Colorado Springs – The New Orleans Hornets, displaced by Hurricane Katrina, have decided to conduct training camp at their temporary Oklahoma City home instead of at the Air Force Academy as planned.
“Now that we’re here in Oklahoma City, we obviously want to have it here,” team spokesman Scott Hall told The Gazette of Colorado Springs. “Having training camp in Colorado Springs was set up as a fail-safe in case we didn’t know where we were going or if we couldn’t hold training camp at whichever city we were going to relocate to.”
Air Force athletic director Hans Mueh said Tuesday he had been looking forward to having the Hornets work out at Clune Arena in the early afternoons, right before Air Force’s men’s and women’s basketball teams practice.
“It would have been a great opportunity to have them here,” Mueh said. “Cadets could have interacted for a whole week and popped in and watched the professional team play. We might have even had a little scrimmage.”
The Hornets instead will use the facilities at Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma City.
NBA
Wizards rookie released from hospital
Washington Wizards rookie Andray Blatche was released from the hospital two days after being shot in an attempted carjacking. The 19-year-old forward was shot once in the chest early Sunday morning while riding in a car near his home in Alexandria, Va.
“He is doing very well, and we are very encouraged by his progress,” Wizards president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld said. “At this time it is too early to determine a timetable for his return to action.”
The Seattle SuperSonics re-signed free-agent guard Ronald “Flip” Murray to a one-year contract. Murray averaged 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists last season.
The Charlotte Bobcats re-signed Gerald Wallace to a three-year contract. The forward averaged 11.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals last season.
GOLF
Sport makes 111 amendments to rules
The rule that got Mark Roe disqualified from the British Open two years ago when he forgot to swap scorecards with Jesper Parnevik has been revised to allow officials to correct the mistake without penalty.
“I think it’s a great move,” Roe said. “I’m really, really pleased that something good has come from my mistake.”
That change was among the 111 amendments to the “Decisions on the Rules of Golf,” which take effect Jan. 1. Other changes allow for measuring devices, such as GPS systems or rangefinders, to be used at the discretion of tournament organizers. The U.S. Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club also agreed to add a decision that would allow players to stand square to the hole if their intent is to stay out of another player’s line. That got Brian Davis of England disqualified from a European tour event, and Tiger Woods was investigated – and cleared – when it appeared he did that on the 14th hole of the first round at this year’s Masters.
Michelle Wie will play in a top-tier men’s event in November on the Japanese golf tour. The Hawaiian star turns 16 next month when she is expected to turn pro. She will compete in the Nov. 24-27 Casio World Open.
HORSE RACING
Turf champion Kitten’s Joy retired
Kitten’s Joy, last year’s Eclipse Award winner as top male turf horse, has been retired from racing because of an injury to his left knee. The 4-year-old son of El Prado will stand at stud at Ramsey Farm in Nicholasville, Ky.
TENNIS
U.S. player suspended in doping case
U.S. player Alex Bogomolov Jr. was suspended for 1 1/2 months after testing positive for an asthma drug at the Australian Open. Bogomolov, ranked 190th, said he took the substance to treat his respiratory condition but did not have permission to use it, the International Tennis Federation said. The ITF’s independent tribunal ruled there was no intent to enhance performance and waived the usual two-year ban.
The Australian Open will award $905,000 to the men’s and women’s champions next year, up from about $865,000 this year. Tennis Australia also said the men’s final for the Jan. 16-29 tournament at Melbourne Park again will be held Sunday night.
MOTORSPORTS
Aikman-Staubach team hires crew chief
Hall of Fame Racing made its first hire when it tabbed Philippe Lopez to build the NASCAR team owned by former Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. Lopez was hired as a crew chief, and will be in charge of getting the Nextel Cup team ready to debut next season.
NASCAR said it has fined Nextel Cup crew chief Joe Garone and Busch Series crew chief Charlie Lewis $1,000 each for violations last weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.
