Haslett Likely to Be Named Saints’ Coach

Pittsburgh Steeler defensive coordinator Jim Haslett is expected to be named coach of the New Orleans Saints today, according to ESPN.

Haslett, a former Saint assistant, would replace the fired Mike Ditka.

The Saints denied the report and said no news conference was scheduled.

ESPN, however, said Haslett, 44, has come to terms in principle on the deal.

Haslett, a close friend of the Saints’ new general manager, Randy Mueller, has guided the Pittsburgh defense for the last three years.

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Kansas City Chief linebacker Derrick Thomas was speeding and weaving in traffic before a Jan. 23 car crash that left him paralyzed and killed a close friend, police said in Kansas City. But he will not face charges because of insufficient evidence.

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Former Chief running back Bam Morris “is an innocent party” in a federal investigation into an alleged widespread drug ring, his agent, Terry Lavenstein, said. Morris and former teammate Tamarick Vanover were mentioned in an affidavit filed last week in connection with drug distribution charges lodged against a Kansas City man. . . . The New York Jets waived three veterans--safety Steve Atwater, 33, quarterback Rick Mirer, 29, and tight end Eric Green, 32--and re-signed running back and special teams player Bernie Parmalee, 32, to a two-year contract. Mike Nolan, fired by the Washington Redskins, was hired as defensive coordinator. . . . Mike Martz, 48, elevated Tuesday from offensive coordinator to St. Louis Ram coach after Dick Vermeil’s retirement, received a four-year contract and said he will still call the plays. . . . The Pro Bowl is staying in Hawaii at least through 2005.

Sailing

AmericaOne and Prada must wait at least one more day to break their 3-3 tie in the America’s Cup challenger finals after today’s race was postponed by light wind off Auckland, New Zealand.

The seventh race of the best-of-nine series was rescheduled for Friday when wind of 15-20 knots was forecast.

Baseball

A few hours after outfielder Karim Garcia, 24, beat Detroit in the first salary arbitration, the Tigers avoided a hearing with catcher Gregg Zaun, 28, by agreeing to a $525,000, one-year contract. A three-man panel chose Garcia’s $700,000 request instead of the team’s $470,000 offer. He earned $270,000 last season.

Reliever Bobby Chouinard, 27, facing a criminal charge of assaulting his wife on Christmas night, was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks after asking the team to let him go. . . . Right-hander Juan Acevedo, 29, avoided salary arbitration, agreeing with the Milwaukee Brewers on a two-year, $1.6-million contract. Acevedo, 6-8 with a 5.89 earned-run average, made $475,000 last year. . . . Pinch-hitter Matt Franco, 30, avoided salary arbitration with the New York Mets, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $462,500. He made $250,000 last season. Meanwhile, the Mets hired Keith Hernandez, who was an outstanding defensive first baseman, to teach Todd Zeile the position at spring training. . . . Left-hander John Smiley, 34, ended his comeback bid with the Pittsburgh Pirates because of pain in his throwing shoulder. . . . The San Diego Padres reversed course and ended their minor league contract with outfielder Danny Tartabull. . . . Jose Cruz Jr. drove in six runs and Puerto Rico roughed up Wilson Alvarez to rout Venezuela, 17-6, in the first game of the Caribbean Series at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Track and Field

Jamaican sprinter Merlene Ottey, who faces suspension over a positive doping test, won the 60 meters in 7.14 seconds at the Valencia track meet in Spain.

Ottey ran despite a request Monday from directors of the Spanish Athletics Federation that organizers withdraw her invitation.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Sergei Bubka, returning from a 17-month layoff caused by injuries, won the pole vault at 18 feet 4 1/2 inches, and 1996 Olympic 100-meter champion Donovan Bailey of Canada finished .03 of a second behind Spain’s Venancio Jose Murcia, who won the men’s 60 in 6.72.

Auto Racing

Mario Andretti, 59, will get another chance to win one of the few big racing events he has failed to win in June by entering the Le Mans 24-Hour race. . . . Cadillac returns to racing when its Northstar LMP sports car makes its debut today in practice and qualifying for the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. Cadillac last raced in 1950.

Miscellany

Martina Hingis of Switzerland opened defense of her Pan Pacific Open title, defeating Lisa Raymond, 6-3, 7-5, in Tokyo. . . . Saying she has to spend time with her son, Houston Comet forward Sheryl Swoopes won’t play on the U.S. women’s basketball team at the 2000 Olympics. . . . Denying drug accusations, world record-holder Ian Thorpe of Australia won his third race in two days at a World Cup short course swim meet in Sheffield, England, adding the 200-meter freestyle title in 1 minute 44.82 seconds to wins in the 100 and 400. Chad Carvin of Laguna Hills was second. . . . Four Israeli soccer players who had sex with prostitutes or girlfriends before a 5-0 loss to Denmark in a European Championship qualifier last November should be banned from the national team “because they are not fit to wear the national colors again,” a committee of inquiry recommended in Jerusalem. . . . Germany’s Hilde Gerg, the Olympic slalom champion, broke her left shin bone in a spill during practice and will miss the rest of the World Cup skiing season. . . . Auburn running back Clifton Robinson, already on probation for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, was arrested on assault charges for his alleged role in a fight outside a restaurant. . . . Georgia Tech Coach George O’Leary said that linebacker Matt Uremovich, who suffered a bruised spinal cord last season, would not be allowed to play football again because of fear he could be permanently disabled.