NOVEMBER 16, 2006
Today's "top" story . . .
Fan claims Lakers star assaulted him during a game
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- An Arkansas man filed a federal lawsuit against NBA star Kobe Bryant claiming the Lakers guard deliberately elbowed him during a game last year against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Bill Geeslin was a spectator in the stands Nov. 14 when the Lakers played the Grizzlies in Memphis. His three-page lawsuit filed Tuesday claims that Bryant came off the court during play, landed on Geeslin and "without provocation" committed assault and battery when he violently struck Geeslin with his elbow.
Geeslin claims seeks more than $75,000 in damages for unspecified injuries that required medical attention. more
SUBJECTS: Kobe Bryant | Basketball | Los Angeles Lakers | Lawsuit | Bill Geeslin
The Hot Sports Wife/Ex/Girlfriend of the Day
Mrs. David Pelletier!!
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AP poll voter booted for mistaking Sooners win for loss
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A voter for The Associated Press college football poll was removed from the poll board Wednesday because he mistakenly thought Oklahoma had lost to Texas Tech and voted the Sooners lower in this week's rankings.
Jim Kleinpeter of The Times-Picayune of New Orleans said he tried to find the score of the Oklahoma game, but was unable to do so.
He said he was in the press box at the Alabama-LSU game "and I was asking about different teams, thinking about the poll the next day. ... I thought somebody told me that Oklahoma was losing to Texas Tech at some point. And I asked after the LSU game was over, 'Did Oklahoma win?' Somebody said Oklahoma lost," Kleinpeter said.
The Sooners rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat Texas Tech 34-24.
Because he believed the Sooners (8-2, 5-1) had lost, Kleinpeter said he dropped Oklahoma from 15th to 24th on his ballot. more
SUBJECTS: Associated Press | Football | Jim Kleinpeter | Times-Picayune | Firing
Texans guard Weary arrested
HOUSTON (AP) -- Houston Texans offensive lineman Fred Weary was shot with a Taser before being arrested Tuesday after a traffic stop.
Weary was pulled over at 1 p.m. about 6 miles from Reliant Stadium and transported to jail. Houston Police officer Gabriel Ortiz said he "possibly faces charges of resisting arrest."
The 29-year-old was being held at Houston's Central Jail on Tuesday evening, but had not yet been charged with a crime and no bond had been set, a jail official said. The jail official did not know whether Weary had an attorney.
Weary pushed an officer away and was shot with a Taser after he stepped toward officers when they ordered him to put his hands on the vehicle, police said.
"We're aware of the situation regarding Fred Weary," said Tony Wyllie, Texans' vice president of communications. "At this time, we're gathering all the information and getting all the facts." more
SUBJECTS: Houston Texans | Fred Weary | Football | Resisting Arrest
Jordan puts name behind slot-machine parlor
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- Former NBA star Michael Jordan could become an investor in a slot-machine parlor in Philadelphia, state gambling regulators were told Wednesday.
Regulators on Wednesday concluded three days of hearings on applications by five groups -- professional casino operators with politically connected or celebrity investment partners -- hoping to open slots casinos in Philadelphia. Jordan's became the latest celebrity name to be dropped by applicants competing for licenses in what could be the nation's largest city with standalone casinos.
The two licenses up for grabs in Philadelphia would allow the owners to install up to 5,000 slot machines in each of their proposed gambling halls. The state has not legalized table games.
Las Vegas-based Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. testified Wednesday in support of its proposed $350 million waterfront slots parlor on the Delaware River. more
SUBJECTS: Michael Jordan | Basketball | Gambling | Pinnacle Entertainment Inc.
Texas two-step: Smith wins "Dancing with the Stars"
NEW YORK (AP) -- Emmitt Smith danced off with the mirror ball.
The three-time Super Bowl champion, who proved to be as nimble on his feet in the ballroom as on the football field, was named the winner of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" Wednesday night. With the victory came the glittering trophy.
The NFL's all-time leading rusher beat out actor Mario Lopez.
The hunky, dimpled Lopez was generally regarded as the series most dynamic celebrity dancer, but the public's vote, the deciding factor after the contestants had tied in the judges' tally at Tuesday's final dance-off, brought Smith the victory.
"It is awesome! It is awesome!" declared Smith, after hugging his professional dance partner Cheryl Burke. "We came a long way, we really have." more
SUBJECTS: Emmitt Smith | Football | Dancing with the Stars
Couple selling tickets to defray adoption costs
(AP) -- With fans scrambling to obtain tickets to Saturday's Michigan-Ohio State football game, a couple is auctioning off their seats to raise money to adopt a boy from Guatemala.
Ken and Kristie Sigler have season tickets in the closed end of Ohio Stadium, about 10 rows from the field. They have put the two tickets up for sale on eBay, hoping the payout helps defray the $12,500 cost to begin processing their adoption paperwork.
They set the minimum bid at $1,000, with an option to purchase the tickets directly for $1,500. No bids had been made as of early Tuesday.
At first, the couple thought it would be difficult for them to sell the tickets, but with adoption fees mounting -- costs total about $30,000, including the paperwork fee -- the decision became easier. more
SUBJECTS: University of Michigan | Ohio State University | Football | Fans | Ken Sigler | Kristie Sigler
NFL fines Titans coach Fisher for criticism of officials
(ESPN) -- League officials confirmed on Wednesday that Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher has been fined $12,500 by the NFL for comments following Sunday's 27-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in which he was critical of the game officials.
The league sanction, which can be appealed, was first reported Wednesday by The Tennessean of Nashville.
Fisher is the co-chairman of the NFL's influential competition committee and, in the past, has been called on to defend the performances of the league's officials.
Although he voiced his criticism on several fronts, Fisher was especially upset by a call that occurred about six minutes into the third quarter. more
SUBJECTS: Tennessee Titans | Jeff Fisher | Football | Fine
LPGA to implement drug-testing program in '08
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens said she has no knowledge of drug use among tour players.
The tour still plans to start checking.
The LPGA Tour said Wednesday it will begin testing players for performance-enhancing drugs in 2008, a move that makes it the first major golf tour to announce a drug-testing program.
Specifics of the testing plan will be worked up over the next six to nine months, Bivens said. The tour plans to announce the program details, including testing methods and banned substances, in the second half of the 2007 season.
"While we have no evidence to date that any of our players are using performance-enhancing drugs, we need to have a very clear policy and a program in place," Bivens said. "We want to take a proactive role." more
SUBJECTS: Carolyn Bivens | Golf | Drug Testing | Steroids
Arrington could be tried for domestic violence
(ESPN) -- Michigan junior wide receiver Adrian Arrington moved one step closer on Wednesday to facing trial following a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence. But the pending charge should not affect Arrington's participation in Saturday's game between the Wolverines and Ohio State.
At Arrington's pretrial hearing in Ypsilanti, Mich., on Wednesday, a new court date of Nov. 30 was set for what is called final settlement conference, according to a record in the Ypsilanti court criminal division.
Because no resolution was reached on Wednesday, Nov. 30 will be the final opportunity for a resolution or jury selection will begin on Dec. 4.
Arrington was charged following an Oct. 13 incident involving his girlfriend, Jodi Hupe. According to a police report, Arrington pulled his girlfriend from a vehicle. more
SUBJECTS: Adrian Arrington | University of Michigan | Football | Domestic Violence | Jodi Hupe
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