FanFare 3/7/03

Briefly

Baseball

The Brewers banned supplements from their clubhouse and discouraged players from using them, but it was unclear if the team can enforce its new rule. Brewers' players received a document this week in Phoenix outlining the dangers of supplements, both legal and illegal, containing stimulants and steroids.

The Reds obtained two pitchers from the Royals on Thursday in exchange for two minor leaguers. The Reds acquired right-hander Jeff Austin, who appeared in 10 games for the Royals last season, and left-hander Brian Shackelford, who spent last season with Double-A Wichita after being converted from an outfielder to a pitcher. The Royals received infielder Damaso Espino and outfielder Alan Moye.

Colleges

Rick Taylor, who's been athletic director at Northwestern since 1994, said he's retiring effective Aug. 31. Taylor, 61, oversaw the athletic department during a time of major change in which Northwestern won or shared three Big Ten football titles and made an appearance in the Rose Bowl under former coach Gary Barnett.

Football

The Redskins, by far the most active team in the first week of free agency, struck again, signing Jets' return man Chad Morton to an offer sheet. The Jets have a week to match the five-year, $8 million offer to the player who had two kickoff returns for touchdowns -- including the game-winner in overtime -- in last year's season opener in Buffalo. They would get a fifth-round draft choice in return if they don't match.

Golf

Ernie Els shot a 6-under-par 66 and was one stroke behind Scotland's Alistair Forsyth after the first round of the $1.9 million Dubai Desert Classic. Els, the defending champion and winner of four of five events he has played in this season, is the top-ranked player in the tournament.

Tiger Woods pulled out of the event because of a possible U.S.-led attack of Iraq. Former champion Colin Montgomerie of Scotland and Nick Faldo of England also withdrew because of rising tension in the area.

The lead critic of Augusta National Golf Club's all-male membership asked permission for more than 200 people to stage a one-day protest during the Masters tournament, with a small number posted at the gate to Magnolia Lane. Martha Burk, chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations, wants a permit for 24 protesters to stand at either side of the club's main gate, where a public sidewalk runs along Washington Road.

Tennis

Jennifer Capriati and Amelie Mauresmo easily won their opening matches in the Pacific Life Open. Capriati, the No. 2 seed, won 6-4, 6-2 victory over Antonella Serra Zanetti. Mauresmo, the No. 5 seed, was a 6-4, 6-0 winner over Myriam Casanova. Angelique Widjaja, No. 63 in the WTA rankings, eliminated No. 9 seed Patty Schynder, 6-4, 6-2, and Virginia Ruano Pascual (No. 46) ousted 22nd-seed Alexandra Stevenson, 6-4, 6-4.

Top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt struggled early but needed just two sets to advance to the third round in the Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic on. Hewitt defeated Wayne Ferreira, 7-5, 6-1. Hewitt advanced to the quarterfinals against sixth-seeded Alex Corretja, a 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-1 winner over Amaud Di Pasquale.

On the air

BoxingKhalid Jones (18-2-0) vs. Rodney Moore (17-2-2), 8 p.m., ESPN2

College baseballSoutheast at Southern Mississippi, 6:15 p.m., KGIR-1220

Golf

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

Ford Championship, 3 p.m., USA

MasterCard Classic, same-day tape, 4 p.m., GOLF

MotorsportsBass Pro Shops MBNA 500 qualifying, 7 p.m., FX

Australian Grand Prix qualifying, 9 p.m., SPEED

NBA

L.A. Clippers at Boston, 7 p.m., ESPN

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

NHL

Blues at Red Wings, 6:30 p.m., FOX-Midwest

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 eventsCollege baseball

Southeast at Southern Mississippi, 6:30 p.m.College softball

Southeast Classic: Southeast vs. Siena, 2:30 p.m.College women's basketball

Southeast vs. Tennessee Tech, OVC Tournament semifinal, Nashville, Tenn., 2 p.m.High school boys' basketball

Class 2, District 2 Tournament, Black River Coliseum, Poplar Bluff: championship, Advance vs. East Carter County, 6 p.m.

Corrections

Jeanna Bolen is a member of the Southeast Missouri State University's women's mile relay team that competed in the OVC indoor championship meet Friday and Saturday. Her name was omitted from a story Tuesday.

Jackson High School's girls basketball team will play a sectional playoff game Saturday at the University of Missouri at St. Louis. The location was incorrect in Thursday's edition.

The Southeast Missourian regrets the errors.