Timberwolves finally fire coach Rambis
Basketball: The longer the Kurt Rambis saga dragged on, the bigger the mess got for president of basketball operations David Kahn and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The organization endured a torrent of criticism nationally for allowing Rambis to twist in the wind, tarnishing the team’s image across the league while many accomplished candidates took other jobs as Kahn mulled the decision.
The long-expected firing finally was officially announced Tuesday, ending more than three months of uncertainty and awkwardness surrounding the head coach of the worst team in the NBA last season.
“People can argue about this should have happened and that should’ve happened, but I think collectively we felt that we were doing the right thing in terms of the way we approached it,” Kahn said. “But I also recognize it took a long time. That’s on me. And I realize that it can look more convoluted and complicated than maybe it really is, and that’s on me. And to that extent I feel badly about that, too, and I apologize for that.”
Kahn hired Rambis in 2009 to turn around one of the league’s struggling franchises. But Rambis went 32-132 in his two seasons, including a league-worst 17-65 in his second year on the job.
The unusual sequence of events began at season’s end, with Kahn holding his own press conference hours before the season finale on April 13 to say that he would take his time to make a decision on Rambis’ future. The eventful summer also included Kahn asking Rambis to write a report on what he would change if he returned for a third season and offering a position in the front office if Rambis would step down as coach.
• NBA players will receive escrow money: Two people with knowledge of the situation say locked-out NBA players will have their escrow money returned to them for the first time because salaries fell below 57 percent of league revenues last season.
The players will get about $160 million back when a final audit of league revenues is completed later this month.
• Bobcats, Pistons start cutting staff: With the NBA lockout less than two weeks old, at least two NBA teams have begun cutting staff. One of the first to resort to layoffs: Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Bobcats.
Radio play-by-play announcer Scott Lauer was one of at least seven employees let go by the Bobcats in the past week.
A person familiar with the situation says the Detroit Pistons fired 15 people two weeks ago. The person, who wasn’t authorized to speak about the team’s moves, spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
• Bryant’s father wins in return with Sparks: Ticha Penicheiro scored 18 points to help Joe Bryant win his debut as coach of Los Angeles in the Sparks’ 84-74 victory over the San Antonio Silver Stars in San Antonio.
Bryant, Kobe’s father, took over as coach of the Sparks on Sunday after Jennifer Gillom was fired.
This is Bryant’s second stint as coach of the Sparks.
Females dominate jury in Clemens trial
Baseball: An overwhelmingly female jury with little interest in baseball will decide whether former pitching star Roger Clemens lied to Congress when he said he never used performance-enhancing drugs.
The jurors who took their seats include a woman whose cousin, former outfielder Al Bumbry, was a coach for the Boston Red Sox when Clemens played for the team, although she didn’t know about the connection to the defendant. Another woman on the jury said she believes Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was “done wrong” in his criminal conviction in connection with dogfighting.
The jury took shape after four days of questioning by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton and lawyers for both sides. Opening arguments are scheduled for today in Washington.
NFL lockout threatens camps
NFL: Some NFL training camps open at the end of next week, and the sides have not finished a deal on a new labor agreement.
They are closer, with several key issues – particularly how to split more than $9 billion in revenues – just about settled.
But there is serious doubt that a disruption to the preseason can be avoided.
Without a collective bargaining agreement in place soon, many teams will need to delay training camp.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions, however, will go on as scheduled on Aug. 6.
Golf: Chris Williams of Moscow, Idaho, shot a 2-under-par 70 and finished in third place at 6-under 138 at the PNGA Men’s Amateur Championship at Tetherow Golf Club in Bend, Ore.