Sports Desk
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
HOCKEY
DEVILS ARENA PLANS APPROVED IN NEWARK The Newark City Council yesterday approved a downtown redevelopment plan anchored by an 18,000-seat sports arena that would be home to the New Jersey Devils.
No contract has been signed by the three-time Stanley Cup champions and the city, which would share the estimated $310 million cost of the arena.
But city and team officials said approval of the redevelopment plan will allow design work and 24 months of construction to begin in time for the team to play its 2007-08 season.
FOOTBALL
DOLPHINS PLAYERS MIXED ON WILLIAMS’S RETURN With running back Ricky Williams ready to reverse directions and come out of retirement, his former Miami Dolphins teammates were mixed in their reaction yesterday.
Defensive end David Bowens said he would like to see Williams rejoin the Dolphins, in part because they’re 0-4. But Pro Bowl linebacker Zach Thomas said he doubted that help from Williams is on the way.
“He will not be playing for the Dolphins,”Thomas predicted.”He’s got too many things with the fans and too much with the media, and that’s the reason he ran from it in the first place. He wouldn’t come back here.”
Thomas might be right.Gary Ostrow,an attorney who has represented Williams, said the 2002 NFL rushing champion hopes to receive clearance from the league to play again before the October 19 trade deadline so he can be dealt by Miami.
Contributing to Williams’s change of heart about playing was an arbitration ruling that he must repay more than $8.6 million to the Dolphins for breaching his contract. Williams has expressed an interest in playing for Oakland, whose coach, Norv Turner, was Williams’s offensive coordinator during his two seasons in Miami.
BASKETBALL
CASSELL REPORTS TO T-WOLVES CAMP Sam Cassell and the Minnesota Timberwolves apparently are back on good terms.
The veteran guard reported for practice yesterday after skipping the team’s media day and first day of workouts earlier in the week. Cassell, 34, was unhappy about not getting a contract extension. Cassell’s contract calls for him to be paid $5.65 million this season and $6.1 million next season. Under the collective bargaining agreement, the Wolves could fine him $2,500 for each of the two practices he missed Tuesday, and $5,000 for each missed practice after that.
TENNIS
DEMENTIEVA UPSET AT PORSCHE GRAND PRIX U.S. Open finalist Elena Demen tieva joined the parade of seeded players upset at the Porsche Grand Prix in Filderstadt, Germany, losing 6-0, 7-5 to American qualifier Lisa Raymond yesterday.
Dementieva, who was also the French Open runner-up this season, won her first title of 2004 last week in Belgium. But now she’s among four seeded players eliminated in the first round, including no. 7 Nadia Petrova, beaten 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3) by Jelena Jankovic.
Lindsay Davenport,who could overtake Amelie Mauresmo for the no. 1 ranking, needed just 51 minutes to beat no. 20 Alicia Molik 6-1, 6-0. Mauresmo plays her first match today.
– Associated Press