SEATTLE — He looked zoned out sitting behind the table, microphone in his face, and talking about a season that’s gone so right for himself and the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Finally, Landon Donovan paused and almost asked permission to speak candidly. To really say why a Galaxy team that was so dysfunctional a year ago and this year was surrounded by distraction now finds itself playing Real Salt Lake for the MLS Cup title today.
“There are a few points that stand out to me. One was having (coach) Bruce Arena come in and just create stability. And second, was David’s reaction to everything that’s gone on,” Donovan said with David Beckham seated a few inches away.
• Seattle Sounders coach Sigi Schmid is hospitalized after being diagnosed with pneumonia.
Napier leads U.S. bobsled team
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — John Napier practically grew up on the bobsled track at Mount Van Hoevenberg.
Napier and brakeman Charles Berkeley defeated Steven Holcomb and brakeman Justin Olsen by 0.26 seconds with a combined two-run time of 1 minute, 53.62 seconds.
• Cathleen Martini won a World Cup women’s bobsled race in Lake Placid, N.Y., leading a 1-2 finish for the German team.
Martini and brakewoman Romy Logsch had a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 56.15 seconds.
• Ronny Hafsas and Marit Bjorgen of Norway won the opening World Cup cross country ski races in Beitostoelen, Norway.
• Tatjana Huefner led a German sweep of the top four spots in the opening World Cup luge event of the season in Calgary, beating Natalie Geisenberger by 16-hundredths of a second at Canada Olympic Park.
Westwood leads by two
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Lee Westwood maintained his two-shot lead at the Dubai World Championships after shooting a 6-under-par 66 in the third round.
• Rickie Fowler shot a 5-under 67, and former PGA champion Mark Brooks had a 69 to share the third-round lead in the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach (Calif.) Invitational.
• Rain washed out Saturday’s play at the LPGA Tour Championship in Richmond, Texas.
Holmgren interested in Browns
CLEVELAND — Former Seattle and Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren says he would be interested in working for the Cleveland Browns.
Holmgren said on his weekly radio show on Seattle’s KJR that he has not yet spoken to Browns owner Randy Lerner, who is looking for a “serious, credible leader” football authority to run his struggling team.
• Green Bay Packers tight end Spencer Havner has been fined $5,000 for a late hit in last week’s 17-7 win over the Cowboys.
Footnotes.
Andre Ward (21-0, 13 KOs) claimed the WBA 168-pound title with a unanimous technical decision over Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler (42-2) in Oakland, Calif.
• The Vancouver Canucks activated forward Daniel Sedin.
The Associated Press
