Chargers fire Coach Marty Schottenheimer
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- San Diego fired Coach Marty Schottenheimer on Monday even though the Chargers had an NFL-best 14-2 record in the regular season.
The Chargers' 24-21 home loss to the New England Patriots in the playoffs, combined with a strained relationship between Schottenheimer and General Manager A.J. Smith, led to the ousting of the head coach.
The move comes less than a month after Schottenheimer turned down a one-year extension for 2008 but agreed to stay with the team through the 2007 season. Schottenheimer reportedly decided against accepting a one-year, $4.5 million contract for the 2008 season.
"When I decided to move ahead with Marty Schottenheimer in mid-January, I did so with the expectation that the core of his fine coaching staff would remain intact," Chargers President Dean Spanos said..
"Unfortunately, that did not prove to be the case, and the process of dealing with these coaching changes convinced me that we simply could not move forward with such dysfunction between our head coach and general manager," Spanos continued.
Miami coach returning after All-Star Game
MIAMI, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley will return from his leave of absence after the All-Star break, a report says.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Monday that Riley will return to the bench for the Heat's first game back from the All-Star break. The newspaper also said it is expected Riley will begin running practices as early as next Monday.
Riley stepped aside from his duties on Jan. 3 because of health issues. He was suffering from knee and hip conditions, both of which required surgery.
Assistant Ron Rothstein took over on the bench. Miami has been 12-9 since. The Heat were 13-17 under Riley this season.
The team plays one more game before the All-Star break -- Tuesday night against Portland.
Riley won four championships as the head coach of the L.A. Lakers (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) and led the Heat to the title in 2006.
Former French Open champ ousted in Brazil
COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Former French Open champion Gaston Gaudio of Argentina was among Monday's first-round losers at the Brazil Open.
Italian Potito Starace defeated the fifth-seeded Gaudio 6-4, 6-3. Gaudio won the French Open in 2004.
Sixth-seeded Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela posted a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Spaniard Alberto Martin. Martin was last year's runner-up to Chilean Nicolas Massu, who is not defending his title this week.
Martin also played in the 2005 final, losing to Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
Schnyder, Safina win Antwerp openers
ANTWERP, Belgium, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Fifth-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder and sixth-seeded Russian Dinara Safina were among Monday's first-round winners at the Proximus Diamond Games.
Schnyder defeated Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-4, 6-1, and Safina beat fellow Russian Elena Vesnina 6-4, 6-1.
In other Monday play, seventh-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze beat Greek Eleni Daniilidou 6-4, 6-2 and Dutchwoman Michaella Krajicek defeated German Martina Muller 6-3, 6-2.
This week's top seeds are Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo, Belgian favorite Kim Clijsters and last week's Paris winner Nadia Petrova, all with first-round byes.
