Red Wings Sign Scotty Bowman to Coach for Two More Years

Scotty Bowman signed a contract to coach the Detroit Red Wings for two more years, and senior vice president Jimmy Devellano will bow out of day-to-day team operations, the team announced Friday.

The Red Wings also will have their first general manager since 1994 in Ken Holland, who will be promoted from assistant general manager. Holland will report directly to owner Mike Ilitch and will have the final say on personnel matters.

Bowman, who led Detroit to its first Stanley Cup in 42 years last season, reportedly will be paid $1 million per season. Under Bowman, the winningest coach in NHL history with 1,013 regular-season victories, the Red Wings are 179-80-37 the last four seasons.

Dave Peterson, former U.S. Olympic hockey coach, died Thursday night at his home in Colorado Springs of post-operative complications after heart bypass surgery. He was 66. Peterson was coach of the Olympic teams in 1988 and 1992. He also coached three U.S. national teams (1985, 1986 and 1987), two U.S. national junior teams (1986 and 1987) and one U.S. select team (1987).

Pro Football

Michael Irvin, who had considered retirement, ended such speculation by reporting to the Dallas Cowboys’ training camp in Austin, Texas. Irvin, who was suspended five games last year by the NFL because of drug possession, recently said, “I have lost my love for the game.”

However, after attending a hearing in Dallas on another legal matter, Irvin reported to camp and will be ready for today’s first practice. A few hours earlier, a judge ordered him to give a deposition Sept. 9 in his defamation-of-character suit against a television station.

State District Judge Jay Patterson stepped in after bickering between attorneys for Irvin and KXAS-TV of Fort Worth over whether the Cowboy receiver was ducking the station’s subpoenas. Attorneys for the station want the deposition to help with its defense in a defamation-of-character lawsuit filed by Irvin and teammate Erik Williams.

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The Washington Redskins signed quarterback Gus Frerotte to a four-year contract worth $18 million. The deal includes a $5-million signing bonus.

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Buffalo Bill defensive end Bruce Smith, sitting out of training camp in a contract dispute, is being fined $5,000 for each day he misses. Smith has been unhappy about a contract scheduled to pay him $2.2 million this year. He turned down a five-year, $22-million package that the Bills say is their final offer.

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The New England Patriots reworked the remaining three years of David Meggett’s contract into a four-year deal that will pay him about the same money as his old pact. Meggett will reportedly receive a signing bonus of $1.3 million and a salary of $200,000 this year, which equals the $1.5 million he would have made under the old pact. The renegotiation will save the Patriots about $600,000 under the salary cap.

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The Miami Dolphins’ first-round draft pick, wide receiver Yatil Green, will be sidelined the entire season because of a knee injury. Green was hurt in a workout Thursday. Special team standout Larry Izzo tore his left Achilles’ tendon during practice and he also will be out for the season. . . . The Cincinnati Bengals reached an agreement with top draft choice Reinard Wilson, a defensive end from Florida State, on a five-year contract. . . . The Tennessee Oilers signed defensive end Kenny Holmes, their first-round pick from Miami.

Tennis

Anna Kournikova rallied to defeat Ann Grossman, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1, in a quarterfinal match in the A&P; Tennis Classic at Mahwah, N.J. The Russian trailed, 5-2, before winning the first set. She will face fifth-seeded Maggie Maleeva, who was leading, 6-4, 1-0, when her opponent, Elena Likhovtseva, retired because of pain in her right forearm.

Spain’s Albert Costa upset second-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, 6-4, 6-4, to reach the semifinals of the Mercedes Cup clay-court tournament in Stuttgart, Germany. . . . Top-seeded Barbara Paulus advanced to the semifinals of the WTA tournament in Palmero, Sicily, with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ines Gorrochategui. Fifth-seeded Silvia Farina was upset by Elena Makarova, who is ranked No. 117 in the world, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), in the quarterfinals. . . . Veronika Martinek and Marion Maruska upset the last two seeded players in the Czech Open quarterfinals at Prague. Martinek beat fifth-seeded Denisa Chladkova, 6-4, 6-0, and Maruska beat third-seeded Karina Habsudova, 6-7, 6-1, 4-6.

Auto Racing

Joe Nemechek put his Chevrolet on the pole for Sunday’s Pennsylvania 500 Winston Cup race at Pocono Raceway with a record qualifying lap of 168.881 mph. . . . Michael Andretti, who has won five of the last seven PPG CART street races in Toronto, posted the fastest lap of 104.289 mph in the first day of qualifying for the Molson Indy. . . . Ron Hornaday, who has led every lap of the past two NASCAR Craftsman Truck series short-track events, won the pole for the Colorado 250. Hornaday ran 77.537 mph to edge Winston Cup veteran Mike Wallace, who did 77.373, also in a Chevy.

Names in the News

The Charlotte Hornets hired Paul Silas as an assistant coach to Dave Cowens. The two played together on Boston’s 1974 and 1976 NBA championship teams. . . . Julius Erving has been voted the ABA’s all-time most valuable player and was among seven players unanimously voted to the all-time team. The others were Mel Daniels and the late Roger Brown of the Pacers, George Gervin of the San Antonio Spurs and Artis Gilmore, Dan Issel and Louie Dampier of the Kentucky Colonels.

The Ray Mercer-Andrew Golota heavyweight bout Aug. 16 has been called off because Mercer has a neck injury that will require surgery.