Stern issues ultimatum on stalled talks
NEW YORK, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- NBA Commissioner David Stern laid down an ultimatum Sunday giving locked-out players three days to accept the league's current revenue-sharing offer.
Stern, emerging early Sunday morning after an all-day meeting with representatives of the NBA Players Association in New York, told reporters negotiations took a big step backwards after the union rejected a proposal crafted by a federal mediator.
He said mediator George Cohen had recommended that players be awarded a percentage of league revenues in a "band" between 49 and 51 percent as well as more stringent restrictions on wealthier teams paying "luxury taxes."
"We would be amenable to making a deal on that basis until Wednesday at the close of business," Stern said.
After that, he said, the offer will be pulled off the table and the league will fall back on an earlier rejected offer of only 47 percent of revenue for the players and a "hard" salary cap.
"Today is another sad day for our fans," union President Derek Fisher said in a statement. "We've been given an ultimatum and our answer is that's not acceptable to us."
Mutai wins NYC Marathon with record time
NEW YORK, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai posted a course record Sunday, capturing the men's title at the New York City Marathon.
Meanwhile, three-time Rome Marathon champion Firehiwote Dado of Ethiopia claimed the women's championship.
Mutai duplicated his feat at this year's Boston Marathon, where he also set a course record. He logged in Sunday at 2 hours, 5 minutes, 6 seconds, bettering the 2001 record of Tesfaye Jifar by nearly 2 minutes.
Mutai finished April's Boston Marathon in 2:03:02.
Finishing second for the second straight year was fellow Kenyan Emmaunel Mutai (no relation), clocking in at 2:06:28.
On the women's side, Dado overtook Ethiopian Buzunesh Deba to finish with a time of 2:23:15 in her first New York Marathon.
New York resident Deba finished with a time of 2:23:19.
SEC accepts Missouri as 14th member
COLUMBIA, Mo., Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Missouri has been officially accepted as the newest member of the Southeastern Conference starting next fall, SEC officials announced Sunday.
Missouri will join Texas A&M as the first new members of the SEC since 1991 and will increase its membership to 14 schools.
SEC board president Bernie Machen said in a written statement that Mizzou was SEC material because it was a "prestigious academic institution with a strong athletic tradition and a culture similar to our current institutions."
Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton added, "SEC will provide our student-athletes with top flight competition and unparalleled visibility."
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said Sunday the Tigers would probably be placed in the SEC East along with Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. They would also be scheduled against A&M annually, which would presumably help with Mizzou's recruiting in the Lone Star State.
The newspaper said Missouri's exit from the Big 12 may not necessarily be a clean break. There will be exit fee to pay, and if the Big 12 is unable to add the Big East's West Virginia in a timely manner, the conference will have only nine teams next season, one fewer than the number needed to guarantee television contracts.
Arrest warrant out for Terrell Owens
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Terrell Owens has a new lawyer who will clear up a California arrest warrant issued after the football player allegedly missed a court appearance, his representative said.
The former star wide receiver thought he had rescheduled the Oct. 24 child-support hearing so he could attend an NFL workout; however the Contra Costa County court apparently thought differently and issued a warrant for his arrest.
Spokeswoman Diana Bianchini said Owens was "deeply upset that anyone would misconstrue his non-appearance in court."
Bianchini said Owens, who is attempting to catch on with a new team, has no current income. He had asked the court to restructure his child-support obligations, which had been based on the $11 million he made in 2007 with the Dallas Cowboys.
"In addition to this, his attorneys have just filed a lawsuit on his behalf for $2 million in a case where advisers who had access to his accounts were seriously mishandling funds," Bianchini said.
