In brief: Commissioners insist legislation not needed

David Stern was not about to back down.

Summoned again to Capitol Hill to discuss whether Congress should get into the business of legislating drug testing in the major professional sports leagues, the NBA commissioner took exception to lawmakers’ remarks and stood up for his colleagues from the NFL, NHL and major league baseball.

“This is an area where federal legislation is not necessary,” Stern told the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.

There were no players at Wednesday’s hearing. Instead, the commissioners sat side by side with their sport’s union chiefs: Bud Selig was inches away from Donald Fehr; Stern was next to Billy Hunter. Then there was the NFL’s Roger Goodell and Gene Upshaw, and the NHL’s Gary Bettman and Paul Kelly.

All tried to persuade skeptical lawmakers that their respective leagues had taken steps to thwart steroids use and were anxiously awaiting a dependable way to detect human growth hormone, preferably through a urine test and not a blood test.

“An effective blood test for detecting human growth hormone will be in place for the Beijing Olympics, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency said.

Football

Steelers’ legend dies

Myron Cope spoke in a language and with a voice never before heard in a broadcast booth, yet a loving Pittsburgh understood him perfectly during an unprecedented 35 years as a Steelers announcer.

The screechy-voiced Cope, a writer by trade and an announcer by accident whose colorful catch phrases and twirling Terrible Towel became nationally known symbols of the Steelers, died at age 79.

Cope died at a nursing home in a Pittsburgh suburb.Cope had been treated for respiratory problems and heart failure in recent months.

“David Carr, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft, was released by Carolina, the same day the Panthers brought back Muhsin Muhammad for a second stint with the team.

“Former University of Idaho quarterback, Doug Nussmeier was hired by Fresno State to be the team’s fourth offensive coordinator in four seasons.

“Linebacker Rob Morris and defensive tackle Anthony McFarland were released by Indianapolis.

Miscellany

Jones’ agent sentenced

Marion Jones’ longtime agent was sentenced to six months of home detention for a minor role in a bank fraud that resulted in a six month prison sentence for the Jones.

Charles Wells also was fined $7,500 for bank fraud by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas in Manhattan after pleading guilty to the charge last March.

“Adam Rippon won the short program at the Junior World Figure Skating Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. Rippon’s score of 69.35 points gave him a three-point lead over Russia’s Artem Borodulin (66.16).

Also, Russia’s Ksenia Krasilnikova and Konstantin Bezmaternykh won the pairs title after finishing third the last two years.