Billick fired as Ravens coach
BALTIMORE, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Brian Billick, who took the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl XXXV title and coached the team for nine seasons, has been fired.
The Ravens' Web site Monday included a schedule of a news conference with team owner Steve Bisciotti to announce the firing.
Baltimore was 5-11 this year, one season after going 13-3.
The Ravens ended this season with a 27-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday.
Billick coached the Ravens to an 80-64 mark, including a 12-4 record in 2000 -- his second year with the team -- that culminated in a Super Bowl win over the New York Giants. Baltimore has won just one playoff game since then.
Billick was the second coach in franchise history, replacing Ted Marchibroda, who coached the team for its first three seasons.
Safina takes first-round hard-court win
GOLD COAST, Australia, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Dinara Safina opened defense of her Australian Women's Hardcourts title by rallying Monday for a three-set victory.
Safina, seeded third, dropped her first set but was solid in the second and third sets in stopping Jarmila Gajdosova 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in her first match of the Australian Open tuneup.
Second-seeded Nadia Petrova was knocked out by Tathiana Garbin 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 and No. 8-seeded Agnes Szavay also dropped a three-set decision 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 to Yuliana Fedak.
Sixth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo, who won the 2007 Australian Open, cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Olga Savchuk. Also winning was fourth-seeded Patty Schnyder, who defeated Alisa Kleybanova 6-1, 6-3.
Meghann Shaughnessy was ahead 6-0, 1-0 when she suffered a knee injury and was forced to withdraw against Francesca Schiavone.
The total purse for the Australia Women's Hardcourts $175,000. The tournament final scheduled for Saturday.
The Australian Open, the year's first Grand Slam event, is set for Jan. 14-27.
Parcells fires Dolphins general manager
MIAMI, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Miami Dolphins General Manager Randy Mueller was fired Monday, the first move by new team Vice President Bill Parcells.
Mueller had signed a two-year contract extension last summer. Parcells has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday with first-year Coach Cam Cameron.
The Dolphins completed a 1-15 season Sunday with a 38-25 loss to Cincinnati.
College scouting coordinator Rick Thompson and Assistant Director of Player Personnel Mike Baugh were also let go Monday, the Dolphins said in a release.
"We appreciate the contributions that Randy, Mike and Rick made to the organization and want to wish them well, both personally and professionally, in the future," said Dolphins President Bryan Wiedmeier.
Parcells was hired the week before Christmas to, in the words of Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga, "help put the Miami Dolphins franchise back among the elite of the NFL."
The Dolphins had a record of 16-32 since Mueller joined the team before the 2005 season. He had been the general manager of the New Orleans Saints for two seasons before joining the Miami team.
This year, the Dolphins lost their first 13 games before beating the Baltimore Ravens and then closing the schedule with losses to New England and Cincinnati.
Upsets mark Day One in Adelaide tournament
ADELAIDE, Australia, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Three seeded players, including No. 4 Gilles Simon, were ousted Monday in first-round play at the Next Generation Adelaide tennis tournament in Australia.
Simon dropped a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 decision to Michael Llodra while fifth-seeded Radek Stepanek was behind 7-6 (7-3), 4-3 when he retired because of a heel injury, allowing wild-card entrant Joseph Sirianni to advance.
Also, seventh-seeded Juan Martin del Potro was handled easily by Michael Russell 6-3, 6-3.
Also winning Monday were Mischa Zverev, Benjamin Becker and Sam Querrey.
Adelaide native Lleyton Hewitt, who has won this event twice, is this week's No. 1 seed. Novak Djokovic won the event last January but isn't playing at Adelaide this time.
Scottie Pippen looks to lead the Bulls
CHICAGO, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen says he wants to be the team's new coach.
"What's my disadvantage?" Pippen asked. "No NBA coaching experience? (Scott) Skiles's record with the Bulls wasn't that great. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to do what you've done your whole life. I've played basketball, run teams and won."
Jim Boylan is now the team's interim coach. Boylan took over after Skiles was fired Christmas Eve. Skiles' record with the team was 165-172.
Pippen, who resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., said he is the perfect man for the job, the Chicago Tribune reported.
"They didn't put me at point guard because I could dribble good. They put me there because I could run a team. I wasn't the best dribbler, the best shooter. I wasn't a point guard. But I knew how to run a team," Pippen said.
Pippen, whose NBA career included 11 seasons with the Bulls, said he doesn't see his lack of coaching experience as a problem.
"What experience do you need? You have assistants who have been there. If I made a mistake, I wouldn't be the first coach to make a mistake. I'd love the opportunity to be part of the organization now that Skiles is gone."
BALTIMORE, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Brian Billick, who took the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl XXXV title and coached the team for nine seasons, has been fired.
The Ravens' Web site Monday included a schedule of a news conference with team owner Steve Bisciotti to announce the firing.
Baltimore was 5-11 this year, one season after going 13-3.
The Ravens ended this season with a 27-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday.
Billick coached the Ravens to an 80-64 mark, including a 12-4 record in 2000 -- his second year with the team -- that culminated in a Super Bowl win over the New York Giants. Baltimore has won just one playoff game since then.
Billick was the second coach in franchise history, replacing Ted Marchibroda, who coached the team for its first three seasons.
Safina takes first-round hard-court win
GOLD COAST, Australia, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Dinara Safina opened defense of her Australian Women's Hardcourts title by rallying Monday for a three-set victory.
Safina, seeded third, dropped her first set but was solid in the second and third sets in stopping Jarmila Gajdosova 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in her first match of the Australian Open tuneup.
Second-seeded Nadia Petrova was knocked out by Tathiana Garbin 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 and No. 8-seeded Agnes Szavay also dropped a three-set decision 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 to Yuliana Fedak.
Sixth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo, who won the 2007 Australian Open, cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Olga Savchuk. Also winning was fourth-seeded Patty Schnyder, who defeated Alisa Kleybanova 6-1, 6-3.
Meghann Shaughnessy was ahead 6-0, 1-0 when she suffered a knee injury and was forced to withdraw against Francesca Schiavone.
The total purse for the Australia Women's Hardcourts $175,000. The tournament final scheduled for Saturday.
The Australian Open, the year's first Grand Slam event, is set for Jan. 14-27.
Parcells fires Dolphins general manager
MIAMI, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Miami Dolphins General Manager Randy Mueller was fired Monday, the first move by new team Vice President Bill Parcells.
Mueller had signed a two-year contract extension last summer. Parcells has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday with first-year Coach Cam Cameron.
The Dolphins completed a 1-15 season Sunday with a 38-25 loss to Cincinnati.
College scouting coordinator Rick Thompson and Assistant Director of Player Personnel Mike Baugh were also let go Monday, the Dolphins said in a release.
"We appreciate the contributions that Randy, Mike and Rick made to the organization and want to wish them well, both personally and professionally, in the future," said Dolphins President Bryan Wiedmeier.
Parcells was hired the week before Christmas to, in the words of Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga, "help put the Miami Dolphins franchise back among the elite of the NFL."
The Dolphins had a record of 16-32 since Mueller joined the team before the 2005 season. He had been the general manager of the New Orleans Saints for two seasons before joining the Miami team.
This year, the Dolphins lost their first 13 games before beating the Baltimore Ravens and then closing the schedule with losses to New England and Cincinnati.
Upsets mark Day One in Adelaide tournament
ADELAIDE, Australia, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Three seeded players, including No. 4 Gilles Simon, were ousted Monday in first-round play at the Next Generation Adelaide tennis tournament in Australia.
Simon dropped a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 decision to Michael Llodra while fifth-seeded Radek Stepanek was behind 7-6 (7-3), 4-3 when he retired because of a heel injury, allowing wild-card entrant Joseph Sirianni to advance.
Also, seventh-seeded Juan Martin del Potro was handled easily by Michael Russell 6-3, 6-3.
Also winning Monday were Mischa Zverev, Benjamin Becker and Sam Querrey.
Adelaide native Lleyton Hewitt, who has won this event twice, is this week's No. 1 seed. Novak Djokovic won the event last January but isn't playing at Adelaide this time.
Scottie Pippen looks to lead the Bulls
CHICAGO, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen says he wants to be the team's new coach.
"What's my disadvantage?" Pippen asked. "No NBA coaching experience? (Scott) Skiles's record with the Bulls wasn't that great. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to do what you've done your whole life. I've played basketball, run teams and won."
Jim Boylan is now the team's interim coach. Boylan took over after Skiles was fired Christmas Eve. Skiles' record with the team was 165-172.
Pippen, who resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., said he is the perfect man for the job, the Chicago Tribune reported.
"They didn't put me at point guard because I could dribble good. They put me there because I could run a team. I wasn't the best dribbler, the best shooter. I wasn't a point guard. But I knew how to run a team," Pippen said.
Pippen, whose NBA career included 11 seasons with the Bulls, said he doesn't see his lack of coaching experience as a problem.
"What experience do you need? You have assistants who have been there. If I made a mistake, I wouldn't be the first coach to make a mistake. I'd love the opportunity to be part of the organization now that Skiles is gone."
© 2007 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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