A.M. Briefing.(Sports) - The Seattle Times (Seattle, WA)

Byline: Seattle Times news services

Soccer

Dempsey proves his point

Texan Clint Dempsey has 10 goals for Fulham in the English Premier League this season and is shattering the image of the United States as a nation still searching for a top scorer.

'Being an American, I think you have a little bit of a chip on your shoulder because there's a point to prove,' the 28-year-old Dempsey said as the U.S. team prepared for Wednesday's exhibition match against Italy in Genoa.

'I guess you'll kind of feel that way until maybe you're doing better as a country as far as going further in World Cups or you have Americans who are playing on the biggest teams in the world.'

U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, one of the top forwards in World Cup history as a player for Germany, said, 'It's a huge weapon that we have with him because of his vision on the field, because of his sharpness, his one-against-one skills. I'm going to push him.'

NHL

Canucks lose in shootout

The league-leading Vancouver Canucks lost to the Pacific Division-leading Phoenix Coyotes 2-1 in a shootout.

Alexander Edler scored for the Canucks.

Vancouver's Cory Schneider made 34 saves but allowed host Phoenix to score two times in three shootout attempts.

Golf

Woods' agent rips book

The agent for Tiger Woods lashed out against Hank Haney's book, saying Haney's 'armchair psychology' was 'ridiculous' and that Woods' former swing coach only cares about self-promotion.

Haney's book about his six years as Woods' coach is titled, 'The Big Miss.'

Mark Steinberg, Woods' agent at Excel Sports Management, said in a statement book excerpts show Haney's claim of the book being about golf is 'clearly false.'

The book was written with help from Jaime Diaz and is to go on sale March 27, the week before the Masters.

'The disruptive timing of this book shows that Haney's self-promotion is more important to him than any other person or tournament,' Steinberg said. 'What's been written violates the trust between a coach and player and someone also once considered a friend.'

Trump to purchase Doral

Famed real-estate developer Donald Trump is buying Doral Hotel & Country Club, home of the Blue Monster course and host to numerous pro tournaments over the years, for $150 million.

Doral, a property in Miami, has been in bankruptcy for about a year.

College football

Big 12 to get buyout money

Texas A&M and Missouri will give up a combined $25.3 million as part of an agreement to leave the Big 12 Conference for the Southeastern Conference on July 1.

Texas Tech coach is sued

Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville, 57, has been sued in federal court, accused of defrauding investors out of more than $1.7 million in Alabama after his tenure at Auburn.

Tuberville, John David Stroud and eight investment entities are listed as defendants in a suit filed by seven plaintiffs.

NCAA suspends linebacker

Linebacker D.J. Green of North Carolina State said the NCAA suspended him for the 2012 season after he tested positive for a banned substance he did not identify.

The sophomore said he was trying to gain weight during the offseason and took a supplement given to him by someone from his hometown of Macon, Ga.

Elsewhere

* Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0) and Miguel Cotto (37-2) were in New York for a news conference to promote their May 5 fight for the WBA super-welterweight title in Las Vegas. But there seemed to be more interest in a hypothetical bout between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

Mayweather made it clear whether they meet in the ring depends on the money.

'Just by speaking to Pacquiao on the phone, I mean, he's not one of the sharpest knives in the drawer,' Mayweather said. 'He faces Floyd Mayweather, he's not getting 50-50. Not at all. No one is getting 50-50.'

Mayweather is to begin a 90-day jail sentence June 1. The punishment stems from a domestic-violence case.

* The WBC suspended British heavyweight Dereck Chisora indefinitely for his brawl with former WBA champion David Haye at a news conference after Chisora's title-fight loss to Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine on Feb. 18 in Germany.

* Gambling website Bodog was shut down and four Canadians indicted, including founder Calvin Ayre, for illegal gambling that generated more than $100 million in winnings, federal prosecutors announced.

The website's domain name was seized Monday and the indictments, which were returned last week, were unveiled Tuesday in Baltimore, prosecutors said. The indictments follow federal prosecutions last year of three of the biggest websites involved in online poker.

* Algorithms, who was among the early favorites for the May 5 Kentucky Derby in Louisville, is off the Triple Crown trail because of an injury to his right-front leg that will require surgery, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Seattle Times news services

CAPTION(S):

Clint Dempsey (0413067082)

SPORTS LOG - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

Basketball

Bryant diagnosed with a concussion

The Lakers said Kobe Bryant saw a neurologist yesterday and hediagnosed the All-Star guard with a concussion from the broken nosehe suffered in Sunday's All-Star Game when he was fouled by theHeat's Dwyane Wade. Bryant will see Dr. Vern Williams again today,and his status for tonight's home game against Minnesota is unknown.

Wade, who was criticized for the foul, said he has apologized toBryant multiple times, first during the game and afterward when hesent him a message . . . Lamar Odom wasn't with the Mavericks fortheir first game after the All-Star break last night, and wasexpected to miss at least one more game after that. Odom missed theprevious game, Wednesday night before the break, against his formerteam, the Lakers. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said then that Odomwas excused for a family matter and would rejoin the team after thebreak. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, without being specific on thereason for Odom's absence, said the team will do everything it canto support him and get him back. Cuban also denied speculation abouta possible buyout of Odom's contract.

Boxing

Mayweather slams Pacquiao again

Floyd Mayweather Jr. took time out from his news conference inNew York to promote his May 5 fight with Miguel Cotto in Las Vegasto talk about the fight that's not happening - a matchup againstManny Pacquiao. Mayweather made it clear that the fight is about themoney. 'Just by speaking to Pacquiao on the phone, I mean, he's notone of the sharpest knives in the drawer,' Mayweather said. WhileMayweather urged Pacquiao to 'take the test,' a reference to hisdemand for random drug testing, the payout appears to be the realsore point between Mayweather on one side, and Pacquiao and Top Rankpromoter Bob Arum on the other . . . The WBC suspended Britain'sDereck Chisora indefinitely following his Feb. 18 brawl with formerWBA champion David Haye at a news conference after Chisora lost atitle fight against Vitali Klitschko in Germany.

Colleges

Aggies, Missouri to pay for Big 12 exit

Texas A&M and Missouri have agreed to pay $12.4 million each toleave the Big 12 and join the Southeastern Conference in July. TexasA&M will receive unspecified benefits from the Big 12's newtelevision contract with Fox Sports. Missouri waived any claims torevenue from the TV deal, which takes effect in July, and agreed topay the Big 12 another $500,000 to cover officiating expenses for2011-12 . . . The Amherst women's basketball team remained No. 1 inthe USA Today/ESPN Division 3 Top 25 Coaches poll and Babson movedup two spots to No. 11. Amherst is 27-0. In Division 2, Bentley (24-3) held steady at No. 6 . . . Division 2 powers Bentley andMerrimack will face off in the third New England Lacrosse Classic atGillette Stadium April 21. In the second game, UMass will playHofstra. It will be the second lacrosse doubleheader hosted byGillette. In the women's doubleheader March 31, Northwestern willplay Ohio State and Syracuse will play Harvard. Information isavailable at www.gillettestadiumlacrosse.com.

Tuberville accused of investment fraud

Texas Tech football coach Tommy Tuberville has been sued infederal court, accused of defrauding investors out of more than $1.7million in Alabama following his coaching tenure at Auburn. Afederal lawsuit filed in US District Court in Montgomery, Ala.,names Tuberville, John David Stroud, and eight investment entitiesas defendants, claiming the two men 'employed devices, schemes, andartifices to defraud' seven plaintiffs from Arkansas, Alabama, andTennessee . . . North Carolina State linebacker D.J. Green says theNCAA has suspended him for the season after he tested positive forusing an unnamed banned substance. Green apologized in a statement.He says he took a supplement given to him by someone from hishometown in Macon, Ga., to gain weight.

Miscellany

No Triple Crown races for Algorithms

Trainer Todd Pletcher said Kentucky Derby hopeful Algorithms isoff the Triple Crown trail because of a leg injury that will requiresurgery. Algorithms was the morning-line favorite for the Fountainof Youth Stakes last weekend at Gulfstream Park. He was scratchedbefore the race with a splint bone injury to his right front leg. X-rays revealed a fracture . . . Canadiens great Jean Beliveau had astroke for the second time in two years and is being treated at ahospital. The 80-year-old Hall of Famer was stricken Monday nightand is 'undergoing active investigation and treatments' in Montreal,the Canadiens said . . . Roger Federer brushed aside Michael Llodra,6-0, 7-6 (8-6), to reach the second round of the DubaiChampionships. Andy Murray beat qualifier Michael Berrer, 6-3, 4-6,6-4 . . . Top-seeded John Isner outlasted Jesse Levine, 6-4, 7-5 (17-15), in their first-round match at the Delray Beach InternationalChampionships . . . Tiger Woods's agent lashed out against HankHaney's book, saying his 'armchair psychology' about Woods was'ridiculous.' Haney's book about his six years as Woods's swingcoach is titled, 'The Big Miss.' It is to go on sale March 27, aweek before the Masters . . . Donald Trump is buying the Doral Hotel& Country Club, home of the Blue Monster golf course and host tonumerous pro tournaments, for $150 million.

Sports briefs - Deseret News (Salt Lake City)

Cycling

HAMILTON SUSPENDED: Olympic gold medalist Tyler Hamilton wassuspended Monday from competitive cycling for two years for a blood-doping violation discovered at a race in September.

He can return to competition April 17, 2007, but he forfeits allcompetitive results since Sept. 11, 2004.

The positive test occurred the month after Hamilton won the timetrial at the Athens Olympics. Hamilton first tested positive inAthens, but that case was dropped after his backup sample was frozen.The Russian Olympic Committee filed an appeal with the Court ofArbitration for Sport seeking to strip Hamilton of his gold medal andgive it to Vyacheslav Ekimov.

Football

PLAYER REMEMBERED: Dozens of athletes and politicians were amongthe crowd of about 1,900 Monday in Macon, Ga., at the funeral of AlLucas, the lineman who died during an Arena Football League game andwas remembered as a person who 'taught us the fundamentals about lifeand playing.'

'When the old die, there's a sense they lived their time,' theRev. Jesse Jackson said. 'For Al, middle age was 13.' Lucas, whoplayed for the Los Angeles Avengers, was a former NFL player in histhird year in the Arena league. He died at 26 on April 10 aftertrying to tackle a New York Dragons kick returner.

Autopsy results were still pending Monday, the coroner's officesaid.The Avengers say Lucas died from a 'presumed spinal cordinjury.'

Hockey

GOMEZ HURT: New Jersey center Scott Gomez will be sidelined up toa month with a hairline fracture in his pelvic area, Devils presidentLou Lamoriello said Monday. Gomez was hurt after he got blindsidedwhile playing for the Alaska Aces of the ECHL in a playoff gameSaturday night in Bakersfield, Calif. The ECHL suspended Bakersfieldright wing Ashlee Langdone for the hit, pending further review.Gomez, 25, twice has won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Devils.He's a former NHL Rookie of the Year and an All-Star and skated forTeam USA in the World Cup.

