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In brief
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 24, 2003
GAINESVILLE -- Florida football players Channing Crowder and Steven Harris made their first appearance in court Wednesday morning after being arrested on charges of aggravated battery against a 22-year-old UF student.
They are accused of "repeatedly" kicking Brian Assent in the head, face and body, knocking him unconscious in the parking lot of the Palace, a Gainesville nightclub, on April13.
Crowder, 20, and Harris, 19, were arrested about 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Springs, a student housing complex, then booked into the Alachua County jail, GPD spokesman Sgt. Keith Kameg said.
Crowder, a linebacker, and Harris, a defensive lineman, were released on their own recognizance Wednesday. They were ordered to stay out of clubs that sell alcohol, not to drink alcoholic beverages and to avoid contact with the victim, court records show. No arraignment date was set.
Assent was treated for multiple injuries, including a lost tooth, facial lacerations that required 11 stitches and "permanent disfigurement." The case will be handed over to the state attorney's office.
Crowder enrolled in January and ended the spring as a starter at strongside linebacker. Harris is a backup defensive end. Coach Ron Zook said he would determine their status after the court case.
BASEBALL: North Florida Community College's Jon Skorupski of St. Petersburg signed a national letter of intent with Florida.
GOLF: Jill Crowe eagled the 17th to give South Florida (912) a one-shot win over TCU in the C-USA Championship in Dade City, USF's fifth title in eight years.The USF men finished third (876), 14 behind champion TCU.
TRACK AND FIELD: FSU's Craphonso Thorpe, who won the 100- and 200-meter sprints at the ACC championship, was named the league's performer of the year. Thorpe, also a football receiver, had personal bests of 10.43 and 20.87 seconds. FSU's Terry Long was named coach of the year.
OBITUARY: Former Alabama defensive back Tyrone King died Monday night in Birmingham of lung cancer. He was 49.
The WBC is seeking bankruptcy protection to keep from paying a $30-million judgment awarded by a New York court to Graciano "Rocky" Rocchigiani, who had his light heavyweight title taken from him. The case began in 1998, when the WBC declared its light heavyweight title vacant after Roy Jones considered becoming a heavyweight. Rocchigiani fought Michael Nunn for the vacated belt and won a split decision. But Jones returned in June and was restored as WBC champ.
Second-seeded Andy Roddick survived an erratic serve and forehand to subdue qualifier Paul Goldstein 7-5, 6-4 in the second round of the U.S. Clay Court Championships in Houston. Roddick, No.6 in the world, needed all his scrambling skills to overcome Goldstein, ranked No.193. Roddick lost to a qualifier in the first round at Monte Carlo last week.
WIMBLEDON CHANGE: This year, the four "most deserving" men ranked in the top 350 will get a wild card and two will be selected after an eight-man playoff. In the past, most wild cards were given to British players. For the women, four will be chosen, and four will have a playoff for one spot. The remaining wild cards for both will be made by the All England Club.
BROADCAST: ESPN is launching ESPN Pay-Per-View, which will begin with ESPN College Grand Slam on June6-9.
HOCKEY: Host Finland beat the United States 4-2 in an exhibition for the World Championships, which start Saturday.
SOCCER: Twelve of Mozambique's top players, a coach and another official were killed in a bus accident near the city of Inhambane. ... Canada replaced Nigeria as the opponent for the U.S. women Saturday in Washington because the Africans could not obtain visas in time.