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It’s Pat
Philippine sports officials are reviewing the gender of Nancy Navalta, who ran as a male in one provincial race, then as a female a week later.
Navalta has won sprint competitions as a woman in the Philippine National Games the past two years. The runner stopped competing after female competitors questioned Navalta’s gender.
Then Navalta entered the provincial meet - first in a men’s race, losing by a large margin, and then in women’s competition, winning five gold medals.
Dr. Tyrone Reyes, head of the Philippine Center for Sports Medicine, had Navalta undergo a gender test last year, the results of which were not made public - though the runner was advised not to compete as either a male or a female.
Sort of cuts down on the options, doesn’t it?
Onward, Christian, sold ya
Make that traded ya. Minnesota Timberwolves management had a rationale at the ready as to why they dealt forward Christian Laettner to the Heat: that the experiment of using him at center had run its course and a more physical player was needed.
So much for the company line. A more definitive reason for Laettner’s departure was rooted in his blast at Wolves rookie Kevin Garnett.
“We’ve got some big britches on this team,” Laettner said after a recent loss. “We’ve got a lot of people who know everything.”
After a timeout during that game, Laettner said to Garnett: “How come when you say something I have to listen? But when I say something, you’ve got an answer?” Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders acknowledged some players might be jealous of Garnett.
“They can say whatever they want, but that kid knows how to play basketball and he’s better than anyone in that locker room,” Saunders said.
Favre from home
A roadside sign that disappeared from the outskirts of the Mississippi hometown of Packers quarterback Brett Favre has turned up - in Wisconsin.
The green sign, 42 inches wide and 12 inches high, vanished from the highway leading into Kiln, Miss., population 1,500.
After the theft made news, police in Watertown, Wis., were tipped that a Packers fan, visiting in the Kiln area, was given the sign by “tavern acquaintances.”
Truth in advertising
The organizer of a youth basketball camp has been indicted on a deceptive business practice charge for failing to deliver enough star players to a camp sponsored by Houston Rockets guard Sam Cassell.
About 250 youths paid $200 each for the 1994 camp. Promoters promised instruction from such stars as Robert Horry, Charlie Ward, Mugsy Bogues and Anfernee Hardaway. Only Cassell and current 76ers coach John Lucas showed up.
Lisa C. Lang was indicted for giving a “false representation” of a service.” Officials said Cassell wasn’t involved in any deception.
The last word …
“Everyone in our league lives where they live because they can’t sell their home or they’ve been relocated in the witness protection program.”
- Utah coach Rick Majerus, on the WAC’s low profile
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo