Fast Break
College basketball
Indiana, Sampson part ways
Indiana University spokesman Larry MacIntyre said Friday the school has agreed to a $750,000 buyout with basketball coach Kelvin Sampson.
Assistant Dan Dakich takes over as the Hoosiers’ interim head coach. Senior captain D.J. White, Armon Bassett, Jordan Crawford, Jamarcus Ellis, DeAndre Thomas and Brandon McGee skipped Dakich’s first practice.
College basketball
Gonzaga, KHQ extend contract
Gonzaga University men’s basketball will continue to be aired on KHQ and FSN Northwest through the 2009-10 season, according to a contract extension announced by Gonzaga.
The original four-year contract was announced prior to the 2004-05 season with an option for two two-year extensions. The new contract exercises one of those two-year options with another two-year option still in place.
All Gonzaga men’s basketball games not televised by another entity will be shown throughout the Pacific Northwest on KHQ in Spokane and on FSN, which includes the five-state region of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.
The current season is the fourth consecutive one in which Gonzaga has had every men’s game televised. Gonzaga had 30 of 31 games televised in 2004.
Auto racing
IRL, Champ Car finally unite
After 12 seasons of rivalry which confused fans and nearly buried the sport, the Champ Car World Series has accepted an agreement to cease operations, giving the surviving Indy Racing League the opportunity to attempt to rebuild open-wheel’s lost prestige.
The unification deal, which has been in the works for about two weeks, was announced in Indianapolis, where both series have their headquarters.
At least six Champ Car teams, with up to 10 cars, were believed ready to make the move in time to race in the IRL’s season-opener March 29 at Homestead, Fla. That could give the IRL’s IndyCar Series a field of up to 26 cars.
The agreement is also expected to add up to three Champ Car events to the IRL’s original 16-race schedule for 2008.
That could include the races at Long Beach, Calif., Surfers Paradise in Australia and Edmonton, Canada.