 million in endorsements.

Phelps was in Tampa, Fla., during Super Bowl week to make promotional appearances on behalf of a sponsor. But he left the city before Sunday’s game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals, abandoning his original plan to be at Raymond James Stadium.

USA Swimming said its Olympic champions are “looked up to by people of all ages, especially young athletes who have their own aspirations and dreams.”

“That said,” the governing body added in a statement, “we realize that none among us is perfect. We hope that Michael can learn from this incident and move forward in a positive way.”

Phelps was part of a group of elite athletes who agreed to take part in a pilot testing program designed to increase the accuracy of doping tests. His spot in the program could be at risk, said Travis Tygart, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

“For one of the Olympics’ biggest heroes it’s disappointing, and we’ll evaluate whether he remains in that program,” Tygart said. “But some good education comes from this because he’s going to suffer some penalties.”

Marijuana is viewed differently from performance-enhancing drugs, according to David Howman, executive director of the World Anti-Doping Agency. An athlete is subject to WADA sanctions only for a positive test that occurs during competition periods.

“We don’t have any jurisdiction,” Howman said. “It’s not banned out of competition. It’s only if you test positive in competition.”

Phelps returned to the pool a couple of weeks ago to begin preparations for this summer’s world championships in Rome. He plans to take part in his first post-Olympics meet in early March, a Grand Prix event in Austin, Texas.

His longtime coach, Bob Bowman, did not respond to phone and e-mail messages. Instead, he issued a terse statement through Phelps’ agent.

“He regrets his behavior, and I’m sure he’ll learn from this experience,” the coach said. “I’m glad to have him back in training.”

In his book “No Limits: The Will to Succeed,” Phelps recounted the embarrassment of his DUI arrest in 2004, a couple of months after winning six gold and two bronze medals in Athens. His mother, Debbie Phelps, cried when she heard the news.

“That hurt worse, maybe, than anything,” Phelps wrote. “I had never seen my mother that upset.”

Olympic teammate Dara Torres said Phelps has become such a prominent figure that everything he does is news.

However, she said: “This in no way, shape or form diminishes anything he’s done.”

“It’s sort of a double-edged sword,” Torres told the AP on Sunday. “When you’re recognizable, you’re looked up to as a role model. He is recognizable and everything you do gets looked at and picked apart. I guess that’s the price of winning 14 Olympic (gold) medals.”

Jason Lezak, whose remarkable anchor leg of the 400-meter freestyle relay helped Phelps stay on course to break Spitz’s record, said he was “saddened” to hear of the report.

“While I don’t condone his conduct, I am a teammate and fan,” Lezak said in a text message to the AP. “Unlike many fair-weather people, I am sticking by him. If my wife and I can help him in any way, we will. I believe he will grow from this and be a better person, role model and teammate.”

During the 1998 Nagano Olympics, Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati was stripped of his gold medal in the giant slalom after testing positive for marijuana. The victory was reinstated because the sport’s governing body did not have a rule banning the substance.

Later that year, Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. drew a three-month suspension after testing positive for pot.

“It’s one of those substances that every year there’s debate over it,” said Howman, the WADA official.

___

AP Sports Writers Beth Harris in Los Angeles, Eddie Pells in Denver, and Chris Lehourites and Steve Wilson in London contributed to this report.

NEW YORK – Rickey Henderson dashed into the Hall of Fame on his first try, Jim Rice made it with a final swing. It’s hard to imagine their induction speeches will have much in common, either. “I’m going to leave all the stories to Rickey,” Rice said, confirming that his remarks in Cooperstown this summer are likely to match his personality. “Believe me, it’s going to be short and quick. I don’t think you need to go there and talk for 15 or 20 minutes when you can get right to the point.”

That never stopped Henderson — but neither did opposing pitchers or catchers during his 25-year career.

The undisputed standard for leadoff hitters, Henderson received 94.8 percent of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in balloting announced Monday, well above the 75 percent needed.

Rice, among the game’s most feared sluggers in the late 1970s and early 1980s, got 76.4 percent in his 15th and final year on the ballot after falling just shy with 72.2 percent last year.

“The only thing I can say is I’m glad it’s over with,” the Boston outfielder said. “I’m in there and they can’t take it away.”