College basketball

DOHERTY HIRED: Matt Doherty was hired as Florida Atlantic'sbasketball coach Monday, starting over two years after he resigned ascoach of North Carolina. Doherty, a former national coach of theyear, replaces Sidney Green, who was fired last month after threeconsecutive losing seasons, including a 10-17 mark this year.

Doherty worked as a broadcaster and businessman after leavingcoaching. He now joins a school in the Atlantic Sun Conference, along way from the Tar Heels and the Atlantic Coast Conference.

BUCS MAKE HISTORY IN ATLANTIC SUN ALL-SPORTS RACES; WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT BILL BIBB TROPHY - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

MACON, Ga., April 25 -- East Tennessee State University issued the following news release:

With six top-five finishes in the Atlantic Sun Conference Spring Championship season, ETSU clinched its fifth-straight Bill Bibb Trophy announced the conference office on Monday.

The Buccaneers earned conference titles in men's and women's tennis and finished strong with top-five finishes in both golf and track & field championships to push their 2010-11 points total to 328.5. UNF with 285 points leads Kennesaw State (271.5), Campbell (255) and Jacksonville (226.5) in the battle to finish in second place with two championships (softball & baseball) remaining.

The Bucs also sealed the men's all-sports race for the Jesse C. Fletcher trophy amassing 166.5 points with two conference titles. Campbell, Kennesaw State and UNF fall in line behind ETSU in a battle for runner-up with the Camels leading the way with 126, while the Owls and Ospreys sit at 124.5. The final baseball standings account for the last opportunity for points.

ETSU has won the Jesse C. Fletcher trophy six seasons in a row after joining the conference in 2005. The Buccaneers' six-year streak surpasses former member, Georgia Southern (1987-91), for the longest streak in conference history. The six Fletcher trophies ties ETSU with UCF for second most all-time and puts them one behind Georgia Southern for the league record.

On the women's side, Jacksonville's two conference championships in track & field this year secured the Sherman Day Trophy for the Dolphins as their softball team can finish no worse than a tie for second place. Jacksonville's 165-point total became inflated in the spring season when the Dolphins won the track & field competition and finished sixth and seventh in tennis and golf, respectively.

ETSU and UNF currently claim second and third place at 162 and 160.5 points with only softball remaining, while Kennesaw State (147), Campbell (129) and FGCU (129) round out the top-five. With the clinched title, Jacksonville earned their third Sherman Day Trophy in the past four seasons after finishing as the runner-up to the Owls last year. The Dolphins join FIU for third-most Day Trophies behind Georgia State (8) and UCF (7).

FGCU, ETSU and Kennesaw State share the year-long lead for most team championships with three just ahead of Jacksonville and UNF with two.

The Eagles sit in sixth place in the all-sports standings with 208.5 points ahead of Belmont (207), Lipscomb (189), Mercer (184.5), USC Upstate (174) and Stetson (166.5).

Sports Editor Helped To Lay Groundwork For Integration Into Baseball - New Pittsburgh Courier

Sports Editor Helped To Lay Groundwork For Integration Into Baseball

By TIM LACY

For New Pittsburgh Courier

When Jackie Robinson took the field Brooklyn Dodger uniform 50 years ago--the first Black man to play in the all-white major league--the African-American's sports editor, Sam Lacy was there.

Just three days earlier, the Afro's headlines had read, 'Brooklyn Signs Jackie Robinson Dodgers Pick Star for Utility Position; Branch Rickey Confirms Afro Report of Two Weeks Ago.'

April 15, 1947 was the fruit of a quest started by Lacy some 11 years earlier. In 1936, Lacy approached Washington Senators' owner Clark Griffith with the argument that there was as much talent in the Negro Leagues as there was in the white major leagues.

He was dismissed by Griffith who said, 'Southern-born major leaguers wouldn't play with Black players and there would be clashes on the field.' None the less Lacy continued on his quest alone.

While working for the Chicago Defender from 1940 to 1943, Lacy started a letter-writing campaign to major league owners. After much persistence, they eventually agreed to meet with him. But the Defender decided to send actor and political activist Paul Robeson to the meeting instead. While Robeson was a very visible figure, Lacy was angered by the choice because the actor lacked any real understand of the specific nuances of the situation.

Lacy ultimately returned to the Afro and with the assistance of publisher Carl Murphy, a meeting was arranged between Lacy, Larry MacPhail of the Yankees and Branch Rickey of the Dodgers. MacPhail failed to show up, so Lacy and Rickey met privately. The proposal offered by the Afro was that the Negro Leagues be used as a fourth Triple-A league that would provide players to major league teams.

While they arrived at no final resolution from that meeting, it was here that the idea of the 'great experiment' was born.

After much evaluation and discussions about the Negro leaguer who was most suited to carry the torch, Lacy and Wendel Smith of the Pittsburgh Courier (another key advocate for the integration of baseball) mutually agreed on Robinson.

Robinson was not only chosen for his obvious athletic ability because there were over players who were athletically superior. He was chosen because possessed some essential qualities: He had played on integrated teams while a student at UCLA; he had been an officer in the Army and he had the temperament to handle what would be a volatile and racist situation.

On that April day, Robinson made history when he took the field in Dodger Stadium. Lacy meanwhile was watching, having been assigned by his publisher to closely follow Robinson for the first three years of his career. The experience was filled with its share of obstacles because of racism and the legal enforcement of Jim Crow laws.

In the early days Robinson and Lacy would sometimes find themselves locked out of the stadium and would be forced to circle it looking for a loose board in the fence under which they could crawl. In Deland, Fla., the sheriff came out onto the field and broke up the game. At a Macon, Ga. boarding house, Lacy and Robinson woke up to find a cross had been burned on the lawn. At Pelican Stadium, Lacy was refused admission to the press box. Taking a folding chair to the roof, he was soon joined by other writers under the pretext that they were working on their tans.

Lacy's stories about how Robinson played are gems to read. And 50 years from that opening day, Lacy at age 93, is still going strong. He makes the nearly one-hour drive from his residence in Washington, D.C., to the Baltimore, Md., office of the Afro, three days a week. His column is still widely read.

MADDEN STARTS OVER IN THE AHL; LIVERPOOL GOALIE CONTINUES HIS HOCKEY CAREER AS BACKUP ON MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS.(Sports)(Column) - The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY)

Byline: Lindsay Kramer Staff writer

From the vantage point of Macon, Ga., Chris Madden could start to see the end of his career taking shape last year.

He didn't like that view, so he looked for a new perspective. He's found one in Milwaukee.

A year after his playing days seemed to be grinding to a halt in the East Coast Hockey League, Madden, a goalie from Liverpool, is once again sneering at the odds. He's found a home as a backup with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, once again continuing a career that seems to be chugging along on a year-by-year basis.

'If you give up, then that's it. You have to find something else to do,' said Madden, 23. 'I've never had anything else I was interested in. If somebody wants to tell you you can't play somewhere, the thing you want to do is turn it around.'

By this point, Madden should be dizzied by the sport's revolutions. He was drafted by Carolina in the fourth round of the 1998 draft but never reached contract terms with that team. He turned in a decent 2000-01 season with Hamilton of the AHL - 3.12 goals-against, .909

save percentage - but was stuck behind a couple of prospects and was easily discarded at the end of that season.

Madden dropped down to the Macon Whoopee of the ECHL last season, where he went 20-24-7 with a 2.90 goals-against and a .913 save percentage.

'I had a bad day here and there, but you can't just go there and count the days. You have to have a little fun,' Madden said. 'There's still some plusses in it (the ECHL). Last year was almost a 40-shot night every night. That helps out, too.'

At least a few people must have noticed. There is a glut of quality pro goalies on the market these days, so Madden had little leverage. But Nashville was looking for some depth on its affiliate in Milwaukee, so it invested in Madden.

But how much Madden gets to play is another issue. Milwaukee is riding starter Jan Lasak pretty hard. Madden has played in only four games, with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage.

'I haven't gotten much ice time here so far, but I think that will change,' Madden said. 'Being here, working in practice every day, has been good so far. This year, I am happy to be going in the right direction.'

Morrisville coach searches

to find championship form

The smartest thing Morrisville College hockey players might do on their Thanksgiving break would be to skip their extra helpings of gluttony.

Mustangs coach Earl Utter sent them on their way with stern words. Utter was greatly peeved by his team's 4-3 loss to Erie Community College Friday, a game in which Morrisville gave up two short-handed goals.

Utter said his team got away from its system, one that ideally demands the Mustangs outwork their opponent from the start and then use their speed, skill and conditioning to take over late. Utter vowed that his players would return to basics in their post-vacation practices.

'We didn't hit (against Erie). If you don't get in there and control lanes and win one-on-one battles, you're not going to win,' Utter said. 'When we come back from Thanksgiving break, guys are going to get whipped into shape again. It's not going to be a comfortable week.'

The rantings of a demanding coach? Perhaps. But most instructive about the ire is that the loss was Morrisville's first of the year following a 6-0 start. Such are the standards when you are coming off an NJCAA championship, as are the Mustangs.

Utter has 16 returners from that title team, so Morrisville should know a thing or two about what it takes to win. But Utter is still antsy. He's waiting for leadership to emerge, a force that compels players to forgo freelancing in favor of the unglamorous grudge work.

Overall, Utter thinks his team has been playing 'sporadically.'

'A little bit of that is guys saying, 'Yeah, that system works but I want to try to do something else,'' Utter said. 'They haven't totally bought into the system yet. Every once in awhile they want to do their own thing. I see this team as probably the most talented team we've had. If we can come up with the leadership we need, I think we can do some good things.'

SPORTS TIME; 2004 PIONEER BOWL IS SET AND AUBURN VS GEORGIA...THE HOTTEST TICKET IN TOWN - Columbus Times

Columbus Times
11-17-2004
The pairings for the 2004 Pioneer Bowl, which will be played this year in
Mobile Alabama, are set. It will be SIAC Conference Champion Tuskegee
Golden Tigers facing off against the CIAA Champion Shaw University Bears.

Tuskegee has been a perennial power in the SIAC while the Bears captured
their very first CIAA crown.

The Pioneer Bowl is the only Division II Bowl game for Historically Black
Colleges. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00pm December 4th at Ladd Peebles
Stadium in Mobile.

Meanwhile, what a fantastic Fountain City Classic we got the opportunity to
witness this past Saturday. The Golden Rams of Albany State held on to
defeat their arch-rival the Wildcats of Fort Valley State 20-to-19. Fort
Valley missed an extra point attempt that would have tied the game with
about a minute left on the clock.

The win enabled the Rams to finish the season with a perfect 10-0 record.
They earned a first round bye in the Division II playoffs and will host the
winner of the Catawba-Arkansas Tech game on Saturday November 20th at the
Albany Municipal Stadium.

And the hottest ticket in the area right now has to be for the annual
showdown between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Auburn Tigers. Auburn is
ranked number three in the nation while the Dawgs come in at number eight.
Its been a while since the two teams met this highly ranked.

