Buccaneers Reverse Field on Hiring Lewis as Coach

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ search for a new coach took another bizarre turn Friday when the team abandoned plans to hire Baltimore Raven defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis.

Three weeks after being rejected by Bill Parcells, the sons of Buccaneer owner Malcolm Glazer decided against hiring Lewis--a stunning reversal that again leaves the team scrambling for a backup plan.

Lewis was told early Thursday that he was the choice to succeed Tony Dungy, who was fired on Jan. 14.

But the Glazers never approved General Manager Rich McKay’s recommendation and quashed the plan after meeting with Lewis for five hours in Washington on Thursday night.

“There is no doubt that this is a setback for me and my family,” Lewis said. “I’m disappointed. Emotionally, it’s difficult. But I will rebound in a hurry.”

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Houston Texan owner Bob McNair bought out former Enron Corp. leader Kenneth Lay’s minority share in the expansion NFL franchise, but neither spokeswoman Kelly Kimberly nor McNair would reveal the amount of Lay’s stake....Raider quarterback Rich Gannon will start for the AFC and Super Bowl most valuable player Tom Brady will come off the bench in the Pro Bowl today at Honolulu.

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Golf

Tom Watson had a hole-in-one in a round of eight-under-par 64 to take a one-stroke lead over Dana Quigley in the Senior PGA Tour’s ACE Group Classic at Naples, Fla.

Ben Crenshaw shot a 76 in his senior tour debut, closing with a bogey on No. 17 and a quadruple bogey on the 18th.

Watson birdied Nos. 10, 11 and 14 to reach five under, then aced the 163-yard, par-three 16th with a six-iron and followed with a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 17.

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College Football

The Pacific 10 Conference will investigate complaints by Washington Coach Rick Neuheisel that other schools broke conference rules by bad-mouthing him to potential football recruits.

“Certainly we will talk to those who made allegations,” Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen said. Neuheisel said “a couple” of Pac-10 schools, which he didn’t identify, recruited players who had made commitments to Washington. He made references to recruiting ploys by Oregon and UCLA.

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Jurisprudence

The defense attorney for Oakland Raider defensive tackle Darrell Russell blamed the victim of a reported rape, saying she consented to sex, dressed provocatively and bragged about posing for Playboy.

Russell was released Thursday night from Alameda County jail after posting 10% of his $1.2 million bail.

Russell’s lawyer, Anthony W. Gibbs, said there was no evidence of any drugging and that the sex was consensual.

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Baseball

Injured left-hander Norm Charlton, who already had been sent to the minors to make room for free agent James Baldwin, was released by the Seattle Mariners....The Texas Rangers designated right-hander Mark Petkovsek for assignment and removed him from the major league roster. Right-hander Ismael Valdes took Petkovsek’s place on the roster.... Right-hander Pat Rapp, who was 5-12 with the Angels last season, agreed to a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.... Rodrigo Lopez pitched a four-hitter as Mexico defeated Puerto Rico, 3-0, to win the 2002 Caribbean Series at Caracas, Venezuela.

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Miscellany

USS Tinosa came from off the pace to win the $78,650 Sham Stakes by 41/2 lengths at Santa Anita. Kent Desormeaux was aboard the Ohio-bred colt for the first time. Puerto Banus was second, Hot Contest finished third and running last was Shah Jehan, a $4.4-million yearling making its debut on dirt and in the U.S.

Venus Williams and Monica Seles moved into the semifinals of the Gaz de France tournament at Paris after winning in straight sets.

The top-seeded Williams defeated Italian Silvia Farina-Elia, 6-2, 6-1. Williams will face defending champion Amelie Mauresmo, who defeated Francesca Schiavone, 6-2, 6-2.

Seles defeated second-seeded Justine Henin, 6-4, 6-3, and will face Yugoslav Jelena Dokic, a 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 winner against Russia’s Elena Dementieva.

Former USC standout Angela Williams will compete in the 50-meter dash at the 42nd annual Los Angeles Invitational indoor track meet at the Sports Arena on Feb. 23.