Rays/MLB

Clarett had beenoffered aplea deal

By TIMES WIRES
Published August 26, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Bob Krapenc, a fired attorney for Maurice Clarett, said Friday that an assistant prosecutor offered a plea deal in July with a sentence as short as 1½ years if the former Ohio State football standout admitted to a robbery charge.

On Friday, Clarett was in court for a status hearing on that January robbery charge. He is scheduled to go on trial Sept. 18, pending a mental evaluation, on charges that he held up two people outside a Columbus bar early New Year's Day and took a cell phone from them.

It's not clear whether the deal is still on the table. Clarett's attorneys said they were trying to find out more about the meeting.

TENNIS

Venus to miss U.S. Open

A bum left wrist that's sidelined Venus Williams since Wimbledon is forcing her to withdraw from the U.S. Open.

Her agent, Carlos Fleming, said Williams plans to participate in the U.S. Open's opening night ceremony on Monday.

PILOT PEN: Lindsay Davenport overcame a rain delay, a sore shoulder and the hard-hitting Samantha Stosur to advance to today's final with a 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (9-7) victory in West Haven, Conn. Davenport, the defending champion, plays Justine Henin-Hardenne, who advanced with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Svetlana Kuznetsova.

SOCCER

Toronto FC names coach

Mo Johnston was hired to coach the expansion MLS Toronto FC through 2009.

Johnston was fired in June by the New York Red Bulls, who were 2-3-7 and last in the Eastern Conference. His overall record with the team was 5-4-8 record.

Toronto FC becomes the 13th team in Major League Soccer next season and first outside the United States.

MORE SOCCER: Juventus' appeal to a civil court of its sentence in the match-fixing scandal is to be heard Sept. 1. ... AC Milan said it ended plans to acquire Ronaldo from Real Madrid. ... Togo's soccer federation was fined $80,700 by FIFA for the national team's strike threat over a pay dispute during this summer's World Cup.

HORSES

Downs gets racing chief

Tampa Bay Downs named Allison De Luca as director of racing and racing secretary for the 2006-07 thoroughbred meet, the track announced Friday.

De Luca, 49, comes to Tampa from assistant racing secretary positions at Churchill Downs and Keeneland.

At Tampa, she replaces John Morrissey, who resigned after the 2005-06 season. Tampa's meet begins Dec. 9.

MORE HORSES: Bernardini and Bluegrass Cat meet for the first time today in the $1-million Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Bernardini is the even-money favorite in a field of seven, with Bluegrass Cat the second choice at 2-1.

ET CETERA

BASKETBALL: New Orleans gave general manager Jeff Bower a contract extension through the 2010-11 season. Financial terms weren't disclosed. ... Allen Iverson's mother, Ann, is the majority owner of the Richmond (Va.) Warriors, a new American Basketball Association franchise that begins play next season.

NHL: Detroit signed forward Johan Franzen to a three-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.

SOFTBALL: The women's world championship begins Sunday in Beijing, a lead-up to what could be the sport's final Olympic at-bat. Sixteen teams - including Athens Olympics medalists United States, Australia and Japan - are competing. Four spots for the 2008 Games are up for grabs.

TRACK: The controversy surrounding Olympic champion Justin Gatlin and his coach, Trevor Graham, has led Nike to stop paying them, the company said. Graham's contract was terminated and Gatlin, likely making $500,000 to $750,000 annually from Nike, had his deal suspended while his doping case is adjudicated.

[Last modified August 26, 2006, 02:27:09]