A former NFL star, Sharper "has been suspended without pay until further notice, effective immediately" from duties for the NFL Network, a spokesman told media outlets.

Sharper was arrested Friday in Los Angeles. While law enforcement officials didn't disclose details on the charge, the celebrity scandal site TMZ.com said sexual assault was involved.

He was free on $200,000 bond after his L.A. arrest, according to media reports.

That's the same allegation New Orleans police are pursuing, according the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The newspaper's website reported Sharper, 38, is under investigation in a sexual assault allegation from Sept. 24.

Sharper played 14 NFL seasons and was a member of Saints' Super Bowl championship team. He played eight seasons for the Packers and four with the Vikings.

Sharper faces a Feb. 14 court appearance in the Los Angeles case.

L.A. police are investigating him in connection with two sexual assaults that occurred in October and earlier this month in the West Los Angeles area.

Sharper was selected All-Pro six times and chosen for the Pro Bowl five times.


LIONS' PRINCE


Former Kansas State coach Ron Prince on Saturday became assistant head coach in Detroit. It's a reunion for Prince with new Lions coach Jim Caldwell.

Prince, 44, was offensive coordinator at Rutgers last season.

The move to Detroit was no surprise, given the connection of Caldwell and Prince. They worked together with the Colts, where Caldwell was coach and Prince an assistant offensive line coach.

Rutgers began its search for Prince's replacement immediately, according to the Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J.

Caldwell, hired Wednesday to replace fired Jim Schwartz, is building a staff that includes members of the previous regime. He has yet to name an offensive coordinator, receivers coach, quarterbacks coach and secondary coach.

The team met with former Titans offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains on Friday, according to the Detroit Free Press, as a possible quarterbacks coach. Frontrunner for offensive coordinator is believed to be David Culley, top assistant to Andy Reid on the Chiefs staff.


MONKEY PANTS


Much has been made of Jim Harbaugh's game day attire.

The wife of the San Francisco 49ers recently revealed to a radio station that Harbaugh purchased his now infamous pleated khaki pants for $8 at Wal-Mart, and nothing has been the same ever since.

Never has a pear of pleated khaki pants ever gained such notoriety on the internet. But Bonobos, a popular men's clothing outfitter, wants in on the action, offering him ten pairs of free pants and $10,000 to the charity of his choice in exchange for the internet to go back to stalking Miley Cyrus.

Here's the thing. If Harbaugh is buying khaki pants at Wal-Mart, he's probably not worried about comfort or feel. Also, Harbaugh has never come across as the type of guy who will cater to the internet. But nonetheless, we're now talking about Bonobos, which is a win for them.


FINAL LETDOWN


The Vikings' Metrodome has deflated for the last time.

Officials from the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority opened the stadium's relief vents to begin the deflation at 7:15 a.m. Saturday in downtown Minneapolis. Fans providing the air that supports the roof were turned off. The 10 acres of Teflon-coated fabric were done deflating in 35 minutes.

Bill McCarthy, vice chairman of the authority, called it "a sad and exciting day at the same time." The deflation and the demolition of the Dome beginning next week will make way for construction of a new $1 billion Vikings stadium.

The muffin-shaped dome opened in 1982 and was once a focal point of Minnesota professional sports.

The authority gave the go-ahead despite concerns about weather. The National Weather Service said more than 4 inches of snow fell overnight.

The roof silently deflated under gray, snowy skies, sagging first in the middle. When the process was done, the stadium looked like a concave dish, rimmed with snow.

The morning snow was both a help and a safety concern, said Steve Maki, the authority's director of facilities and engineering. "We moved it up to do it as soon as we were ready," he said, noting officials were concerned that if the winds increased, the deflation would have been delayed.

Officials were worried that stiff winds could have turned the roof into "a big sail," Maki said.

While Saturday was the fifth time the Dome's roof has collapsed, it was the first time it was deflated intentionally. On four prior occasions, the roof collapsed due to extreme weather conditions, including the Dec. 11, 2010, incident where excessive snow caused the roof to cave in.

Crews will begin demolishing the rest of the building Monday. The new stadium is expected to be ready in time for the 2016 NFL season and will be located in roughly the same spot as the Metrodome. The team plans to play at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

Contributor: The Associated Press