USA Basketball picks Krzyzewski for ‘06, ‘08
Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski was picked to coach the U.S. basketball team for the 2006 world championships and 2008 Beijing Olympics, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The Hall of Famer was chosen during a USA Basketball conference call last week, said the person, who did not wish to be identified because the announcement has not been made. Official word was supposed to come Oct. 29.
The American men are trying regroup after finishing sixth at the 2002 world championships in Indianapolis and third at the 2004 Olympics. The team at the Athens Games was without several top NBA players and was coached by Larry Brown.
Krzyzewski, who led Duke to three national championships, would be become the first college coach to run a U.S. men’s basketball team at the worlds or Olympics since NBA players began playing in such competition in 1992.
Krzyzewski was an assistant on the U.S. Dream Team at the 1992 Barcelona Games that was coached by Chuck Daly.
The appointment was first reported by USA Today.
Duke spokesman Jon Jackson told the AP the school would not comment on the report.
“Track stars Bob Hayes and Evelyn Ashford, 1980 hockey coach Herb Brooks and the 1984 U.S. men’s gymnastics team highlight this year’s class for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, announced from Colorado Springs, Colo.
Gymnast Shannon Miller, figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, swimmer Rowdy Gaines and Jack Shea also were selected for the Hall. Paralympian Diana Golden-Brosnihan and NBC sports chief Dick Ebersol also will be inducted Dec. 8 in Chicago.
“This is an incredibly humbling experience for me and without a doubt the greatest award I’ve ever received,” Gaines said after the selections were announced during the U.S. Olympic Committee media summit. “To join some of the greatest athletes in history, I really can’t put it into words. It really is amazing.”
In the courts
Former champ sentenced
Former WBA flyweight champion Eric Morel has been sentenced to two years in prison in the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl.
Dane County Circuit Judge C. William Foust in Madison, Wis., also ordered Morel to serve two years of probation and have no contact with minors after his release unless he gets the approval of his probation officer.
Morel pleaded no contest in June to second-degree sexual assault of a child in 2002.
He won the WBA title in 2000 in Madison and successfully defended it five times before losing a unanimous decision to Lorenzo Parra in Puerto Rico in 2003.
Soccer
World Cup berths decided
France, Serbia-Montenegro and Sweden clinched Europe’s three remaining automatic berths for next year’s World Cup in Germany.
France defeated Cyprus 4-0 to win Group 4, and Serbia-Montenegro defeated neighbor Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0 for first place in Group 7.
Sweden won 3-1 at home over Iceland to secure second place in Group 8 behind Croatia. Sweden advanced as one of the best two second-place teams.
The Netherlands, Ukraine, Portugal and Italy are other group winners. Germany advances automatically as the host nation.
Horse racing
Rains close track
The Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, N.J., canceled thoroughbred racing because of heavy rains.
Racing was also canceled for today and is expected to resume Friday night. The stakes race slated for Friday, the $150,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes on turf, has been rescheduled for Oct. 22.