Florida hires Ron Zook
GAINESVILLE, Fla., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley landed former Gator defensive coordinator Ron Zook Wednesday to succeed Steve Spurrier, the winningest coach in school history.
Zook was hired off the staff of the New Orleans Saints, where he was defensive coordinator. He held the same position with Florida from 1992-93.
Foley turned to Zook after he was spurned by Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, the Gators' defensive coordinator during their national championship season of 1996.
Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, who like Stoops and Zook is a good friend of Foley's, also turned down the Florida job.
"I feel about this hire exactly the way I did when I hired Billy Donovan," said Foley, referring to the basketball coach who took the Gators to the Final Four in 2000. "He has the same passionate commitment and love for the program. I'm firmly convinced of his abilities."
It took Florida just four days to find a successor for Spurrier, who resigned Friday to pursue a job in the NFL after a hugely successful, 12-year run in Gainesville.
In addition to winning a national title, the Gators won six Southeastern Conference titles while recording nine 10-win seasons under Spurrier.
Buddy Teevens becomes Stanford coach
PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Florida offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Buddy Teevens was hired Wednesday as the new coach of the Stanford Cardinal.
Terms of his contract were not disclosed.
Teevens replaces Tyrone Willingham, who stepped down last week to become coach at Notre Dame. Various reports indicated Teevens was a finalist along with Mike Riley, who last week was fired as coach of the NFL's San Diego Chargers.
The 45-year-old Teevens was hired as Dartmouth coach in 1987 by current Stanford Athletic Director Ted Leland.
A Massachusetts native, Teevens has spent the last three seasons at Florida after two years as offensive coordinator at Illinois.
Kansas wins 13th straight
LAWRENCE, Kan., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Nick Collison scored 20 points and Drew Gooden added 16 Wednesday night as third-ranked Kansas won its 13th straight game with a 96-57 pounding of Nebraska in the Big 12 Conference.
Kansas (13-1, 2-0 Big 12) has not lost since a season-opening defeat to Ball State in the Maui Invitational on Nov. 19. The Jayhawks are on their longest winning streak since a 14-game run from Jan. 24-March 13, 1998.
The Jayhawks scored 12 of the game's first 16 points, then embarked on a 16-2 run for a commanding 28-6 lead with 13:42 left in the first half. Kirk Hinrich capped the spurt with a three-pointer.
They continued to expand on the lead and extended to 46-17 on a follow shot by Collison with just under five minutes to go. Kansas took a 57-24 lead into the locker room behind Hinrich's 13 points.
Nebraska (7-6, 0-2) was led by John Robinson and Brennon Clemmons, who each scored 16 points. The Cornhuskers have lost six of seven following a 6-0 start.
Elsewhere in the top 10, No. 2 Florida survived a trip to Tennessee with a 104-100, overtime win; No. 4 Maryland crushed North Carolina, 112-79; No. 9 Kentucky fell to Georgia, 88-84; and No. 10 Illinois lost to Purdue, 84-75.
Kings complete New York sweep
NEW YORK, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Kings became the first team to beat all three New York-area teams in consecutive games, completing the sweep Wednesday night with a 4-0 blanking of the New York Rangers behind 34 saves from Jamie Storr.
Los Angeles' trip was punctuated Tuesday by a visit to ground zero. Kings director of pro scouting "Ace" Bailey and scout Mark Bavis were passengers on one of the flights that crashed into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.
Less than 24 hours later, the mood was considerably more upbeat as Storr recorded Los Angeles' first shutout at Madison Square Garden. He came up with a series of saves in the third period to protect a 2-0 lead before Ziggy Palffy and defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky scored 60 seconds apart in the final 3 1/2 minutes.
Mikko Eloranta and Steve Heinze had the other goals for the Kings, who followed Saturday's 3-0 blanking of the New York Islanders with a 3-2 triumph at New Jersey on Monday. Los Angeles has won four straight and is 10-2-3 in its last 15 games.
Mike Richter made 20 saves for the Rangers, whose five-game losing streak matches a season high.
Other NHL results: Washington 6, Columbus 3; Atlanta 4, Ottawa 3 in overtime; Detroit 5, Vancouver 4; Dallas 3, Florida 2; New Jersey 5, Calgary 1; Colorado 7, Chicago 3; San Jose 6, Phoenix 5.
Bryant paces Lakers
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Kobe Bryant scored 31 points and took over when Shaquille O'Neal sat down with foul trouble Thursday night as the Los Angeles Lakers outclassed the Indiana Pacers, 109-90, for their fifth straight victory.
The overpowering O'Neal got off to a slow start and picked up his third foul with 4:54 left in the second quarter and the Lakers holding a 36-31 lead. Los Angeles actually widened the advantage without O'Neal, thanks to the brilliance of Bryant.
In the final seconds of the first half, the All-Star guard hit a three-pointer to make it 47-42. After a free throw by Jermaine O'Neal, Bryant took a court-length pass from Robert Horry and dribbled to the baseline before pulling up for a jumper at the horn.
O'Neal was back to start the third quarter and helped Bryant put away the Pacers. He scored six of his 20 points in a 15-0 burst that began the period and built the bulge to 64-43 with just under seven minutes to go.
During the run, Bryant scored seven points. He had a stunning reverse layup for a three-point play and also made a pair of foul shots after missing a breakaway dunk -- and beating the Pacers to the rebound.
That prompted a timeout from Indiana Coach Isiah Thomas, who went into a tirade on the sidelines. He somehow cut his finger while yelling at his team, but could not snap his players out of it.
