SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings fired interim coach Kenny Natt and his four assistants Thursday, a week after the club finished with the NBA’s worst record.
Natt was promoted after Sacramento fired Reggie Theus on Dec. 15. Natt went 11-47 in charge of the Kings, who finished 17-65.
Also fired were Rex Kalamian, Jason Hamm, Randy Brown and Bubba Burrage. The Kings didn’t disclose the status of Shareef Abdur-Rahim, a former Kings forward who became an assistant on a one-year contract this season.
Florida State appeals sanctions
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State officials told the NCAA it’s unfair to penalize football coach Bobby Bowden as part of the sanctions announced last month, resulting from an academic cheating scandal that involved dozens of athletes.
In a formal 28-page written appeal by a private attorney representing the school and dated April 23, the university said the penalty that includes forfeits in football and nine other sports was too harsh.
“Even if this committee upholds the penalty, it should not require the reconfiguration of the records of innocent head coaches,” attorney William Williams wrote.
Bowden, 79, has 382 career wins — one fewer than Penn State’s Joe Paterno, the all-time major college leader. Losing 14 wins would virtually ruin any chance Bowden has of catching Paterno.
Chara, Green, Lidstrom finalists for Norris Trophy
NEW YORK — Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins, Mike Green of the Washington Capitals and Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings are finalists for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman. The winner will be revealed June 18.
• Calgary Flames forward Andre Roy has been suspended one game by the NHL after initiating contact with Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Aaron Johnson during pregame warm-ups Wednesday night. Roy will miss Game 5 on Saturday. He will also be fined $2,500.
• Minnesota Wild defenseman Brent Burns had surgery on his right shoulder and should be at full strength in time for next season.
Frenchman sets record in 100 free
MONTPELLIER, France — Alain Bernard of France broke the world record in the 100-meter freestyle at the French championships, becoming the first swimmer to go under the 47-second mark. Bernard won his semifinal in 46.94 seconds, beating Australian Eamon Sullivan‘s mark of 47.05 set during the Olympic semis last year in Beijing.
Footnotes.
Chester “Chet” Herbert, a member of the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame who helped develop an exhaust header that blew smoke away from a dragster’s rear tires to improve traction, died of pneumonia in Orange, Calif. He was 81.
• NASCAR’s season-ending party is heading to Las Vegas after nearly three decades in New York.
• Claudio Lopez scored on a penalty kick in the third minute, helping the Kansas City Wizards extend their unbeaten streak to four matches with a 1-0 victory over the visiting New York Red Bulls.
The Associated Press