Henderson, baseball’s career leader in runs scored and stolen bases, became the 44th player elected in his first year of eligibility. Rice was only the third elected by the BBWAA in his final year, joining Red Ruffing (1967) and Ralph Kiner (1975).

The pair will be inducted into the Hall during ceremonies on July 26 in Cooperstown, N.Y. They’ll be joined by former Yankees and Indians second baseman Joe Gordon, elected posthumously last month by the Veterans Committee.

“I feel great about it. It’s been a long time coming,” Henderson said. “I was nervous, waiting.”

Henderson spoke on a conference call before boarding a flight to New York. He was rushing right along, even on this day.

Only fitting.

Next up, his highly anticipated induction speech. Known for his confounding comments, Henderson has a penchant for referring to himself in the third person — at any point during an amusing stream of sometimes indecipherable chatter.

“It’s really just an honor to me. I’m really just spaced out,” he said. “I haven’t really thought about what I’m going to say.”

Henderson was picked on 511 of 539 ballots and Rice was selected on 412, just above the 405 needed.

Rice received only 29.8 percent of the vote in 1995, when he appeared on the ballot for the first time. He initially topped 50 percent in 2000 and reached 64.8 percent in 2006 — the highest percentage for a player who wasn’t elected in a later year was 63.4 by Gil Hodges in 1983, his final time on the ballot.

Some thought Rice’s prickly personality and curt relationship with reporters during his playing career helped keep him out of the Hall all those years.

“I don’t think I was difficult to deal with for writers. I think the writers were difficult to me,” he said. “I wasn’t going to badmouth my teammates. When you start talking about my teammates or what goes on outside baseball, I couldn’t do that.

“I don’t know why it took me so long. I don’t even want to think about it,” he added. “I’m just happy I’m in and that’s what I’m going to cherish.”

What did he learn all these years?

“Be patient and wait until the last out,” Rice said. “I guess everything was just timing, because my numbers have not changed over the last 14 years.”

Andre Dawson fell 44 votes short with 67 percent. He was followed by Bert Blyleven (62.7 percent), Lee Smith (44.5), Jack Morris (44.0), Tommy John (31.7) and Tim Raines (22.6). John appeared on the ballot for the final time.

Mark McGwire, stigmatized by accusations he used performance-enhancing drugs, received 118 votes (21.9 percent) in his third year of eligibility, down from the 128 votes he got in each of his first two tries.

Henderson, who played with McGwire in Oakland, said the first baseman was one of the best people he’s ever been around.

“He played the game the right way to me,” Henderson said. “I feel he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.”

Henderson, the 1990 AL MVP, was a 10-time All-Star who swiped 1,406 bases, one shy of 50 percent more than Lou Brock, who is in second place with 938. Henderson batted .279 with 297 homers, 1,115 RBIs, 2,190 walks and 2,295 runs. He owns the modern-day season record with 130 steals in 1982, and the career mark with 81 leadoff homers. He played for Oakland, the Yankees, Toronto, San Diego, Anaheim, the Mets, Seattle, Boston and the Dodgers.

Henderson wanted to be a football star before his mother persuaded him to give pro baseball a try, figuring it offered a better chance at a long career.

If it were up to Henderson, now 50, he’d still be playing ball.

“They said I have to be retired to go in the Hall of Fame,” he said. “Maybe they give me that day or two that I come back and it wouldn’t mess up anything.”

Henderson wasn’t sure which team’s cap will go on his Hall of Fame plaque. He gets some say in the matter, but ultimately it’s the Hall’s decision.

Henderson was with his family when he got the call Monday and pointed out that they have been with him through “all the glory and the headaches.”

“They enjoyed it probably as much as I enjoyed it, probably even more,” he said.

Rice, the 1978 AL MVP, was an eight-time All-Star who hit 382 home runs in 16 seasons with the Boston Red Sox from 1974-89. He had a .298 career batting average and 1,451 RBIs, and from 1977-79 averaged .320 with 41 homers and 128 RBIs.

He becomes the fourth Hall of Famer to have spent his entire career with the Red Sox, joining fellow left fielders Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski, along with second baseman Bobby Doerr.

