NFL Committee Plans to Examine Mariucci Hiring

The NFL’s diversity committee plans to ask the Detroit Lions about their hiring of Coach Steve Mariucci and whether they adequately considered minority candidates.

After the Lions hired Mariucci this month, committee chairman and Pittsburgh Steeler President Dan Rooney said the club’s process “fell short” of committee guidelines.

Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Assn., the Rev. Jesse Jackson and attorneys Cyrus Mehri and Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. criticized the Lions for not seriously interviewing at least one minority candidate.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said that the diversity committee will meet the first week of March in Palm Beach, Fla., as part of a series of scheduled league committee meetings. He declined to comment further.

Lion spokesman Craig Vandermuse confirmed that the NFL is investigating whether Detroit complied with its guidelines on interviewing minority group members.

*

Defensive coordinator Jim Mora and offensive coordinator Greg Knapp will stay with the San Francisco 49ers on new Coach Dennis Erickson’s staff. The 49ers also will retain offensive line coach Pat Morris and quarterbacks coach Ted Tollner.... Dallas Cowboy defensive end Peppi Zellner was arrested and charged with possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute at Forsyth, Ga.... The Chargers have reached an agreement with backup quarterback Doug Flutie on a restructured contract that could be worth $1.5 million next season, his agent said.

Tennis

Andre Agassi struggled with his serve early and saved a match point in the second set to defeat Vladimir Voltchkov of Belarus, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6), 6-1, in the quarterfinals of the Siebel Open at San Jose. Justin Gimelstob beat Denmark’s Kenneth Carlsen, 6-3, 6-4.

Top-seeded Venus Williams beat Tina Pisnik, 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals of the $585,000 Diamond Games at Antwerp, Belgium. Williams will face fourth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova, a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (6) winner over Nathalie Dechy, in the semifinals.

In another quarterfinal match, second-seeded Kim Clijsters defeated Patty Schnyder, 7-5, 6-1. Clijsters will play fellow Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne, a 6-2, 6-4 winner over Ai Sugiyama, in the other semifinal.

Seventh-seeded Conchita Martinez withdrew from the Qatar Open because of a right ankle injury, allowing wild card Lina Krasnoroutskaya to advance to the semifinals at Doha, Qatar.... Top-seeded Roger Federer of Switzerland advanced to the semifinals of the Open 13 tournament at Marseille, France, with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over Raemon Sluiter of the Netherlands.

College Football

Wisconsin Coach Barry Alvarez will also be the school’s athletic director starting in April 2004.

Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville signed a new five-year contract worth $1.5 million annually.

Miscellany

Connecticut men’s basketball guard Ben Gordon was arrested early Friday morning after allegedly slapping a female student.

Assistant Athletic Director Kyle Muncy said Coach Jim Calhoun and Athletic Director Lew Perkins know about the situation. Muncy also said Gordon traveled with the Huskies to Philadelphia for today’s game at Villanova, and will be allowed to keep playing.

The Connecticut Sun of the WNBA acquired former University of Connecticut standout Rebecca Lobo from the Houston Comets in exchange for a second-round draft pick.

UCLA, ranked 11th in the nation in men’s volleyball, plays USC at Pauley Pavilion tonight at 7 in the Kilgour Cup match. The series honors Kirk Kilgour, who played at UCLA from 1969-71 but suffered a career-ending spinal cord injury training for volleyball in 1976. This will be the first Kilgour Cup match since Kilgour’s death on July 10, 2002.

Passings

Former welterweight champion Kid Gavilan, one of the first members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, died at age 77. See B23.