BRIEFLY 'BAMA GOES WITH SHULA.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

Mike Shula became the latest Alabama football coach Thursday, agreeing to terms on a six-year contract worth $900,000 a year, athletic director Mal Moore announced.

The 37-year-old former Crimson Tide quarterback spent 15 years as an NFL assistant, the last three with Miami.

Not only is Alabama a year into a 5-year NCAA probation, but he has only this summer to prepare for the season opener against South Florida and about three weeks of practice in August to install a new system.

``I am obviously excited about this job,'' Shula said. ``There is a bright future ahead for Alabama. ... I am thrilled to once again be a part of Alabama football.''

He replaces Mike Price, fired Saturday after he spent hundreds of dollars at a Pensacola, Fla., topless bar.

Meanwhile, an attorney for Price told a Birmingham newspaper he's ``aggressively investigating'' the accusations that led to his dismissal and is considering appealing the termination with a civil lawsuit.

He also disputes reports in the current issue of Sports Illustrated about what happened that weekend in Florida. The magazine stands by its story.

BOXING: Lennox Lewis claims in a suit filed in a New York court that promoter Don King made death threats against one of Mike Tyson's friends and bribed another in an effort to get Tyson to back out of a deal to fight Lewis in a heavyweight title rematch.

Lewis is seeking up to $385 million for what he said was a plot by King to snatch Tyson away from his current promoters and get the former champion to fight for him again.

The suit claims King cost Lewis $10 million by keeping Tyson off of a June 21 fight card at Staples Center and $25 million more by stopping him from signing a deal for an eventual rematch between the two fighters.

The suit alleges that King threatened the life of Tyson's friend and adviser, Los Angeles agent Jeff Wald, and conspired with a female friend of Tyson's to keep him sequestered in a New York hotel last month, preventing him from signing the Lewis contract.

The planned Lewis-Tyson doubleheader at Staples Center was to feature Lewis defending his WBC title against Kirk Johnson, while Tyson took on Oleg Maskaev in a 10-round fight. It was to be televised by HBO's pay-per-view, and Staples Center was going to pay an $8 million fee to host the fight.

Because Tyson dropped out, though, that fee was cut to $3.5 million, and HBO decided against putting the card on pay-per-view because it had lost much of its appeal.

BASKETBALL: Cal State Northridge completed its recruiting class for next season, signing 6-foot-6 Eto Onyenegecha, a transfer from San Francisco City College.

Onyenegecha averaged 11.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals a game last season.

``He definitely helps us take our program to the next level,'' CSUN coach Bobby Braswell said. ``His skill level and athleticism is really unmatched. He should have a bright future here.''

--Alabama sophomore point guard Mo Williams declared himself eligible for the NBA draft but said he would return to school if it appears he won't be a high pick.

SOCCER: D.C. United midfielder Dema Kovalenko was suspended for one game and fined $1,000 by Major League Soccer for a tackle that broke the leg of Dallas' Ronnie O'Brien last weekend.

FOOTBALL: Raiders starting right guard Mo Collins signed a multiyear deal to stay with the team.

MOTOR SPORTS: Steve Park, fired Tuesday at Dale Earnhardt Inc., was hired to drive for Richard Childress Racing.

--Shigeaki Hattori was released from the hospital with a broken finger and concussion, two days after crashing during practice for the Indianapolis 500.

Meanwhile, A.J. Foyt IV escaped injury when he crashed his car Thursday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He was cleared to continue practicing.