IN BRIEF

FOOTBALL

Raiders’ Rhodes gets four-game suspension

Oakland Raiders running back Dominic Rhodes was suspended Tuesday for the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.

The league does not disclose reasons for substance-abuse suspensions, but Rhodes pleaded guilty in the offseason to reckless-driving charges in Indiana after prosecutors agreed to drop drunken-driving charges.

Rhodes, who spent his first six years in Indianapolis, signed a two-year contract in the offseason with the Raiders that could be worth $7.5 million.

Special teams star Torrie Cox of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also was suspended for the first four games for violating the substance-abuse policy. Cox was picked as a Pro Bowl alternate last season.

Also: The Chicago Bears signed first-round draft pick Greg Olsen to a five-year contract, making the tight end from Miami the first player taken in the first two rounds to agree on a deal. Olsen was the first tight end taken in the first round by the Bears since they chose Mike Ditka in 1961.

UNLV’s football team got its first oral commitment of the 2008 class from wide receiver Gordy Cooper of San Jacinto (Calif.) High School, according to Rivals.com.

Cooper (6 feet 6 inches, 193 pounds) participated in UNLV’s camp last month and also has spent time in camps at Southern California, Oregon, Colorado and San Diego State. He caught 66 passes for 876 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.

HOCKEY

Oilers claim they had deal with Nylander

The Edmonton Oilers have complained to the NHL that they had an agreement with free-agent center Michael Nylander before he signed with the Washington Capitals.

The Oilers said in a statement Nylander had reached an agreement with them Sunday, only to sign a $19.5 million, four-year contract with the Capitals the next day.

The Oilers said they did not pursue other potential free agents because they thought they had Nylander.

Also: The New Jersey Devils signed forward Dainius Zubrus, two days after losing star Scott Gomez in free agency to the New York Rangers.

The Nashville Predators signed goaltender Chris Mason to a $6 million, two-year contract extension. He will start next season after the trade of Tomas Vokoun to the Florida Panthers in June.

The Minnesota Wild re-signed center Wes Welz to a one-year deal and added veteran center Eric Belanger.

MISCELLANEOUS

Bay Meadows receives OK to host 2008 races

The historic Bay Meadows race track in San Mateo, Calif., will be allowed to host races during the 2008 season, despite its refusal to install mandatory synthetic turf considered safer for horses, the state horse racing board ruled.

Track officials had argued it would be foolish to spend $8 million to $10 million for the mandatory upgrades since the track is scheduled for imminent closure to make way for commercial and residential development.

Also: Alvin Henry, a member of the Trinidad and Tobago 400-meter relay team in the 2000 Sydney Games, has been ordered held without bail in New York on two counts of rape and other charges and must undergo a psychiatric exam, prosecutors said.

Freddy Adu scored three goals, and the United States recovered from an early deficit to rout Poland 6-1 in soccer’s Under-20 World Cup in Montreal.