7-year deal for Kent State's Jim Christian
KENT, Ohio, April 12 (UPI) -- Kent State University announced Wednesday that men's head basketball coach Jim Christian has signed a new seven-year contract with the school.
The deal will keep the 2006 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year at Kent State through the 2012-13 season.
"Jim Christian is one of the most respected basketball coaches in the country and I am so pleased to have Jim signed at Kent State through 2013," Kent State director of athletics Laing Kennedy said. "He represents the quality, energy and enthusiasm that has led Kent State to be the pre-eminent program in the MAC and one of the most successful Division I programs in the country."
Christian led the Golden Flashes to a 22-8 regular-season record last season, including a 15-3 mark in the MAC, and KSU won the MAC Tournament title for the fourth time in the last eight years.
In his four years at KSU, Christian's teams are 89-40 and have won at least 20 games each season.
Verdasco among winners at Valencia
VALENCIA, Spain, April 12 (UPI) -- Former champion Fernando Verdasco of Spain Wednesday was among the second-round winners at the clay-court Valencia Open.
The local favorite and sixth seed from Madrid beat Potito Starace of Italy, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).
Also winning Wednesday were Andreas Seppi of Italy, Gilles Simon of France and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain.
In Thursday's quarterfinals, Gaston Gaudio of Argentina meets Florian Mayer of Germany; former world No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion Marat Safin of Russia faces Boris Pashanski of Serbia; Seppi plays Simon, who was a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, winner over Davide Sanguinetti of Italy; and Garcia-Lopez will play Verdasco.
The winner of the tournament will collect $46,700.
Jeff Feagles decides not to retire
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., April 12 (UPI) -- Veteran punter Jeff Feagles of the New York Giants announced Wednesday he will return next fall for his 19th NFL season.
After a discussion with his family, the 40-year-old Feagles decided against retirement.
"That was important to me after so many years of working so hard to establish myself in the NFL. I still think that I have a lot of years left for me to play," Feagles said on the Giants' Web site. "However, my family is more important to me than that. And at the time we felt this was the right thing for our family."
Feagles ranks first all-time in the NFL with 1,437 punts -- with 456 of them being downed inside the 20-yard line.
In 2005, he punted 73 times, and had a 42.1-yard gross average with a net-average of 37-yards.
"I couldn't let him retire before me," said Giants General Manager Ernie Accorsi, who is in his mid-60s.
Ex-Red Wing McCarty files for bankruptcy
DETROIT, April 12 (UPI) -- Former Detroit Red Wings star Darren McCarty has filed for bankruptcy in a Michigan federal court.
The 34-year-old, who currently plays for the Calgary Flames, listed $1.9 million in assets and $6.2 million in debt, the Detroit Free Press reports.
McCarty's creditors include casinos in Detroit and Las Vegas, banks and credit card companies, among others.
His income was listed in court records as $2.1 million in 2003, dropping to $1.5 million in 2004 and just $193,959 in 2005.
The significantly lower income in 2005 -- and the bankruptcy -- is attributed to the NHL players lockout that season.
McCarty's attorney, Marty Fried, said McCarty makes about $850,000 per year now.
When the Red Wings bought out his contract in July for $538,729, 75 percent went to his ex-wife.
McCarty's money problems are believed to have no affect on the McCarty Cancer Foundation, which McCarty established in 1997 in honor of his father Craig, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1995.
Craig McCarty died in 1999.
Gay Games wins final rowing event OK
CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill., April 12 (UPI) -- This summer's Gay Games in Chicago has cleared the final hurdle to having a rowing contest on Crystal Lake about 50 miles northwest of the Windy City.
On a 3-1 vote Tuesday, the Lakewood, Ill., Village Board approved the request that included a no-wake rule during the rowing event, the Chicago Tribune reported.
"This board does not consider this a moral issue," said Lakewood Village President Julie Richardson.
The request was the last obstacle to the rowing contest -- one of numerous competitions in and around Chicago as part of the Gay Games of Chicago.
"We're very excited to be coming out here," Gay Games Sports Director Nancy Harris told the newspaper. "It's a wonderful venue."
While earlier protests caused the Crystal Lake, Ill., Park District board to initially reject being a host for the Gay Games event, a subsequent vote approved it. The Crystal Lake, Ill., Village Board later added its approval.
