NCAA Suspends Eustachy One Game for Payments

Larry Eustachy, already suspended by Iowa State for his behavior at late-night parties, was suspended for one game by the NCAA on Friday for a secondary rules violation.

The NCAA found Iowa State guilty because Eustachy twice paid players for making free throws. The university was ordered to suspend Eustachy for one game, but that might become moot because Athletic Director Bruce Van De Velde has recommended that Eustachy be fired.

The payments to the players -- the most anyone received was $20 -- took place during the 2002-03 season.

Iowa State had reported the violations to the NCAA and will not appeal the ruling, said associate athletic director Bill Smith, the university’s compliance coordinator.

Van De Velde’s recommendation to fire Eustachy followed newspaper reports that he drank and partied with college students after games in Columbia, Mo., and Manhattan, Kan.

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Alabama football Coach Mike Price could find out today whether his off-field behavior will cost him his job before he even coaches a game for the Crimson Tide.

University President Robert Witt, who took over shortly after Price’s hiring in December, will present his findings to university trustees. The meeting today will be open to the public, except when officials are discussing someone’s “good name and character,” spokeswoman Kellee Reinhart said.

The university is investigating Price’s conduct during a trip to Pensacola, Fla., last month for a pro-am golf tournament.

According to news reports, Price paid for several private dances at a topless bar and, the next morning, a woman at the hotel where Price was staying ordered about $1,000 in items from the room service menu and charged it to Price’s room.

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Florida State will investigate allegations that football players might have been paid for autographs and football-related items through a booster-owned business, a school spokeswoman said.

The allegations were first made by an attorney representing former Seminole quarterback Adrian McPherson on misdemeanor gambling and felony theft charges in Tallahassee.

“We’re following up on it,” spokeswoman Browning Brooks said. “The university will continue to perform due diligence and follow up on new information that comes forward.”

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Former Alabama quarterback Brian Burgdorf pleaded guilty at Birmingham, Ala., to taking part in a scheme that defrauded $10 million from investors, including Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden.

Burgdorf, 29, was a backup quarterback on the Crimson Tide’s 1992 national championship squad and a captain for the 1995 team. U.S. District Judge Karon Bowdre set sentencing for July 30.

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St. Bonaventure has selected Notre Dame assistant Anthony Solomon to coach its men’s basketball team, a source told the Associated Press.

Solomon officially will be introduced at a news conference at the school’s Olean, N.Y., campus, probably Monday, an Atlantic 10 Conference source said.

Bonnies athletic department spokesman Steve Mest declined to comment. Notre Dame spokesman John Heisler referred all questions to St. Bonaventure.

Tennis

An independent Tennis Anti-Doping Program tribunal determined that Czech player Bohdan Ulihrach committed a doping offense after testing positive for the banned substance nandrolone, the ATP announced.

Ulihrach will be suspended for two years, fined $43,770 and forfeit 100 ranking points. The suspension is from Oct. 26, 2002 -- the day following his last match played on the circuit -- and ends Oct. 25, 2004. Ulihrach tested positive in October 2002 at a tournament in Moscow.

Venus Williams dropped the first set and trailed, 3-0, in the second before winning 12 of 15 games to beat Francesca Schiavone of Italy in the J&S; Cup quarterfinals at Warsaw.

The top-seeded Williams needed nearly two hours for the 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory.

Her semifinal opponent will be Denisa Chladkova of the Czech Republic, who eliminated Fabiola Zuluaga of Colombia, 7-5, 7-5.

Australian Open runner-up Rainer Schuettler was knocked out of the BWM Open quarterfinals at Munich, Germany, losing, 6-3, 6-4, to Stefan Koubek.

In the semifinals, Koubek plays top-seeded Roger Federer, who defeated sixth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny, 6-2, 6-3.

On the other side of the draw, fifth-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov outlasted U.S. Open semifinalist Sjeng Schalken, 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-3, and eighth-seeded Jarkko Nieminen beat Radek Stepanek, 6-1, 6-1.

Samantha Reeves reached her first WTA Tour semifinal when Gala Leon Garcia of Spain quit because of an injury during their quarterfinal at the Croatian Bol Ladies Open.

Reeves, ranked 123rd, faces third-seeded Vera Zvonareva, who ousted Ludmila Cervanova, 6-1, 6-1.

Conchita Martinez Granados reached the semifinals by defeating Tathiana Garbin, 7-5, 7-6 (4), and Maria Sanchez Lorenzo beat Silvija Talaja, 7-5, 7-6 (6).

French Open finalist Juan Carlos Ferrero beat fifth-seeded Agustin Calleri, 6-3, 6-4, to reach the Valencia Open semifinals in Spain. His opponent will be Flavio Saretta, who surprised fourth-seeded Gaston Gaudio, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Pro Football

Jacksonville Jaguar quarterback Mark Brunell says that when he met with team owner Wayne Weaver this week, he was told he would remain Jacksonville’s quarterback for this season, but the team would not be able to keep him next year.

This comes on the heels of the Jaguars making quarterback Byron Leftwich their first pick in the NFL draft.

Weaver was miffed that Brunell went public about the meeting. “I have a lot of conversations with players, and I’d like to keep them confidential,” he said.

Cornerback Alex Molden agreed to terms with the Washington Redskins and is expected to join the team for this weekend’s minicamp....Cornerback and special teams player Willie Williams signed a one-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks.... San Diego Charger associate head coach-defense Bill Arnsparger, 76, is retiring.

Miscellany

Former North Carolina basketball player Joseph Forte is being sought by the university’s police force for the alleged assault of a student during a pickup basketball game.

According to witnesses, Forte assaulted James Gibson as they argued during the game. Gibson had a deep cut over his left eye, was treated at a hospital emergency room and released.

Kevin Harvick took the lead with 51 laps to go but needed a late caution to hold off Scott Riggs and win the Busch series event at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va.

The Jeff Bagley Classic, scheduled for today at Ventura Raceway, has been postponed because of wet grounds and expected heavy rains.

No determination has been made as to when the event will be rescheduled.

Funeral services for Paul and Helen Bagley, killed in an accident at Perris Auto Speedway last Saturday, will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at El Toro Memorial Park in Lake Forest.

The U.S. hockey team earned its first victory in the World Championships at Tampere, Finland, beating Slovenia, 7-2, in the relegation round.

Hector Quiroz of Ciudad de Obregon, Mexico, stopped Antonio Diaz of Coachella at 2:46 of the ninth round of their scheduled 10-round main event in a battle of super lightweights at the Plaza Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas. Quiroz improves to 37-7-1 with 30 knockouts. Diaz drops to 39-5-1 with 28 knockouts.