“That’s I think one of the biggest accomplishments,” Rice said.

___

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

INDIANAPOLIS – Tony Dungy always considered football just a career path.

Not his life’s mission.

On Monday, Dungy began the transition from head coach to full-time dad and devoted volunteer by announcing his retirement after seven years leading the Indianapolis Colts.

“We just felt this was the right time,” Dungy said. “Don’t shed any tears for me. I got to live a dream most people don’t get to live.”

The move triggered a succession plan Indianapolis put in place a year ago, making Jim Caldwell, the associate head coach, Dungy’s replacement.

But the culmination of a 31-year NFL career, which started with Dungy winning a Super Bowl ring as a player in Pittsburgh and ended two years after he became the first black coach to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, brought out some rare emotional moments from the usually stoic Dungy.

“My wife Lauren told me to bring some Kleenex. I thought I would make it a little farther than the first sentence,” Dungy said, his voice cracking.

He told owner Jim Irsay of his decision Sunday.

“And we spent about 2 1/2 hours crying,” Dungy said. “But I had a real peace about it.”

The 53-year-old Dungy informed his staff of the decision Monday morning, then met with some players after the traditional one-week waiting period ended. Dungy and his wife, Lauren, spent the last five years discussing whether he should continue coaching.

Receivers coach Clyde Christensen, who served as Dungy’s assistant the last 13 years, said he was 95 percent certain Dungy would return as recently as Friday. Others, like safety Melvin Bullitt, were still hopeful Monday afternoon that Dungy would change his mind.

Unlike the previous four years, when Dungy ultimately decided to continue coaching, he decided it was time to stay home and work in the community.

Perhaps for good.

“I think I’ve got a responsibility to be home a little bit more, be available to my family a little bit more and do some things to help make our country better,” Dungy said. “I don’t know what that is right now, but we’ll see.”

Dungy made a remarkable impact around the league. In an era when there were few black head coaches, Dungy helped open the door to rising stars and a growing number of minority candidates. Among those from his Tampa Bay staff who have had head coaching jobs are Herm Edwards, now with Kansas City, Chicago’s Lovie Smith, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin and former Detroit coach Rod Marinelli.

Dungy also set league records for most consecutive playoff seasons (10) and consecutive 12-win seasons (six), and leaves with the highest average of regular-season victories of any coach in league history (10.7).

And those around the league acknowledged Dungy’s legacy will be the way he won.

“People often say that teams reflect their head coach, and that can be said of Tony Dungy‘s teams, which are consistent winners every single year,” New England coach Bill Belichick said. “Tony has been such a fixture in this league that his absence will take some getting used to.”

Dungy has always considered faith, family and football to be his priorities.

But he always wound up back on the sideline. Last year, he returned to help open the Colts’ new stadium after Irsay agreed to let Dungy commute home on his private jet.

Although Dungy said the travel was not a burden and enjoyed this season, clearly, the time away from home was something that tugged at Dungy’s heart.

Even Irsay sensed this would be Dungy’s last go-around before their Sunday night meeting.

“I knew this day would come some time, it always does in life,” Irsay said, tearing up. “It’s been an incredible journey, and as an owner, I think, you dream of having the kind of relationship with a head coach that I’ve had with Tony.”

The decision came a little more than a week after the Colts lost their first playoff game for the second straight season, and it ends a coaching career in which Dungy reached one NFC championship game and two AFC championship games.

In addition, Dungy finished his six-year tenure in Tampa and his seven-year stint in Indy as the career leader in victories for both franchises, finishing with an overall record of 148-79.

But the critics always questioned Dungy’s postseason numbers. In Tampa, his adopted hometown, Dungy went 2-4 in the playoffs and failed to reach the Super Bowl. He was 7-6 in Indy, failing to advance past the first game four times.

“You always think you can win a few more,” Dungy said. “But I won’t look back and think that we could have won one more if I had put more time in.”

While the city of Tampa reveres Dungy for turning a moribund franchise into a perennial playoff team, Indy’s bond with Dungy was just as strong.

The city applauded Dungy’s achievement when he finally won the Super Bowl and rallied around Dungy’s family when he endured his greatest tragedy — his son’s suicide in 2005.

