New Kings coach Musselman arrested
Eric Musselman, in his first season as coach of the Sacramento Kings, was arrested on a drunken driving charge early Saturday in Sacramento, Calif., hours after his team’s exhibition victory over the Utah Jazz.
He was released without bail from Sacramento County Main Jail at dawn, the sheriff’s department said. He was cited for misdemeanor driving under the influence.
Musselman was pulled over at 2:15 a.m. about 11/2 miles from the State Capitol after his car was seen making a right-hand turn from the left-hand lane and cutting off another vehicle, said California Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Evan Williams.
Another man and two women were in Musselman’s Mercedes. They were released, Williams said.
The 41-year-old coach failed three sobriety tests and had a blood-alcohol level of 0.11, according to the arrest report. The legal limit is 0.08.
Football
Coach charged in brawl
A coach in Oakland, N.J., has been arrested after video footage showed him throwing punches during a brawl involving about 65 coaches, parents and seventh- and eighth-grade players at a game, police said.
Erick Marrero, 33, was charged with assault for his role in the Oct. 7 brawl and was later released, authorities told The Record of Bergen County.
Marrero was charged under a 2002 state law that imposes stiffer penalties against those who commit assault at town-sponsored sporting events where children younger than age 16 are present.
If convicted, Marrero faces up to 11/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Tennis
Sharapova makes final
Maria Sharapova kept alive her chance to finish the year ranked No. 1, beating Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 7-6 (3), 6-2 despite an aching foot to reach the Zurich Open final in Zurich, Switzerland.
The second-seeded Russian will play for the title today against Daniela Hantuchova, who upset third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-2.
Sharapova, the U.S. Open champion, is ranked No. 2 behind Amelie Mauresmo, who withdrew from the tournament with a shoulder injury.
“Roger Federer moved a step closer to his 10th title of the year, routing David Nalbandian 6-4, 6-0 in the semifinals of the Madrid Masters in Madrid, Spain.
The top-ranked Swiss will play for the title today against 10th-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile.
Miscellany
German wins Ironman
Germany’s Normann Stadler won his second Ironman Triathlon title in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
The 33-year-old Stadler finished the 140.6-mile endurance test in 8 hours, 11 minutes, 56 seconds.
Michellie Jones of Australia, who was second last year, won the women’s race in 9:18:31. Stadler and Jones each received $110,000 for their wins.
“Maxi Baier, who at age 15 won the 1936 Olympic pairs figure skating title, has died. She was 86.
Germany’s youngest Winter Olympics champion died Friday in a retirement home in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, after a lingering illness, said her daughter.
“Olympic champion Chad Hedrick won at 5,000 meters and Maria Lamb captured the 3,000 in the fall World Cup qualifier for the U.S. speedskating team.
Hedrick easily won in 6 minutes, 43.08 seconds at the Pettit National Ice Center in West Allis, Wis.
Hedrick has already qualified for the World Cup team.
In the only other event, Lamb won the women’s 3,000 in 4:22.49.
After the women’s 5,000 and men’s 10,000 today, U.S. coaches will make their final selections for the team. “China won two more gold medals at the gymnastics world championships in Aarhus, Denmark, to close the meet with eight.
That’s more than half the 14 golds awarded over nine days in Denmark – a record, and a staggering display of dominance for the upcoming host of the Olympics.
American Jana Bieger came through with her second silver medal, adding one on floor to her second place in the all-around.