FanFare 3/6/03

Briefly

Baseball

Baseball umpires filed a grievance against major league teams Wednesday, charging that the computer system chosen to evaluate them was not reliable. Umpires have also filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board over management's refusal to provide information about the Questec Umpire Information System.

Basketball

A new indictment against former NBA star Jayson Williams adds a weapons offense to the seven charges he already faces in the shooting death of a limousine driver. The indictment handed up increases Williams' possible prison sentence by 10 years.

Colleges

Backup forward Eugene Land quit Cincinnati's basketball team and backup center Rod Flowers was suspended indefinitely before a game against Alabama-Birmingham. Coach Bob Huggins said Land quit for personal reasons. He's the third Cincinnati player to quit this season -- reserves Eric Hicks and Tony Bobbitt also left the team for a few days, but were reinstated. Huggins said Flowers' suspension was for conduct detrimental to the team.

Just a month after he left town for another job, Dave Elson is back at Western Kentucky University as the new head football coach. Elson, defensive coordinator on the Hilltoppers' 2002 Division I-AA championship team, was introduced as the new head coach, less than a month after taking a job as safeties coach at West Virginia University.

Former Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson will plead innocent to a misdemeanor gambling charge, McPherson's lawyer said. Attorney Grady Irvin Jr. also indicated in a statement that a trial could prompt testimony from university employees Irvin contends knew of illegal gambling allegations while McPherson played for the team.

Football

Jake Plummer, the Cardinals' quarterback for the past six seasons, agreed to a seven-year, $40 million deal with the Broncos. The Broncos also added defensive tackle Daryl Gardener, who started 15 games last year for Washington.

The Panthers signed what they hope is their quarterback of the future with former New Orleans backup Jake Delhomme. They also re-signed 37-year-old Rodney Peete, last year's starter, to a three-year deal, and cut running back Lamar Smith.

Tight end Jim Kleinsasser agreed to a one-year deal worth $3 million. Coach Mike Tice said the team is still working on a long-term deal for Kleinsasser.

Hockey

Darcy Tucker and Tie Domi of the Maple Leafs were suspended by the NHL for their actions one night earlier against the Senators. Tucker was suspended for five games. Domi was suspended for three games.

Miscellaneous

Kroenke Sports Enterprises, owner of the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets, is looking into the possibility of starting its own cable sports network. Company President Don Elliman said the preliminary research is meant to provide an option as the company begins negotiations with Fox Sports Net on a new contract.

Sports bodies and governments from around the world approved a policy to standardize rules against doping and punish athletes who are drug cheats. Under the new code, athletes will be subject to random, out-of-competition drug testing. The policy does not affect U.S. sports leagues unless those athletes compete in international events, including the Olympics.

Area digest

Eggiman records hole in one at Dalhousie

Ty Eggimann of Cape Girardeau recently recorded a hole in one at Dalhousie Golf Club.

Eggimann used an 8-iron to ace No. 13, a par 3 playing 150 yards. Witnesses were Aaron Dombrowski, Cord Dombrowski and Ann Dombrowski.

On the air

College men's basketballFlorida St. at Duke, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2

Kansas St. at Texas Tech. 7:30 p.m., FOX-Midwest

Memphis at Houston, 8:30 p.m., ESPN2

Oregon at Arazona St., 9:30 p.m., FOX-Midwest

College women's basketballKansas St. at Texas Tech, 7:30 p.m., FOX-Midwest

Golf

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

Motorsports

Formula One qualifying, 9 p.m., SPEED

NBA

New Jersey at San Antonio, 6:30 p.m., TNT

Philadelphia at Portland, 9 p.m., TNT

NHL

Phoenix at St. Louis, 7 p.m., ESPN, KGIR-1220

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

High school boys' basketballClass 1, District 2 Tournament, Delta: Bell City vs. Oran, championship, 8 p.m.

Class 3, District 2 Tournament, Bloomfield: Charleston vs. Kelly, championship, 7:30 p.m.

High school girls' basketballClass 1, District 2 Tournament, Delta: Delta vs. Scott County Central, championship, 6:30 p.m.

Class 3, District 2 Tournament, Bloomfield: Kelly vs. Charleston, championship, 6 p.m.