FanFare 2/21/03

Briefly

Baseball

Kevin Millar agreed to a $5.3 million, two-year contract with the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, ending complicated offseason negotiations that nearly took him to Japan.

Former baseball great Bob Gibson has been sued by an Omaha man claiming the Hall of Fame pitcher punched and kicked him last year in an act of road rage. Gibson's attorney, David Herzog, said the man's version is inconsistent with the facts. No charges were filed in the Feb. 15, 2002, fistfight at a gas station off Interstate 80. Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov said Gibson and Miguel B. Sanchez both claimed self-defense.

Basketball

The Nuggets and Celtics agreed to a trade Thursday just hours before the deadline, with point guard Shammond Williams going to Denver for center Mark Blount and forward Mark Bryant. Denver also receives cash and a second-round pick from Boston.

Boxing

Heavyweight contender Vitali Klitschko filed suit Thursday against the World Boxing Council in an effort to force Lennox Lewis to let him fight for the heavyweight title.

Colleges

Missouri defensive lineman Nick Tarpoff, who police said claimed he was shot in his home Wednesday by an intruder, said Thursday he made up the story and actually shot himself in the arm. Tarpoff spent Wednesday night at University Hospital and was discharged Thursday.

Texas Tech administrators vowed to look into the suspension of two basketball players this week and to question coach Bob Knight about the incident. It was unclear whether the two, including Big 12 scoring leader Andre Emmett, would play in the Red Raiders' game Saturday against Texas A&M.

Football

After eating dinner at owner Arthur Blank's house Monday night, Atlanta Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking called his agent and told him to bridge the gap on a new contract. Blank and Brooking shared another meal Thursday night, this time to celebrate a seven-year, $41 million deal the two sides agreed to earlier in the day.

Golf

Fred Funk, one of the shortest hitters on the PGA Tour, proved that the shortest club in the bag can make all the difference at the Nissan Open. He had 11 one-putts and holed another from off the green for a 6-under 65 and a three-stroke lead. Tiger Woods was at 1-over 72, the first time he has failed to shoot par or better in the opening round at the Nissan Open.

Tennis

Left-hander Irakli Labadze used a strong forehand Thursday to upset third-seeded James Blake 7-6 (2), 7-5 in the second round of the Kroger St. Jude tournament. Labadze will play Brian Vahaly, who defeated qualifier Eric Taino 6-2, 6-4. Vladimir Voltchkov downed Jeff Morrison 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, and he will play Taylor Dent, a 7-6 (8), 7-6 (4) winner over Jan-Michael Gambill. Vincent Spadea topped Magnus Norman 6-4, 6-4 and will meet either Mardy Fish or second-seeded Paradorn Srichapan in the quarterfinals.

On the air

BoxingWayne Braithwaite (18-0-0) vs. Ravea Springs (25-2-0), 8:30 p.m., ESPN2

Golf

Malaysian Open, 8 a.m., GOLF

Verizon Classic, 12:30 p.m., GOLF

Nissan Open, 2 p.m., USA

Canadian Tour Challenge, 2 p.m., GOLF

ANZ Ladies Masters, 10 p.m., GOLF

High school boys basketballPoplar Bluff at Charleston, 7:15 p.m., KBHI-107.1

Notre Dame at Perryville, 7:15 p.m., KAPE-1550

Scott County Central at Advance, 7:15 p.m., KYRX-97.3

MotorsportsRockingham 200, 12:30 p.m., SPEED

Subway 400 qualifying, 2 p.m., FOX-Midwest; same-day tape, 7 p.m., SPEED

NBA

Dallas at Houston, 7 p.m., ESPN

Milwaukee at Seattle, 9:30 p.m., ESPN

Sailing

America's Cup, finals, 6 p.m., ESPN2

CHARTER CABLE SPORTS KEY --CNBC (ch. 53), ESPN (42), ESPN2 (43), Lifetime (49)Fox-Midwest (45), Fox-Central (352), Fox-Pacific (353), Fox-Sunshine (351), Fox-World (350), FX(50), Golf Channel (46), MSNBC (55), Outdoors (38), Outdoor Life Network (74), Oxygen (75), Speed Channel (44), TNT (48). Listings and times are provided by the networks and individual stations and are subject to change.

Area events

College baseballSoutheast at Alabama, 6:30 p.m.

College indoor trackSoutheast meet, Student Recreation Center, 4 p.m.

High school boys' basketballDe Soto at Central, 7:30 p.m.

Notre Dame at Perryville, 7:30 p.m.

Scott City at Senath-Hornersville, 7:30 p.m.

Oran at Chaffee, 7:30 p.m.

St. Vincent at Meadow Heights, 7:30 p.m.

Oak Ridge at Zalma, 7:30 p.m.

Scott County Central at Advance, 7:30 p.m.

Richland at Woodland, 7:30 p.m.

Kelly at Bell City, 8 p.m.

Leopold at Delta, 8 p.m.

Ozark Christian Conference Tournament, New Salem Baptist

High school girls' basketballOzark Christian Conference Tournament, New Salem Baptist

High school wrestling

State Meet, Columbia