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Tubby Smith out at Memphis

Tubby Smith has been fired as Memphis men’s basketball coach after two seasons amid dropping attendance and donations to the athletic department.

Smith told reporters he was no longer coach as he left a meeting Wednesday with Memphis President M. David Rudd and athletic director Tom Bowen.

Memphis issued a statement saying only that an agreement of “separation” had been reached in the best financial interest of the university with details still to be finalized.

Smith went 40-26 at Memphis, including 21-13 this season. The Tigers won seven of their final nine games before losing Saturday 70-60 to No. 8 Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals, their third loss to the AAC champs this season.

Cardinals release safety Mathieu

The Arizona Cardinals have released safety Tyrann Mathieu on Wednesday after the two sides couldn’t rework his contract.

Mathieu was due for $18.75 million of his contract to be guaranteed when the league year officially begins at 4 p.m. EDT. By cutting him, Arizona will save close to $5 million in cap space.

Mathieu became a star in the Arizona secondary after being selected in the third round of the 2013 draft following a troubled college career at LSU. He was an All-Pro in 2015, when he had five interceptions and 17 passes defensed.

But he also has been plagued by injuries and only last season did Mathieu appear in all 16 games.

Pele uses walker at World Economic Forum event

Pele has appeared at a World Economic Forum event in Sao Paulo using a walker.

The 77-year-old Brazil great, a three-time World Cup champion who has had hip problems in recent years, was scheduled to talk to a group of 750 selected guests about his career later Wednesday.

In January, Pele appeared with a walker for the first time at an event in Rio de Janeiro. Later, he skipped an award ceremony in England so he could rest at home.

Spokesman Pepito Fornos told The Associated Press that Pele is still planning to attend this year’s World Cup in Russia.

Fornos also said Pele has reduced his schedule to do more physiotherapy.