Fast Break
Soccer
Argentina looks to Maradona
Diego Maradona became Argentina’s new soccer coach Tuesday, taking over the team he led to the World Cup championship in 1986.
The 48-year-old Maradona’s first game in charge will be a friendly against Scotland on Nov. 19 at Glasgow.
“It’s an honor,” he said. “I’m going to give it my all to make sure that things go well. We’re going to work every day so that Argentina has a national team that keeps getting better and better.”
While Maradona remains a national hero, his appointment has been questioned by local media and fans since it was first announced last week. Many are doubtful he can translate his playing skills into coaching expertise, and are wary of the star’s past troubles with drugs and obesity.
Baseball
Fertility run costs Canseco
Jose Canseco has pleaded guilty in federal court to a misdemeanor offense of trying to bring a fertility drug across the border from Mexico.
The former slugger was sentenced to 12 months’ unsupervised probation by U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruben B. Brooks.
Canseco told the judge he had gone to Tijuana looking for a substance to restore his testosterone levels in an attempt to reverse damage done by his admitted steroids use.
Canseco was detained at San Diego’s San Ysidro border crossing last month after agents searched his vehicle and said they found human chorionic gonadotropin, which is illegal without a prescription.
The 44-year-old Canseco apologized to Brooks, saying, “I made an honest mistake.”
Baseball
Indians open against Bears
The Spokane Indians will begin defense of their Northwest League Championship on June 20 when they open the regular season at Avista Stadium with a three-game homestand against the Yakima Bears.
The schedule includes six fireworks shows.
The season concludes Sept. 6 against the Bears.
Spokane will play 76 regular-season games; 38 games at Avista Stadium and 38 on the road.
The Indians finished the 2008 season with a league-leading 51 wins and capped off the season with a NWL title.
Ticket packages for the season are on sale at the Spokane Indians ticket office or online at www.spokaneindians baseball.com.