Olympic torch lit in Greece
OLYMPIA, Greece, May 10 (UPI) -- The Olympic flame was lit in a ceremony in Greece Thursday, starting a 78-day journey that will conclude with the opening of the Summer Olympics in London.
The flame was lit using the sun's rays focused by a parabolic mirror at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, about 100 miles west of Athens near the Greek west coast.
The flame was used to light the first torch of the relay. That was held by Spyros Gianniotis, a British-born Greek open water Olympian who passed the flame to Alex Loukos, a London 2012 young ambassador.
The ceremony began an eight-day journey for the flame across Greece, which is to end at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, the site of the first modern Olympics in 1896. One day later, May 18, the Olympic flame is to be flown to the Culdose airbase on the southwestern tip of Cornwall. The British leg of the torch relay is to begin May 19 at Land's End.
The flame is to be carried through more than 1,000 villages, towns and cities in the United Kingdom. The route covers about 8,000 miles.
The 2012 Olympics are to run July 27-Aug. 12.
The torch relay is sponsored by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.
Vikings stadium expected to win approval
ST. PAUL, Minn., May 10 (UPI) -- A plan to build a $975 million stadium for the Minnesota Vikings was expected to win state Senate approval Thursday, supporters and opponents said.
The state Senate was discussing the plan after the House approved a bill in which the Vikings agreed to contribute $477 million -- $50 million more than the team had planned, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
The House approved the bill by a 71-60 vote at 3:30 a.m. Thursday.
After expected Senate passage, the bill was to go to Gov. Mark Dayton, a supporter of the stadium project.
Despite expected Senate approval, the stadium plan has many critics but they appear to lack support to stop the bill, the Star Tribune reported.
"We made the best arguments we could to demonstrate problems with the bill. We weren't successful," said Republican state Sen. Dave Thompson.
He had argued for user fees such as taxes on tickets and parking and a more limited state role.
Republican Rep. Morrie Lanning said the state had sought to get the Vikings to pay more for the publicly owned stadium amid reports the team might leave Minnesota if it didn't get a new home.
Sooners suspend four football players
NORMAN, Okla., May 10 (UPI) -- The University of Oklahoma football team announced it has indefinitely suspended four players for team rules violations.
Receivers Trey Franks and Jaz Reynolds, wideout Kameel Jackson and defensive back Quentin Hayes received the suspensions, a news release from Coach Bob Stoops said Wednesday. The rule violations were unspecified.
The sports Web site OUInsider.com reported that Franks' penalty is for the entire 2012 season, and Reynolds' for seven games.
Franks and Reynolds have been suspended before, The (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman reported Thursday. Reynolds was suspended for insensitive Twitter comments two years ago, and again last year for a rules violation. Franks, the team's leading kick returner, was suspended for two games last year for a rules violation.
The news that Sooner pass-catchers will be missing this season puts pressure on freshman Trey Metoyer, who received positive comments on his six-catch, 72-yard performance in the school's spring game, but the sudden lack of experience is a concern for a team who considered its passing game a strength, the newspaper said.
Muhammad Ali's Ky. home now landmark
LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 10 (UPI) -- Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali's childhood home in Louisville was officially dedicated as a historical marker by the Kentucky Historical Society.
The house was dedicated by the historical society and Fourth District Councilman David Tandy on Tuesday, WAVE-TV, Louisville, Ky., reported.
"Today we more formally connect this place to the person of Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest.' And it's all of our intent that Muhammad Ali and this place will inspire Kentuckians for years and years to come," said Kent Whitworth, executive director of the Kentucky Historical Society.
Although Ali wasn't able to make it to the event because he wasn't feeling well, his brother, Rahman Ali, said the he was honored that their childhood home was now considered a historical place.
