Bird Expects to Coach Only One More Year

Larry Bird said Wednesday that he plans to step down as coach of the Indiana Pacers at the end of the upcoming NBA season when his three-year contract expires.

“Do I expect Larry to coach after next season? No,” Pacer President Donnie Walsh said of Bird’s statement, adding that he and Bird haven’t discussed Bird’s future since last season.

Speaking during a news conference to promote his book, “Bird Watching: On Playing and Coaching the Game I Love,” Bird confirmed he had no plans to coach past this season.

“I said that to Donnie when I came in. Three years is enough for a coach in any one place. After the three years I told him I’d probably be done,” Bird, 42, said.

“It’s been an unbelievable experience for me. Now it’s time to move on,” said Bird, named NBA coach of the year in his rookie season when the Pacers reached the seventh game of the Eastern Conference finals before losing to eventual champion Chicago.

“The bottom line is I’d like to see him continue with the franchise in some way,” Walsh said. “I’m extremely pleased with everything he’s done as a coach and if he doesn’t want to coach, then I’d love to have him with us in another role.

Hockey

Steve Yzerman, the longest-serving captain in NHL history, signed a three-year contract extension with the Detroit Red Wings.

Financial terms were not disclosed. Yzerman, 34, is entering his 17th season in the NHL, all with Detroit. He has been the Red Wings’ captain since the 1986-87 season.

The Buffalo Sabres signed Coach Lindy Ruff to a three-year contract extension, reportedly worth more than $2 million. Ruff, 39, who had one year left on his original deal, guided the Sabres to their first Stanley Cup final in 24 years last season. . . . The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame will honor recently retired star Wayne Gretzky with a new award at the hall’s 26th annual induction dinner and ceremony Dec. 3 at Eveleth, Minn. Gretzky will be the first recipient of the Wayne Gretzky Award, given to an international citizen who has made a significant contribution to the growth of ice hockey in the United States. . . . Bill Quackenbush, a Hall of Famer and one of the least penalized defensemen in NHL history, died Sunday 77 at Newton, Pa. Cause of death was not known. . . . Hurricane Floyd forced the postponement of the NHL exhibition game at Greenville, S.C., between the Carolina Hurricanes and Atlanta Thrashers. The game will be played Monday, an arena spokesman said. . . . The Vancouver Canucks re-signed free-agent center Dave Scatchard. Terms were not disclosed. Scatchard, 23, was primarily a third- and fourth-line center last season, finishing with 13 goals and a career-high 26 points, along with 140 penalty minutes in 82 games.

Track and Field

Sydney 2000 Olympics organizers agreed to alter the track and field schedule to allow competitors more time to recover between events, the International Amateur Athletics Federation said at Monte Carlo.

The Sydney Organizing Committee agreed to the IAAF’s demand for at least one rest day between the heats and finals of the jumping events, the 400-meter hurdles and any event 800 meters or longer. The IAAF said the new schedule meant men and women could now compete in the 100 meters and 200 meters, the 200 meters and 400 meters, or the 5,000 and 10,000 events.

Maurice Greene ended his season by winning the 100 meters in a slow 10.35 seconds at the Super Track and Field meet at Tokyo. . . . Leo Myles Mills of Ghana became Africa’s fastest man, beating Frankie Fredericks of Namibia in 9.99 in the 100 meters at the All Africa Games at Johannesburg. Nigeria’s Francis Obikwelu was second in 10.01, with Fredericks third in 10.10.

Tennis

Second-seeded Alex Corretja of Spain boosted his chances of winning the $500,000 Mallorca Open ATP Tour tournament when he ousted countryman Alberto Martin, 6-1, 6-2, to reach the quarterfinals at Palma De Mallorca, Balearic Islands.

Top-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia lost to his doubles partner, unseeded Daniel Vacek of the Czech Republic, 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 7-5, in the second round of the $500,000 President’s Cup at Tashkent, Uzbekistan. No. 7 Marc Rosset of Switzerland was also beaten, 6-3, 7-6 (6-4), by countryman and qualifier George Bastl. Cecil Mamiit of Los Angeles beat Ville Liukko of Finland, 6-3, 7-5.

Soccer

Seven-time champion Real Madrid scored with 10 minutes left, lifting the Spanish club to a 3-3 tie with Olympiakos in Group E of the Champions Cup at Athens. Raul Gonzalez had the tying goal for Real Madrid in one of eight first-round, first-leg games in tournament play.

Also in Group E, Portugal’s FC Porto, the 1987 champions, defeated host Molde of Norway, 1-0, on a goal by Deno with a minute left.

In Group F, Bayern Munich edged PSV Eindhoven, 2-1, with two goals from Brazilian Paolo Sergio. Valencia went to the top of that group with a 2-0 victory over Glasgow Rangers.

In Group G, Andrei Tikhonov scored all three of Spartak Moscow’s goals in a 3-1 win at Willem II, while Sparta Prague and Bordeaux played a scoreless tie.

In Group H, Chelsea of England, playing at home, tied AC Milan of Italy, 0-0. Turkey’s Galatasaray came back from two goals down to tie Hertha Berlin, 2-2.

Miscellany

Organizers of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics gave a House investigating panel a revised report, prepared by former attorney general Griffin Bell, on the bidding practices they used to win the Games. Atlanta officials will disclose the report today in Atlanta.