FanFare 3/20/03

Briefly

Baseball

Outfielder Rondell White has a place to play following his trade from the New York Yankees to the San Diego Padres for outfielder Bubba Trammell and minor league left-hander Mark Phillips on Wednesday. The Padres cleared approximately $5 million from the books for 2004, which will help them pursue free agents prior to moving into their new downtown ballpark next season. The trade came less than two weeks after Padres left fielder Phil Nevin had surgery on his dislocated left shoulder, which likely will cause him to miss the season.

Basketball

Indiana forward Ron Artest committed a flagrant foul just five seconds into Wednesday night's game against the Boston Celtics. He faces a two-game suspension under NBA rules. It was the eighth flagrant foul called against Artest this season. He has been suspended twice already for exceeding the five-point limit on flagrant-foul points.

Colleges

Michigan Tech's 80th football season was its last. Citing budget considerations, the Division II football program was dropped, athletic director Rick Yeo said. Tom Williams, a junior offensive tackle, said players were preparing for a morning run when coaches broke the news.

Football

The New York Jets say the Washington Redskins overpaid for Laveranues Coles. The Redskins say they were just doing good business. The Jets reluctantly let their top receiver go, declining to match the Redskins' seven-year, $35 million offer -- including a $13 million bonus -- for a restricted free agent coming off a breakout season.

Quarterback Gus Frerotte agreed to terms with Minnesota, ending the Vikings' search for a veteran backup to Daunte Culpepper.

Golf

Martha Burk thinks war with Iraq would "alter the tone and possibly the size" of her planned protest during the Masters. But Burk, chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations, said she still intends to protest April 12 at Augusta National -- unless the all-male club allows female members or postpones the tournament.

Hockey

Robbie Ftorek was fired as coach of the Boston Bruins, a team struggling to make the playoffs after a strong start. General manager Mike O'Connell replaces Ftorek on an interim basis. The Bruins had the NHL's best record at 19-4-3-1 on Dec. 8, but slipped to 33-28-8-4 and into seventh place in the Eastern Conference after Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Phoenix. Ftorek, in his second season as Boston's coach, was the Bruins' 10th coach in 18 years.

The Sharks-Avalanche game scheduled for Wednesday night was postponed because of a blizzard that left 5-foot snowdrifts in parts of Colorado. The game in Denver was rescheduled for tonight.

Tennis

Todd Martin beat Mariano Zabaleta 6-4, 6-4 for just his second victory in four matches this year at the Nasdaq-100 Open. Americans Jan-Michael Gambill, Robby Ginepri and Mardy Fish joined Martin in the second round. Gambill rallied past Stefan Koubek 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, and Fish recovered from a slow start to beat Adrian Voinea 0-6, 6-4, 6-2. Ginepri beat Wayne Arthurs 7-5, 6-3.

Area digest

Foreman, Phillips among drag strip winners

SIKESTON, Mo. -- David Phillips of Puxico, Mo., won the super pro division at the Sikeston Drag Strip on Saturday, winning in 113.89 mph after a six-second dial and 5.978 time. Second was Steve Jones of Sikeston, who had a 6.89 dial.

Wes Woods of Kevil, Ky., won in the pro class at 87.53 mph on a 7.69 dial and 7.659 ET. Darrell Jones of Bertrand, Mo., was second in 78.23 mph with a 8.62 dial and 8.607 ET.

In the ET class, Floyd Foreman of Sikeston won in 77.47 mph with an 8.79 dial and 8.822 ET. Stanley Byrd of Bertrand was second in 79.8 mph with a 8.49 dial and 8.476 ET.

On the air

College men's basketballHoly Cross vs. Marquette, 11:10 a.m., KFVS

California vs. N.C. State, 11:25 a.m., KGIR-1220

Missouri vs. Southern Illinois, 1:40 p.m., KFVS, KGIR-1220

Stanford vs. San Diego, 3:55 p.m., KGIR-1220

Western Kentucky vs. Illinois, 6:10 p.m., KFVS

Creighton vs. Central Michigan, 6:20 p.m., KGIR-1220

Kansas vs. Utah State, 8:10 p.m., KFVS, KGIR-1220

Golf

Bay Hill Invitational, 3 p.m., USA

High school girls basketballDelta vs. Chilhowee, 7:45 p.m., KBHI-107.1

NBA

Philadelphia at Detroit, 6:30 p.m., TNT

L.A. Lakers at Sacramento, 9 p.m., TNT

NHL

Game TBA, 7 p.m., ESPN

CHARTER CABLE KEY:CNBC (ch. 53), ESPN (42), ESPN2 (43), Lifetime (49)Fox-Midwest (45), Fox-Central (352), Fox-Pacific (353), Fox-Sunshine (351), Fox-World (350), FX(50), Golf Channel (46), KBSI (9), KFVS (7), MSNBC (55), Outdoors (38), Outdoor Life Network (74), Oxygen (75), Speed Channel (44), TNT (48), WDKA (17), WPSD (6), WQWQ (33), WSIL (3). Listings and times are provided by the networks and individual stations and are subject to change.

Area events

College softballSoutheast vs. Middle Tennessee, in Nashville, 2 p.m.

College women's tennisSoutheast vs. Dayton, Hilton Head, S.C., 8 a.m.

High school girls' swimming

Poplar Bluff at Notre Dame, 4 p.m.