Wheeler’s Mother Gives Deposition

Linda Will described her four-hour deposition to a Northwestern University attorney Tuesday as “one more hurdle behind me,” and maintained her wrongful death lawsuit against the school will become a resounding victory.

Will’s son, senior strong safety Rashidi Wheeler, collapsed during a summer conditioning drill and died Aug. 3, 2001. Will, who made the first oral deposition in the case at the Chicago offices of Northwestern’s attorneys, contends “the drill was designed to run those kids into the ground.”

University attorneys argue Wheeler’s use of ephedrine-containing products Ultimate Punch and Xenadrine led to a catastrophic health event. A medical examiner ruled Wheeler died of exercise-induced bronchial asthma. He was 22.

Northwestern attorney Eric Quandt addressed the issue of Wheeler’s supplement use with Will, providing a document signed by two Northwestern trainers that Wheeler and others on the team mixed the supplements before running the rigorous drill of 28 sprints ranging from 40 to 100 yards. Quandt also interviewed Wheeler’s older brother, George Wheeler III, for 25 minutes.

Quandt refused to elaborate on the deposition, saying, “[Will] is a fine lady who’s undergone a tragic event.” Jim Montgomery, Will’s attorney, said he and partner Johnnie Cochran Jr. plan to take depositions from defendants, including Northwestern football Coach Randy Walker and Athletic Director Rick Taylor, and Wheeler’s former teammates, in January and February.

Will said there will be no settlement negotiations until Walker and assistant Jerry Brown, the man who recruited Wheeler from La Verne Damien High, are fired.

-- Lance Pugmire

Golf

The Masters made two changes for players to qualify for the 2003 tournament, expanding from three to the top 10 leaders on the PGA Tour money list the week before the event and taking the 50 leaders from the World Golf Ranking the week before the event instead of four weeks before the event.

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The Tradition, one of the major tournaments on what was the Senior PGA Tour and is now called the Champions Tour, is moving in 2003 to Portland, Ore., from Scottsdale, Ariz., under a four-year agreement that includes door and window manufacturer Jeld-Wen as title sponsor.

Baseball

Free-agent pitcher Tom Glavine has made a counterproposal to Atlanta, the New York Mets and Philadelphia, asking for a $45-million, four-year contract.... Met outfielder Roger Cedeno was arrested and charged with driving under the influence in southwest Florida. Cedeno was released after posting a $500 bond.... The Chicago Cubs acquired catcher Paul Bako from Milwaukee for a player to be named.... Former Colorado and Cub manager Don Baylor was hired as bench coach by the Mets.... Former Detroit manager Luis Pujols was hired as first base coach by San Francisco.... Philadelphia extended the contract of Manager Larry Bowa through the 2004 season.

Sailing

The America’s Cup international jury ruled that a protest by New York’s Stars & Stripes against Seattle’s OneWorld for breaching sailing’s rules of fair play was valid.

Stars & Stripes has demanded OneWorld’s disqualification from the challenger series off Auckland, New Zealand, and the Cup match.

The jury said it will hear the protest when the quarterfinal repechages end.

After victories today, OneWorld leads Stars & Stripes, 2-0, and Prada of Italy leads Sweden’s Victory Challenge, 2-0, in the best-of-seven series.

Miscellany

Coach Michael Cooper of the Sparks will take part in the Salvation Army Thanksgiving Dinner and Celebration today at the Convention Center. The event starts at 5 p.m.

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Mountain High Resort in Wrightwood opened for skiing and snowboarding Tuesday night. It is the sixth consecutive year that Mountain High has been the first resort to open in Southern California.