BASKETBALL

BUCKS FIRE STOTTS AS COACH

Terry Stotts was fired yesterday as coach of the Milwaukee Bucks who are struggling this season after injuries to key players.

An interim coach was not announced for tonight’s game against San Antonio.

“Terry has done the best he could in a difficult situation, especially with all of our injuries,” the general manager, Larry Harris, said. “I felt it was in the best interest of our organization to make the decision now and move forward, rather than wait until the end of the regular season.”

The news came as a surprise to players.

“This is the first I heard about it We had practice, and Terry ran practice,” Lynn Greer, a free agent acquired in the off-season, said. “I had a great time playing under him. He knew his Xs and Os. He had a tough time with the injuries but I haven’t got a bad thing to say about him.”

BASEBALL

ROBERTS AGREES TO $14.3 M, TWO-YEAR EXTENSION

Brian Roberts agreed yesterday to a $14.3 million, two-year con tract extension with the Baltimore Orioles through 2009, and the second baseman trimmed what had been a mop top.

“I don’t want to make Mr. Angelos mad,” he said when asked if the corporate cut was related to the deal, a reference to Orioles owner Peter Angelos.

Roberts agreed February 1 to a one-year contract that pays him $4.2 million this year. The exten sion calls for $6.3 million in 2008 and $8 million in 2009, meaning he will make $18.5 million over three seasons.

“This is where I want to be,” he said.

HOCKEY

FLYERS GIVE GM HOLMGREN TWO-YEAR EXTENSION

With the Flyers mired in last place and his job status uncertain Paul Holmgren made deals and created salary cap space to try to turn Philadelphia back into a play off team.

Now, he’ll get to see how it all turns out.

Holmgren was given a two-year extension through the 2008–09 season yesterday, giving him more time to lead the NHL-worst Flyers out of the cellar and back into the postseason.

“I think it can be one year,” Holmgren said. “The game today is so close, the teams are so close and the parity is there. I think with the right development of our young players this year, with the addition of a few players over the course of the summertime, we can be a very, very competitive team next year.”

Flyers chairman Ed Snider said the decision brings stability for the organization, which has not won a Stanley Cup since 1975.

FORWARD OUT FOUR WEEKS WITH SPRAINED RIGHT KNEE

Nashville forward Martin Erat will miss up to four weeks with a sprained right knee, after colliding with teammate Jason Arnott.

Erat and Arnott slammed into each other in the third period of Tuesday’s 5–2 loss to Detroit and had to be helped from the ice. The Predators were scheduled to play the Red Wings last night.

The 25-year-old Czech had been playing on the Predators’ top line with Paul Kariya, and he scored a goal Tuesday to increase his career-high in points to 57.

FOOTBALL

BROWNS SIGN MCKINNEY, CUT FULLBACK SMITH

The Cleveland Browns signed offensive lineman Seth McKinney to a one-year deal yesterday, when they also terminated fullback Terrelle Smith‘s contract before he was due a roster bonus.

McKinney started 34 games in five seasons with the Miami Dolphins, but missed all of last season after having neck surgery. The 6-foot-3-inch, 310-pounder can play guard and center.

Cleveland has made its line a priority during free agency and has already re-signed center Hank Fraley and given Eric Steinbach — one of the best players in this year’s free agent class — a sevenyear, $49.5 million contract.