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
The New York Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

FOOTBALL


MCNABB, OWENS LEAD EAGLES OVER COWBOYS


Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns – three to receiver Terrell Owens – as the Eagles (8-1) pounded the Cowboys 49-21 last night in Dallas.


Owens finished with six catches for 134 yards and the Eagles’ defense held Dallas (3-6) to just 71 rushing yards.


BASEBALL


METS DECLINE OPTION ON LEITER


Al Leiter became a free agent yesterday when the Mets declined his $10.2 million option and decided to pay a $2.1 million buyout.


The left-hander went 10-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 30 starts last season, but was on the disabled list from May 11 to June 1 because of tendinitis in his left shoulder. A member of the Mets for the last seven seasons, Leiter, 39, also pitched for the Yankees, Toronto, and Florida. The Mets had said they were interested in keeping Leiter, but not at the price of the option.


Kris Benson, another starter the Mets say they hope to resign, also became a free agent.


COLLEGE FOOTBALL


SOONERS STAY PUT, UTES MOVE UP IN BCS


Oklahoma held on to second place in the Bowl Championship Series standings yesterday, staying ahead of third-place Auburn because of a stronger computer ranking. USC is still first in the BCS standings with a grade of .9808. Oklahoma’s grade is .9621, and Auburn’s is .9350.


The other big winner in the latest BCS standings is Utah, which moved back into sixth place. California (.8522) is fourth and Texas (.8140) fifth, but the unbeaten Utes (.8062) could keep one of them out of the BCS, likely the Longhorns.


Utah is trying to become the first team from a mid-major conference to earn a BCS bid.


TENNIS


SHARAPOVA BEATS WILLIAMS TO WIN WTA TITLE


Russia’s Maria Sharapova defeated Serena Williams 4-6,6-2,6-4 last night in the final of the season-ending WTA Championships. After taking the first set, Williams suffered an abdominal strain in the second, which severely limited her serve and mobility for the rest of the match.


After willing herself to a 4-0 lead in the final set, Williams lost steam and Sharapova came back to win. It was Sharapova’s first career appearance in the tournament. Williams, who also lost to Sharapova in the finals of Wimbledon earlier this year, won the tournament in 2001.


FEDERER OUSTS GAUDIO AT MASTERS CUP


Showing no signs of a torn thigh muscle that sidelined him for three weeks, Roger Federer returned to action yesterday with a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory over Gaston Gaudio of Argentina in the first round of the ATP Masters Cup championships.


Federer played in a tournament for the first time since he beat Andy Roddick at Bangkok last month for his 10th title of the season. On October 25, Federer tore his left thigh muscle.


OLYMPICS


FIVE CITIES SUBMIT OFFICIAL OLYMPIC BIDS


The five cities hoping to host the 2012 Summer Games submitted bids to the International Olympic Committee yesterday, entering the final stage of a long process in hopes of landing one of the biggest prizes in sports.


Paris, the front-runner to win next year’s vote, turned in documents, as did London, Madrid, New York, and Moscow. The IOC will evaluate venues, security, transportation, hotels, and financing. The IOC evaluation commission travels to the candidate cities early next year and will give its recommendations to the 100-plus IOC members a month before they vote by secret ballot in Singapore on July 6.


COLLEGE BASKETBALL


WAKE FOREST WINS SEASON OPENER


Chris Paul scored 25 points and made several big plays in a decisive second-half run to send Wake Forest past George Washington 97-76 last night in the preseason NIT. Paul had six assists and three steals in 37 minutes, leading the Demon Deacons to a second-round home game Thursday against Virginia Commonwealth.


BIG EAST TO BECOME SINGLE 16-TEAM DIVISION


The Big East will be one 16-team division in 2005-06.The new structure will take effect following the addition in 2005 of five schools from Conference USA and Boston College’s departure for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Miami and Virginia Tech left for the ACC this year, leaving the Big East with 12 schools.


Louisville, Cincinnati, DePaul, Marquette, and South Florida make the move from Conference USA to make it 16 schools.


– Associated Press

The New York 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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