“His biggest legacy will be all the people around the country who he’s inspired to be better and to deal with some of life’s tragedies in a manner that gives people a lot of strength,” Edwards said. “What he went through with his son and how he handled it, was something that says a lot about Tony, his faith and what he stands for.”

What’s next for Dungy is unclear. He has been involved for years in prison ministries, with Family First and as part of All-Pro Dads.

“Where my heart is, is really with our young men right now,” Dungy said. “We have so many guys that didn’t grow up like me, didn’t have their dad there and that’s something I’m very, very interested in.”

He also believes the Colts will continue to win under Caldwell, who takes over after spending the past eight seasons on Dungy’s staff. Caldwell spent seven of those seasons, one in Tampa, as the quarterbacks coach before being elevated to associate head coach last January.

Caldwell’s only other head coaching experience came at Wake Forest, where he went 26-63 from 1993-2000.

But it will take more than wins and losses to fill Dungy’s shoes.

“Tony Dungy taught us all how to handle triumph and tragedy with dignity and grace,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. “Although we will miss him, Tony is a great man and his impact will be part of the NFL forever.”

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Left out of the national title game, Colt McCoy and Texas made the most of their trip to the Fiesta Bowl. McCoy hit Quan Cosby for a 26-yard touchdown with 16 seconds to play, lifting third-ranked Texas to a 24-21 victory over No. 10 Ohio State on Monday night.

The Longhorns had hoped to use the Fiesta Bowl to persuade voters they deserved a share of the national championship if Oklahoma beats Florida in Thursday night’s BCS final. The Associated Press Top 25 is Texas’ only chance at nabbing a slice of the title but the close victory over the Buckeyes may not be enough to persuade voters.

“I don’t think there’s anybody in the country who can beat us at this point,” McCoy said.

The Buckeyes nearly pulled off the upset behind quarterbacks Terrelle Pryor and Todd Boeckman but instead went down to a third straight BCS bowl loss.

McCoy, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, calmly led the Longhorns 78 yards in 11 plays and 1:42 without calling a timeout. On the touchdown, Cosby caught a short pass, slipped a tackle and sprinted toward the goal line before diving into the end zone.

The Longhorns (12-1) rebounded after Ohio State (10-3) had taken a 21-17 lead on a 15-yard run by Dan Herron with 2:05 to go.

That score came five minutes after Boeckman hit Pryor for a 5-yard score to cut Texas’ lead to 17-15. Pryor’s pass on the 2-point conversion was incomplete.

For most of the night, the Buckeyes stifled the high-powered Longhorns, who averaged 43.9 points this season but mustered only a field goal in the first half. They didn’t lead until a nifty third-quarter touchdown run by McCoy, who also threw for 414 yards and two scores with an interception.

The Longhorns finished in a three-way tie atop the rugged Big 12 South and thought their 10-point victory over Oklahoma should have put them in the conference title game. But Oklahoma was declared the division winner on a BCS standings tiebreaker, and the Sooners ripped Missouri in the Big 12 playoff to earn a trip to the national championship.

“This team started this way and finished this way, and they’re obviously one of the best teams in the country if not the best,” Texas coach Mack Brown said.

The loss was Ohio State‘s third straight in a BCS bowl, and capped a 1-6 bowl season for the Big Ten.

“You saw a great football game out there, two teams going at it extremely hard,” Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said.

Texas players rushed onto the field after Boeckman’s last-gasp pass hit the turf deep in Texas territory, then gathered in front of the band and sang “The Eyes of Texas with jubilant fans.

But early on, it looked as if the Buckeyes would finally be celebrating.

Texas brought Bevo, its steer mascot, but left its offense back in Austin, at least in a sluggish first half.

The Longhorns failed to score in the first quarter. Texas was shut out in only four quarters all season — and only once in the first quarter, in a 39-33 loss at Texas Tech on Nov. 1.

The Buckeyes took a 3-0 lead on a 51-yard field goal by Aaron Pettrey midway through the first period. Ohio State drove 43 yards in nine plays, the biggest chunk coming on a 22-yard burst by Chris “Beanie” Wells.

Four minutes into the second quarter, Texas tied it at on a 27-yard field goal by Hunter Lawrence. The Longhorns covered 57 yards, running twice for a total of no yards on the drive.

