Former boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya said in an interview with Spanish-language network Univision he thought about suicide and has been going to rehab because he has become dependent on drugs and alcohol.
“Rock bottom was recently,” De La Hoya said. “Within couple of years, just thinking if my life was even worth it. I don’t have the strength, I don’t have the courage to take my own life but I was thinking about it.”
De La Hoya said he has been sober for three months after undergoing treatment and joining Alcoholics Anonymous. He said he was unfaithful to his wife and that they were separated for a while.
“We are obviously not talking a Tiger Woods here, but I was unfaithful,” De La Hoya said.
NBC increasing Olympics coverage
NEW YORK — NBC’s Olympic coverage in London will look familiar, with one major twist.
For the first time, the network plans to show every event live in some form — even if it’s just raw video streaming online. But the prime-time broadcasts will still use that traditional formula of human-interest features and taped competition.
The minds behind that coverage will be steeped in the NBC philosophy of packaging the Olympics for a wide audience. “Today” executive producer Jim Bell will serve in that role for the 2012 Games. And the man who previously held the title, former NBC Sports Group Chair Dick Ebersol, was hired Tuesday to be an adviser to his successor, Mark Lazarus.
At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the network showed 172 total hours of coverage. Lazarus said he expects about 275 hours a day from London across all its platforms.
Big 12 to discuss replacements for Aggies.
The Big 12 board of directors formed a committee to look at possible replacements for Texas A&M if the Aggies leave the league as expected.
Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton, who serves as the board chairman, said the committee could also address the possibility of expanding the conference even if Texas A&M stays. Deaton said the Big 12 board has not received notification the Aggies plan to leave for the Southeastern Conference as has been reported.
• Penn State coach Joe Paterno, walking with a cane three weeks after accidentally getting leveled in practice by a receiver, declared himself “50-50” for being on the sideline for Saturday’s opener against Indiana State.
• Kevin Princewas named UCLA’s starting quarterback for Saturday’s season opener at Houston.
• Starting free safety Johnny Thomas and receiver Michael Harrison have been ruled ineligible for No. 9 Oklahoma State’s season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette for undisclosed reasons.
• The University of Connecticut postponed its season-opening game Thursday night against Fordham because the stadium is being used as distribution center for relief supplies for victims of Tropical Storm Irene.
Footnotes.
Former NBA player Javaris Crittenton, accused of shooting an Atlanta woman to death Aug. 19, appeared to be retaliating for being robbed of $55,000 worth of jewelry, according to police.
• Rick Adelman is back in Minnesota to meet with the Timberwolves again, the second time this month he has traveled from his home in Oregon to talk about the team’s vacant head coaching position.
• Former Colorado State standout Becky Hammon became the seventh player in WNBA history to score 5,000 career points when she hit a free throw with 2:23 remaining in the second quarter of the San Antonio Silver Stars’ 78-66 victory over the visiting Connecticut Sun. She finished with 16 points for a total of 5,008.
• The Philadelphia Flyers signed James van Riemsdyk to a six-year contract extension.
• The Los Angeles Kings are changing their jerseys and dropping purple from their team colors for the upcoming season.
The Associated Press
