BASKETBALL

RILEY COMMITTED TO COACHING HEAT FOR THREE MORE SEASONS

Pat Riley vowed months ago to demand a bigger commitment from the Miami Heat this coming season.

And he didn’t just mean from the players, either.

Riley said yesterday that he plans to coach the Heat for the three remaining years on his contract, an announcement that ends months of speculation about his immediate future. He’ll remain in the dual role of team president as well.

“I will coach those out,” Riley said. “I will try to coach those out, unless somebody else makes a decision on me. That’s a commitment that I want to make to the organization.”

The 62-year-old Riley gave up coaching in 2003, then returned two years later — when Stan Van Gundy stepped down in December 2005 — and led Miami to the 2006 NBA title. But the Heat were swept out of this past season’s playoffs by the Chicago Bulls, and Riley was noncommittal for months about whether he’d remain on the sideline.

GOLF

WEIR, GLOVER, MAHAN ADDED TO PRESIDENTS CUP TEAMS

Canadian Mike Weir was added to the Presidents Cup team as a wild-card pick by International team captain Gary Player yesterday, giving the event a boost as it goes to Canada for the first time. Player also used a captain’s pick on Nick O’Hern, the only player to beat Tiger Woods twice in match play.

U.S. captain Jack Nicklaus took Lucas Glover, who was bumped out of the top 10 in the standings when Woody Austin finished second at Southern Hills; and Hunter Mahan, who has not finished out of the top 25 all summer.

The Presidents Cup will be played September 27–30 at Royal Montreal. The Americans hold a 4–1–1 edge against an International team that is for every country outside Europe. They won 18 1/2-15 1/2 two years ago in Virginia when Chris DiMarco holed a 15-foot birdie putt to beat Stuart Appleby on the final hole of the final singles match.

Ten players earned their spots on both teams through PGA Tour earnings (U.S. team) and the world rankings (International).

PGA champion Tiger Woods led U.S. qualifying for the fourth straight year, followed by Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson, Charles Howell III, David Toms, Scott Verplank, Steve Stricker, Stewart Cink. and Austin. Ernie Els, who missed the last Presidents Cup recovering from knee surgery, led International team qualifying. Joining him are Adam Scott, Vijay Singh, Geoff Ogilvy, Rory Sabbatini, K.J. Choi, Retief Goosen, Angel Cabrera, Trevor Immelman, and Stuart Appleby, whose tie for 12th at Southern Hills gave him just enough points to qualify.

BASEBALL

BONDS: ONE MORE SEASON, AND THEN HE’S PROBABLY DONE

With his place in home run history secure, Barry Bonds says next season likely will be his last. “(Playing) after next year? I don’t know. I don’t think so,” he said. “I don’t think two years I can make.” As for where he’d finish up, Bonds wasn’t sure. “It’s hard for me to think about that right now, I’m a Giant,” he said. “That’s who I am, it would be hard for me to take that uniform off. It would be very hard. But I don’t know yet, I have a lot of time to think about it in the wintertime.” Bonds said he wants to play one more season because he still has some reachable goals. “Yeah, I need to win a championship and get 3,000 hits, that would be nice to (end) my career,” he said.

WRESTLING

FORMER WWF WRESTLER FOUND DEAD IN HOME

Former pro wrestling champion Brian “Crush” Adams died yesterday after he was found unconscious in his home. He was 44.

He showed no visible signs of injury and foul play was not suspected, police spokeswoman Janelle McGregor said. Authorities were awaiting autopsy results from the medical examiner before proceeding with their investigation.

Adams’s wife, who was not identified, found her husband not breathing and called 911 about 11 a.m. Fire Rescue workers later pronounced him dead, McGregor said.