Gossage, Rice top Hall of Fame ballot
NEW YORK, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Rich "Goose" Gossage, an overpowering closer for 22 seasons, tops the list of players considered for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008.
The list of players up for induction was released Monday.
Gossage, who retired in 1994 with a 124-107 record and 310 saves, was just 21 votes short of the number needed to win a place in the hall last year.
Also on this year's ballot is longtime Boston slugger Jim Rice, who was 63 votes short last year.
A player must be named on 75 percent of the ballots sent to 575 longtime members of the Baseball Writers Association of America to be elected to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
This year's list of 25 names, including 11 on the ballot for the first time, is one of the shortest in the history of the process. A player is eligible for inclusion five years after he retires from baseball.
In addition to Gossage and Rice, the players on the 2008 ballot are: Brady Anderson, Harold Baines, Rod Beck, Bert Blyleven, Dave Concepcion, Andre Dawson, Shawon Dunston, Chuck Finley, Travis Fryman, Tommy John, David Justice, Chuck Knoblauch, Don Mattingly, Mark McGwire, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Robb Nen, Dave Parker, Tim Raines, Jose Rijo, Lee Smith, Todd Stottlemyre and Alan Trammell.
Hall of Fame voting results are to be announced Jan. 8.
Sean Taylor hospitalized for gunshot wound
MIAMI, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor was in critical condition after being shot by an intruder Monday in his Miami home, a family friend said.
Richard Sharpstein, Taylor's lawyer and family friend, said at least one armed intruder broke into Taylor's house. He was shot in the groin and critically wounded when he went to investigate a noise outside the bedroom door where Taylor, his girlfriend and their child were sleeping, the Miami Herald reported.
Sharpstein said the 24-year-old Taylor, who lost a lot of blood from the injury, was in a Miami hospital's intensive care unit after spending about two hours in surgery.
Police records indicate Monday's break-in at Taylor's house was the second in the last eight days, the Herald reported. Earlier, a burglar broke into Taylor's house, rifled through his things and left a knife on a bed.
Taylor, the fifth player taken overall in the 2004 draft, is in his fourth season with the Redskins. A safety with a standout career at the University of Miami, he leads the team with five interceptions but missed the last two games with a knee injury.
Redskins management and players traveled to Miami to support Taylor's family.
James, Parker take NBA weekly honors
NEW YORK, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Cleveland's LeBron James and San Antonio's Tony Parker were selected the NBA players of the week, the league said Monday.
James earned the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week Award after compiling a league-best 36.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists in the Cavaliers' 3-1 week. He had at least 30 points in each of the four games and had triple-doubles on consecutive days. It was the first time since April 2004 that feat had been accomplished.
Parker's Spurs were 4-0 last week as he averaged 26.5 points, 3 rebounds and 8.3 assists. He popped in a season-high 32 points against Orlando and twice had nine assists in a game in claiming the Western Conference player award.
Other nominees for players of the week were Dallas' Devin Harris, Golden State's Baron Davis, Indiana's Jamaal Tinsley, Milwaukee's Michael Redd, New Jersey's Richard Jefferson, Orlando's Dwight Howard, Phoenix's Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, Toronto's Chris Bosh and Washington's Antawn Jamison.
Roof out as Duke football coach
DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Ted Roof, who won just six games over more than four years as the Duke football coach, was fired Monday.
Roof's overall record at Duke was 6-45.
He took over the program seven games into the 2003 season, going 2-3 the rest of that year. But the Blue Devils were 2-9 in 2004, 1-10 in 2005, 0-12 last year and just completed a 1-11 season. They were a combined 0-24 in ACC play the last three seasons.
Duke Athletic Director Joe Alleva praised Roof's integrity and class but, "after our annual evaluation of the program, I believe that we need to make a change based on the results we were seeing on the field each week."
Alleva added, "We must win in football at Duke while maintaining our deepest commitment to the educational values of the institution."
Briere tops NHL player of the week list
NEW YORK, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Philadelphia center Daniel Briere, who led the league with eight points last week, was selected to top the list of three NHL players of the week.
Also honored Monday by the NHL were Phoenix goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov and Dallas goaltender Mike Smith.
Briere had five goals and three assists, with two of the goals being game-winners for the Flyers. He opened the week with his first hat trick as a member of the Flyers, piling up three goals and an assist against Carolina. He added a power-play goal against Washington and had a goal and two assists against Ottawa. He leads Atlanta Division-leading Philadelphia with 28 points on the season.
Bryzgalov won all three of his games last week and had a goals-against average of 1.62 to help the Coyotes move over the .500 mark. Twice he allowed just one goal in a game.
Smith also posted three victories last week as Dallas moved to the top of the Pacific Division. He had a 1.00 goals against average after opening the week with a shutout of Los Angeles.
