National sports

Canucks’ Bertuzzi charged with assault for punch

Vancouver Canucks star Todd Bertuzzi was charged with assault for a sucker-punch that broke Steve Moore’s neck and left him in a pool of blood, an attack that prompted an outcry about hockey violence.

The charges were announced by the criminal justice branch of the ministry of the attorney general after a four-month investigation.

Bertuzzi was ordered to appear in court July 9. If convicted, the 29-year-old player could face a penalty ranging from jail time to a guilty decision with no criminal record.

Pat Morris, Bertuzzi’s agent, refused to discuss his client’s reaction to the decision. “You hoped the process would have led to an opposite decision,” Morris said.

After the March 8 attack, the NHL suspended Bertuzzi for the final 13 games of the regular season and Vancouver’s seven playoff games.

The suspension cost Bertuzzi nearly $502,000 of his $6.8 million salary while the Canucks were fined $250,000. Bertuzzi was left off Canada’s roster for this fall’s World Cup.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman plans a hearing with Bertuzzi. Last month, Bettman gave no indication when that might happen or if the indefinite suspension will be lifted.

Bertuzzi could get up to 1 1/2 years in jail if tried in provincial court and up to 10 years if the case is heard in British Columbia Supreme Court. The government will choose the court.

“The Dallas Stars re-signed center Jason Arnott to a one-year contract and resigned former Spokane Chiefs defenseman Jon Klemm to a two-year contract with a club option for a third year.

College football

Williams going back to USC

Wide receiver Mike Williams is enrolled at Southern California for summer school, but there’s no word from the NCAA on whether he will be allowed to play college football next season. Williams, who was kept out of the NFL draft by the courts, starts school next week, school spokesman Tim Tessalone said.

But Tessalone said the university hasn’t heard from the NCAA on Williams’ status.

“It’s ultimately the NCAA’s decision,” he said.

“The New York Times pulled its computer college football rankings out of the formula used by the Bowl Championship Series to determine which teams play for the national championship.

Richard Meislin, editor of news surveys for the newspaper, said that the rankings’ inclusion in the BCS was a conflict of interest, according to the Times’ ethics guidelines.

The newspaper also withdrew from the BCS formula in 2001, citing editorial policy, but rejoined in 2002.

The Times’ poll was one of seven used by the BCS.

“Florida State’s two national championship trophies were stolen over the weekend, and the school is offering a reward for their return.

The Waterford crystal football trophies, awarded for winning the final coaches poll in 1993 and 1999, were taken from their locked wooden-and-glass case outside coach Bobby Bowden’s offices. Bowden was out of town Thursday and unavailable for comment.

The school is offering a $2,500 reward for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of whomever took the trophies, campus police Maj. Tom Longo said. He would not otherwise comment on the school’s investigation that started Sunday, after authorities learned of the theft.

Soccer

Portugal beats England

David Beckham sent his shot into the crowd, and Portugal went on to beat England 6-5 in sudden-death penalty kicks following a 2-2 tie, advancing the hosts to the semifinals of the European Championship at Lisbon, Portugal.

Portugal next plays the winner of Saturday’s semifinal between Sweden and the Netherlands. In other quarterfinals, defending champion France meets Greece today and the Czech Republic faces Denmark on Sunday.

In other news, Germany coach Rudi Voeller resigned, one day after his team was eliminated. Spain coach Inaki Saez is expected to resign Friday.

Skiing

Ski school founder dies

Leif Odmark, founder of the country’s first cross-country ski school and considered the father of cross-country skiing in central Idaho’s Sun Valley resort area, has died at a Boise care center. He was 84.