Auburn is a slight favorite for the big match-up which will be televised on
the local CBS affiliate WRBL beginning at 3:30p.m. this Saturday

Prediction:

Georgia - 28 Auburn - 21

Black College Football Schedule:

NC A&T @ Hampton - 1:00pm

Benedict @ Tuskegee - 1:00pm

Alcorn State @ Alabama A&M - 1:30pm

Mississippi Valley @ Alabama St. - 1:30pm

Texas Southern @ Southern - 7:00pm

Howard @ Bethune Cookman - 4:00pm

Jackson St. @ Prairie View - 3:00pm

Tennessee St. @ Eastern Kentucky - 12:30pm

Morgan St. @ S.C. State - 1:30pm

Grambling @ Savannah St. - 1:30pm

High School Football Playoff Predictions:

Pacelli - 45 Savannah Country Day - 14

Shaw-28 Cairo-21 (WOKS Radio 7:30 Friday)

Central - 35 Murphy-10 (WEAM Radio 8:00pm Friday)

COLUMBUS STATE TO HOST DRAGONS PRESEASON GAME NOVEMBER 16

Columbus State University and the Columbus Riverdragons will host a
basketball doubleheader on Tuesday, November 16th at the Frank G. Lumpkin
Center, featuring the CSU Lady Cougars season opener against Clark Atlanta
at 6:00 p.m. followed by the Dragons preseason game versus the Florida
Flame at 8:15 p.m..

Tickets for this special event are priced at $5 for general admission and
$3 for all non-CSU students with a valid student ID. All CSU students,
faculty, and staff showing their CSU ID receive free admission. To purchase
tickets for the basketball doubleheader, visit the Columbus State
University Athletics ticket office located at the Lumpkin Center or call
(706) 568-2204. This event marks the second time that Columbus State has
hosted a Riverdragons preseason game. The Dragons defeated the Greenville
Groove, 71-62, in a preseason match-up at the Lumpkin Center on November 9,
2002.

The opening game of the doubleheader features the CSU Lady Cougars taking
on regional foe, Clark Atlanta University. CSU Head Coach Jay Sparks
returns three starters and four letter winners from a team that finished
11-17 a year ago. The Lady Cougars will look to jumpstart their rise back
to the top of the Peach Belt Conference against a Lady Panthers squad that
finished 22-5 last season.

The NBDL preseason contest will feature a coaching matchup of two former
NBA stars in Dragons Head Coach Jeff Malone and Flame Head Coach Dennis
Johnson. Malone was a two-time NBA All-Star (1986, '87) during a 13-year
career which saw the Macon, Ga. native score over 17,000 points for the
Washington Bullets, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat. Johnson
joins the Flame staff after an extensive career with the NBA, both as a
player and coach. During his playing days with the Seattle Supersonics,
Phoenix Suns, and Boston Celtics, Johnson claimed three NBA championships
as well as other various awards and honors. Named to nine consecutive
All-Defensive Teams (1979-87), Johnson was also a five-time NBA All-Star
selection (1979-82, '85).

The NBDL includes the Fayetteville Patriots (N.C.), Florida Flame (Ft.
Myers), Huntsville Flight (Ala.), Roanoke Dazzle (Va.), Columbus
Riverdragons (Ga.) and Asheville Altitude (N.C.).

The league offers players the opportunity to develop their talent in a
highly competitive atmosphere under the NBA's umbrella. In addition to the
28 players, nine former NBDL coaches and five athletic trainers have been
called up since the start of the league's inaugural season in November
2001.

Designed to help grow the sport of basketball both domestically and
internationally, the league also offers fun, family entertainment at
affordable prices. The NBDL is a source of on-court talent for the NBA's 30
teams and is a diverse human resources pool for the NBA and its teams by
training employees in management, operations, public relations, sales and
marketing positions.

The Riverdragons open their 2004-05 regular season schedule on Saturday,
November 20 versus the Huntsville Flight at the Columbus Civic Center. For
more information, log on to www.columbusriverdragons.com or contact
Riverdragons Media Relations Manager Tim Becwar at (706) 225-1104, or
tbecwar@nba.com.

Article copyright The Columbus Times.
V.47;

FINISH LINE.(Sports) - Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)

COLLEGES

Coaching legend Gaines, 81, dies after a stroke

Clarence 'Big House' Gaines, one of college basketball's winningest coaches during his 47 seasons at Winston-Salem (N.C.) State, died Monday, his daughter said. He was 81.

Gaines entered a Winston-Salem hospital Friday with heart-related difficulties, WRAZ-TV at Raleigh, N.C., reported. He was released Saturday but had a stroke and returned to the hospital.

Lisa Gaines McDonald told The Associated Press her father died at 9:10 p.m. EDT, possibly from complications related to the stroke.

The Paducah, Ky., native retired in 1993 after 47 seasons at NCAA Division II Winston-Salem State. His 828 wins rank him fifth on the NCAA career coaching wins list, behind Dean Smith, Adolph Rupp, Bob Knight and Jim Phelan.

Winston-Salem had 20-win seasons under Gaines 18 times. In 1967, he led the Rams - which featured guard Earl 'The Pearl' Monroe - to a 31-1 record and the Division II national championship.

* Nebraska quarterback Joe

Dailey has been given permission to transfer after his demotion from starter last season to fourth-stringer.

* Former Rice coach Cristy McKinney was hired as the women's basketball coach at Clemson.

* Matt Doherty officially was introduced as as the new men's basketball coach at Florida Atlantic.

* Valparaiso sophomore basketball center Kenny Harris remained unconscious and in critical condition, one week after he collapsed while lifting weights on the Indiana campus.

* Forward Dennis Latimore will not return to Notre Dame for his final year of men's basketball eligibility.

* Former Arizona assistant coach Yeshimbra 'Shimmy' Gray was hired as the women's basketball coach at Saint Louis.

OLYMPICS

London dangles more carrots for 2012 Games

London offered tens of millions of dollars in new financial incentives as part of its bid for the 2012 Olympics.

One day after offering inducements to sports federations, London announced a package of financial support to athletes and national committees, including free round-trip flights to all 10,500 competitors and thousands of team officials attending the Games.

In addition, each of the 200 national committees would receive a $50,000 credit toward the cost of using training facilities in Great Britain.

Athletes would get $100 worth of free phone calls from the athletes' village, as well as free train travel throughout Britain after the Games.

* International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge reassured federations that it is unlikely any sports will be dropped from the Summer Games.

The IOC recently completed a report reviewing the 28 sports contested at Athens last year to consider whether any changes should be made for the program of the 2012 Olympics.

SOCCER

Australian melee leaves four officers injured

Fans jumped a fence and surged onto the field after a soccer game in Australia despite heavy security, throwing flares and bottles in an outburst that injured four police officers.

Police said they arrested only two men because further intervention probably would have sparked more violence.

About 400 fans from an estimated crowd of 9,000 at Melbourne clashed Sunday night. The Preston Lions, supported mostly by ethnic Macedonian immigrants, scored a 1-0 upset against host South Melbourne, which is backed mainly by expatriate Greeks.

* Yuri Syomin will become the new coach of Russia's national soccer team, which is in third place in its qualifying group for the 2006 World Cup. He will replace Georgy Yartsev.

FOOTNOTES

Georgia mourners honor fallen lineman Lucas

Dozens of athletes and politicians were among the crowd of about 1,900 at Macon, Ga., at the funeral of Al Lucas, a lineman who died during an Arena Football League game.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a friend of Lucas' father, state Rep. David Lucas, Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor and state House Speaker Glenn Richardson were at the service.

Lucas played for the Los Angeles Avengers. He died at 26 on April 10 after trying to tackle a New York Dragons kick returner. An autopsy is pending.

* A panel of medical experts at Las Vegas recommended heavyweight Joe Mesi stop boxing after he suffered bleeding on the brain during a brutal fight last year.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission will consider the recommendation next month.

* Andre Agassi played doubles for the second time since 2001 and Jim Courier came out of retirement to join him, but lost to Martin Garcia and Luis Horna 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships at Houston.

* Blues And Royals will miss the Kentucky Derby because of a respiratory condition. The colt won the United Arab Emirates Derby by 12 lengths in his only start this year.

A-SUN ENJOYS STUNNING WEEK TINY LEAGUE BEATS BIG BOYS.(Sports) - The Cincinnati Post (Cincinnati, OH)

Byline: Paul Newberry, Associated Press

ATLANTA -- The music channel VH1 pokes fun at the celebrity scene with its show 'Best Week Ever.' It might want to branch into sports this week to give a nod to the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Seriously.

The little-known league spread over five Southeastern states surely had its best week ever, knocking off three major schools in an amazing four-day period.

Gardner-Webb got the ball rolling, so to speak, with its shocking 16-point win at then-No. 20 Kentucky last Wednesday. Belmont followed up two nights later with an 11-point win at Cincinnati. Then came Saturday's stunner: Mercer bumped off then-No. 18 Southern Cal and its heralded freshman, O.J. Mayo, by 15 points.

Gardner-Webb? Belmont? Mercer?

Who are these guys anyway?

'Most of the time, all the efforts of our folks, all the stuff they are working on, don't get the spotlight they may necessarily deserve,' said Ted Gumbart, the A-Sun's commissioner. 'When we do get a chance to grab it, it's very satisfying.'

For those who may not know -- and that would be just about everyone -- the Atlantic Sun is a 12-team conference with members in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. Formerly known as the Trans-America Athletic Conference, it doesn't even qualify as a so-called mid-major.

Low-major is more like it, though it may be time for a promotion.

'Everyone dreams of playing in the BCS-type conferences. That's normal,' Mercer coach Mark Slonaker said by telephone Monday morning from the school's Macon, Ga., campus. 'What we've got to do is be diligent and find the type of kids who realize it's not going to happen there and they've got a better opportunity here.'

The A-Sun, once comprised heavily of transfers and junior-college signees, has done a better job in recent years of luring second-tier prospects from the high school level. Those kids have a chance to develop over four years -- after all, the NBA ain't exactly knockin' -- and provide the sort of continuity that not even the big boys can't match.

For instance, Mercer sophomore James Florence, who scored 30 points against Mayo and the Trojans, was a prep star in suburban Atlanta. The 6-foot-1 guard was recruited by Tulane and got a sniff from a few bigger schools but ultimately decided to stay closer to home.

Macon is less than 100 miles south of Atlanta.

'We've got to get across that we've got a good product, a good situation, and we can provide a great college experience,' Slonaker said. 'They might meet their wife here. They might meet the people in their wedding party here. We've got to give them the whole pitch.'

He chuckled at his recruiting methods, but it was no laughing matter for Kentucky, Cincinnati or USC. All three were blown out by a conference that went 0-35 against the six major conferences a year ago, and had not beaten a ranked team since Belmont's win over Missouri in December 2003.