Other NBA results: San Antonio 93, Boston 90; Charlotte 111, Atlanta 87; Minnesota 111, Seattle 106; Orlando 102, Philadelphia 91; Toronto 85, Chicago 73.
Wagner signs with Astros
HOUSTON, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Bypassing the potential of free agency after the upcoming season, closer Billy Wagner agreed to a three-year contract with the Houston Astros Wednesday.
Financial terms were not disclosed. The Houston Chronicle reported the deal is for three years and worth between $24 million and 25 million and includes a team option for 2005 that could push the total value of the package to $32 million.
The newspaper said talks had broken down last month when Wagner sought to have a fourth year of the contract guaranteed.
Wagner matched his own franchise record with 39 saves in 2001, one year after undergoing surgery on his left elbow, and made his second All-Star appearance.
Ichiro's teammate goes to Cardinals
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday signed former Japanese All-Star outfielder So Taguchi, a former teammate of Ichiro Suzuki's, to a three-year contract worth a reported $3 million.
Taguchi, 32, spent the last 10 years with the Orix Blue Wave of the Japanese Pacific League but became a free agent following the 2001 season and decided to follow his former teammate to the United States.
The Cardinals and New York Yankees were among four major leagues vying for the services of the 5-10, 163-pound Taguchi.
Like Suzuki, the 2001 American League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player, Taguchi is solid defensively. He earned five Golden Glove Awards in Japan, where he batted .280 with eight home runs and 42 RBI in 134 games this past season.
Dodgers acquire rights to Japanese pitcher
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers, who reacquired righthander Hideo Nomo in December, Wednesday won the rights to fellow Japanese pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii.
Los Angeles has until Feb. 8 to sign Ishii to a contract.
The New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Anaheim Angels and Texas Rangers also submitted bids to the Yakult Swallows of Japan's Central League.
The 28-year-old Ishii was 12-6 with a 3.39 ERA for Yakult last season and is considered the top lefthander in Japan. He is expected to be the third starter in Los Angeles' rotation behind Kevin Brown and Nomo, who signed a two-year deal in December.
Last season, the Dodgers were among the teams that submitted bids for right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, who signed with the Seattle Mariners and became only the second rookie to win a Most Valuable Player Award.
Yankees to announce Wells signing
NEW YORK, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The New York Yankees called a news conference for noon today to formally announce the signing of Davie Wells, a free agent lefthander who was traded away following the 1998 season.
Various reports indicated that Wells worked out an agreement to sign with the World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks, but changed his mind after meeting with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.
The Arizona Daily Star reported Dec. 28 that Steinbrenner and Wells hammered out the agreement on Christmas Eve and the Diamondbacks did not learn of the deal until three days later.
The newspaper reported that Wells is guaranteed $2 million next season and $3 million in 2003, with another $4 million a year available in incentives.
The Diamondbacks were hoping to add the 38-year-old Wells to a rotation that already includes National League Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson and runner-up Curt Schilling.
Instead, Wells returns to New York, where he pitched a perfect game for the Yankees on May 17, 1998. Wells thrived in the Bronx, going 34-14 in 1997 and 1998.
Wells has a well-earned reputation as a big-game pitcher, owning an 8-1 record and 2.74 ERA in 19 career postseason starts.
College stars to turn pro
LINCOLN, Neb., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The University of Nebraska announced Wednesday that Toniu Fonoti, a finalist for the Outland Trophy as top interior lineman and a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award as top lineman, will leave school early to enter the NFL draft.
"Toniu has petitioned to enter the draft," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "We are sorry to see Toniu go, but we certainly wish him the best in his NFL endeavors."
Boston College running back William Green, the nation's second-leading rusher, also declared Wednesday that he will opt for the draft.
ESPN.com also reported that Oklahoma safety Roy Williams and Tennessee wide receiver Kelley Washington will enter the draft as well.
The 6-4, 340-pound Fonoti set a school record with 201 so-called "pancake" blocks this season. A native of Hawaii, he has been projected as a first-round pick by some scouts, although he is considered a better run blocker than pass protector.
Hewitt, Capriati named No. 1 seeds
MELBOURNE, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- With their health in question, Lleyton Hewitt and defending champion Jennifer Capriati were named the top seeds Wednesday for next week's Australian Open.
Hewitt became the first Australian seeded No. 1 at the Australian Open since Ken Rosewall in 1976. However, the 20-year-old world No. 1 is recovering from chicken pox.
Capriati's bid for her third career Grand Slam took a hit Wednesday when she sustained a hip flexor during a second-round loss at the adidas International in Sydney. She was awarded the No. 1 seed after the withdrawal of top-ranked Lindsay Davenport on Monday with a knee injury.
The second seeds are Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil and reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion Venus Williams of the United States. Kuerten, who has never reached the third round in five trips to Melbourne, has not played a match this year. Williams already owns a tournament win at last week's Australian Women's Hardcourt Championships.
Soward suspended for one year
NEW YORK, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The troubles continued Wednesday for Jacksonville Jaguars receiver R. Jay Soward, who was suspended for one year by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
No details of the violation were disclosed.
Soward was suspended by Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin on Dec. 10 for violating team rules. He was put back on the roster last week but was inactive for Sunday's 33-13 loss to the Chicago Bears.
In November, Soward completed consecutive suspensions totaling 10 games for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He has not played in a regular season game since Dec. 17, 2000.
A 2000 first-round pick, Soward has been a complete bust on and off the field. Expected to be the third receiver behind starters Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell, Soward had just 14 catches for 154 yards and one touchdown in 13 games last season.
