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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Newsmakers

From Staff And Wire Reports

Disappointed Speaking publicly for the first time since NBA Commissioner David Stern handed down the stiff penalty Friday, San Antonio Spurs coach and team president Gregg Popovich said he was “disappointed” in the decision. The coach said Saturday night he doesn’t know if the Spurs will appeal a $250,000 fine from the NBA for sending his star players home to rest instead of playing them against the Miami Heat. Rather than play Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili – three of the NBA’s biggest names – against LeBron James and Miami in a nationally televised game Thursday night, Popovich put them on a plane and sent them home. It came at the end of a six-game road trip and after the Spurs had played five times in seven days.

Sidelined The Minnesota Vikings have ruled wide receiver Percy Harvin out of their game at Green Bay today because of a sprained left ankle.

Mum Second-year receiver Titus Young had little to say about his brief exile from the Detroit Lions. The Boise State product spoke with reporters for the first time since returning to practice. He was deactivated for Detroit’s loss to Houston on Thanksgiving. Young rejoined the team for practice Wednesday, Young spoke for less than two minutes before the session was cut short by media relations personnel. “What happens in house, stays in house,” Young said – and that was about as thorough a response as he gave to any of the questions.

Traded The Tampa Bay Rays have traded right-handed reliever Burke Badenhop to the Milwaukee Brewers for OF Raul Mondesi Jr.

Arrested Baltimore police have arrested a 20-year-old Washington man in the shooting of a Morgan State University football player. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says Keith Robertson confessed to the shooting, which occurred around 1 p.m. Friday near a residence hall. Robertson was taken into custody shortly after the shooting, when police say he was seen running from the scene. A semi-automatic handgun was recovered nearby. The victim was 20-year-old Tyrell Okoro, a sophomore offensive lineman on the football team. Guglielmi says detectives believe there was a previous dispute between Robertson and the victim.

Assigned The Atlanta Hawks have assigned rookies John Jenkins and Mike Scott to their Bakersfield (Calif.) NBA Development League affiliate.

Signed The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed former Arizona reliever Mike Zagurski to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.