'For me, it's about the credibility of the league,' Slonaker said. 'We're striving to be somewhere in the middle. It's not realistic to be in the top six. That's not going to happen. But we're trying to move up as a conference. The only way to do that is to keep winning these type of games.'

The Atlantic Sun has been around since 1978, though it spent most of its history known as the TAAC. Detractors referred to it as the 'Ticky-TAAC.'

The conference gained a more flattering name six years ago but, like so many smaller leagues (and even some bigger ones), struggled to maintain a stable roster of teams. Schools such as Central Florida, College of Charleston and Georgia State have come and gone, leaving behind a mix of small, private institutions and larger public schools with relatively new athletic programs.

Jacksonville, Stetson and Lipscomb all have enrollments of fewer than 3,000. The biggest school is Kennesaw State, a recent addition from Atlanta's sprawling suburbs that has nearly 20,000 students.

The league doesn't sponsor football, which makes it even harder to get noticed. And there will be another membership change to deal with after this academic year when Gardner-Webb, the school in Boiling Springs, N.C., that stunned Big Blue, moves to the Big South. But at least the A-Sun has plenty of unique, entertaining nicknames, such as Camels (Campbell), Hatters (Stetson) and Ospreys (North Florida).

Gumbart is eager to take advantage of the A-Sun's moment in the sun, no matter how fleeting it may be.

'The coaches and players have made it happen on the floor,' he said. 'Our job is to translate that into a little bit more of a lasting impression so A-Sun basketball rings a bell with folks.'

Mercer has a chance to make another big splash right away.

Coming off perhaps the most important win in school history, the Bears are hosting Alabama of the Southeastern Conference on Tuesday night, the first major-conference school to visit Mercer's new 3,200-seat campus arena.

These sorts of games could become more common for mid- and low-level conferences, who are demanding higher guarantees to go on the road and finding that many major schools are reluctant to pay up.

Alabama agreed to a 2-for-1 deal with Mercer, which will visit Tuscaloosa the next two years. The Crimson Tide saves some money and boosts its recruiting base in middle Georgia, while Mercer gets the sort of game that will have its place rockin'.

'There's going to be tailgating. There's going to be bands,' Slonaker said. 'The buzz on campus and the students' excitement about this game have been incredible. We don't have football here, so this is kind of like what the students at Georgia get to experience when Auburn comes to town for football.'

Well, not quite. After all, Mercer is a Baptist-affiliated university.

'We're a dry campus, so it may be a little different,' Slonaker quipped. 'But you can bet there will be an adrenaline high there, if not necessarily an alcohol high.'

No need for the hard stuff when you've just had your best week ever.

Text of fax box follows:

A-Sun upsets

Wednesday

* Gardner-Webb 84, No. 20 Kentucky 68

Friday

* Belmont 86, Cincinnati 75

Saturday

* Mercer 96, No. 18 Southern Cal 81

(rankings from last week)

CAPTION(S):

Photo

LUIS SINCO/Associated Press

Clubs raise question of sports equity: Kentucky schools try to control private athletic funds to level gender playing field.(USA) - The Christian Science Monitor

It's Friday night, only minutes to go until kickoff of the last home game for the Bryan Station High School Defenders, who are bound once again for the state playoffs.

Standing by a card table piled high with souvenirs, Laura Proctor and her husband, D.L., hawk programs for the local booster club. Announcements crackle over the PA system. The smell of grilled hotdogs scents the air.

Behind Mrs. Proctor rises a three-story bleacher painted team green by members of the booster club - one of many contributions the private group has made to the squad over the years. But that may be about to change.

Across the bluegrass playing fields of Kentucky, a fight is brewing over tens of thousands of dollars private booster clubs raise for high school athletics.

The line of scrimmage: Title IX, the federal law mandating gender equity in high school and college athletics. Local school boards, pressed for money to address inequities in sports programs, want more control over the private funds. But many booster club members argue it's their money and they have the right to spend it the way they want. The fight here - being mirrored in many states across the country - could change the face of high school athletics nationwide.

'We're the ones who have been out here working to make money, and ... they're now telling us how we can spend it,' says Mrs. Proctor, president of the booster club, whose son is a center and linebacker on the team. 'If we would like our boys to go to Louisville and be a part of a passing competition, and we have the money, why can't we send them?'

Here in Fayette County, the school board recently voted to require boosters to sign an agreement that will open their books and membership lists to school officials. District officials would be given veto power over fundraising activities if they're deemed to cause inequities.

While some boosters have accepted the restrictions, others resent the 'intrusion.' The phenomenon here in the rumpled hills of Kentucky, where athletics is as much a part of the culture as quarter horses and coal, is being repeated in various locations around the country:

* In California, the Title IX Coalition of Fresno County issued a report to the local school board contending that boosters' lavish treatment of boys teams had caused inequities for girls teams. They want closer monitoring of the groups.

* In Washington State, a donor's gift of $1 million to build a boys' baseball stadium led to the first-ever Title IX complaint in the Vancouver school district: A senior softball player charged there was a vast inequity between the gleaming new boys' facility and an off-campus field, with rotting wooden benches and dilapidated fencing, the girls used.

* In Macon, Ga., the school system mandated in September that boys not be allowed to play at an expensive booster-built baseball stadium until a comparable girls' facility can be constructed.

This issue is surfacing nearly three decades after Title IX's passage in 1972, in part because of the growth and popularity of women's athletics and the dearth of school funding. Some critics of the booster clubs argue that they represent the last vestige of gender discrimination that Title IX was intended to eradicate.

Kentucky largely ceded athletic funding to booster clubs more than 20 years ago. In addition to providing such things as routine maintenance - including painting the lines on the football field before every game - a group of parents at one high school guaranteed a loan for an indoor baseball facility built on school property.

Such unrestricted spending has led to inequities. A statewide Title IX audit found three high schools in Fayette County had inadequate girls' softball fields compared to boys' baseball fields. The county vows to build new fields, but some doubt it will follow through.

The Fayette County school board also plans to install 'equity monitoring committees' at local high schools, which will include a booster representative, to preempt some of the large-scale - and lopsided - moneymaking schemes.

Many booster parents are chafing at the new controls. Originally, they were concerned that their hard-earned bingo and bake-sale money will be given to a another sports team. That hasn't happened - yet. They also don't understand why they can't raise money to send the boys' baseball team to Florida for spring training, just because the softball boosters aren't able to raise an equivalent sum.

The new policies, say boosters, will lead to reduced parental support and less student participation in sports. As a result, the teams won't do as well, gate receipts will decline, the coaches won't be able to buy equipment. Ultimately, they say, the school district will be forced to eliminate boys' teams to correct disparities. 'If you have a son on the football team, are you going to work bingo, or a car wash, or sell hats and sweatshirts to benefit the swimming team?' asks Mr. Proctor. 'They're coming in here and telling us exactly what we can and can't do for the benefit of our children.'

But education officials say they are bound by law to exercise some control over the private portfolios, if they are to ensure equality on the gridiron and softball field. 'The money becomes public funds the moment they receive a donation, and we have to control it,' says Danny Reeves, a lawyer for the Kentucky High School Athletic Association. 'It is absolutely our responsibility to see that the money is spent equitably.'

Although he acknowledges there is a wide spectrum of booster activity, Mr. Reeves is not willing to look the other way, even in the case of small contributions - such as a post-season banquet. 'People say you shouldn't worry about the nickel and dime things. But where do you draw the line?' he says. 'If you come up with a way to make this stuff standard, you don't have to worry about that.'

BLUE DEVILS STRIKE IT RICH WITH 4 BLUE-CHIPPERS IN EARLY RECRUITING.(SPORTS) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

Byline: FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER

Barring unexpected snags, it appears the recruiting class that Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski welcomes next August will be the highest-rated group ever brought in by an ACC school.

Better than the Eric Montross class at North Carolina. Better than the Tar Heels' Jerry Stackhouse-Rasheed Wallace class, too. It even compares favorably to the much-heralded ``Fab Five'' class at Michigan in 1991.

Three members of Duke's quartet rank among the top six prospects in the nation on most recruiting lists, and the other as high as 11th.

Chris Burgess, a 6-foot-10 center from Irvine, Calif., is the No. 1 prospect by Prep Stars Recruiter's Handbook, Sports Illustrated and USA Today. The Recruiter's Handbook ranks Shane Battier, a 6-8 forward from Birmingham, Mich., No. 2 and Elton Brand, a 6-8 power forward from Peekskill, N.Y., No. 6.

William Avery, a 6-2 point guard from Augusta, Ga., is ranked 30th by Recruiter's Handbook, but 11th by recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons.

Gibbons describes Duke's recruiting class as ``a rare accomplishment.''

``I don't know if anyone can expect this class to duplicate what the Fab Five did (two straight NCAA championship game appearances), but who knows?'' Gibbons said.

The only hitch is that two of the four prospects declined to sign official letters-of-intent during the signing period that ended Wednesday night. Avery and Brand said they remained committed to Duke. but would wait until April's late signing period before sealing their commitments.

What's the holdup?

Brand's high school coach in Peekskill, N.Y., Lou Panzanaro, said Brand wanted to make sure ``something crazy doesn't happen - like maybe Coach K leaving.''

Panzanaro said Brand was not having second thoughts about Duke, but was ``just being cautious.''

Unlike the other three, Avery has not qualified academically, but his coach at Oak Hill Academy, Steve Smith, recently assured a North Carolina newspaper that ``William will be fine.''

Duke had to battle Kentucky and Virginia for Avery and Brand, North Carolina and Michigan for Battier, and Kentucky and Brigham Young for Burgess, the last of the four to commit.

An angry and disappointed Brigham Young coach Roger Reid charged that Burgess, a Morman, ``let 9 million people down'' by choosing Duke. Burgess told a Salt Lake City newspaper that Reid also told him that he was ``letting down the prophet and the apostles.''

Burgess said he has been a longtime Blue Devils follower, dating to the days of Danny Ferry.

``I want to be a part of returning Duke to the national championship,'' Burgess said. ``This class can be awesome.''

A look at the rest of the league:

NORTH CAROLINA: Also scored well in the early period, beating out Clemson and Wake Forest to sign 7-foot Brendan Haywood, who analysts say could become an outstanding player. Signed two other blue chippers: 6-11 Brian Bersticker of Virginia Beach and 6-5 guard Max Owens from Macon, Ga.

Haywood did not begin playing basketball until late, and missed his sophomore year in high school because of a broken foot.

``There aren't many seven-foot kids like him with that size, coordination, good hands, and agility,'' Gibbons said.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE: First-year coach Herb Sendek didn't sign any prospects who rate as highly as Duke's and North Carolina's, but all five are solid.

``It could rank among the best classes in the country,'' Gibbons said.

The two big signees were 6-10 Ron Kelly of Emory, Texas, and 6-11 Cornelius Williams of Jacksonville, Ala.

VIRGINIA: The only signee was 6-1 point guard Chezley Watson of Gainesville, Ga. Watson wasn't noted among the top point guard prospects in the country on any major recruiting list.

