Sun Devils’ Heap Joins Players Going for NFL’s Riches

Arizona State tight end Todd Heap joined a glittering list of college football players leaving early, making his decision Friday on the final day for underclassmen to declare their NFL draft intentions.

Quarterbacks Michael Vick of Virginia Tech, Josh Booty of Louisiana State and Quincy Carter of Georgia, All-American cornerback Jamar Fletcher of Wisconsin and running backs Rudi Johnson and Heath Evans of Auburn already had said they would turn pro.

All-American running back Damien Anderson of Northwestern and quarterback Antwaan Randle El of Indiana, however, said they would stay in school.

Heap, nicknamed “the Golden Retriever” by since-fired Coach Bruce Snyder, was Arizona State’s career leader for receptions by a tight end. The 6-foot-5 junior caught 115 passes for 1,685 yards and 10 touchdowns in three seasons.

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Alabama freshman football player Albert Means has decided to withdraw from school amid allegations that his high school coach steered him to Tuscaloosa for thousands of dollars.

The university will recommend that Means be unconditionally released from his national letter of intent, giving him three years of eligibility.

After meeting with Crimson Tide coaches, Means said he made the decision because he “wanted to be closer to my home and help my family” in Memphis, Tenn.

Milton Kirk, a former assistant coach at Trezevant High in Memphis, alleged this week that his former boss, Lynn Lang, received several payments in exchange for sending Means to Alabama.

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Virginia Coach Al Groh hired his first four assistant coaches, including Bill Musgrave as offensive coordinator. Musgrave, who was the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator, quit the team four games into the season after being criticized for his play calling. . . . Michigan State plans to switch from artificial turf to grass in Spartan Stadium in time for the 2002 football season.

Tennis

Martina Hingis of Switzerland defeated Lindsay Davenport, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, in the final of the Adidas International in Sydney. It could be a preview of the final in the Australian Open, which begins Monday. Hingis is the No. 1 seed for the first Grand Slam event of the year and Davenport is No. 2.

Hingis beat fourth-seeded Conchita Martinez of Spain, 6-3, 6-2, in the semifinal and Davenport advanced to the final when Amelie Mauresmo of France withdrew because of a back injury.

On the men’s side, defending champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia won his seventh career title by defeating top-seeded Magnus Norman of Sweden, 6-4, 6-1.

Andre Agassi continued his domination of Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia as he prepared to defend his Australian Open title by winning the Colonial Classic, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, at Melbourne.

Second-seeded Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia defeated Spanish veteran Francisco Clavet, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, to win his third ATP career title in the Heineken Open final at Auckland, New Zealand.

Belgian teenager Justine Henin won her second Sanex WTA Tour title in as many weeks, beating fourth-seeded Sandrine Testud of France, 6-2, 6-2, in the final of the inaugural Canberra International. . . . Upsets continued in the semifinals of the Tasmanian International tournament at Hobart, Australia, as Rita Grande of Italy beat sixth-seeded Ruxandra Dragomir of Romania, 6-1, 6-3, and American Jennifer Hopkins defeated fifth-seeded Cara Black of Zimbabwe, 6-3 6-4.

Baseball

Richard Hidalgo, who had a breakthrough year with the Houston Astros last season, agreed to a $32-million, four-year contract.

Hidalgo’s contract is the third-highest in franchise history, trailing only Jeff Bagwell’s $85-million, five-year extension, which starts in 2002, and Craig Biggio’s $33-million, four-year contract, which runs through 2003.

Right-handed reliever Jeff Brantley and the Texas Rangers agreed to a minor league contract. . . . Outfielder Roberto Kelly agreed to a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies. . . . Former Colorado general manager Bob Gebhard was promoted by the St. Louis Cardinals to vice president, special assistant to General Manager Walt Jocketty. . . . Right-handed reliever Heathcliff Slocumb was released by the San Diego Padres.

Miscellany

David Kudelka’s third-period goal broke open a close game as the Ice Dogs defeated the Anchorage Aces, 4-1, in a West Coast Hockey League game at Long Beach.

Former heavyweight champion Michael Moorer won his second consecutive comeback fight, stopping journeyman Terrence Lewis in the second round at Concho, Okla.

French cyclist Richard Virenque has appealed his nine-month ban for taking performance-enhancing drugs during the 1998 Tour de France.

Matthieu Reeb, director general of the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, said the issue should be decided by March or April.

Wally Parks, the founder of the National Hot Rod Assn., will receive the Shav Glick Award April 29 at California Speedway prior to the NASCAR NAPA Auto Parts 500.

The Dominican Republic may lose the 2003 Pan American Games because of disorganization in the country’s preparation efforts.

Adhemar Ferreira da Silva, who held the world record for the triple jump and became Brazil’s most successful Olympian, died of a heart attack Friday in Sao Paulo. He was 73.

Lothar Osiander was fired as coach of the San Jose Earthquakes, two days after the NHL’s San Jose Sharks took over operation of the Major League Soccer team. Osiander, a former coach of the Galaxy and the U.S. national team, led the Earthquakes to a 7-17-8 record in his first full season. . . . Raul Diaz Arce, the second leading scorer in MLS history, signed a new contract with the league and will rejoin D.C. United. . . . Richard Williams resigned as coach of the American Basketball Assn.’s Memphis Houn’Dawgs and was replaced by former Alabama Birmingham coach and athletic director Gene Bartow.

Olympic champion Ole Einar Bjoerndalen of Norway beat points leader Raphael Poiree of France in a 10-kilometer biathlon World Cup event at Ruhpolding, Germany. . . . Per-Gunnar Lundmark of Sweden led a clean sweep of the top three places for the KTM motorcycle team in the 11th stage of the Dakar Rally from Atar to Nouakchott, Mauritania.