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.
* Art Cross, the first Indianapolis 500 rookie of the year, died Friday at LaPorte, Ind. He was 87.