WAKE FOREST: Fulfilled its most pressing need by beating out Indiana for 6-2 wing guard Robert O'Kelley of Memphis. O'Kelley said the opportunity to be a scoring point guard at Wake Forest influenced his decision. Received commitments from four other players, but none is expected to make an immediate impact.

FLORIDA STATE: Signed two players who could offer immediate help - 7-foot center Karim Shabazz of Lawrence, N.Y., and 5-10 point guard Devlon Arrington of Jersey City, N.J. Arrington's St. Anthony's High School team is 54-0 with him starting and his coach, Bob Hurley Sr., says he is the best point guard he's had since his son, Bobby, a former All-American at Duke. Future Stars recruiting service ranks Shabazz the No. 7 center prospect in the nation.

MARYLAND: Signed 6-7 Terrence Moore, a highly-regarded wing forward from Frederick, and Juan Dixon, a 6-2 guard from Towson.

GEORGIA TECH: Signed one prospect, 6-11 Alvin Jones, Jr., the 13th-ranked center.

CLEMSON: Did not sign anyone.

CAPTION(S):

Graphic

ACC COMMITMENTS

Clemson

None

Duke

Chris Burgess, 6-10 C, Irvine, Calif. Nation's No. 1-rated center averaged 27 points, 12 rebounds as a junior. Runs the court well and is an excellent outside shooter in the mold of former Blue Devils great Christian Laettner.

Elton Brand, 6-6 F, Peekskill, N.Y. Averaged 28 points, 14 rebounds as a junior. Strong rebounder and solid ballhandler. He was MVP at Nike Peach Basket Classic.

Shane Battier, 6-8 F, Birmingham, Mich. Averaged 21 points, 14 rebounds, 6.2 blocked shots as a junior. Handles the ball well enough to be a point guard. His high school coach compares him to former Duke great Grant Hill.

William Avery, 6-1 PG, Augusta, Ga. Averaged 23 points, 10 assists as a junior. He is a smart court leader who also can score.

Florida State

Delvon Arrington, 5-11 PG, Jersey City, N.J. Averaged 10 points, 6 assists for USA Today's No. 1-ranked high school team last year.

Karim Shabazz, 7-0 C, Lawrence, N.Y. Averaged 27 points, 16 rebounds, 7 blocks as a junior. He has excellent court quickness but needs to add muscle to bang inside.

Georgia Tech

Alvin Jones III, 6-11 C, Lakeland, Fla. Averaged 15.8 points, 10 rebounds, 6 blocks as a junior. He has excellent ability, but temper can be a problem. His stock fell during summer camps.

Maryland

Terrence Moore, 6-7 F, Frederick, Md. Averaged 23 points, 14 rebounds, 5 blocks as junior. Great offense and effective shot-blocker.

Juan Dixon, 6-2 G, Towson, Md. Excellent shooting range.

North Carolina

Max Owens, 6-5 BG, Macon, Ga. Averaged 27 points, 4.1 steals as a junior. His scoring ability is compared to current Tar Heel Vince Carter, but he plays much better defense.

Brian Bersticker, 6-10 C, Virginia Beach. Averaged 12 points, 15 rebounds, 8 blocks as a junior. Impressed at summer camps with his mobility and versatily. Will be used as power forward or small forward in college.

Brendan Haywood, 7-0 C, Greensboro, N.C. Averaged 10.2 points, ll rebounds as a junior. The No. 3-ranked center has the bulk (265 pounts) to be a force under the basket but he is weak on fundamentals.

North Carolina State

Ron Kelly, 6-10 C, Emory, Texas. Averaged 21 points, 14 rebounds as a junior. Moves well for a big man and will play forward in college.

Cornelius Williams, 6-11 C, Jacksonville, Ala. Averaged 15 points, 12 rebounds as junior. Has the size and natural ability but skills need polishing.

Kenny Inge, 6-8 F, Virginia Beach. Very athletic with strong moves to the goal. Can be a solid contributor early.

Ryan Miller, 5-10 PG, Beaver Falls, Pa. Averaged 17 points, 8 assists as junior. His brother, Sean, is an assistant at State. A smart ballhandler.

Ron Anderson, 6-6 G, Fayetteville, N.C. Averaged 17.5 points as junior. Not highly recruited by other major schools.

Virginia

Chezley Watson, 6-1 PG, Gainesville, Ga. Averaged 22 points, 4 assists, 4 steals as junior. Has good quickness, protects the ball well, and his defensive skills will fit in with Cavaliers' program.

Wake Forest

Robert O'Kelly, 6-2 G, Memphis, Tenn. Averaged 24.5 points, 2.5 assists as junior. An excellent outside shooter and ballhandler. He hopes to beome another Randolph Childress for the Deacs.

Josh Shoemaker, 6-9 F, Gate City, Va. Has a lot of raw talent and is a good shot-blocker, but his future might be on the football field.

Joakim Bloom, 6-10 F/C, Sweden. He committed to Deacons last year but didn't qualify. He's all set now and could be in school second semester.

Nikki Arinze, 6-5 F Nashville, Tenn. Has good enough ballhandling skills that he could be used as a big guard. Did not make major recruiting lists.

SPORTS TALK - The Record (Bergen County, NJ)

Mark J. Czerwinski
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
07-04-1991
SPORTS TALK
By Mark J. Czerwinski
Date: 07-04-1991, Thursday
Section: SPORTS
Edition: All Editions -- Two Star, One Star
Column: SPORTS TALK

A BASEBALL SUMMER:
Bill Craib and Sue Easler are on baseball's
ultimate road trip.

By World Series time in October, the couple plans to have visited
all 178 professional baseball stadiums in the country.

'A lot of people figured we'd fight and Sue would leave after about
a week,' Craib said. 'So far it hasn't happened.'

They made stop No. 90 Friday at St. Cloud Commons, home of the
Huntington Cubs of the rookie Appalachian League. They watched the
Charleston Wheelers of the South Atlantic League beat the Greensboro
(N.C.) Hornets, 2-1, the following night.

The trip will encompass 60,000 miles. Craib, 27, thought of the trip
in 1986 while director of sales for the Macon (Ga.) Pirates. They began
their excursion April 9 in Oakland, Calif.

'We started out with about $4,000 that we had saved up,' said
Easler, 23. 'We've used a lot of that up, but we're going to keep
going.'

MR. NOSTALGIA:
San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Felder really
must enjoy those Turn Back the Clock Days, when major league teams don
the uniforms of yesteryear.

Felder scored the winning run for the Milwaukee Brewers last year
in the original Turn Back The Clock Day against the Chicago White Sox.
Then he drove in the winning run for the Giants in their TBTC game
against the Cubs this year.

HE CAN HIT LEFT-HANDERS:
One of the knocks on Pittsburgh Pirates
outfielder Andy Van Slyke is his inability to hit left-handed pitchers.
But don't tell that to his teammate, Neal Heaton.

The Pirates outfielders were tossing the ball around the outfield
before a recent game. In the right-field bullpen, Heaton and reliever
Stan Belinda were talking, oblivious to the events around them.

Heaton was waving his glove as he talked. Van Slyke saw the wave
and thought Heaton wanted the baseball. So Van Slyke obligingly fired
the ball into the bullpen.

Heaton never saw the ball coming. The throw nailed him in the head,
and down he went.

'Well,' Van Slyke said, 'I had to knock out a left-hander sooner or
later.'

HAPPY TO BE HERE:
Rookie outfielder Wes Chamberlain, off to a great
start with the Philadelphia Phillies, isn't ashamed to tell the world he
loves being a major league ballplayer.

'You play your whole career waiting to get here,' Chamberlain said.
'You dream about it. You sleep it. You eat it. And now it's here.

'I got here in September, but that was just a tease. That's why they
call it a cup of coffee. It's just a taste of it. But then, when you get
back, you think, `Now I know I belong here.''

BIG FRANK:
During the late Sixties and early Seventies, Frank
Howard was the most intimidating power hitter in the American League.

The 6-foot-8 former Washington Senators star and current Yankees
hitting instructor left an impression on opponents.

'I've got one for you,' said former Yankees outfielder Bobby
Murcer. 'It was in Washington and Fritz Peterson was on the mound. Frank
hit a line drive up the middle and Fritz hit the deck.

'It just missed him. I was in center field and I took two steps in.
The ball sailed 30 feet over my head, banged off the fence, and almost
knocked the stadium down.'

Illustrations/Photos: ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO - BY GEORGE, A PERFECT FIT: Four-time
Indianapolis 500 champion Rick Mears modeling racing helmet for President Bush
during visit to the Oval Office Tuesday.

Copyright 1991 Bergen Record Corp. All rights reserved.

CYCLONES WILL PLAY IN ECHL THIS SEASON.(SPORTS)(Brief Article) - The Cincinnati Post (Cincinnati, OH)

PRINCETON, N.J. -- The Cincinnati Cyclones will begin play as a member of the East Coast Hockey League during the 2001-02 season.

Cincinnati will play at the 12,056-seat Firstar Center, and will be a member of the Northwest Division of the Northern Conference, joining Dayton, Ohio; Johnstown, Pa.; Peoria, Ill.; Toledo, Ohio; and Wheeling, W.Va.

''The ECHL is excited to welcome Cincinnati back into the League,'' said Richard Adams, president of the ECHL. ''The combination of strong geographic rivalries, a state of the art facility in Firstar Center and an experienced, proven ownership group makes the Cyclones a tremendous addition.''

The Cyclones are owned by David LeFevre and Phil Esposito. LeFevre, a sports industry veteran, is the president of Beacon Sports Capital Partners, while Esposito is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Boston Bruins.

The Cyclones head coach will be Ray Edwards, who most recently coached the Huntington Blizzard in the ECHL during the 1999-2000 season.

THE DODGERS HAVE DONE IT. THEY'VE LANDED BASEBALL'S BIGGEST FREE AGENT, SIGNING KEVIN BROWN TO A 7-YEAR CONTRACT WORTH $105,000,000.(SPORTS) - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Byline: Joe Haakenson

Showing that money was no object, the Dodgers signed free-agent pitcher Kevin Brown on Saturday to a seven-year deal worth $105 million, setting the baseball world on its ear.

Both the total value of the contract and average annual salary ($15 million per season) are the highest in baseball history, drawing criticism from many in the business.

``All I can say is as a former general manager (with the Oakland A's) I'm alarmed by the contract,'' Sandy Alderson said in Nashville, Tenn., where baseball's winter meetings are taking place. ``As a member of the commissioner's office, I'm alarmed by this contract, and as a fan of the game, I'd be alarmed by this contract.''

Brown will receive a $5 million signing bonus, $10 million in 1999 and $15 million each season from 2000 to 2005. He also has incentive bonuses in the contract.

The Dodgers, put in a situation of having to defend themselves for becoming an instant World Series contender, point to Brown's durability and the fact that he has pitched in the World Series in each of the past two seasons with different teams (Florida in 1997 and San Diego this past season). The Dodgers haven't been to the World Series since 1988.