The Buckeyes responded with a 67-yard march to the Texas 7-yard line. But Buckeyes tackle Bryant Browning was flagged for a false start on third-and-2 at the 7, and after an incomplete pass the Buckeyes had to settle for a 30-yard field goal by Ryan Pretorius to take a 6-3 lead.

Texas’ best chance came late in the half, when McCoy smartly marched the Longhorns from their own 9 to the Ohio State 16 in 47 seconds.

But on third-and-2 at the Buckeyes 16 and 9 seconds to go, McCoy threw perhaps his worst pass of the season. McCoy lobbed the ball toward Cosby at the goal line, but safety Anderson Russell picked it off to kill the threat.

Had McCoy thrown the ball into the seats, the Longhorns would have had time for a chip-shot tying field goal. But they went into the dressing room still down by three.

It didn’t take McCoy long to atone.

NEW YORK (AP)—Kent State once sent a linebacker to the Pittsburgh Steelers who epitomized everything the Steel Curtain was about.

That was Jack Lambert.

The current version of the hard-hitting, versatile and dynamic former Kent Stater in Steel City is James Harrison, The Associated Press 2008 Defensive Player of the Year.

The linebacker, who had a career-high 16 sacks to set a team record and led the NFL with a career-high seven forced fumbles, beat Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters announced Monday. Pittsburgh was the league’s stingiest in total defense, pass defense and points allowed. Harrison was its main hammer.

“That’s something that everybody in the league would love to have, to be voted the top player in the league for that year,” Harrison said. “In my mind, I think I do—and it’s going to sound boring—what the defense allows me to do and what my teammates allow me to do.”

Harrison earned 22 votes to 13 for Ware.

Baltimore safety Ed Reed, the 2004 winner, got eight votes. Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth had five and Harrison’s teammate, safety Troy Polamalu, got two.

“It couldn’t happen to a better guy,” Steelers veteran receiver Hines Ward said. “He’s worked his tail off to get to where he is. You appreciate it more, considering where he came from and how he got here.”

Harrison credited defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s schemes with allowing him, an undrafted free agent who was cut several times by Pittsburgh and once by Baltimore, to eventually become a star.

“The defense is built to play with 11 guys, and if all 11 guys are on the same page, playing the same defense on the same play, there’s nothing that can go wrong and that’s just how we feel about it,” Harrison said.

But fellow linebacker James Farrior, who has seen Harrison develop from a backup to Joey Porter into one of the game’s biggest playmakers, sees Harrison as the key.

“His whole attitude about football, I think he works harder than anybody else in this locker room,” Farrior said. “He has a great work ethic. He’s very tuned in to what he has to do to make himself better. That’s all he strives for, to try to be better than anybody else, and you can see his determination when he’s out there on the field.

“We’ve got good players on this team, and every team has good players, but he seems to be—this year and last year—making the plays that made the difference in the game.”

Harrison is the fifth Steelers player to win the award, including three Hall of Famers from the original Steel Curtain: Joe Greene (1974), Mel Blount (1975) and Lambert (1976). In 1993, Rod Woodson was AP Defensive Player of the Year, and he’s eligible for the Hall for the first time this year.

The Steelers didn’t allow a 100-yard rusher or 300-yard passer in 2008. Harrison didn’t limit his work to that stingy unit, though: Harrison also had 12 special teams tackles.

“People said I couldn’t do this or couldn’t do that,” he noted. “I was too short, too slow. Basically, I play and prepare myself in the offseason with the thoughts of what people said I couldn’t do.”

And he’s proven he can do just about everything.

The Cardinals beat the Falcons 30-24 in a somewhat surprising win.  The leagues offensive Rookie of the Year Matt Ryan had a bad day.  The way the Cardinals defense has played recently the Falcons should have scored at will.  However, the Cards D played big.  This was another great game to watch.

Herman was offensive coordinator at Rice for the last two seasons. Using a spread offense, the Owls ranked 10th in yards per game. Rice won 10 games, including its first bowl victory since 1954.

Herman previously coached at Division I-AA Texas State and Sam Houston State, and had a two-year stint as a graduate assistant at Texas.