Sports digest 1/4/02

Colorado investigators to travel to California

BOULDER, Colo. -- Authorities investigating an alleged gang rape at a party attended by University of Colorado football players and potential recruits plan to travel to California to conduct interviews.

Joe Pelle, commander of the Boulder police detective division, said Wednesday that members of his department and the university police department will make the trip. He did not know when or where in California the investigators would go.

CU police Lt. Tim McGraw said the off-campus interviews could happen while students remain on holiday break, which ends Jan. 14.

"There are some things we can do in the interim and if someone is out of state this would be a good time to go talk to them," he said.

A student told police she was attacked at a Dec. 7 party to entertain visiting CU football recruits. A half-dozen players and about 15 recruits attended the party and alcohol was present, according to two witnesses.

Police have not made any arrests or named suspects in the case, which is being handled jointly by the city and university authorities.

Chiefs name Holmes the team MVP

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City running back Priest Holmes was named the team's Derrick Thomas MVP and defensive tackle Eric Downing was voted the Mack Lee Hill rookie of the year, the Chiefs said Thursday.

Holmes has rushed for 1,438 yards, caught 56 passes for 562 yards and has 10 touchdowns. He ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards, trailing the New York Jets' Curtis Martin by 17 yards heading into the season finale Sunday against Seattle.

Downing has made 30 tackles, including 1.5 sacks and two tackles for a loss. He has started the last eight games after injuries depleted the defense. Downing, a Syracuse graduate, was the Chiefs' top draft choice in 2001.

Pitino would consider former Wildcat Stone

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville coach Rick Pitino said Thursday he hasn't spoken with departed Kentucky center Marvin Stone but would listen if Stone wanted to play for him.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound junior from Huntsville, Ala., was dismissed from the Wildcats last week when he didn't return from a two-day holiday break. One of Stone's former coaches said the former McDonald's All-American wants to talk to Pitino.

But Kentucky athletics director Larry Ivy said the school would not release Stone to play for any school that has an ongoing contract with UK. That would include Louisville and every school in the Southeastern Conference, among others.

"We were contacted, but I have never met the young man, never talked to the young man, don't know what he's all about, don't know if I'd take him," Pitino said. "But if he got a release, I'd sit down and talk with him."

Stone started two games for Kentucky this season. He averaged 5.3 points and four rebounds in 14 minutes per game.

Ex-White Sox player Al Smith dead at 73

CHICAGO -- Al Smith, the two-time All-Star outfielder who hit .272 in 12 seasons in the major leagues, has died. He was 73.

Smith, who lived in Chicago and worked part time as a community relations representative for the White Sox, died Thursday at St. Margaret Mercy Hospital in Hammond, Ind., following a brief illness, the White Sox said Friday.

A native of the St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood, Mo., Smith played for the Sox from 1958-62. His 12-year career began with the Cleveland Indians in 1953 and included stints with the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox.

He had 167 home runs and 676 RBIs in 1,517 career games.

-- From wire reports