FanFare 9/19/02

Baseball

Actress Tawny Kitaen agreed Wednesday to a plea bargain on spousal abuse and battery charges alleging she attacked her husband, Cardinals pitcher Chuck Finley. Under the deal, Kitaen did not admit guilt but agreed to enter a spousal battery counseling program. If she completes the program and other conditions of the deal, the case could eventually be dropped.

Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez, who has played in 376 straight games, was out of the starting lineup Wednesday night because he said he was too tired.

Basketball

FBI agents have joined Tahiti police in investigating the disappearance of Bison Dele, the former NBA player who vanished with two others during a sailboat cruise. Police said investigators were scouring Dele's 55-foot catamaran, taking photographs and gathering fingerprints and other evidence for analysis.

Magic Johnson's latest checkup confirmed he is free of AIDS symptoms, 11 years after he first tested positive for HIV. The former NBA star, who will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame next week, said his doctor told him last week he is still healthy.

Colleges

A concussion suffered during the weekend will delay the return of Oklahoma backup quarterback Brent Rawls, coach Bob Stoops said.

Football

Falcons quarterback Michael Vick said that a Chicago coach screamed "take his knees out" during a loss to the Bears last weekend. Vick made the allegations, which were backed up by teammate Willie Jackson, against Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache. Blache denied that he wanted to injure Vick, the best running quarterback in the NFL. The coordinator did say he told his players that the best way to tackle Vick was by taking his legs out from under him.

Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson will miss up to six weeks with a fractured right shoulder. Woodson was injured in the Raiders' 30-17 win at Pittsburgh on Sunday, but kept playing. He underwent tests Tuesday, revealing the fracture.

Bears defensive tackle Ted Washington has been ruled out of Sunday's game against New Orleans, marking the first time since 1994 he'll miss a game.

-- From wire reports