``I think Kevin is unique and special in the regard that he is without question the most durable pitcher in the major leagues,'' Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone said. ``Kevin Brown is one of those special players who is capable of elevating a team into a championship team.''

Brown, who lives in Macon, Ga., with his wife and two children, also received a clause in his contract that provides a corporate jet for 12 round-trips a year.

``We think Kevin Brown is a big part of our future,'' Malone said. ``We're comfortable with the terms. We feel like we logically evaluated the marketplace. We needed the player, we wanted the player and we made the commitment to our fans to becoming a winning team.''

``I'm looking forward to being part of the re-establishment of a winning tradition,'' Brown told the Orange County Register. ``I'm excited I will be there to see that happen.''

New Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said Brown, who turns 34 on March 14, will be his Opening Day starter.

``I'm sure that when I read the January, February sports magazines, I'm sure they'll have the Dodgers pretty high,'' Johnson said.

Brown joins Chan Ho Park, Darren Dreifort, Ismael Valdes and Carlos Perez in the Dodgers' starting rotation. Dave Mlicki also figures into the mix.

The Angels, Orioles, Cardinals and Rockies were among the finalists for Brown, but none of those teams offered him more than six years. Brown will be 40 in the seventh and final year of his contract in 2005.

Brown was 18-7 with a 2.38 ERA for the Padres last season and is 139-99 in his 12-year career. He has won 20 games in a season only once - in 1992 with the Rangers when he went 21-11 and was the American League's starting pitcher in the All-Star Game.

``Kevin Brown is a winning pitcher. Kevin Brown has the ability to take a good team and make it a championship team. Kevin Brown took a team to the World Series in 1997 and was in it again in '98,'' Malone said.

``Kevin Brown is arguably the best pitcher in the game and all I can say is championships are won with pitching.''

Brown's mental toughness and approach to the game also attracted the Dodgers, according to Brown's Newport Beach-based agent, Scott Boras.

``They wanted a mentality that is completely different from the prior ownership,'' Boras said. ``It's not going to be, `Hey dude.' It's going to be, `You better win or walk.' That's what Kevin brings to a locker room.

``Everyone knows the value of a No. 1 pitcher. The premium is Kevin Brown has taken a good club and put it in the World Series.''

The signing was the third by the Dodgers this offseason. They signed center fielder Devon White to a three-year, $12.4 million contract and right-handed reliever Alan Mills to a three-year, $6.5 million deal.

The Dodgers' payroll stands at $71.8 million for 1999, but there are several players eligible for arbitration, which would push the payroll by opening day to approximately $80 million.

SO WHAT DOES $105 MILLION GET YOU

KEVIN BROWN

Born: March 14, 1965.

Ht: 6-4 Wt: 200

Resides: Macon, Ga.

1997: 18-7, 2.38 ERA with Padres

1997 Postseason: 2-2, 2.54 ERA

Career: 139-99, 3.30 ERA, 1480 strikeouts in 2178 1/3 innings

Career Postseason: 4-4 2.75 ERA

Highlights: Helped Florida Marlins to World Series title in 1997 ... Pitched no-hitter June 10, 1997 in 9-0 victory over San Francisco ... Struck out 16 Houston Astros in 1998 Divisional Round playoff game ... Has worked at least 170 innings in each of his 10 full major league seasons ... Considered one of the most dominant pitchers this decade.

THE REACTION

``I'm looking forward to being part of the re-establishment of a winning tradition. I'm excited I will be there to see that happen.''

- Kevin Brown

WHO SAID WHAT . . .

After Kevin Brown signed the first nine-figure salary in baseball history, owners, general managers and members of the baseball community were speaking their minds on the state of payrolls in baseball.

Sandy Alderson - executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner's office

This is not a good baseball deal. This is not a decision made by a baseball man - I don't believe.

John Moores - San Diego Padres owner

I don't mean to criticize Kevin Brown, but it's a truly tragic day for baseball. It's extraordinary. It confirms my worst fears about what would happen if we let (Rupert) Murdoch buy the Dodgers, and I think it represents a continuation of a very bad series of events in baseball after a spectacular season.

I think the system is at the point of absolutely breaking down. A number of people ought to be held responsible. Not just the agents, but the players' association and the ownership of Major League Baseball. We're on the verge of destroying the competitiveness of many, many ballclubs. Maybe this will be the straw that broke the camel's back.

Davey Johnson - Dodgers manager

I'm sure that when I read the January, February sports magazines, I'm sure they'll have the Dodgers pretty high.

He's my Opening Day pitcher. I don't usually announce it this early. Yes, I'd have to say we're favorites to win the division.

Kevin Malone - Dodgers general manager

If we didn't do it, and that doesn't justify it, but somebody else was going to do it. He's been to the World Series in each of the last two years. The Dodgers haven't been to the World Series since 1988. That's why we've made the seven-year commitment we did.

Kevin Brown is a winning pitcher. Kevin Brown has the ability to take a good team and make it a championship team. Kevin Brown took a team to the World Series in 1997 and was in it again in '98.Kevin Brown is arguably the best pitcher in the game, and all I can say is championships are won with pitching.

Scott Boras - Agent for Kevin Brown

They wanted a mentality that is completely different from the prior ownership. It's not going to be, `Hey dude.' It's going to be, `You better win or walk.' That's what Kevin brings to a locker room. Everyone knows the value of a No. 1 pitcher. The premium is Kevin Brown has taken a good club and put it in the World Series.

Tommy Lasorda - Dodgers senior vice president

I never thought we'd see the day of a $91 million player. There's only one thing certain in baseball - nothing is certain.

Gord Ash - Toronto Blue Jays general manager

What it tells you is money has gotten to the point where it is meaningless. You need other things of value.

NOT-SO-FREE AGENTS

Kevin Brown is not only the biggest free-agent signing of this offseason but the biggest in Dodgers history. Here's a look at some other big Dodgers free-agent acquisitions and impact signings of the past 10 years.

Jan. 29, 1988 Kirk Gibson

Dec. 21, 1989 Hubie Brooks

Nov. 8, 1990 Darryl Strawberry

Dec. 15, 1990 Brett Butler

Dec. 9, 1992 Todd Worrell

Jan. 1, 1994 Chan Ho Park

Feb. 13, 1995 Hideo Nomo

Nov. 30, 1995 Greg Gagne

Dec. 8, 1996 Todd Zeile

Nov. 6, 1998 Devon White

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, 3 Boxes

Photo: (1--Color) The Dodgers won the lottery for free-agent ace Kevin Brown, who was 18-7 with a 2.38 ERA in 1998 with the San Diego Padres.

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

(2--Color) KEVIN BROWN

(3) no caption (Kevin Brown)

Box: (1) SO WHAT DOES $105 MILLION GET YOU (See text)

(2) WHO SAID WHAT ... (See text)

Local sports - Charleston Daily Mail

SLAY A FINALIST

Marshall University's Tamar Slay is one of 16 finalists for the12-player USA World University Games basketball team. Slayparticipated in a training session this past weekend in ColoradoSprings, Colo., to earn a spot among the finalists. The team's finalroster will be named in August. The World University games arescheduled for Aug. 22-Sept. 1 in Beijing, China. The basketballcompetition will include 28 countries.

Slay, who'll be a senior this season at Marshall, averaged 17.3points per game and was a second-team All-Mid-American Conferencepick this past year. The 6-foot-9 guard is a former West Virginiaprep player of the year from Beckley's Woodrow Wilson High School.

WVU DONATION

West Virginia University's athletic department donated $62,708 toWVU's Children's Hospital from proceeds from the 2001 springfootball game. WVU has donated more than $400,000 to the hospitalover the past two decades.

BIG REDS TOP MSAC

Parkersburg High School athletic teams compiled the topperformance in the Mountain State Athletic Conference this pastseason. The Big Reds finished with 182 points to second place CabellMidland's 172.5. The point system is based on each school's finishin boys and girls sports.

Parkersburg picked up first-place awards in girls cross country,girls soccer, volleyball, football, boys basketball, girls track andboys tennis.

Here is the remaining MSAC schools and their ranking/pointsbehind Parkersburg and Cabell Midland:

3. Huntington 160; 4. Hurricane 124; 5. George Washington 118.5;6. Capital 112.5; 7. Ripley 99; 8. Nitro 85; 9. South Charleston 84;10. St. Albans 80.5; 11. Spring Valley 80; 12. Riverside 64; 13.Logan 50.5.

BASKETBALL TOURNEY

A fourth boys basketball team is needed for Nitro High School'sCheckers Christmas Tournament. The three teams already in the Dec.19-20 tournament are Herbert Hoover, Scott and host Nitro. For moreinformation, call Nitro Athletic Director Robert 'Little' Burdetteat 727-1912.

YOUTH SOCCER

- The West Virginia Storm under-13 girls soccer team won theunder-14 division of the Chevrolet State Cup Tournament this pastweekend in Huntington. The Kanawha Valley-based team beatParkersburg in the championship game, 3-1.

Team members are: Aly Shattls, Francie Brown, Leah Eddy, AllisonHendricks, Elizabeth Canterbury, Lesley LeRose, Laura Fahner, LaurenThomas, Whitney Sharp, Mindy Hannan, Bethany Bush, Micki Cummons,Heather Sperry, Katelin Haney, Lauryn Hunter and Jennifer Ball.Coaches are Dale Bush, Steve Shattls and Jon Zulauf.

- The West Virginia Lightning under-12 girls team, of theMountain State Girls Soccer Club, finished second in the Chevy Cup.

Team members are: Christine Bronikowski, Caroline Copenhaver,Amber Elam, Kellie Fisher, Laura Harper, Jessica Kortz, Haley Kuyk,Chelsea McComas, Brittany Moss, Hannah Silverman, Katie Smarr,Mallory Susser, Alexandra Thomas, Inaayat Wazir, Danica Webb, HannahWhiteker, Kristen Williams, Alexandra Wise and Blake Younis. Coachesare Deborah Crowley, Margaux Ratte, Greg Silverman and MelindaSusser.

- The Mountain State Girls Soccer Club is accepting players forits under-9 developmental program for the fall season. All girlsborn between Aug. 1, 1992 and July 31, 1993 are eligible. For moreinformation call Greg Silverman at 925-7560.

PREP TENNIS

Several area players were named to the West Virginia TennisCoaches Association's high school all-state team. All-state membersare selected based on their position and performance at the statetournament.

Among the local players earning honors were: Grant Clark,Hurricane; Dane Pilsbury, Capital; Christina Chen, GeorgeWashington; Mona Iyer, GW; Drew College, Charleston Catholic; ShaneHutton, Charleston Catholic; Kristen McClung, Charleston Catholic;Erin McFann, Scott; and Whitney Frail, Charleston Catholic.

See complete list this page.

CATS WASHED OUT

The Charleston Alley Cats' series finale against the Macon Braveswas halted by rain in Macon, Ga., in the bottom of the sixth inningMonday and will not be made up.

