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.

The New York Sun
NY Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

FOOTBALL


DOLPHINS’ WANNSTEDT RESIGNS


Miami Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt called it quits yesterday, midway through a dismal season that began with the retirement of running back Ricky Williams and has left the team with the NFL’s worst record at 1-8. Defensive coordinator Jim Bates was promoted to interim coach.


Wannstedt’s resignation came after he met Monday night with owner Wayne Huizenga. The timing of the coaching change wasn’t surprising, with the Dolphins beginning their bye week. Dolphins President Eddie Jones said he and Huizenga tried to talk Wannstedt out of quitting, but the coach thought his departure would be best for the team.


Wannstedt barely avoided being fired after last season, when Miami failed to reach the playoffs for the second year in a row. Huizenga decided to keep Wannstedt, but stripped him of authority over personnel decisions.


Little has gone right since. Wannstedt was twice forced to change offensive coordinators during the off-season, and Williams abruptly retired just before training camp. Receiver David Boston suffered a season-ending knee injury before the first exhibition game. That was the start of an injury wave, and the Dolphins have had the worst start in their history.


HAMSTRING FORCES MOSS OUT AGAIN


Randy Moss made progress rehabilitating his strained right hamstring over the weekend, but Minnesota’s star receiver will probably miss another game this Sunday. Moss will likely be listed as doubtful for the game at Green Bay, coach Mike Tice said yesterday. Moss missed the first game of his career on Monday night.


BASEBALL


D.C. DELAYS VOTE ON STADIUM SITE


The District of Columbia Council delayed a vote on funding a new ballpark for the Expos, with Council Chair Linda Cropp proposing another new plan yesterday.


Last week, Cropp said the new ballpark should be adjacent to RFK Stadium rather than at the site south of the U.S. Capitol called for in the agreement Washington signed with the Expos in September. That original deal called for $435 million to be spent on site acquisition, a new ballpark and refurbishing RFK Stadium as a temporary home for the team for the next three seasons.


Yesterday, Cropp proposed that the ballpark remain at the site specified in the agreement, but said the city should pay $150 million and that a private entity be responsible for $350 million. She promised a vote in two weeks on both the plan in the agreement and her proposal.


The Expos’ agreement with Washington requires funding to be approved by December 31. In addition, baseball owners must approve the move and baseball must defeat an attempt by the Expos’ former limited partners to gain an injunction blocking a relocation.


SCHILLING HAS SURGERY TO REPAIR ANKLE


Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling had surgery yesterday to repair his injured right ankle. The three-hour procedure went successfully, according to team doctor Bill Morgan, who performed the surgery.


Schilling pitched Game 6 of the AL Championship Series and Game 2 of the World Series last month with the torn sheath of his ankle tendon sutured into place so it wouldn’t flop over the bone when he pitched. Doctors said Schilling’s ankle and foot will be immobilized for about a month. He needs six weeks of rehabilitation, so any delays could cause him to miss the start of spring training.


METS HIRE TWO SPECIAL ASSISTANTS


The Mets hired two special assistants yesterday, getting former major leaguer Tony Bernazard from the players’ union and grabbing Sandy Johnson from the Arizona Diamondbacks.


New General Manager Omar Minaya made the moves, adding to a crowded front office. The Mets already have former GM Jim Duquette and assistant John Ricco, along with special advisers Al Goldis and Bill Livesy, and they’re all staying on.


Bernazard and Johnson will spend much of their time as talent evaluators. The Mets and first-time manager Willie Randolph still have to fill out a staff, with Sandy Alomar Jr. , Rudy Jaramillo, and Manny Acta in the mix to become coaches.


COLLEGE FOOTBALL


CLARRETT ACCUSES OHIO ST. OF IMPROPRIETIES


Maurice Clarett accused Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and his staff of arranging for him to get passing grades, cars, and money for bogus summer jobs. The school immediately denied the claims yesterday. Most of Clarett’s allegations, in an article in ESPN The Magazine, were covered as part of an NCAA probe that found he lied to investigators.


Clarett’s claims are his first public comments in months after shunning reporters during workouts to prepare for the spring NFL draft. He lost a lawsuit earlier this year challenging the league’s eligibility rule.


According to the magazine article, Clarett said Tressel arranged the loaner cars and Tressel’s brother found him landscaping jobs that he was paid for but didn’t work. Clarett also said the football staff arranged an academic adviser who set him up with professors who would pass him even if he skipped class and introduced him to boosters who gave him cash.


COLLEGE BASKETBALL


PAUL LEADS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS


Wake Forest sophomore Chris Paul was the leading vote-getter yesterday on the Associated Press preseason All-America team, joining Tim Duncan as the only players from the school to earn that honor.


Paul received 55 votes from a national media panel to make the team along with four seniors: Lawrence Roberts of Mississippi State, Wayne Simien of Kansas, Julius Hodge of North Carolina State, and Hakim Warrick of Syracuse.


The Demon Deacons are second in the preseason Top 25, matching the highest ranking in school history. The previous stays at no. 2 came when Duncan played at Wake Forest. Paul led the Demon Deacons to the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament last season, the first time they got that far since 1997, Duncan’s last year.


BOXING


TARVER, JOHNSON WON’T FIGHT FOR A TITLE


Next month’s highly anticipated light heavyweight fight between Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson – both of whom knocked out Roy Jones Jr. – will not be for a title.


Looking for big paydays, both Tarver and Johnson will relinquish their respective titles in order to face each other, promoters for the fighters announced yesterday.


When the fighters agreed last Thursday to face each other December 18 at the Staples Center, it was thought to be a unification bout, with Tarver putting up his WBC light heavyweight belt and Johnson putting on the line his IBF strap. According to the promoters, both fighters requested permission from the sanctioning bodies to fight each other rather than the mandatory no. 1 contender. Apparently turned down, the fighters agreed to turn in their respective titles.


– Associated Press

NY Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

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.


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