NHL cancels draft in Ottawa
NEW YORK, March 24 (UPI) -- The National Hockey League announced Thursday it has canceled its 2005 draft because of the contract dispute that knocked out the entire season.
The draft had been scheduled June 25-26 at the Corel Centre in Ottawa.
"In the absence of a collective bargaining agreement, we are not able to conduct an entry draft in the traditional sense on the dates scheduled," said Bill Daly, the league's exeutive vice president and chief legal officer.
If the labor dispute is resolved, it is possible a draft could be conducted by a conference call or special meeting.
The NHL canceled the entire 2004-25 season because negotiators for the league and players union were unable to work out a new collective bargaining agreement.
The old contract expired in September and players were locked out, nearly 400 of them joining teams in Europe.
"We apologize to the fans who had planned to attend this great event or participate in draft parties both at their local NHL arenas and elsewhere," Daly said.
Saints' Haslett says he once used steroids
PITTSBURGH, March 24 (UPI) -- New Orleans Saints Coach Jim Haslett says he took steroids for a while when he played in the NFL, it was reported Thursday.
Haslett estimated that half the NFL players of the 1980s used steroids before they were banned by the league, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
The comments were made Wednesday in Kapalua, Hawaii, where the NFL meetings were held this week, the newspaper said.
Haslett, who was an all-star linebacker, said he tried steroids during one off-season after he was drafted by Buffalo in 1979 and then stopped using them.
Players "wanted an advantage, so you tried it; I tried it. I mean, I tried it, everybody tried it," Haslett was quoted as saying.
"I didn't think it was very good for you. I was hyper all the time. Got bloated, a fat face."
Haslett said steroid use began with Pittsburgh Steelers players in the 1970s.
"This is totally, totally false when he says it started with the Steelers in the '70s," said Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh team.
David Beckham thinks of leaving Spain
MADRID, March 24 (UPI) -- British soccer legend David Beckham says harassment of his children by paparazzi may drive him and his family from Spain.
Beckham, who plays for Real Madrid, said in the last two weeks several celebrity photographers frightened his 6-year-old son, Brooklyn, who had to flee into a school for refuge, the Telegraph reported Thursday.
"I love Spain as a country, the fans are incredible and have been to me since I moved there," he said.
"But what I do get there I've not had anywhere else before, apart from America once.
"Victoria has always accepted we're in the limelight and people are going to want to take pictures of us. It happens wherever I go, whether to a supermarket, restaurant or anywhere. But when it comes to our children being out on their own or at school, that's crossing the line."
Hoey, Atwal clubhouse leaders in Jakarta
JAKARTA, March 24 (UPI) -- Michael Hoey and Arjun Atwal shared the clubhouse lead Thursday in the Indonesian Open's first round, which was incomplete because of lightning.
Hoey, of Northern Ireland, and Atwal, of India, shot 8-under-par 62s.
Englishman Matthew Cort and South African Chris Williams trailed the two clubhouse leaders by a stroke at 63 and five others were at 64.
Lightning delayed play for more than two hours and the round was suspended with 57 golfers on the course. They will complete the first round Friday.
The tournament is part of the European Tour international schedule.
