Rams name Scott Linehan coach
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The St. Louis Rams Thursday named Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Scott Linehan their new head coach.
He will be introduced to the media at a news conference on Friday.
Linehan, 42, had emerged as the leading candidate to replace Mike Martz, who was forced to step down early in 2005 because of health problems. Linebackers coach Joe Vitt served as the Rams' interim head coach for the season's last 11 games.
Linehan, the man wanted by Rams' president John Shaw, was hired after being approved by St. Louis owner and chairman Georgia Frontiere during a meeting on Wednesday night. Before going to the Dolphins, Linehan was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Minnesota Vikings from 2002-2004.
In 2003, Minnesota's offensive unit ranked No. 1 overall in the NFL. This past season, Linehan helped the Dolphins to a 9-7 record and significantly upgraded an offense that had ranked among the league's worst in 2004.
Theo Epstein returning to Red Sox
BOSTON, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Former Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein is returning to the organization.
In a statement released jointly by principal owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner and president/CEO Larry Lucchino, there was no mention about what job Epstein will hold. He was GM during the Red Sox World Series season in 2004 and did not sign a three-year contract extension offer on Oct. 31.
"We have engaged in healthy, spirited debates about what it will take over the long term for the Red Sox to remain a great organization and, in fact, become a more effective organization in philosophy, approaches and ideals. Theo will return to the Red Sox in a full-time baseball operations capacity, details of which will be announced next week," the statement said.
Since Epstein's departure, Boston has hired Jed Hoyer and Ben Cherington as co-general managers. They are associates of Epstein.
NBA suspends Antonio Davis five games
NEW YORK, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Antonio Davis of New York Thursday received a five-game suspension for an incident Wednesday night during the Knicks-Chicago game.
Late in overtime, the veteran forward and the president of the NBA Player's Association went into the stands when he felt his wife was being harassed by a fan who he thought was intoxicated.
"We have made it plain to our players and our fans that players may not enter the spectator stands, no matter the provocation, and the violations of this policy will be treated with the utmost seriousness," said NBA Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations Stu Jackson. "We have concluded, however, that Antonio's actions were the result of his belief that his family members required his immediate assistance, and have taken those mitigating circumstances into account in setting the length of the suspension."
No punches were thrown.
The fan said Thursday he was not drunk and will sue Davis for $1 million.
NBA fines John Paxson
NEW YORK, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Chicago Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson Thursday was fined $15,000 the NBA for verbal abuse of officials.
NBA senior vice president Stu Jackson said the incident occurred after the Bulls' 97-94 loss to Denver on Monday, when Paxson complained about the disparity of foul shots between the two teams. The Nuggets took 31 foul shots in the game. Chicago took only 12.
Paxson had no immediate reaction to the fine.
Slutskaya wins another skating title
LYON, France, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Irina Slutskaya of Russia Thursday won a record seventh European Figure Skating Championships title at Lyon, France.
Slutskaya, 26 -- who was first in both the short program and free skate -- finished with 193.24 points, over 15 points better than countrywoman Elena Sokolova. Carolina Kostner of Italy was third, followed by Switzerland's Sarah Meier.
Slutskaya's seventh title broke a record she had shared with Sonja Henie or Katarina Witt.
"Katarina Witt was for me always the best skater, and I never thought that I'll beat her record," said Slutskaya, who competed in her 10th European Championships.
"I put my name into the history book, and I think that's good."
She heads into the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy, trying for her first Olympic gold medal. She was fifth at the 1998 Olympics and second to Sarah Hughes in 2002 in Salt Lake City.
Campbell takes the lead at the Chrysler
PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Chad Campbell has a four-stroke lead after two rounds of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic at Palm Springs, Calif.
At 15-under-par 129, Campbell, who shot 6-under 66 in round two, leads first-round leader Pat Perez (73) and John Senden (63), who are tied at 11-under 133. Perez shot a tournament record 60 in Wednesday's first round.
Olin Browne (69) and Steve Elkington (70) are 10-under 134. Sitting at 9-under 135 are Kevin Sutherland (67), Phil Mickelson (69) and Tom Pernice Jr. (70).
Mike Weir (69) leads a group of nine players at 8-under 136. Also in that group are Billy Andrade (68), D.A. Points (67), Richard S. Johnson (69), Joe Ogilvie (70), Scott Verplank (68), Joe Durant (65), Lee Janzen (65), John Huston (71) and Alex Cejka (67).
Six others -- including Rich Beem and Mark Calcavecchia -- are at 7-under 137.
The event is being played on three different courses.
