Falcons Hire Jones; Cardinals Fire Bugel

June Jones was hired Monday to coach the Atlanta Falcons and Joe Bugel was fired as coach of the Phoenix Cardinals.

Jones, who succeeded Jerry Glanville, was the Falcons’ assistant head coach for offense, and once spent four seasons as the club’s backup quarterback.

Falcon President Taylor Smith said he’d known Jones, 40, a long time and “we felt June’s the guy we’d like to run our football team.”

The only other coach considered seriously was former Redskin coach Joe Gibbs. But, Smith said, the Redskins refused to allow the Falcons to talk to Gibbs.

Bugel, who received an ultimatum before the season to produce a winning team, was fired after a 7-9 finish.

He is the fourth NFL coach to be fired since the end of the regular season, joining Bruce Coslet (New York Jets), Richie Petitbon (Washington) and Glanville.

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Falcon quarterback Bobby Hebert will undergo surgery to repair a damaged tendon in his right arm. . . . Defensive line coach Mike DuBose, whose career includes moves from Alabama to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and back to the Crimson Tide, is headed to the NFL again for a second stint with the Buccaneers.

Figure Skating

Tonya Harding basked in the applause of shoppers while skating at a mall in Portland, Ore., amid reports that authorities have enough evidence to arrest her in the attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan.

Authorities refused to comment on the Oregonian newspaper’s report that investigators have enough evidence to charge Harding in the plot, but don’t want to act until they feel more sure of getting a conviction.

After skating, Harding drove to the cabin in the rural community of Beavercreek she once shared with ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and packed up her things with the help of a girlfriend.

The Detroit Free Press reported that Harding and Gillooly are trying to implicate the other. “They’re finger-pointing at each other,” said an unnamed investigator. “It’s all finger-pointing back and forth.” Another source said: “Gillooly has told investigators that he would serve her up on a silver platter.”

NBC News reported that prosecutors have suspended efforts to gather more evidence against the four men already charged in the case until they determine what role Harding may have played.

Meanwhile, Jerry Lace, the executive director of the U.S. Figure Skating Assn., canceled a trip to Portland, saying he didn’t think he could get any additional information that wasn’t available to the public.

Baseball

Chicago Cub outfielder Sammy Sosa received a nearly four-fold salary increase when he agreed to a $2.95-million, one-year contract.

Reliever Rob Dibble and the Cincinnati Reds agreed a $2.45-million, one-year contract, a cut of $50,000.

Jerry Walker was fired as general manager of the Detroit Tigers by owner Mike Ilitch and replaced on an interim basis by scouting director Joe Klein.

Miscellany

Pooh Richardson of the Indiana Pacers, who spent 12 games on the injured list because of a stress fracture in his right leg and returned to action for one game before re-injuring his leg in practice, was again put on the injured list. . . . The world governing body of track and field said it will nearly double its number of surprise, out-of-competition drug tests this year. . . . Maria Mutola of Mozambique, ranked No. 1 in the world at 800 meters in 1993, plans to try for the world indoor 880-yard record at the Sunkist Invitational on Feb. 19 at the Sports Arena.

Mississippi football Coach Billy Brewer has been reprimanded for violating an NCAA rule by commenting on top quarterback prospect Peyton Manning, son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning.

The San Jose Sharks traded forward Dave Maley to the New York Islanders in exchange for future considerations. . . . Francois Delacour of France took advantage of an early exit by three-time champion Didier Auriol and took the lead after the first day of competition at the Monte Carlo Rally. . . . Lennox Lewis will defend his WBC heavyweight title in May against Phil Jackson. . . . Hank Thomson, a prominent horseman and publisher of the Delaware (Ohio) Gazette, died of cancer at his home. He was 86.