Fast Break

Football

Seattle lands Mora

Less than three weeks after being fired as coach of the Atlanta Falcons, Jim Mora was hired Sunday to be the Seattle Seahawks’ secondary coach.

Mora, the 45-year-old son of former NFL coach Jim Mora, went 26-22 in three seasons with the Falcons, but was fired Jan. 1 following another second-half collapse and off-field distractions that infuriated team owner Arthur Blank.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to add someone to the staff with the energy and passion that Jim brings to the game,” Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said in a statement. “He is a strong teacher and talented coach who will make us better.”

The secondary opening became available when Teryl Austin joined Ken Whisenhunt’s staff in Arizona.

See story, C7

Auto racing

Turner Sports bolsters NASCAR

Turner Sports is revving up for NASCAR this season, looking to draw fans who already have plenty of places to turn for racing information.

It is re-launching its Web site, NASCAR.com, and introducing online initiatives designed to enhance the interactive experience. That includes improvements to TrackPass, which allows fans to monitor a race from computers, and the introduction of a social networking area similar to MySpace.

The redesigned Web site launches Feb. 1.

Baseball

Former pitcher, coach dies

Vern Ruhle, a former major league pitcher and coach for several teams, died in Houston after a yearlong battle with cancer. He was 55.

Ruhle pitched for Detroit, Houston, Cleveland and the California Angels from 1974-86, going 67-88 with a 3.73 ERA. He was a pitching coach with Houston, Philadelphia and the New York Mets before joining the Reds organization in 2004.