National sports briefs
Mourning to attempt comeback with Nets after kidney transplant
Seven-time All-Star Alonzo Mourning will attempt a comeback with the New Jersey Nets this season, less than a year after a kidney transplant.
“I am feeling great and am excited about attending training camp and possibly resuming my career,” the 34-year-old Mourning said in a statement released by the Nets on Wednesday.
“We look forward to Alonzo joining the Nets in training camp,” Nets president Rod Thorn said. “Hopefully, he will be able to resume his career and play at the high level he has in the past.”
The center, who had signed with the Nets before last season, played only 12 games before retiring Nov. 24 because of complications from a kidney disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. He was diagnosed before the 2000-01 season, when he was with the Miami Heat.
“The Seattle SuperSonics signed second-round draft pick David Young.
College football
FSU-Miami game may be postponed
Florida State and Miami may have to wait a few days before playing their season opener.
School officials were strongly considering postponing the game five days from Monday to Sept. 11 because of Hurricane Frances. They were expected to announce a decision today.
“Air Force linebacker Overton Spence was found innocent of drug charges in Air Force Academy, Colo., after telling a court-martial he thought the steroids he had taken were legal.
Spence wept and hugged teammate Jon Wilson when the verdict was read. He declined to speak to reporters, but his civilian attorney, Serge Herscovici, said Spence hopes to return to the academy football team.
Prosecutor Capt. Garrett Condon had accused Spence of engaging in “a locker room drug deal” that went bad.
Spence had signed a statement admitting he bought and used the steroid methandrostenolone but testified that he did not know he had broken the law.
“I never intended to possess or had knowledge of possession of illegal steroids. I only intended to possess legal steroids that you could buy” in any health specialty store, Spence said.
His defense lawyers accused investigators of jumping to conclusions and interrogating Spence before lab tests showed the steroid was illegal.
Auto racing
Fontana sprays track with pesticide
Crews sprayed pesticides around the California Speedway to help prevent an outbreak of West Nile virus among the thousands of fans expected to attend a NASCAR race this weekend.
Local officials decided to spray for mosquitoes because Sunday’s race will be at dusk, when the insects are active. The city of Fontana has been one of the most severely affected in California during this year’s outbreak of the virus.
Hockey
Canada defeats Slovakia
Ryan Smyth scored two goals to lead Canada to a 5-1 victory over Slovakia in the World Cup of Hockey in Montreal. Canada, which beat the United States 2-1 on Tuesday night, improved to 2-0 in the tournament and is guaranteed a home game for the quarterfinals Wednesday in Toronto.
Canada played without defenseman Ed Jovanovski, who will miss the rest of the tournament with a strained right knee. Defenseman Wade Redden also left the game early in the third period with an “upper body injury” and will be evaluated today.
“Peter Forsberg, Mattias Ohlund and Henrik Zetterberg each scored on the power play for Sweden, which nearly blew a four-goal, third-period lead before holding on for a 4-3 win over the Czech Republic in the World Cup of Hockey in Stockholm, Sweden. The victory clinched home-ice advantage for Sweden in the quarterfinals.
“The NHL and its players’ association met for nine hours in Montreal, but refused comment on whether progress was made toward a new collective bargaining agreement. The sides, who met for 16 hours over two days, scheduled another meeting today in Montreal.
“Todd Bertuzzi of the Vancouver Canucks will go on trial for assault beginning Jan. 17. The date for Bertuzzi’s trial was set during a brief hearing in provincial court that lasted less than five minutes.
Bertuzzi was charged with assault on June 24 after sucker-punching Colorado Avalanche center Steve Moore during a game on March 8. Last week, Bertuzzi appeared in court to plead not guilty to the charge.
“The Tampa Bay Lightning re-signed restricted free-agent center Martin Cibak and signed 2003 draft choice Doug O’Brien.
Horse racing
Churchill Downs to buy Fair Grounds
Churchill Downs Inc. has agreed to buy the bankrupt Fair Grounds in a $47 million deal that requires federal bankruptcy court approval, the New Orleans track announced.
The announcement came after the Fair Grounds had reached a preliminary agreement with horse owner Mike Pegram for $40 million that would have made Pegram an 86 percent owner of the track. Pegram declined an offer to match the Churchill offer, the Fair Grounds said.
Fair Grounds officials expect a confirmation hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Sept. 24.
“At London, six-time British champion jockey Kieren Fallon was reported among 16 people arrested on charges of fixing horse races.
Britain’s national news agency the Press Association reported Fallon was one of three jockeys held on charges of suspicion to defraud. The others were identified as Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams.
Trainer Karl Burke was also being held, the news agency said.
Of the 16 arrested, 11 were released on bail. Officials declined to confirm any names.
Sports people
Garvey found not liable
In San Francisco, a federal appeals court cleared former baseball star Steve Garvey of wrongdoing for hawking a weight-loss product that makers claimed would work even if dieters continued to eat fatty food. … In Athens, Greece, Clay Stanley, a U.S. Olympic volleyball player who lives in Greece and plays for a local team, was given a 15-month suspended sentence for assaulting an officer and resisting arrest. … Val Belmonte was hired as the executive director of U.S. Figure Skating. He will begin his position on Oct. 1.