FOOTBALL

BRONCOS FIRE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

The Denver Broncos fired defensive coordinator Larry Coyer yesterday, nine days after a oncepromising season sputtered to a close with five losses in seven games.

Coyer oversaw a defense that started this season by becoming the first team in 64 years to not allow a touchdown over the first 11 quarters.

But the squad faltered, finishing 14th in the league in yards allowed as the Broncos stumbled from a 7–2 start to finish 9–7.

BASEBALL

JAVY LOPEZ, ROCKIES AGREE TO ONE-YEAR DEAL

Former All-Star catcher Javy Lopez and the Colorado Rockies reached a preliminary agreement on a $750,000, one-year contract yesterday.

The deal is pending a physical which is scheduled for later this week. Lopez’s salary, which is not guaranteed, would increase to $1 million if he is on the active 25-man roster, and he could earn $600,000 in performance bonuses.

“Colorado is a place and a team and a ballpark that he’s always liked,” said Chuck Berry, Lopez’s agent. “We looked at a half-dozen places that would be good for him to go. Colorado was one of them.”

GRIFFEY SHOULD BE READY FOR SPRING TRAINING

Ken Griffey Jr.’s broken left hand should be fully healed before the Cincinnati Reds start spring training next month, his agent said yesterday.

Griffey broke his throwing hand in an accident at home last month and had it placed in a hard cast. X-rays over the weekend indicated that it was healing as expected. He will be examined again in about 10 days.

“From our conversations from the medical people, we don’t expect it to linger into even the beginning of spring training,” agent Brian Goldberg said yesterday in a telephone interview.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

CARROLL, INTRIGUED BY DOLPHINS, WILL STAY AT USC

Though coach Pete Carroll says he’s committed to staying at Southern California, he seems intrigued by the ideas of Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga.

Carroll said yesterday that he had a compelling, four-hour meeting with Huizenga in Costa Rica over the weekend.

Carroll said he was not offered the Miami coaching job, and stressed in a campus news conference that he has never come close to thinking he would leave USC.

“I’m thrilled to be here,” he said. “As I’ve been the whole time, I haven’t wavered. I know that being curious about it has helped me appreciate what we have here.

“I absolutely expect to be here.”

BASKETBALL

NETS’ KIDD FILES FOR DIVORCE

Nets star Jason Kidd filed for divorce from his wife of 10 years yesterday, accusing her of “extreme cruelty” throughout their marriage.

In the dissolution papers, filed in state Superior Court in Bergen County, Kidd accuses Joumana Kidd of physically and mentally abusing him, threatening to make false domestic violence complaints against him to police, and of interfering with his relationship with his children.

“The defendant’s extreme and unwarranted jealousy and rage has left the plaintiff concerned about her emotional stability,” the papers say.

– Associated Press