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Atlanta coach, Washington players fined

NEW YORK, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Atlanta Falcons Coach Mike Smith was fined $15,000 by the NFL for his part in a sideline incident during the Falcons' game last weekend with Washington.

A report on NFL.com said Redskins players Albert Haynesworth and LaRon Landry also were fined for the incident. NFL officials handed down the penalties Thursday.

A sideline scuffle started during Sunday's game when Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan was running out of bounds and was hit late by Landry. Smith and Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall became involved in the confusion that ensued. Hall said the coach was being aggressive, while Smith said he was trying to keep players apart.

Smith was fined $15,000 and Haynesworth was fined $7,500 for entering the Atlanta bench area. Landry's $5,000 fine was for the initial late hit. Hall wasn't fined.

Atlanta defeated the Redskins 31-17.

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New Orleans Hornets fire Coach Byron Scott

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The New Orleans Hornets announced the firing of head coach Byron Scott after the team's disappointing 3-6 start.

The record included a 124-104 loss Wednesday at Phoenix, a contest in which they trailed by as many as 29 points in the fourth period.

"I hate losing more than I like winning," star guard Chris Paul recently told the Times Picayune newspaper.

Scott, a solid shooting guard with the Los Angeles Lakers in his playing career, was the Hornets' coach the last five seasons, including at Oklahoma City.

Last season, they compiled a 56-26 regular-season record, beat the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, then lost to San Antonio in seven games in the conference semifinals.

Multiple media reports Thursday said General Manager Jeff Bower will replace Scott, with former head coach Tim Floyd an assistant coach.

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Woods leads Masters in Australia

MELBOURNE, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods, making his first golf appearance in Australia in 11 years, shot 6-under-par 66 Thursday and shares the first-round lead at the JBWere Masters.

Woods missed out on owning the outright lead when he bogeyed his final hole Thursday but is still in first along with Branden Grace and James Nitties. Doug Holloway and Cameron Percy were one stroke back at 67 while Greg Chalmers, Mathew Goggin and Peter Nolan were tied for sixth at 4-under 68.

Woods hadn't played in a tournament in Australia since 1998. He started on the back nine of the Kingston Heath Golf Club with birdies at Nos. 12 and 14 allowing him to make the turn at 2-under.

He started his second nine with a birdie at the course's first hole and got to 4-under with a birdie at No. 4. He added consecutive birdies at Nos. 6-8 before getting a 5 at the par-4 ninth hole after his tee shot landed near a tree and he had to punch out.

Grace had a string of four consecutive birdies in his round, which ended with eight birdies and two bogeys, while Nitties was bogey free, adding an eagle 3 at No. 14 to four birdies on the day.

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Report: Three UT players arrested

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Three freshman University of Tennessee football players were arrested in Knoxville early Thursday and charged with attempted armed robbery, police said.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported the 18-year-old suspects are Janzen Jackson of Lake Charles, La., Mike Edwards of Cleveland and Nu'Keese Richardson of Pahokee, Fla. A woman with the trio, Marie Montmarquet, 22, also was arrested, the newspaper said.

Three youths allegedly were sitting in a vehicle at a convenience store when one man in a black hoodie opened the driver's side door and, with a handgun, demanded money, the newspaper said.

Another man dressed in similar clothing then allegedly opened the passenger side door and made the same demand.

The victims told police they showed the two men empty wallets and a third man told the other two they had to leave the scene.

Police said they located the car with a woman driving the suspects and an air-powered pellet gun was found.

"Any decisions or comments regarding their status will not be made until (our) evaluations are complete," said Athletic Director Mike Hamilton in a statement.