National sports
Salyers harassed after lawsuit that led to O’Brien’s firing
The woman whose lawsuit led to the firing of Ohio State basketball coach Jim O’Brien received threatening phone calls and had her tires slashed, her lawyer said Tuesday.
“This entire ordeal has been a tremendous strain upon her,” attorney Jeffrey Lucas said.
Kathleen Salyers sued two Ohio State boosters last year, testifying in an April deposition that she never received the $1,000 per month plus expenses she had been promised for housing Boban Savovic, a player on the Buckeyes’ Final Four team in 1998-99.
Salyers sued Savovic’s sponsors, Dan and Kim Roslovic, seeking $510,000 in expenses and damages.
Salyers was the Roslovics’ nanny and housekeeper when she agreed to take in Savovic, Lucas said. There was no written contract outlining the agreement.
Ohio State fired O’Brien on June 8 after he admitted he gave $6,000 in 1999 to Aleksandar Radojevic, a recruit who never attended Ohio State because he was ruled ineligible after the NCAA found out he had been paid to play in Europe.
Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger learned of the payment to Radojevic because it was mentioned in Salyers’ statement in her lawsuit.
Football
Starke guilty on drug charges
Former Washington Redskins tackle George Starke pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drug charges and agreed to enter a rehabilitation program.
District of Columbia police stopped Starke in Northeast Washington on May 14 when an officer noticed he was not wearing his seat belt, according to charging documents. He was also charged with driving on a suspended license, and a search of the car revealed seven grams of cocaine, prosecutors said.
College basketball
Huggins must attend alcohol education course
Suspended Cincinnati basketball coach Bob Huggins was ordered to attend an alcohol education course after pleading no contest to a drunken driving charge in Fairfax, Ohio.
Huggins was ordered to pay a $350 fine plus court costs and attend the three-day state-certified intervention program.
“Former Kansas center David Padgett transferred to Louisville, signing financial aid documents with the school.
The 6-foot-11 Padgett started 19 games for the Jayhawks in 2003-04, averaging 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. He shot 53.1 percent and blocked a team-high 43 shots.
Miscellany
Blaney to replace Sauter
Dave Blaney will replace rookie Johnny Sauter in Richard Childress Racing’s No. 30 in NASCAR’s top series.
Blaney finished 29th at Sunday’s Nextel Cup Pocono 500 while filling in for Sauter, who raced in Saturday night’s Busch series event in Nashville, Tenn.
Sauter will remain under contract with RCR and could still drive some races for the team this year. “Australia’s Robbie McEwen won a mass sprint in a photo finish in Baetterinden, Switzerland, to capture the fourth stage of the Tour de Suisse while 1998 Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich kept his overall lead.
Italy’s Francesco Chicchi slowed to celebrate what he thought was a stage victory. McEwen then sneaked by to win the 133-mile leg.