The Alley Cats were leading 2-1 when the game was called.

Charleston, which has won two of its last three, is off today andopens a five-game homestand on Wednesday at Watt Powell Park. TheHagerstown Suns visit first for three games, followed by the HickoryCrawdads for two.

CAMP CANCELED

West Virginia University Tech's basketball camp, scheduled fornext week, has been canceled because of changes in the coachingstaff.

Those who preregistered will receive refunds.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA, FGCU TIED WITH 102 POINTS IN COMBINED ALL-SPORTS RACE - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

MACON, Ga., Nov. 29 -- The University of North Florida issued the following news release:

With the completion of the Atlantic Sun Conference Fall Championship season, FGCU and UNF share the lead for the Bill Bibb Trophy in the combined all-sports race with 102 points. The Eagles claimed both the men's and women's soccer regular-season titles, while the Ospreys won the women's cross country title and qualified for both the women's soccer and volleyball championships.

The ETSU Buccaneers lay claim to the top spot for the Jesse C. Fletcher trophy, which is awarded for the top men's athletic program, with 45 points after finishing second in the regular season in soccer. The Bucs have close competition in FGCU with 42 and Belmont at 39.

On the women's side, crosstown rivals UNF and Jacksonville stand tied for the Sherman Day Trophy as both programs earned 72 points during the fall season. The Dolphins finished third at the cross country championship and then took runner-up honors for the regular season in soccer before tying UNF in fifth place for volleyball.

Trailing FGCU and UNF in third place in the combined all-sports race, Mercer qualified for all three A-Sun Tournaments in men's and women's soccer and volleyball as only one of two programs to accomplish the feat. The Bears won the A-Sun Women's Soccer Championship after finishing the season in third. Belmont and Lipscomb finish out the top five in the combined race with 96 and 94.5 points, respectively. The Lady Bisons captured the final conference championship of the season by winning the volleyball tournament for the second-consecutive season.

Kennesaw State, who took the men's cross country title, ranks in sixth place in the men's race despite not competing in men's soccer and tied for fifth on the women's side with FGCU to combine for 93 points, which ties them with ETSU in sixth. The 2009-10 Bill Bibb Trophy winners, ETSU qualified for all three A-Sun Fall Championship Tournaments along with Mercer.

Jacksonville, Campbell, USC Upstate and Stetson round out the final four spots of the combined all-sports standings.

Sportsworld.(Sports) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

TORONTO -- BASEBALL

Blue Jays' Ryan will miss 4 to 6 weeks; Glaus going on DL

TORONTO - Blue Jays closer B.J. Ryan will miss four to six weeks with an elbow sprain, and All-Star third baseman Troy Glaus will be placed on the disabled list today.

Leftfielder Reed Johnson also opted for surgery to repair the herniated disc in his lower back. Johnson, who was placed on the disabled list Friday, will have the procedure done today in St. Petersburg, Fla., and will be out until July. Johnson was batting .265 this season with a home run and seven RBIs. Adam Lind will start in place of Johnson.

Ryan was placed on the DL on Sunday after he blew two of his first five save chances. The injury first bothered him during spring training and worsened.

Jason Frasor will be the closer in Ryan's absence.

Glaus has a bone spur in his left heel and a sore hamstring. There was no timeline given for his return.

Reds and Freel agree on 2-year extension

CINCINNATI - Versatile veteran Ryan Freel agreed to a $7 million, two-year contract extension through the 2009 season with the Cincinnati Reds.

Freel, 32, is the starting centerfielder this season, but also is expected to see time in the infield. He has started at all three outfield positions and second and third base for the Reds since he signed as a minor league free agent before the 2003 season.

Freel will get base salaries of $3 million next year and $4 million in 2009, when he would have been eligible for arbitration. He is in the final year of a two-year deal that pays him $2,325,000 this season.

In other baseball news:

nMinnesota Twins third baseman Nick Punto will miss only one or two more games after an MRI exam on Monday revealed no structural damage to his left ankle. Punto, who missed the previous two games, has a sprained ankle with light swelling, the Twins said.

nCuban baseball great Antonio Pacheco was released from a hospital on Monday, a day after he began having chest pains while managing Santiago de Cuba into the National Series.

FOOTBALL

Chiefs' Shields will retire after 14 seasons

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City guard Will Shields is retiring after 14 NFL seasons, during which he made a record 12 Pro Bowl appearances and anchored one of the top offensive lines in the league.

The 35-year-old announced his decision on his Web site - www.willtosucceed.org - on Sunday. He blamed the physical requirements of pro football.

Shields, who made a team-record 224 starts, made his 12th Pro Bowl appearance last season to tie the record held by Minnesota guard Randall McDaniel.

Shields had strongly contemplated quitting after the 2005 season.

Olbermann will work on NBC pregame show

NEW YORK - Keith Olbermann will return to sports for the first time in six years to join Cris Collinsworth as co-host of the pregame show for NBC's Sunday night NFL telecasts.

Olbermann, who hosts a prime-time newscast and opinion show called 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' on MSNBC, will join with host Bob Costas and analysts Jerome Bettis, Tiki Barber and Peter King on NBC's 'Football Night in America.'

In other football news:

nReceiver Cortez Hankton signed with the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, leaving Jacksonville after four seasons.

nThe Seattle Seahawks are bringing back veteran guard Chris Gray, who turns 37 in June and will be starting his 15th season, giving him a two-year contract worth $2.1 in base salary plus bonuses.

BASKETBALL

Texas coach gets raise to $2 million a year

AUSTIN - University of Texas regents approved a $200,000 raise for Rick Barnes, boosting his salary to $2 million per year.

Barnes has led the Longhorns to the NCAA tournament in each of his nine seasons, including a trip to the Final Four in 2003.

Texas went 25-10 last season behind freshman Kevin Durant, who last week announced he would leave to enter the NBA draft.

In other basketball news:

nGeorge Washington junior Maureece Rice made himself available for the NBA draft, but he plans to retain his NCAA eligibility and could return to school.

CYCLING

Hamilton buoyed by first U.S. race since '01

MACON, Ga. - Tyler Hamilton wasn't sure what to expect in his first cycling race in the United States after a two-year doping ban.

After the first stage of the Tour de Georgia on Monday, the former Olympic gold medalist was encouraged.

Hamilton was 56th, finishing in the middle of a huge peloton about a minute behind the stage winner, Daniele Contrini of Italy. Contrini finished the 97-mile ride from Peachtree City to Macon in 3 hours, 24 minutes, 26 seconds.

Hamilton is attempting to reclaim his place among the elite in cycling after his suspension in September 2004 for blood doping. He has been racing in Europe since January but Monday was his first sanctioned race in his home country since the 2001 San Francisco Grand Prix.

In other cycling news:

nFrance's anti-doping laboratory began analyzing Tour de France champion Floyd Landis' 'B' urine sample Monday.

Briefly

FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY, UNF TIED WITH 102 POINTS IN COMBINED ALL-SPORTS RACE - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

MACON, Ga., Nov. 29 -- Florida Gulf Coast University, a component of the Florida state university system, issued the following news release:

With the completion of the Atlantic Sun Conference Fall Championship season, FGCU and UNF share the lead for the Bill Bibb Trophy in the combined all-sports race with 102 points. The Eagles claimed both the men's and women's soccer regular-season titles, while the Ospreys won the women's cross country title and qualified for both the women's soccer and volleyball championships.

The ETSU Buccaneers lay claim to the top spot for the Jesse C. Fletcher trophy, which is awarded for the top men's athletic program, with 45 points after finishing second in the regular season in soccer. The Bucs have close competition in FGCU with 42 and Belmont at 39.

On the women's side, crosstown rivals UNF and Jacksonville stand tied for the Sherman Day Trophy as both programs earned 72 points during the fall season. The Dolphins finished third at the cross country championship and then took runner-up honors for the regular season in soccer before tying UNF in fifth place for volleyball.

Trailing FGCU and UNF in third place in the combined all-sports race, Mercer qualified for all three A-Sun Tournaments in men's and women's soccer and volleyball as only one of two programs to accomplish the feat. The Bears won the A-Sun Women's Soccer Championship after finishing the season in third. Belmont and Lipscomb finish out the top five in the combined race with 96 and 94.5 points, respectively. The Lady Bisons captured the final conference championship of the season by winning the volleyball tournament for the second-consecutive season.

Kennesaw State, who took the men's cross country title, ranks in sixth place in the men's race despite not competing in men's soccer and tied for fifth on the women's side with FGCU to combine for 93 points, which ties them with ETSU in sixth. The 2009-10 Bill Bibb Trophy winners, ETSU qualified for all three A-Sun Fall Championship Tournaments along with Mercer.

Jacksonville, Campbell, USC Upstate and Stetson round out the final four spots of the combined all-sports standings.

OSPREYS AMONG LEADERS IN A-SUN ALL SPORTS COMPETITION - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

MACON, Ga., March 24 -- The University of North Florida issued the following news release:

After completion of the Atlantic Sun Conference Winter Championship season which included the General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Basketball Championships and the Indoor Track & Field Championships, ETSU holds a 21-point lead over North Florida for the Bill Bibb Trophy in the combined all-sports race.

The Buccaneers, who claimed their first A-Sun Championship of the season with the men's indoor track & field title on February 19th and added regular-season runner-up titles in men's and women's basketball, have a league-leading total of 189 points.

UNF trails the Buccaneers for the Bill Bibb Trophy with 168 points after accumulating 66 points during the winter championships. Jacksonville sits in third place with 153 points just ahead of Belmont and FGCU, who are tied with 150.

In the battle for the Jesse C. Fletcher Trophy, which is given to the top men's athletic program, ETSU maintained their advantage from the fall season by amassing 96 points to push their advantage to 18 points ahead of second-place Belmont. The Bruins captured the men's basketball title with a 19-1 conference record en route to claiming the tournament title as well. Campbell and Kennesaw State sit in a tie for third place with 60 points behind the Bucs and Bruins.

On the women's side, crosstown rivals UNF and Jacksonville stand tied for the Sherman Day Trophy as both programs earned 111 points through the winter season. The Dolphins won their sixth-straight A-Sun indoor track & field title, while UNF finished directly behind JU at the track championships, but finished one spot ahead of the Dolphins in the women's basketball standings to maintain the tie for the lead.

ETSU and FGCU trail the Ospreys and Dolphins with 93 points apiece as the Eagles earned their program's second A-Sun women's basketball regular-season title with a 17-3 conference mark, while the Lady Bucs finished in second place. Kennesaw State and Lipscomb round out the top five for the Sherman Day Trophy tied for fifth place with 85.5 points.

With nine of 17 Atlantic Sun Championships in the books, seven different programs have captured conference titles. FGCU holds the lead for most A-Sun titles with three.

Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Campbell, Mercer, USC Upstate and Stetson round out the final spots of the combined all-sports standings.

OFFBEAT JOURNAL TO MAKE SPORTS A PART OF ITS BUSINESS - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

The Wall Street Journal is going to be a sport at least once aweek.

