FanFare 10/21/03

Basketball

Antoine Walker was traded to the Mavericks, joining a lineup of four other players capable of scoring 30 points on any night. No longer will his only offensive options be pass to Paul Pierce or shoot. Now, he can look for Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Michael Finley or Antawn Jamison, or take advantage of opponents double-teaming them and put it up himself. Walker led the Celtics in assists the last three seasons and he's averaged 8.7 rebounds over his seven-year career.

Warriors guard Nick Van Exel underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in Dallas. He is expected to miss three weeks.

Colleges

Illinois coach Ron Turner said he was "90 percent sure" quarterback Jon Beutjer's bad back would keep him out of a second straight game. Illinois plays its homecoming game Saturday against Minnesota. Beutjer did not play in Saturday's 56-14 loss at Michigan, Illinois' sixth loss in a row.

UAB quarterback Darrell Hackney will miss the rest of the season after dislocating the thumb on his throwing hand against No. 15 TCU. Hackney said he tore the ligament in his thumb when he hit the ground after a hit from TCU linebacker Josh Goolsby late in the third quarter of a 27-24 loss.

Senior Tony Johnson, Penn State's leading receiver, has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Johnson, 21, had a blood-alcohol content of 0.136 he was pulled over around 3 a.m. on Oct. 17, authorities said. The legal limit for driving in Pennsylvania is 0.08.

Football

Chad Pennington will make his return to the Jets on Sunday, although not as the starter. Coach Herman Edwards said that Vinny Testaverde will start at quarterback against the Eagles, and Pennington will enter the game off the bench. Pennington, slated to be the starter this season, has missed the whole year after breaking his left wrist Aug. 23 in a preseason game against the Giants. Edwards said Pennington will start Nov. 2 against the Giants.

Hockey

Even before he knew he was going to the minors, Curtis Joseph showed he was willing to do it if it meant he could finally play. Joseph, a longtime NHL standout who has been on the trading block since the Red Wings reacquired Dominik Hasek, was assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. Red Wings spokesman John Hahn said Joseph needs conditioning as he recovers from an operation in August to remove bone chips from his right ankle.

Motorsports

Two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Jr. was hospitalized in serious condition after being injured in an all-terrain vehicle accident. He was riding the ATV alone in the woods Sunday near his home in rural Chama, N.M., when he went over an embankment and broke his pelvis. Unser, 41, is expected to be released from the University of New Mexico Hospital before the end of the week.

Obituary

Ernie Calverley, who starred as a basketball player for the University of Rhode Island and later coached the Rams to the NCAA tournament, died Monday, Oct. 20, after a brief illness. He was 79.

-- From wire reports