BRIEFLY: USC'S HACKETT SAYS HE'LL RETAIN REST OF STAFF.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

After firing offensive line coach Steve Greatwood two weeks ago, USC football coach Paul Hackett said he intends to bring back all of his remaining assistant coaches next season.

``As far as I'm concerned, we've done what we needed,'' Hackett said. ``As far as anyone being let go, that's not an issue.''

Hackett replaced Greatwood with tight ends coach Steve Morton, which left another vacancy. A candidate for the tight end job could be former USC assistant coach and Los Angeles Rams player Doug Smith, said Hackett.

Hackett said he will decide by Christmas how to shuffle some responsibilities among the staff. One of the expected changes is splitting up special-teams duties.

USC is competing with Virginia Tech and Oklahoma for the lone remaining spot in the Kickoff Classic opposite Michigan. If Virginia Tech defeats Florida State next month in the Sugar Bowl, the Hokies are expected to get the bid.

The Kickoff Classic will not make a decision until January.

- Scott Wolf

SKIING: Hermann Maier, who has won five of his six World Cup races this year, was left with a bruised spine and slight concussion after a crash during practice in Val D'Isere, France.

The Austrian star still intends to race today in his bid to win a downhill for the first time on this course. He also plans to compete in the giant slalom Sunday.

JURISPRUDENCE: The son of Wisconsin football coach Barry Alvarez will spend 10 days in jail after pleading no contest to microwaving a fraternity brother's parrot.

Chad Alvarez, 23, was charged with theft of a domestic animal and intentional mistreatment of an animal resulting in death. The sentence begins Dec. 20. He also has to serve 250 hours of community service, donate $1,000 to the Dane County Humane Society and continue to undergo psychological counseling.

The judge said Alvarez should not spend a long time behind bars because he has already suffered outside of the courtroom more than most similar defendants because of his father's position as a high-profile sports figure.

MOTOR SPORTS: Jack Sprague celebrated his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship by accepting awards of more than $350,000 during the tour's awards banquet in San Francisco.

Sprague, winner of three races and $834,016 this year, also became the series' leading money winner. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has won $3.1 million in 122 races in the series.

SWIMMING: Swedish swimmers broke two short course world records, with Therese Alshammar eclipsing the women's 100-meter freestyle record in 52.80 seconds and Anna-Karin Kammerling bettering Jenny Thompson's mark in the women's 50-meter butterfly at 25.64 seconds.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The women's basketball team at Kentucky State, sidelined while a sporting goods company investigated a possible theft, was reinstated by the school.

Unless and until someone is indicted, ``I can't keep them off the floor,'' athletics director Derrick Ramsey said.

Although no one has been charged, Ramsey last month suspended 13 members of the team, which left then unable to field a team. All five of their games in November were canceled.

The Thorobrettes will play their first game tonight at home against Fort Valley State.

OLYMPICS: IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch will travel on a diplomatic passport when he goes to Washington next week, but that wouldn't give him immunity if investigators want to question or subpoena him in the Salt Lake City scandal.

The International Olympic Committee said Samaranch always travels on a diplomatic passport as Spain's former ambassador to Moscow.

In Washington, the State Department said Samaranch would enjoy no immunity because he is not accredited as a diplomat in the United States and does not work for the United Nations or some other public international institution.

The immunity question might not come into play anyway.

The IOC said Thursday that Samaranch will submit to a ``voluntary interview'' with investigators. Under an agreement with the Justice Department, the meeting would not take place next week, but at a later date suitable to all parties, the IOC said.

Samaranch's trip to Washington will mark the first time he has traveled to the United States since the Salt Lake scandal broke a year ago.

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PHOTO Hermann Maier expects to compete in today's World Cup downhill race in France despite a spill during Friday's training session.

Alex Trovati/Associated Press