The nation's largest financial daily published a sports pageFriday and said it will be a regular weekly feature.

It is part of the Journal's plans to make its final issue of theweek more of a 'weekend read,' according to managing editor PaulSteiger.

The Journal hopes to include more Friday features on topics likepersonal finance, travel, real estate, art collecting and otheravocations.

It isn't the first time the Journal has tried its hand atsportswriting.

The paper has a sports columnist, Frederick Klein, and itpublished a daily sports page during the 1992 and 1994 Olympics andthe 1994 World Cup soccer tournament.

Steiger said, 'Readers strongly supported a sports element inthe Journal.'

Lee Lescaze, weekend editor of the Journal, said the paper'ssports coverage will focus on coming events rather then results.

Friday, the page included a profile of the owners of the NFLplayoff contenders from Cleveland and Pittsburgh, an analysis of whomight be the league's most valuable players and Klein's sportscolumn.

What's in a name?: They have an unbearable controversy brewingin Macon, Ga.

The Teddy Bear nickname for the women's basketball team atMercer College has bitten the dust for the second time in five years.

The Teddies were revived this season, in part to commemorate the25th anniversary of the women's basketball program.

Athletics director Bobby Pope said, 'There were some studentsand faculty members on campus who were not comfortable with thename.'

He said he talked to Mercer president Kirby Godsey, 'and weagreed we would start calling the women's teams the Bears - not theLady Bears or Teddy Bears, but the Bears.'

The Teddy Bears never had been the team's official nickname.

Twins stock up on pitching again; The club drafted 15 pitchers with their 29 picks Tuesday; 13 of the 15 have college experience.(SPORTS) - Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)

Byline: LA VELLE E. NEAL III; STAFF WRITER

Nick Blackburn was selected in the 29th round. Brian Duensing went in the third round. Jason Kubel was a 12th-round pick. Twins great Kent Hrbek was a 17th-round pick.

It shows that a team's draft can't always be judged by the first-round pick's ultimate success or failure. While first-rounders get the big bonuses and, now, exposure on national television, the Twins and other organizations look at how their first dozen picks -- and even more -- pan out years down the road before they determine how well they did.

That's why Tuesday was the biggest day of the three-day draft.

'This day will separate our draft,' said Mike Radcliff, the Twins' vice president of player personnel. 'Good or bad.'

Of the Twins' 29 picks Tuesday, 15 were pitchers and 13 of those 15 were in college. They also drafted a few potential power hitters.

But the key was adding what they think is quality pitching. While last year's first round pick, righthander Kyle Gibson, has established himself as a legitimate prospect, there aren't too many more behind him. So the Twins looked for arms.

Third-round pick Pat Dean, out of Boston College, throws the basic four pitches (fastball, curve, slider and changeup). His 5-1 record and 3.76 ERA doesn't jump out, but he walked only 10 batters while striking out 51 through 67 innings. And the Twins like pitching prospects with good control.

The Twins then took lefthander Logan Darnell, from the University of Kentucky, in the sixth round. They have seen Darnell hit 94 miles per hour on the radar gun while showing a good slider and project him to be a reliever.

The Twins later used 10 consecutive picks -- Nos. 12-21 -- on pitchers. They even gambled on 14th-round pick DeAndre Smelter, a hard-throwing righthander from Tattnall Square Academy in Macon, Ga., who has been tutored by former All-Star Kevin Brown but has a scholarship offer to Georgia Tech that might keep him from signing.

Twins scouting director Deron Johnson said Smelter also has a football scholarship offer from Auburn. Since he's a two-sport athlete, the Twins could spread the bonus over five years.

'This one will be one where we'll work the summer and see how it goes,' Radcliff said.

Add first-round pick Alex Wimmers, selected on Monday out of Ohio State, and the Twins hope they replenished their pitching staffs in the minors.

'Those were guys we liked and targeted and fortunately they got to us,' Johnson said. 'We made a run. I wouldn't say it was an organizational need, but it was something we definitely wanted and needed.'

The Twins also addressed offense. They selected shortstop Niko Goodrum out of Fayette County (Ga.) High in the second round and outfielder Nate Roberts, an outfielder out of High Point University. Roberts hit .416 with 19 homers, 69 RBI and 36 stolen bases in 59 games.

'He's a documented bat,' Radcliff said. 'He's hit all along the way. He kind of looks like [the Twins' Jason] Kubel, just kind of stocky strong.'

The Twins also selected Gophers catcher Kyle Knudson in the ninth round and righthander David Gutierrez in the 18th round, brother of current Twins prospect Carlos Gutierrez.

TWINS DRAFT PICKS

Rd., Player, Pos., College or high school

1, Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State

2, Niko Goodrum, SS, Fayette County H.S. (Ga.)

3, Pat Dean, LHP, Boston College

4, Eddie Rosario, OF, Rafael Lopez Landron H.S. (P.R.)

5, Nate Roberts, OF, High Point

6, Logan Darnell, LHP, Kentucky

7, Matthew Hauser, RHP, San Diego

8, Lance Ray, OF, Kentucky

9, Kyle Knudson, C, Minnesota

10, J.D. Williams, SS, Brooks-DeBartolo H.S. (Fla.)

11, Tyler Kuresa, 1B, Oakmont H.S. (Calif.)

12, Steven Maxwell, RHP, Texas Christian

13, Ryan O'Rourke, LHP, Merrimack

14, DeAndre Smelter, RHP, Tattnall Square Academy (Ga.)

15, Thomas Girdwood, RHP, Elon

16, Clinton Dempster, LHP, Nicholls State

17, Devin Grigg, RHP, Cal State East Bay

18, David Gutierrez, RHP, Miami

20, Cody Martin, RHP/1B, Gonzaga

21, Nathan Fawbush, RHP, Georgia Perimeter College

22, Dillon Moyer, SS, The Pendleton School (Fla.)

23, Justin Gallant, RHP, Sam Houston State

24, Michael Quesada, C, Sierra Junior College

25, Andy Leer, SS, Maryland

26, Kelly Cross, C, Pearland H.S. (Texas)

27, Brandon Henderson, CF, Fresno Community College

28, Jamaal Hawkins, SS, Jacksonville

29, Brian Burke, 3B, Lewis and Clark State

One down, one to go: Cox, Fox settle sports fight.(Top of the Week)(Brief Article) - Broadcasting & Cable

Cox Communications settled half of its battle with pricey sports networks, securing a carriage deal for six Fox Sports regional channels, renewing a carriage deal for a much tamer increase than the programmer had sought.

The detail follows the outlines first reported in BROADCASTING & CABLE two weeks ago. Fox Sports' six-year renewal of its Cox carriage deal includes retransmission consent of Fox Broadcasting stations and carriage of its 50%-owned National Geographic Channel and startup extreme-sports net Fuel. The deal ensures that the 3.3 million Cox subscribers in six Fox Sports markets will continue to receive their regional sports networks: Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Oklahoma City; New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La.; Omaha, Neb.: San Diego; and Macon, Ga. Cox owns systems serving an additional 3 million subscribers in non-Fox markets.

Fox had initially sought a 35% license-fee increase but scaled that back. But Fox Sports will get a larger step up in 2004, followed by five years of smaller increases. One industry executive said the license fees increased an average of 8% over the life of the deal, but Merrill Lynch analyst Jessica Reif Cohen said it could be as high as 10%.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA 2ND IN LATEST A-SUN ALL SPORTS STANDINGS - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

MACON, Ga., March 19 -- The University of North Florida issued the following press release:

Following the completion of the winter sports regular season, the University of North Florida sits in second place in the current Atlantic Sun All-Sports Standings.

The Ospreys, who finished a program best third last season, are just 21 points behind current leader Belmont in the chase for the Bill Bibb Trophy. UNF is the lone program among the top eight squads without a regular season championship this season.

Belmont holds the top spot in the Atlantic Sun All-Sports Standings in front of a tightly-bunched trio including UNF. Florida Gulf Coast, with championships in men's and women's soccer as well as women's basketball, is just behind the Ospreys with 142.5 points. ETSU, the five-time winner of the Bibb Trophy, has 138 points with its share of the women's soccer regular season championship.

A total of only nine points separate the next four teams, as Lipscomb claimed a share of the volleyball championship along with the women's cross country title to occupy fifth place with 129 points. With its men's cross country victory, USC Upstate trails the Bison by only 1.5 points at 127.5. Jacksonville added a share of the title in women's soccer and its seventh straight women's indoor track and field championship to place seventh with 126 points. Kennesaw State occupies eighth position as men's indoor track and field champions with 120 points. Mercer and Stetson follow with 96 and 84 points, respectively.

USC Upstate and Belmont have nudged perennial champion ETSU into third position in the Jesse C. Fletcher Trophy standings, the award going to the school in the A-Sun with the best overall men's sport finishing in the 2011-12 season. The Spartans totaled 30 points from their cross country championship, 7.5 from soccer, 12 from indoor track and field and 25.5 from its turnaround basketball season for 75 points. Mercer added 25.5 points on the strength of one of its best basketball seasons in history, along with 12 from cross country and 18 from soccer to sit in fourth with 55.5 points.

Through completion of the winter seasons, USC Upstate and Lipscomb have each made the most significant moves, with both up sixspots from their 2010-11 results. The Spartans finished seventh last season, while the Bison finished 11th and are now in fifth with 54 points.

FGCU, which also won the regular season title in men's soccer, is in a tie for sixth with North Florida in the Fletcher Trophy standings with 49.5 points. UNF is down from its third-place finish a year ago, but usually scores well in its spring sports, claiming the tennis title and a second-place finish in golf in 2010-11. Indoor track and field champion Kennesaw State follows with 48 points, while Stetson and Jacksonville round out the standings with 37.5 points and 31.5 points, respectively.

Belmont also claims the top spot in the Sherman Day Trophy standings, the award going to the school in the A-Sun with the best overall women's sport finishing in the 2011-12 season, with a total of 100.5 points. The Bruins have made the biggest move from last year's standings, as they finished 9th of 11 in 2010-11. They have secured their latest ranking on the strength of their share in the volleyball title along with strong showings in cross country, soccer and basketball. In-town rivals Jacksonville and North Florida are tied in second position with 94.5 points. Jacksonville has claimed the Sherman Day Trophy in three of the last four seasons, and this year claimed a share of women's soccer along with their seventh indoor track and field title. FGCU claimed a share of women's soccer and the basketball championship, along with a strong effort in volleyball to trail closely at 93 points.

Another tie rounds out the top six spots in the rankings, as Lipscomb and ETSU occupy fifth position with 75 points. The Lady Bison claimed a championship in cross country and a share of volleyball, while the Lady Bucs owned a share of the championship in women's soccer.

Kennesaw State, who has finished in the top four each of the last three seasons, sits in seventh place with 72 points, just three points in back of Lipscomb and ETSU. USC Upstate comes in eighth with 52.5 points, while Stetson ranks ninth with 46.5 points. Mercer rounds out the list with 40.5 points.