WASHINGTON — After opening 1-10 to match the worst start in team history, the Washington Wizards fired coach Eddie Jordan and his top assistant Monday and gave director of player development Ed Tapscott his first NBA head-coaching job.
“That’s an unacceptable record, obviously,” team president Ernie Grunfeld said.
The coach at American University in the 1980s and an NBA front-office employee for years since, Tapscott will make his professional coaching debut tonight against the Golden State Warriors.
Associate head coach Mike O’Koren also was fired. Randy Ayers will be Tapscott’s top assistant.
• Miami Heat forward Dorell Wright will have debris removed from his surgically repaired left knee today, a procedure that will further delay his comeback plans.
Snyder returns to Kansas State
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Bill Snyder, who retired three years ago at Kansas State with a 136-68-1 record, has returned to coach the Wildcats.
Snyder, 69, saying he decided to come back to “calm the waters” and restore harmony to the “Kansas State family,” replaces his former successor Ron Prince, who was fired with three games left.
• Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, who is 58-39 in his eighth season at the university, agreed to a new contract. Terms were not disclosed.
• Quarterbacks Tim Tebow of Florida, Graham Harrell of Texas Tech and Colt McCoy of Texas were named finalists for the Maxwell Award, which will be given to college football’s top player Dec. 11.
Linebackers Rey Maualuga of Southern California and James Laurinaitis of Ohio State and defensive end Aaron Maybin of Penn State are finalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award for best defensive player.
• Eastern Michigan fired coach Jeff Genyk after five seasons and a 15-42 record.
Footnotes.
Brian McNamee has submitted samples of his DNA to federal investigators, who are seeking to determine whether Roger Clemens committed perjury when he told Congress he had never used performance-enhancing drugs, according to The New York Times. McNamee submitted the samples so authorities could determine whose DNA is on needles, syringes and gauze pads the former trainer claims were used to inject Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone in 2000 and 2001.
• Three charges against Barry Bonds were dismissed by a federal judge who left intact most of the indictment alleging he lied to a grand jury when he denied knowingly taking performance-enhancing drugs. Bonds, baseball’s home run king who had faced 14 counts in San Francisco, is scheduled for a March 2 trial.
• Former Avalanche forward Claude Lemieux, 43, signed a tryout contract with the San Jose Sharks in hopes of returning to the NHL after a five-year absence.
• Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo will be sidelined at least a week with a strained groin.
• Southern Illinois basketball center Nick Evans will be out four to six weeks after breaking his left wrist during Friday’s loss to UCLA.
• Will Barrow, a co-captain of Virginia’s 2008 lacrosse team, was found dead in his off-campus apartment. A cause of death was not disclosed. He was 22.
Denver Post wire services
