Fast Break
World Series
Giuliani feels Yankee scorn
You knew politicians would do almost anything to get elected. But did you expect them to sell their souls for the baseball vote?
Of course you did. But it was still a shock when Rudy Giuliani announced he’s pulling for the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.
“I’m an American League fan,” he said. “And I go with the American League team.”
That from the man called the Yankees’ No. 1 fan. All Yankees fans, however, know that you never root for the Red Sox.
“Yankee Flipper,” was the headline in Wednesday’s New York Daily News.
“Red Coat,” blared the front page of the New York Post.
College basketball
WSU freshman ruled ineligible
Washington State freshman Fabian Boeke, a 6-foot-11 center from Kummerfeld, Germany, is ineligible to compete for the Cougars this season pending WSU’s appeal to the NCAA.
The NCAA’s Amateurism Certification program, in its first year of existence, ruled Boeke and Iowa State’s Lucca Staiger were ineligible because their German club team, Ehingen, had two players paid in excess of NCAA-determined actual and necessary expenses. The club is affiliated with Urspring Basketball Academy, the players’ high school.
“This is an unfortunate situation because Fabian paid his way to go to high school and competed on the club team affiliated with his school,” WSU head coach Tony Bennett said in a media release. “To Fabian’s knowledge, and ours, he was competing on a team that would not jeopardize his amateur status. We will do everything we can to have Fabian’s eligibility restored.”
The Cougars will hold a preseason scrimmage at noon today in Bohler Gym. The scrimmage was originally scheduled for Beasley Coliseum but moved because of electrical issues.
NFL
Chargers game still at Qualcomm
Chased from their homes and practice fields by deadly wildfires, the San Diego Chargers will return home to play the Houston Texans at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday as scheduled.
The game’s date and time had been in doubt because Qualcomm has been used as a major evacuation center during the wildfires that swept San Diego County.
Some 46 players, coaches and staff members had to evacuate their suburban homes starting early Monday morning. Among them were LaDainian Tomlinson, Philip Rivers, Shawne Merriman, coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith.
The team canceled practice Monday, then flew to Phoenix on Tuesday night for three days of practice at the Arizona Cardinals’ headquarters.
The Chargers were scheduled to practice there Friday afternoon.