Newsmakers
Clashed Police used tear gas to disperse rock-throwing fans outside the stadium in Cairo before the African Champions League final Sunday, an outburst that has heightened fears for an upcoming World Cup playoff between Egypt and Ghana. Hundreds of Egyptian soccer fans clashed with the police. Fans, many with no tickets, tried to push their way into the stadium. A police car was damaged and traffic was briefly disrupted outside Arab Contractors Stadium. About 4,000 police officers using armored vehicles were stationed around the stadium. There were no reports of injuries and the game appeared to go off without problems inside the stadium. Al Ahly extended its record to eight continental titles by beating South Africa’s Orlando Pirates 2-0 in the second leg of the final for a 3-1 total-goals victory.
Sidelined Denver Nuggets starting center JaVale McGee is out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his lower left leg. A team spokesman Tim Gelt said X-rays revealed the stress fracture in McGee’s left tibia on Sunday. McGee has been chronically bothered by soreness in the tibia, the inner and typically larger of the two bones between the knee and the ankle.
Fired Valparaiso coach Dale Carlson has been fired, a day after the Crusaders lost 72-12 to Butler. Carlson was in his fourth season leading the Valpo football program and departs with a 3-40 record. The Crusaders are 1-9 and 1-6 in the Pioneer League. Assistant head coach Mike Gravier will serve as interim coach for the Crusaders’ season finale at home against Dayton on Saturday.
Donated The NBA and NBA Players Association are donating $250,000 to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in support of UNICEF’s emergency relief efforts in areas of the Philippines ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan. Also, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose mother is from the Philippines, will appear in a public service announcement for the organization to help raise funds for the relief efforts.
Welcomed Phoenix International Raceway would welcome IndyCar back, but the president of the track in Avondale, Ariz., doesn’t believe those who run the series have much interest in a return. Raceway president Bryan Sperber says he’s been clear with IndyCar on how the financial arrangement would have to be structured for open-wheel racing to run again at the popular oval. Sperber, however, indicated before Sunday’s NASCAR race that IndyCar officials have not pursued an event for their schedule. PIR hosted IndyCar races from 1996 through 2005.